Sasha Lakshmi Ponappa has been an advocate for more than a decade to eradicate violence within Deaf communities in Rochester, New York, Oakland, California, and Washington, D.C. She is the director for the Program for Deaf Adults at LaGuardia Community College, where she supports deaf, hard-of-hearing and deafblind students in furthering their educational goals, and making their collegiate experience inclusive and accessible.

She received her bachelor's degree in social work from Rochester Institute of Technology and her master’s degree in social work from Gallaudet University.

Ponappa lives in New York City with her husband, two children and a fur-baby, and is a proud member of the beautiful and vibrant Deaf culture.