Tia Nelis has been active in state and national self-advocacy for many years. She is the past president of Illinois People First as well as the past chairperson of Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered. Tia was the co-director of the National TA Center for Voting and Cognitive Access in years one and two of the grant. She has done numerous training workshops and provided ongoing technical assistance for self-advocacy leaders across the nation. Tia is a well known speaker, trainer, and consultant on self-advocacy. She also was the first person with a cognitive disability to be certified as a Franklin Covey Institute Leadership trainer. Tia currently works at the University of Illinois in Chicago and is a Vote Project trainer.