Posts by Mendi Cooley

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Mendi Cooley

Mendi Cooley is the founder of Coolabilities LLC, an Indiana-based consulting practice rooted in disability advocacy, community building, and inclusive leadership development. She serves families and communities at the intersection of lived experience and professional expertise, leading initiatives such as the Westfield Family Network, the Westfield Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC), and the Indiana SEPAC Collaborative. Mendi also serves on the Westfield Advisory Council on Disability, where she works to shape more accessible and equitable systems at the local level. A freelance blogger and contracted writer for Hamilton County Tourism, she brings her advocacy lens to accessibility-focused travel content, helping readers navigate experiences with honesty and practical insight. Mendi's work is grounded in a simple but powerful belief: understanding why must come before how — a principle that shapes everything from her consulting practice to her community leadership.

An overhead view of a passenger train crossing a bridge over a wide river, with tree-lined banks on both sides. The train stretches across the water, surrounded by dense green foliage.

All Aboard for Every Family: Planning Your Nickel Plate Express Experience

By Mendi Cooley on Apr. 14, 2026

Let me start with something I don't always see in travel content about family attractions: the part where I did my homework before we arrived, still felt a little uncertain, and then watched my kids light up and have a great experience. That's the Nickel Plate Express experience in a nutshell for…

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Mendi Cooley

All Aboard for Every Family: Planning Your Nickel Plate Express Experience