Tammy Bonanni has served the Colonial IU 20 community for more than 42 years and is retiring as the longest tenured employee in IU history. The vast majority of her career has been ensuring that students in the Early Intervention program receive appropriate and impactful services. She shares that her approach to advocating for students has always been to "Interact with families in a judgement free zone and meet them where they are...only then can you truly understand how to help the children in a way that's most beneficial for their unique situation."
Tammy says that some of her fondest memories at the IU include building relationships with colleagues and volunteering for Special Olympics. Supporting the IU mission is a passion for the Bonanni family. She met her husband while they were both working at the IU, and her son Adam is currently a Mental Health Treatment Specialist in the CIU 20 Autistic Support program. Her advice to a new employee starting out at the IU is, "Take care of the staff you work with, always have compassion and never stop advocating so kids can get the services they need and deserve."