Rachel Kallem Whitman

Dr. Rachel Kallem Whitman is an educator, self-advocate, and writer who has been shacking up with bipolar disorder since 2000. Rachel graduated from Duquesne University with her doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus in disability studies. Rachel earned her M.S.Ed. in Community Mental Health/Special Education Support from Duquesne University and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Virginia. Rachel has worked in public school systems as a special education advocate, in higher education as a disability services coordinator, and as a curriculum developer and mentor for youth with disabilities at a hospital. Currently, Rachel is an adjunct professor at Duquesne University, where she teaches courses in disability studies.

Rachel is a content expert who has been consulted on various disability initiatives led by organizations serving the disabled community, as well as an experienced public speaker who has presented at schools, colleges, foundations, and nonprofits about challenging ableism and sanism; interpreting disability as a social justice issue centered on ensuring access, normalizing interdependence, and recognizing the impact of intersectionality; and addressing the moral imperative of intentionally including diverse brains and bodies in everyday life. In addition, Rachel uses these opportunities to engage audiences in conversations about celebrating disability as a source of pride, identity, community, and culture.

Rachel is an avid writer who has published articles, short stories, poems, and essays about the societal barriers and biases that marginalize the experience of living with a disability. In addition, Rachel is the author of Instability in Six Colors, a memoir that paints a vivid picture of what it is like living with chronic mental illness, trauma, and a complicated relationship with sanity, suicide, and self-love.

​