Catching up with …
annmarie (mickelson) killian, tAhs class of ‘85
“Catching Up With …” is a periodic feature of the Tracy Area Headlight Herald and is designed to highlight the exploits of Tracy Area High School graduates. If you have a suggestion of someone you think should be included in this feature, email the editor at [email protected]
T “I want to become a civil rights advocate for the deaf.”
hose were the words spoken by AnnMarie (Mickelson) Killian after finishing runner-up in Miss Deaf America Contest in 1988, three years after graduating from Tracy Area High School. Needless to say, she has hit her goal.
And then some. Like most things Killian has attempted throughout her life, she nailed this one.
She currently serves as CEO of TDIforAccess, which shapes America’s public policy in telecommunications, media, and information technology to advance the interests of all people who are deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened and, deafblind. In 2023, she officially became TDI’s first female CEO.
An advocate for accessibility and inclusion in the tech industry, Killian has also made history by becoming the first deaf women to lead TDIforAccess, Inc. and has been recognized nationally by Spectrum Disability. And her inspiring journey began in Tracy.
“I have nothing but fond memories of my upbringing in Tracy, which holds a very special place in my heart,” Killian said. “I hold deep gratitude for the tremendous influence it had in shaping who and where I am today.”
Killian has served as Chief Marketing Officer for ZP Better Together (ZP).
She also served as ZP’s Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion and was instrumental in ZP’s multi-year recognition as a Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion. She also served as ZP’s Vice President of Interpreting Operations where she was responsible for increasing profitability, growing revenue and maximizing operational efficiencies.
During her more than six years with ZP, Killian contributed to elevating the organization’s brand in the mainstream media, advancing strategic partnerships such as those with Disability:IN and CEO Action, and launching innovative and accessible services and products.
Prior to ZP, Killian served in various leadership roles at Communication Service for the Deaf, including: Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Vice President of Interpreting Operations, and Director of Customer Experience.
Killian, who is deaf, received her B.S. degree in Business and Communications at St. Cloud State University and an Executive MBA from the University of St. Thomas. She also holds a Project Management Certification from Georgetown University.
Killian said she is part of a significant statistic — more than 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents. The youngest of seven siblings, she is the only deaf member. Growing up, she said she developed a deep appreciation for the challenges of isolation and frustration due to limited resources for communication access.
Killian is the daughter of the late Roger and Anna Mae Mickelson and grew up as the only deaf child in a family of seven (three brothers and three sisters). She was diagnosed with hearing loss at the age of 4. Needless to say, her parents were shocked — “not because they saw me as less, but because they had no idea how to navigate the uncharted territory of raising a deaf child,” she said. “At the time, few services existed in rural Minnesota to support families like mine.”
Killian said while many deaf children at that time were sent to deaf residential schools as early as age 3, her parents were determined to keep their family together. All of her siblings attended St. Mary’s, while she enrolled in Tracy Area Public School and began speech therapy.
“Academics were incredibly challenging,” she said, “especially in subjects like math and science, where teachers often spoke with their backs turned, and tests relied on films without captions.”
It wasn’t until she attended the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf that she encountered captioning for the first time. It was there that her life began to shift.
At MSAD, Killian was immersed in American Sign Language, which she now identifies as her primary language.
“Spoken English is secondary,” she said. “ASL gave me full access to communication for the first time.”
Her earliest exposure to sign had come years earlier through a childhood friend whose mother and grandparents were also deaf and would fingerspell with her when she visited their home.
After two years, she yearned to be back with her mother, siblings, and childhood friends. She returned to Tracy High School for her final years, saying she was drawn back by the desire to be close to her family — especially her mother, whom she calls her greatest supporter and lifelong advocate.
Killian would go on to hold senior leadership positions across several organizations, including roles as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, before being named CEO of TDI.
Mickelson continues to pave the way for greater representation and accountability in the tech and policy sectors. As CEO, she is deeply engaged with a broad network of organizations dedicated to accessibility and inclusion, including the Federal Communications Commission Disability Advisory Committee, Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities, Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network.
Killian is also a frequent presenter at national conferences and public events, where she advocates for transformative policy initiatives like the Communication Video Technology Accessibility Act, emphasizing its critical role in ensuring communication equity in the digital age. Looking ahead, she remains focused on advancing accessibility and inclusion in Information and Communication Technology. Her unwavering dedication and systems-level approach continue to drive positive change and set a higher standard for what equitable technology can and should be.
“This mission isn’t just for the existing disability community,” she said. “It’s about preparing for all of us. Given by 2035, our generation of Baby Boomers will outnumber children in the U.S., the reality is clear: whether through age, injury, or illness, most of us will experience some form of disability in our lifetime. Why wouldn’t we want to build a world that provides access and communication equity to all?”
Killian is hosting one of the largest global disabilitycentered events in the country this summer called WAWABILITY 2025, which will take place July 11-12 at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. The event celebrates the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and brings together innovators and policy leaders, and advocates to celebrate progress and call for more.
Killian now resides in Braselton, GA, and splits her time between home and Washington, D.C, where she regularly meets and advocates with federal agencies. Her husband, Kenny, is also deaf, and American Sign Language is the primary language of their household. Their daughter, Skylar, is a CODA — Child of a Deaf Adult — and is fully fluent in ASL.
Killian said two mentors had a profound and lasting impact on her journey: Nancy Garrett, a speech therapist here in the 1980s, and guidance counselor Chris Kamrud.
“Nancy didn’t just teach me how to speak, she guided me through what it meant to be the only child in the entire school with a hearing loss,” said Killian. “Nancy gave me the tools to advocate for myself, helped me feel seen, and was instrumental in helping me find my footing in a space that often felt isolating. I truly would not be where I am today without her influence.”
She added that Kamrud changed the course of my life. As an eighth-grader at THS, she struggled so much academically and emotionally, she was seriously considering dropping out.
“Chris saw great potential in me, even when I couldn’t see it in myself. He recognized that the traditional school environment wasn’t meeting my accessibility needs, and he stepped in at exactly the right time. Chris brought in Bruce Drackley from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, who introduced me to the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf. I was hesitant but he encouraged me to at least attend their summer event to gain visibility to the campus and students. That experience was beyond transformative, it gave me access to a community, a sense of belonging, and a new sense of purpose.
“As a reflection of that change,” she added, “when I returned to Tracy for my final two years of high school, I earned honors as one of the Top 10 students in my class. That is a testament to the power that influential adults hold — the power to unlock a child’s potential when they lead with belief, compassion and the courage to help chart a different path.”
