Dr. Lissa D. Ramirez-Stapleton is an associate professor at California State University Northridge in the Department of Deaf Studies and core faculty for the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program. Her research focuses on equity and access, identity development, and the educational history of Deaf students, faculty, and staff with a particular interest in the intersections of race, gender, and disability. She was a 2018-2019 Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow and is a member of the University of Michigan Diversity Scholars Network. As a private consultant for over 15 years, she conducts training, workshops, and keynotes on issues of social justice, equity and diversity across the country as well as supports campus climate assessments as a qualitative research specialist with Rankin & Associates Consulting. She is professionally involved with the Association for the Study of Higher Education and active within the National Black Deaf Advocates organization. Lissa previously worked as a student affair professional and with Semester At Sea. Her desire to support Deaf college Students of Color, led Lissa to pursue her doctorate at Iowa State University. She graduated in 2014 with her Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Higher Education and Social Justice and a minor in Women’s Studies. She earned her M.S.E. in College Student Personnel from the University of Dayton and B.S. in Social Work from Wright State University.