APH Educational Research Staff: Tristan Gay Pierce
Multiple Disabilities and Physical Education Project Leader
E-mail: tpierce@aph.org
Tristan Pierce has worked in educational publishing for over 25 years. Her past experience in research and design, creative direction, and production management prepared her for the challenge of product development as the Multiple Disabilities Project Leader. She has been with APH since the year 2000.
Tristan holds a BA in Advertising and French. Since completing her MA in Intercultural Management, she has worked with teenage scholar athletes from around the world, developed art activities for international children's events, and managed a toddler house in a Haitian orphanage where many multiply disabled children live. Tristan is currently a swim coach for the Kentucky School for the Blind.
Designing products for learners who have multiple disabilities requires knowledge of many diagnostic conditions. Tristan collaborates with specialists who have extensive education and experience in specific areas of impairment (e.g., autism, cerebral palsy, deafblindness, etc.). Using this team approach, Tristan has guided many new products through research, design, field testing, and production.
Tristan’s interest in health, nutrition, and physical education has resulted in a new category of products available from APH. As Physical Education Project Leader, Tristan works with experts in the field of physical fitness to create physical education products. Individuals who have visual impairments, blindness, or deafblindness can use these fun and challenging APH products to participate in active, social, and healthy lifestyles.