The Ms. Wheelchair America Executive Committee selected Dr. Carrie Mulderink as Ms. Wheelchair Illinois this year. Dr. Mulderink’s platform topic as Ms. Wheelchair Illinois, raising awareness of and criminalizing caregiver emotional abuse on a national level, is based off of her own experiences while getting her PhD. She earned her PhD from the University of New Mexico in Intercultural Communication and her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southern Illinois University.

She finished up her time in May as an Adjunct Professor at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois. Trinity Christian College closed, so she is now searching for her next job opportunity. She serves as a volunteer diversity manager for the Always in the Club Foundation, which was inspired by the 90’s Mickey Mouse Club and works to empower youth through transformative mentorship and arts education, while also striving to build stronger communities and a more sustainable future. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching Chicago Bears football, and listening to music