A cinematic illustrated montage of Nadia as an educator, researcher, and product builder

My Story

Every product began with a real classroom problem.

Teacher. Researcher. Builder. This is how those parts of my work became one.

Scroll to play the story

A cinematic illustration of a young educator entering a university classroom

01 / An Unexpected Beginning

One assignment changed the direction of my career.

Teaching Deaf adult women in Saudi Arabia introduced me to a field I had not known existed, and I found the work that would shape everything that followed.

A cinematic illustration connecting Nadia’s graduation to her early years as an educator

02 / Becoming an Educator

I learned the field from the inside.

I trained in Deaf Education and Elementary Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, then spent years teaching and designing accessible learning experiences.

A cinematic illustration of a sign-language theater program and math club for Deaf middle school students

03 / Creating What Was Missing

I created the opportunities my students deserved.

I started a sign-language theater program for Deaf middle schoolers and ran a math club for Deaf students, creating spaces for expression, confidence, collaboration, and challenge.

Theater · Math · Access

$A cinematic illustration of a new mother teaching during the day and building Modal Math after hours$ $A cinematic illustration of a new mother teaching during the day and building Modal Math after hours$

04 / Becoming a Mom and Building Modal Math

Modal Math began while I was still in the classroom.

I was a new mom, postpartum and tired, while still carrying the constant preparation teaching required. I built Modal Math to reduce my own burnout and give other teachers accessible, ready-to-use resources that could reduce their prep, too.

Built from lived classroom needs

A cinematic illustration of Nadia teaching Deaf and hard of hearing students through telepractice

05 / A New Way to Teach

I left the classroom, but I never left teaching.

I eventually moved into telepractice, where I still work directly with Deaf and hard of hearing students today. It gave me a new perspective on how thoughtfully designed technology can expand access while keeping learning personal and responsive.

Still teaching today

A cinematic illustration connecting learning science, accessibility, and product design

06 / Research Meets Practice

I wanted to understand what makes technology truly useful.

My doctoral work brought together learning science, instructional design, accessibility, technology acceptance, and teacher burnout.

Research translated into design

A cinematic illustration of Nadia turning classroom ideas into a working literacy product

07 / The Breakthrough

Years of ideas became working products.

Modal Literacy won the Grand Prize in Replit’s 10-Year Buildathon, showing that accessible design built from real classroom needs could resonate far beyond one field.

Grand Prize Winner · Replit 10-Year Buildathon

A cinematic illustration of Nadia surrounded by a connected ecosystem of accessible learning products

08 / The Ecosystem Today

I am still teaching. Still listening. Still building.

Today, Modal Education is a growing ecosystem of tools shaped by educators, learners, and the belief that accessibility belongs at the foundation.

Explore what I’ve builtTeacher. Researcher. Builder.