she/her/hers@TiaIvankoTia-Nikki Ivanko is an educator, certified ADA coordinator, and a nationally certified (NIC) sign language interpreter with over 15 years professional experience, primarily in education settings.In her primary role as Co-Director and Co-Principal Investigator at the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC), her work is committed to changing systems and increasing the professional capacity of people and entities who provide services for deaf communities. Tia has now worked under this federal funding line for three cycles, concentrating on accommodation and accessibility practices, and innovative professional development for practitioners in the field. Before joining the grant, she worked as a deaf services coordinator at a community college, a collegiate program director, and a teacher of the deaf. She draws upon her extensive professional expertise, community experiences, and personal interest in diversity, inclusion, and equity to promote NDC’s mission of #DeafSuccess. Tia is a people person, enjoys the company of others and particularly learning from their lived experiences. She believes in listening and learning from other people's journeys as a pathway to strengthening relationships and building community. She is passionate about shaping spaces to foster equity and inclusion especially for historically marginalized communities. A In addition to teaching and mentoring interpreters working in education settings, she has a special interest in addressing barriers and biases that people of color encounter as consumers of and professionals in the interpreting field.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 spending time with her family and friends to savor life’s moments that fade all too fast.