Marne Sullivan

Hi there! If you told my 18-year-old self that during my senior year on track media day, I’d lift my hair up (this picture right here) to reveal my cochlear implant (CI) to share with the world, she would have said you're kidding right?? Because there was NO way haha! Back then, I was sitting in a dimly lit hospital lobby, absolutely devastated after learning I couldn’t get an MRI scan for my foot injury because of my cochlear implant, which meant....I was completely out for the track season. It was a brutal wake-up call, forcing me to actually confront the connection between my disability and my identity. I felt stuck—caught between two worlds: one that is silent and one that is full of sound. At the time, I didn’t know any other HOH/deaf athletes or anyone who could truly understand what I was going through, so I did what I always did...kept it all to myself and pushed through until I no longer couldn't. Fast forward to today, I’m a former Division I student-athlete, speaker, and hearing loss advocate determined to help others by sharing the power of embracing challenges with a positive mindset, utilizing self-advocacy tools, and turning adversity into opportunities for growth. 

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I was born with a rare type of hearing loss, Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD) and was one of the very first ANSD patients to receive a cochlear implant at 3 ½ years old at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. My early years were spent at an all-deaf school where I learned self-advocacy, speech, and language skills before transitioning to a public school in second grade. Growing up, I was OBSESSED with sports—playing everything from soccer to field hockey to basketball and more—until I discovered my love for running.

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Throughout my childhood, my parents were also very proactive in ensuring my success academically, athletically, and socially. They established a solid foundation by doing their own research, using their resources, and looking for support during my formative years. They acted as strong advocates for me until I was able to become my own advocate.

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During my undergrad at Boston College, I faced new challenges navigating my hearing loss in an unfamiliar environment which made it harder for me to create a sense of normalcy. It wasn’t until my senior year after spending my whole undergrad realizing the significant lack of awareness and understanding so I founded the non-visible/visible disability sub-committee within Eagles for Equality, a DEI student-athlete committee, to destigmatize student-athletes with disabilities. Today, I’m passionate about sharing my journey, empowering others, and advocating for inclusion in all aspects of life. When I’m not doing that, you can find me at the beach with friends, exploring new coffee shops, looking for songs to run to, thinking about my portuguese water dog, Jersey (she's adorable) or traveling the world with my family.