Welcome to the NADYS Section page!
Mission
ACT: Advocate, Connect, Thrive
Vision
NADYS’s vision is to advocate the youth by empowering them, connecting them to opportunities, and having them thrive in the community.
Join
The NADYS is always looking for energetic members to join our section! If you are a youth, aged 18-30, come and connect with us, and help the Deaf community thrive by advocating for transformation. If you’re between 18 and 30, you can become a member — just pay $5 in addition to the $25 annual membership. For those outside the age range, you’re still more than welcome to join and support our vision/mission. If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact the board at the emails provided below!
Contact main email
[email protected]
NADYS Board
PRESIDENT
DeMarco Pittman (he, him, his)
DeMarco Pittman is a Deaf Atlantan from a 9th generation Deaf family. He is a recent Georgia State University Interdisciplinary Studies graduate who made history as the university’s first Deaf Homecoming King and completed college in just two years. DeMarco was born in Atlanta and raised in Clayton County, where he attended Suder Elementary, Mundy’s Mill Middle School, and Jonesboro High School (JHS). He received scholarships and was a member of the JHS football team. He most recently served as Digital Coordination for Stacey Abrams’ gubernatorial campaign in 2022. DeMarco intends to obtain an MBA and then set out to become financially secure and successful in his chosen fields. During this time, he develops into a strong mentor and actively demonstrates to students how to participate in their education. DeMarco’s current focus is to share his motivation and passion for educational success with the rest of the world, emphasizing that it does not have to be “in light of a disability” but can be part of what any successful student does. “Deafness is not a disability for me.” Instead, he focuses on working hard (sometimes extra hard) to achieve his objectives.
VICE PRESIDENT / MEDIA COORDINATOR
Tyler Hurteau (he, him, his)
Tyler Hurteau, a former Vice President and President of the JR.NAD program during high school, representing the deaf program’s origins. Tyler Hurteau captained the Academic Bowl team his senior year. Tyler Hurteau was named Valedictorian of the 2022 senior class and Class President. Tyler is also currently obtaining a degree. He formerly coached a basketball team in the league for children of various ages in his hometown. Tyler believes in his passion for empowering to help future leaders grow within the Deaf Community. He also enjoys working with his incredible team as Vice President of the NAD Youth Section. In addition, Tyler is proud to be a part of participating in numerous deaf committees.
SECRETARY / WFDYS LIAISON
DT Bruno (he, him, his)
DT Bruno is a former inaugural two-term President/Chair of the NAD Youth Section and currently serves as secretary to the NADYS Board of Directors for the years 2022-2024. DT is a former NAD intern who served as Jr. NAD President his senior year and helped plan the 2013 Jr. NAD conference. DT pursued a Youth Ordinary Member (YOM) to WFDYS after the formation of NADYS and coordinated the 2019 delegation to Paris, France. DT is a Deaf, ASL-using clinician and Community Health Worker with the GNMH, which serves deaf and hard-of-hearing populations throughout New Hampshire.
TREASURER
Lillian Klein (she, her, hers)
During her Senior year of high school, Lillian Klein served as Jr. NAD’s Treasurer and Vice President. During her Sophomore and Senior years, Lillian was an honor student. She also attended a hearing school. She is currently employed by Starbucks. She enjoys working with people and always lends her complete support to others. Until three years ago, she was raised in the deaf community. After that, She relocated to New York and became bicultural as a part of a member of both the deaf and hearing communities. She is delighted to serve as treasurer for NADYS.
REGION I
Isabella DiRenzo (she, her, hers)
Isabella DiRenzo is a member of the Pittsburgh Organization of the Deaf and the Pennsylvania Society for the Advancement of the Deaf. Isabella also serves at Pahrtners Deaf Service as a Direct Support Mentor. She is the fourth generational deaf person in her family and presently lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 2017, she graduated from the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. She has worked with Student Body Government, Junior. NAD, the Class of 2017, Girls Athletic Association, and as a Peer Mentor at WPSD. She was also a YLC alumnus in 2016.
[REGION II VACANT]
REGION III / MEDIA CONTENT CREATOR
Ari Latino (he, him, his)
Joseph “Ari” Latino II, was born and raised in Louisiana, where he still lives to this day. Ari attended the Louisiana School for the Deaf (LSD) from 2003 to graduating as a Valedictorian in 2018. He was the President of the Jr. NAD chapter. Currently, he is a freelance photographer and provides social media support services for several Deaf organizations, including the Louisiana Association of the Deaf. Ari has always been active in his community; being a member of several Deaf organizations, advocating for progressive legislation, positive systemic changes, and improving the quality of lives of the Deaf community. He also has created and performed educational content in ASL as his alter ego, “Dr. Pah!”, for Deaf Focus’ social media platforms, reaching as many as 500,000 people. He also was once recognized by the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office for his impromptu performance as a Deaf Interpreter during a press conference for a Hurricane, which went viral.He always seeks methods to motivate people around him to expand the culturally Deaf community in Louisiana. He strongly believes in a quote by Margaret Mead, “A small group of thoughtful people could change the world.”
REGION IV
Alexis Bravo (he, him, his)
Alexis Bravo was born in Michoacan, Mexico, and relocated to California with his parents when he was 18 months old. Alexis attended mainstreaming institutions before moving in 2015 to the California School for the Deaf (CSD) in Fremont. He participated in the 2017 Young Leaders Program of the Council de Manos, a national top elite leadership program for high school Latinx/Latine students. Alexis was chosen President of the Raza de Sordx Club and one of the club’s original members at CSD following the meeting. He was ecstatic to be selected for the 2019 Youth Leadership Camp (YLC). He also helped organize the CSD’s 2020 Raza de Sordx Executive Conference. Alexis attended Reedley College after graduating from the California School for the Deaf in Fremont in 2020. In the autumn of 2022, he made history by becoming the college’s first Deaf student to serve as President of the Associated Student Government (ASG). Alexis’ unrivaled dedication, determination, and commitment to equality left an indelible mark on the community. His experiences as a Deaf person and an immigrant have shaped him into a resilient young student who perseveres in the face of adversity and bravely leads the way for others to follow. He embodies all of the characteristics of a leader while displaying knowledge beyond his years.