Tina Calderaro-Mendoza is the Senior Project Coordinator at UMKC’s Institute for Human Development, Charting the Life Course Nexus, in addition she is certified as a Charting the Life Course Ambassador, and Mentor Trainer for Person-Centered Practices with The Learning Community for Person-Centered Practices. With a bachelor’s degree in Social Work she is a passionate about making a difference and advocating for the rights of all people to be able to live their good life. As a parent, relative and friend of many who have a disability she can relate not only as a professional but personally caring for and about loved ones with unique support needs, gifts and skills.

Dedicated to a life of service from a young age in addition to 24 years plus of professional experience and expertise, she has proven success at championing efforts to transform systems of care, planning and support for people with disabilities and their families. She is humbled and delighted to serve alongside such a stellar team at the Nexus to innovate supports and services that lead to better lives for all. She is skilled in the areas of organizational development, training, strategic planning, and project management specifically in the area of supporting large service coordination agencies and their provider partners. She led a 360-degree leadership approach to implement Person-Centered practices to improve the quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She enjoys creating spaces and places to bring people together to share learning and collaborate to strengthen partnership that results in creating communities that work for all. She is thrilled to be able to continue to do work that aligned with her values and vision that all people, especially those with disabilities are seen through the lens of their diverse capacities, gifts, skills and potential and are supported to pursue a life of meaning and joy defined by them.

Through her continued work in the area of Person-Centered planning and practices she hopes to further equip people, their families and the organizations and states that support them with the necessary resources and approaches to create spaces, places and support that offer opportunities for belonging, inclusion, respect, choice, and meaningful contribution. One the mantras she lives by is from the work of Dr. John O Brien, always to be thinking about, “What more is possible” in the lives of people with disabilities and work towards that end. Although Tina’s work defines many aspects of who she is and what she cares deeply about she also embraces her role as wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt/Tia, Godmother, cousin and friend with great pride and believes everyone should leave with a smile when in her presence and feel loved.