About Tia D. May

Tia is a published author, nonprofit leader, advocate, speaker, and Executive Doctor of Education (EdD) Candidate at Gwynedd Mercy University, specializing in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.  As the author of Suffering in Silence, she uses her personal journey as a survivor of domestic violence to educate, empower, and inspire individuals, organizations, faith communities, and leaders to create meaningful change.

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What sets Tia apart is her unique combination of lived experience, academic scholarship, ministry leadership, and nonprofit advocacy. She is not simply sharing a powerful personal story. She brings a specialized, research-informed perspective that examines the systemic and institutional barriers that often prevent victims and survivors from receiving the support they need.

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As Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Rise Out of the Ashes Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Tia is dedicated to advocating for victims and survivors of domestic violence by providing support, education, resources, and community engagement opportunities. Through her work, she seeks to bring domestic violence to the forefront of public conversation and inspire action that promotes healing, prevention, and long-term change.

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A former Assistant Pastor with nearly three decades of ministry experience, Tia has served as a teacher, instructor, speaker, philanthropist, former Certified Sexual Assault Crisis Counselor, and mentor. She was also the host of the Suffering in Silence with Pastor Tia radio program, a platform designed to provide encouragement, support, and resources to individuals around the world impacted by domestic violence.

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Through speaking engagements, educational programs, leadership training, conferences, symposiums, and community partnerships, Tia helps organizations move beyond awareness and toward the development of trauma-informed practices, survivor-centered support systems, and sustainable solutions that break cycles of violence across generations.