About Us

Jenna Beacom holds a master's degree in Deaf Education from the University of Minnesota, and a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After living and working in Wisconsin, Minnesota, California and Illinois, she has called Columbus, Ohio home for the past nine years, and plans to stay there for a good long time!

When Jenna found out about the position available at pepnet 2, she said, "It's like someone put all of my experience and interests into a blender and out came this job!" She's worked extensively with deaf/hard of hearing stakeholders as an advocate and educator, including directing a job training and placement center in L.A. for several years. Since the birth of her daughter in 2000, she has focused mostly on writing, editing, and administering online forums, as well as creating websites for various organizations. She has been involved with many volunteer organizations, most recently with Deaf Women of Ohio, who selected her as the Elizabeth "Cookie" Williams award winner in 2013.
 

Lisa Caringer has over 20 years’ experience working in service programs for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.  She has extensive experience as a disability service provider and interpreter coordinator, working at colleges and universities. She has also held positions as a state rehabilitation counselor for the deaf and service representative for the Social Security Administration. Lisa earned her BS degree in Sign Language Interpreting from Maryville College and is a nationally certified interpreter.  She completed her graduate degree in Rehabilitation Counseling at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Lisa’s areas of interest include supporting disability service providers new to deafness and hearing loss, working with previously underserved DHH youth in transitioning to college and training programs, and utilizing video remote interpreting in postsecondary environments.

Jennifer Coyle is located in Kalamazoo, MI at Western Michigan University and is currently working part-time with pn2 and part-time with the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC).  With NSTTAC, Jennifer delivers technical assistance, professional development with the intent of helping states improve their transition education and services at the state and local level.  Her expertise is in implementing the different components of transition education, program evaluation, capacity building, and technical assistance.  Prior to working at the university, Jennifer taught special education and transition for seven years in a middle school and postsecondary setting for students ages 18 to 26 year olds.

Jennifer’s academic credentials are all from Western Michigan University (Bronco girl at heart J ) Bachelor of Arts; Special education with a cognitive impairments emphasis, Masters: Special education administration and Ed.D: Identifying In-school Predictors of Post-School Success for Students with Hearing Impairments.

Tia Ivanko brings a broad range of perspectives to pn2, as an educator of the Deaf, nationally certified interpreter, and disability service provider. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Ithaca College in Teaching of Speech and Hearing Handicap, and her Master’s Degree from Western Maryland College, now McDaniel College, in Deaf Education.

Tia has experience teaching at the elementary, middle school, and collegiate level. As an interpreter she worked in a variety of postsecondary settings in urban and suburban areas. She brings a comprehensive range of knowledge of ADA and its application to accommodations and services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals in the higher education setting. Originally from Massachusetts, but now located in New Jersey, her professionally endeavors have brought her all around a good part of the northeast.

Laura Plummer is a Senior Rehabilitation Technologist/Sensory Specialist with the Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin.  She conducts assistive technology assessments and coordinates statewide assistive technology outreach / training projects. Laura also serves as the Wistech Director, Wisconsin’s federally funded AT Act Project.

Laura has both Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Deafness Rehabilitation Counseling from Northern Illinois University and has additional training in deaf blindness. She is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Assistive Technology Professional. Prior to her current employment she worked at a local Independent Living Center in Western Wisconsin.

Laura brings her assistive technology and independent living experiences to pepnet 2 and will work to expand information available to our stakeholders in these areas. Laura primarily works in the areas of hearing and vision loss as well as computer access. She also takes an active role in learning and using the latest in electronic gadgetry.

Kathy Schwabeland is located in Baltimore, Maryland and has her BS from Towson State University in Psychology and her MA from Gallaudet University in Rehabilitation Counseling. She has worked for more than 15 years with deaf or hard of hearing individuals in a variety of settings including community mental health rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation, public secondary school, postsecondary school, and community based programs. Kathy offers pepnet 2 stakeholders her significant experience with the non-college bound student, individuals with co-occurring disabilities, and employment resources for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

In her free time, Kathy enjoys camping, quilting, and hanging out with her family. She has a husband, three sons, two dogs, three cats, a variety of fish and a snake. Currently the two younger sons are trying to convince her to add a lizard to the zoo but Kathy would much rather have another dog.