Tori hails from both worlds—hearing and Deaf. She is fourth generation on her father’s side. She is from Jacksonville, Illinois where she was mainstreamed with an interpreter. Throughout her school years, Tori was the only Deaf student (other than her brother), so her first year at RIT/NTID was a cultural shock. She was able to meet students from all over the world who were just like her.

Tori graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology majoring in graphic design with an immersion in theatre arts. She is forever thankful to RIT/NTID for allowing her to find her Deaf identity. This journey here has challenged and pushed her to be the best she can be.

As a student, Tori served as a creative director, public relations officer, assistant Bash coordinator, and designer. She was also involved in many clubs, sports, and organizations such as RIT Performing Arts, DanceCore (RIT Dance Team), College Activities Board (CAB), NTID Student Congress (NSC), Deaf Basketball Association (DBA), TigerFest, Asian Deaf Club (ADC), and Tiger Media. With this diverse background of campus-wide involvement, she's excited to share her experiences, and connect with prospective students!