PLI is honored to have generous support and consultation from the diverse spectrum of the DeafBlind community. Members of the Accessible Communication Technicians team (ACT) have volunteered their time to help to ensure that PLI online content is accessible to people who have combined hearing and vision loss and use assistive technology to access online resources. You can learn more about each of them below:

Jeri Cooper

Jeri
"I was born in Tulsa Oklahoma and attended the Oklahoma School for the Blind in Muskogee where I graduated in 1976. I enjoy bowling and baseball and football. My passion is to help individuals who are deaf-blind as I am totally blind and severely hearing impaired and understand the challenges and successes of everyday living.​"

Tara Invidiato

Tara is a Caucasian female between ages 25 to 35 with shoulder length red hair wearing agreen tank top and tinted brown sunglasses and standing on a beach with the ocean in the background. All smiles, too.
TARA Invidiato, Deafblind and a  Braille display user hails from New Jersey. An  Anthropologist graduate from Bloomsburg  University and Education from Concordia University of Portland, Oregon. She pursued  her career a Professor  teaching several courses relating  to the art of ASL, Deaf Culture  and Interpreting Theatre Arts. She is also the  current webmaster and  one of the Board Directors for American Association of the DeafBlind. During her free time, Tara  trains  SSPS on the side. As an advocate for DB CAN NJ, she is known to say:    "One small step for a DeafBlind, one huge leap for the DeafBlind community"

​Coby Livingstone

Picture
"I have a certificate in Elementary Education (K-8).
Native of Michigan and current resident of Albuquerque, NM. Owner of private practice in Occupational Therapy, with emphasis on Vision Rehabilitation Therapy with older blind individuals.  Active in opportunities for policy making.  Graduate of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.  Enjoy all kinds of music, travel and family activities..

Mary Ellen Marmo

Terra smiling
"I am a private tutor and home instructor. 
Despite my challenges, sight and hearing impaired, I am productive at age 70.  I have retinitis pugnentosa and wear 2 cochlear implants."

Sarah McMillen

Sarah has a fun facial expression. She is wearing her sunglasses on the top of her head. She is holding her cane with an orange handle under her arm. She has a maroon rain jacket with a backpack. She was enjoying her walk along the streets of Seattle on a rainy day. Fall was just starting. The sidewalk is behind Sarah to her right. Also, behind Sarah are different kinds of trees and a bush, with different shades of green, from light to dark. Way in the back of the picture is a tall tree with dark purple leaves.
Sarah is currently living in San Antonio, a cultural-rich space of U.S. and Spanish their-stories, anticipating to become a Language Specialist, where she aims to further advocate for and educate about PT, ASL, and other signed languages across the globe. She graduated from SUNY Brockport with B.S. in Health Science, Liberal Arts; and obtained M.A. in Deaf Studies, Cultural Studies. She lives with her partner, and their furry kiddos!

Ryan Odland

Ryan
Ryan Odland is an Outreach Consultant representing deaf-blind stakeholders with the Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Prior to working at the Commission, Ryan was a Regional Representative serving two regions with Helen Keller National Center. Ryan, who is deaf-blind with Usher syndrome, holds a bachelor degree in psychology from Rochester Institute of Technology and a master degree in deaf education from Gallaudet University, where he taught a course on the methodological applications of the deaf-blind experience. He has advocated for deaf-blind awareness and program development at local, state and national levels.​

Marissa Gold

Photo and bio coming soon!
Interested in joining our team? Contact us! You can reach us at [email protected].