After more than three decades of service to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Barbara Woodhead, director of the Services for Students with Disabilities office, has announced her retirement.
A reception in her honor will be 3:30 to 5 p.m. April 1 in the Nebraska Union, Platte River Room. Remarks are scheduled for 4:20 p.m. The event is open to the campus community.
“I’ve always intended for my career to be focused on bettering the student experience,” Woodhead said. “My professional journey started as a high school English teacher where I quickly realized that challenges were opportunities that required a personal commitment to learning and growing. That philosophy has remained relevant throughout my career at UNL, engaging diverse populations of students and collaborating with faculty and staff across campus.”
Woodhead began her career at Nebraska as a sign language interpreter and coordinator. She joined the Services for Students with Disabilities office full time as assistant director in 2013 and was named director in 2023.
During her tenure, she served under four vice chancellors for Student Life and six university chancellors while witnessing major shifts in campus operations, including the transition from manual record-keeping to digital systems.
“I began working on campus during the era of manual record-keeping, typewriters, cumbersome filing systems, paper syllabi, hard copies of course materials and teletypewriters for the Deaf,” Woodhead said. “Technological advances ushered in efficiency, convenience and equitable access for individuals with disabilities.”
Woodhead has also led efforts to expand the capabilities of the SSD office. In fall 2025, she spearheaded the implementation of the Accessible Information Management system, which digitized the process students use to share accommodation letters with instructors, improving efficiency and accessibility for both students and faculty.
Her work in disability services has also earned national recognition. In 2025, Woodhead received the Honor for Meritorious Contribution from the Association on Higher Education and Disability. In the award nomination letter, colleagues praised her for helping create “a culture of belonging, trust and connection within our network” and for serving as “a vital resource to our WINAHEAD membership, regularly sharing expertise, best practices and encouragement.”
In retirement, Woodhead plans to spend more time with family both locally and abroad and hopes to make progress on her “to-be-read” stacks of books.
