Sarah Brown
Sarah Brown became a certified sign language interpreter while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Counseling with an emphasis on deaf communities. After over 20 years buried deep in the profession of community interpreting, she’s thrilled to be at the National Deaf Center where she finds reasons to use technology in new ways to […]
Carrie Lou Bloom, PhD
As a deaf person who grew up in the deaf community, Dr. Carrie Lou Bloom’s professional expertise is steeped in her lived experience. A nationally-recognized educational researcher, she is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at UT Austin. She co-directs the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes and […]
Jeffrey Palmer, PhD
Dr. Jeffrey Levi Palmer is a researcher, heritage signer, and Coda. He is interested not only in the formative factors that contribute to optimal language, literacy, and academic outcomes but also in identifying educational and social practices that can be implemented today to enhance postsecondary outcomes. For over a decade, he has worked as a […]
Jen Higgins
Jen Higgins has 15 years of experience managing research and development programs that focus on accessibility. Over this time, she has led the coordination of three Enhanced Assessment Grant (EAG) projects and has directed all activities for a fourth, which focused on research and development of guidelines for American Sign Language (ASL) and audio representation […]
Tia Ivanko, MA, NIC, ADAC
Tia Ivanko, M.S.,NIC, ADAC is an educator passionate about addressing inequities in education for deaf learners. She is committed to improving systems and increasing the professional capacity of people and entities who provide services for deaf communities. As Co-Director and Co-principal investigator at the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC), Ivanko works in tandem […]
Lore Kinast, EdD
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 […]
Diego Ozuna-Clark
Diego Ozuna-Clark is dedicated to fostering community engagement. In their role as Strategic Support Coordinator, Diego focuses on community initiatives designed to unite people and enhance networks within local communities, ultimately facilitating improved access, services, and resources for deaf communities. Diego specializes in providing trainings and creating conversations that focus on building meaningful relationships, creating […]
