Dana M. Fink

Dana Michele Fink, 38, of Washington D.C., passed away on July 18, 2026. Dana was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to Edith and Gary Fink on December 26, 1987. She earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies, with a minor in French, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she received a full athletic scholarship as a star player on the women’s wheelchair basketball team. At the time of her passing, she was completing her Master of Administration at the George Washington University, where she was a Walter Green Fellow. Dana devoted her career to advancing the rights and well-being of people with disabilities and older adults. As a public servant with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, she held policymaking roles with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL). She also held critical program management positions with the Institute for Educational Leadership and the American Association of People with Disabilities. Dana managed more than $20 million in grant funding to support multiply marginalized communities across the United States. Dana will be remembered by her family and friends for her determination, commitment to social justice, adventurous spirit, love of food and travel, and incisive wit. She traveled to five continents, studied abroad in China, and competed internationally in rowing and wheelchair basketball. A gifted language learner, she was proficient in French, Mandarin, and American Sign Language. More recently, she performed her first stand-up comedy routine to such acclaim that she was invited to appear at SqueakyFest, the first multi-city comedy festival featuring disabled performers. Dana is survived by her parents Edith and Gary Fink of Athens, Georgia; her sisters, Ellen and Stacia (Patrick Lanham); her nieces, Vada, Shoshana, and Dalia; her loyal service dog, Wednesday; her beloved cat, Dorothy; and her many dear friends in Washington D.C. and around the world. Family and friends will celebrate Dana’s life in private ceremonies in Washington D.C. and Athens, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Canine Companions or Disability Culture Lab, organizations dedicated to dismantling ableism and advancing autonomy for people with disabilities, missions that resonated deeply with Dana.

Dana M. Fink

December 26, 1987 - July 18, 2026