A 2023 graduate of Montana State University Billings, IL specialist Heather Talmadge is eager to share not only her academic knowledge but her lived experience with visual impairments, CPTSD, and cancer with consumers.
My name is Heather Talmadge. I was born in Seattle, Washington, and am 43 years old. I started working at LIFTT in March of 2023 as an Independent Living (IL) Specialist. My job is to provide services that will empower you to live independently despite the type of disabilities you live with.
I have been Visually Impaired my entire life, and I am Autistic. I also have Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) and am a cancer survivor. As someone who grew up disabled, I often felt invisible and like an outsider. Nowadays, I do not think that way anymore. I understood that disabilities are, in reality, different abilities that contribute to shaping us as individuals. They are a part of life. We must overcome barriers and obstacles daily and contribute to building a more diverse and inclusive society. Over the years, my experiences have helped me build the resiliency and self-advocacy skills I needed to succeed personally and professionally. I will be happy to share these experiences with you and help you achieve the same success I have encountered.
I first moved to Montana in 2011 to begin studying for my bachelor’s, and I dual majored in Elementary Education and Special Education. Since then, I have moved around quite a bit and have lived off and on in various places in Montana. In the spring of 2023, I graduated from Montana State University Billings (MSUB) with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Education.
I am a mother of three adult children with one grandchild. I am passionate about holistic wellness, including yoga, meditation, and dance. I am an avid music lover, and I also love to bake. Additionally, I like traveling, hiking, camping, and volunteering in my community. At times, I believed doing these activities wasn’t possible for someone with my disabilities. Thankfully, I got the support and help I needed to make these passions not just dreams but a part of my reality. We all face insurmountable challenges, but with the right support, education, and determination, we can surprise ourselves with how much we can achieve.
If there is anything I can do for you, from providing you with independent living services to sharing my personal and professional experiences, please do not hesitate to contact me at heathert@liftt.org or 406-294-5183.
Sincerely,
Heather
About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides people with disabilities with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and southcentral Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Stillwater, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app on Apple or Google Play.