Dr Onudeah “Dr Oni” Nicolarakis is a dedicated educator, researcher, and advocate whose work centres on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) community and inclusive education. With nearly 20 years of experience, she has taught DHH and hearing students across various educational settings, from early childhood to higher education. Her academic journey includes a BA in Early Childhood Education and an MA in Deaf Education from Gallaudet University, followed by a doctorate from Columbia University, where her dissertation explored writing strategies among Deaf and hearing adults.
Dr Nicolarakis currently serves as an associate professor and the programme director of the postgraduate programmes in the Department of Education at Gallaudet University. Her research interests encompass functional writing development, ASL/English literacy, transformative pedagogy, and school reform. She has contributed significantly to the field through publications and presentations on Black Deaf Gain, translanguaging, early childhood education, and language anxiety.
Beyond academia, Dr Nicolarakis actively engages in initiatives aimed at enhancing educational outcomes for DHH students. She serves as a trustee for the Lexington School and Centre for the Deaf board. Additionally, she has participated in the Pathways to Language ECHO series, focusing on early language acquisition for DHH children.
Dr Nicolarakis’s commitment to equity extends to her involvement in research addressing barriers to DHH participation in clinical trials. As a Black Latina Deaf scholar, she is recognised among a growing number of Black/Latine Deaf individuals who have earned doctoral degrees, contributing to the diversification and enrichment of perspectives within the field.
Through her multifaceted roles, Dr Nicolarakis continues to advocate for inclusive practices and policies that support the DHH community in educational and research contexts.