Author Biography

Dr. Hira is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. She specializes in working with those with late-in-life or military service-connected disabilities. She is the spouse of a career enlisted Marine and her nomadic life has provided the opportunity to work in a variety of settings, to include higher education. She has worked for community college and four-year institutions in the private and public sector; she has held roles as adjunct faculty, disability counselor, and admission dean.

For over a decade Dr. Hira has been supporting the military community in her formal roles and through extensive volunteering. Her work aims to demystify disability topics, simplify rehabilitation services or programs and how to engage with providers. She pays it forward to the next generation of students through mentorship on how to navigate the higher education landscape. In addition, she supports military community members who are interested in working in the higher education setting.

Dr. Hira began her education at Holyoke Community College, where she earned her associate’s degree. She then transferred to Springfield College and is double alumna with a M.Ed. in Rehabilitation Counseling and a bachelor’s in Rehabilitation and Disability Studies. She holds a PhD in Health Sciences from Northern Illinois University; her research study explored military moral injury and posttraumatic growth.