After a career in public relations she moved to Iraq to become a humanitarian aid worker. In Iraq she implemented an innovative program that taught people with disabilities how to advocate for themselves and become social change agents. She also ran a program that taught 10,000 women how to read and write. In Sudan, she was the State Director in Southern Kordofan running a program to build government capacity to deliver services, before she was extracted from the civil war.

Since being injured by an intoxicated driver at the age of 20, Tiana has worked to change attitudes about people with disabilities, she lobbied for the ADA, sat on the board of the National Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH, now SourceAmerica) most recently she ran an employment program for people with disabilities. She consults on hiring people with disabilities to help companies diversify their workforces.

A two-time Paralympic medalist, bringing home bronze and silver, she was a member of the USA Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team for five years. Named University of Oregon’s outstanding young alumna in 2010, she was also honored with the Harold Scharper Achievement Award. She has been featured on NBC Nighly News, NPR’s Here and Now and The Takeaway. Tiana was also honored with the Harold Scharper Achievement Award from the University of Illinois Rehabilitation Division.