she/her/hers
@TiaIvanko

Tia is an educator who is passionate about creating equitable educational experiences for deaf people and increasing the professional capacity of the people who teach and support them.

As Associate Director and Co-Principal Investigator at the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC), Tia works in close tandem with Director Carrie Lou Garberoglio, PhD, to manage the organization, in particular leading eLearning initiatives, the Help team and technical assistance services, staff development, and project workflows.

She draws upon her extensive professional expertise, community experiences, and personal interest in diversity, inclusion, and equity to promote NDC’s mission of #DeafSuccess.

A nationally certified interpreter (NIC), Tia brings a deep knowledge of accessibility and professional practices in the interpreting field to her work. In addition to teaching and mentoring interpreters working in education settings, she has a special interest in removing barriers and biases that people of color encounter as consumers of and professionals in the interpreting field.

Tia was also recently certified as an ADA Coordinator (ADAC), demonstrating her mastery to oversee and coordinate compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and provide professional support to others.

For seven years, Tia has worked under this federal funding line for technical assistance and dissemination, concentrating on accommodation and accessibility practices, resource development, and innovative professional development for practitioners in the field. Before joining the grant, she worked as a deaf services coordinator, collegiate program director, and a teacher of the deaf.

Raised on the east coast and now living in Texas, Tia has been connected with deaf people since her childhood. She earned her master’s degree in Deaf Education from Western Maryland College and her bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College. When she is not working, you will likely find Tia trying to convince her two children to play a board game, make a craft, or hike one of Austin’s many trails to savor life’s moments that fade all too fast.

Dr. Lore Kinast is a change agent working to address accessibility barriers that deaf students face in higher education settings. Her interest in education and employment access for deaf people initially began when she worked as an employment development specialist and experienced the struggles her deaf clients endured with finding a job. It was further propelled while managing programs and coordinating services including interpreting, captioning, and other accommodations for deaf students at several colleges. She has spent over 25 years collaborating with stakeholders on all levels, designing accessible opportunities using short and long term goals, implementing systemic benchmarks, and spearheading program development projects. Currently, Lore is the Co-Chair for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Knowledge and Practice Community with the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). She received her master’s degree from California State University, Northridge in Educational Administration, and an EdD in Higher Education Administration from Texas Tech University.