My name is Tanya Thomas and I have been a LIFTT team member for 8 years. I came to LIFTT as part of a work experience through my job coach and started as a receptionist. Shortly thereafter becoming a peer and eventually had the opportunity to become the Peer Program Coordinator.
Having lived my whole life with a Visual Impairment has offered me both great perspective and appreciation for the shared experience of those individuals that I serve.
My goal and the goal of LIFTT’s Peer Program is always to help guide a person new to a disability or someone struggling with current barriers, to acceptance, to a greater sense of confidence, and to a feeling of empowerment. To be able to make a difference for someone is a wonderful honor and I’m proud to be part of their journey.
When I’m away from the office, I enjoy a variety of things. I have an aptitude for art and have created several charcoal portraits. I also love music of all kinds, and singing, and am an avid reader.
Travel is also a passion of mine and I look forward to a time when can again add another stamp to my passport. I’m always up for a good laugh and once I get the giggles, I’m sort of a lost cause!
If you are a person with a disability who would like to share their experiences with others and lives in our service area please consider becoming a part of our Peer Program.
Lastly, I’m kind of a quote nerd, so I’ll leave you with one of my favorites from Charlie Chaplin, “You’ll find that life is worthwhile if you just smile.”
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.