George Balsley

George Balsley (left) has been in the field of architecture for over 35 years and is currently retired. George’s experience in the design of interior and exterior spaces, technology, lighting, audio/visual/tactile/security alarm systems and acoustics at secondary schools, colleges and universities for the deaf compliments several firms’ existing strengths in the design of residence halls, libraries, student centers and other facilities for academic clients. George recently completed his consulting work on the renovation/addition to an 18th century historic building at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf and recently received an Honor Award from AIA-Maryland for his work on the Gallaudet University’s Sorenson Language and Communications Center.

 

 

Karen Bishop

Karen Bishop has been at The Learning Center for the Deaf for 25 years.  All of her work in the field has been within the Walden School Program, TLC’s comprehensive residential treatment program for Deaf youth with emotional challenges.  Trained at Boston University as a teacher of the Deaf, Karen spent several years teaching at Walden School before becoming the Educational Director, and eventually the Director.  Karen completed Leadership Training in 2011 at Suffolk University, has provided numerous workshops and training in residential treatment for Deaf youth, and leadership, and has written a chapter “Culturally Affirmative Adaptations to Trauma Treatment with Deaf Children in a Residential Setting” (2013).

 

 

Laurie Blanchard

Laurie Blanchard (left) lives in Southborough MA with her husband and two daughters. She is profound deaf and graduated from Clarke School for the Deaf in 1982.  She began dancing at age 6 with the Amherst Ballet Company as a way to better understand the "hearing world." She danced for the next 24 years using a variety of styles: ballet, jazz, modern, and tap.  This included dancing at Skidmore College where she graduated in 1989.

 

 

David Bobier

Media artist, curator, educator founder and Director of VibraFusionLab, David Bobier has been invited to participate in a number of events in Canada including Common Pulse Arts and Disabilities Festival, Subtle Technologies, WORDS Literary and Creative Arts Festival, Toronto International Deaf Film and Arts Festival, Toronto International Electroacoustic Symposium, Function Keys Conference of New Technology and Digital Culture and In/fuse Performance Series. Upcoming are invitations to the Electric Eclectics Festival and Deep Listening Institute.

He is currently partnering with Inclusive Media and Design Centre, Ryerson University, Toronto in researching vibrotactile technology.  He is currently involved in researching the Deaf and Disability Arts movement in the United Kingdom and the United States.

 

 

Mark Drohlsbaugh

Mark Drolsbaugh (left) graduated from Gallaudet University with a B.A. in Psychology (1992) and an M.A. in School Counseling and Guidance (1994). Mark is the author of Deaf Again, Anything But Silent, and Madness in the Mainstream. A former columnist for DeafNation, Silent News, and SIGNews, he currently has a DrolzUncensored blog on Deaf Culture Online (http://www.deaf-culture-online.com).  In addition to writing, Mark gives candid presentations across the country that offer a rare, behind-the-scenes perspective of Deaf education.

 

 

Dana Hoover

Dana Hoover (right) is currently Adjunct Assistant Professor of American Sign Language at Hampshire College.  She holds two Master’s Degrees: Deaf Education and Community Counseling Psychology.   With passion and enthusiastic, Dana enjoys engaging with students to become allies for the Deaf community.

 

 

Ellie Lash

Ellie Lash (left) is a retired kindergarten- first grade teacher.  Her teaching career spanned almost 40 years mostly at Sidwell Friends School with a 10 year sojourn to teach in a small public school in the northeast kingdom of Vermont.

Her interest in Deaf education came about through an alliance with educators at Gallaudet University.During the final 15 years of her teaching she and her co teacher worked with a series of Gallaudet student teachers in their first grade classroom. These experiences had a profound and beneficial impact on both teachers, students and their families.

 

 

Kazumi Matsuoka

Born in Osaka, Kazumi Matsuoka (right) is hearing. She holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Connecticut (1998). Professor of ESL at Keio University, Japan. Research interests: sign language linguistics (syntax, semantics, first/second language acquisition), monolingual/bilingual first language acquisition. Collaboration with native signers of Japanese Sign Language in numerous research activities, book projects, and linguistics workshops.

 

 

Ruth Moore

Ruth Moore (left) was born deaf from hearing parents and attended Lexington School for the Deaf in New York City.  Then, she went to Gallaudet College in Washington, DC and graduated with a BS degree.  She also got her masters in deaf education from Smith College.  She taught at four schools for the deaf - Crotched Mountain School for the Deaf in Greenfield, New Hampshire, Austine School for the Deaf in Brattleboro, Vermont, Willie Ross School for the Deaf in Longmeadow, Massachusetts and American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut. She worked for Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing as a regional coordinator of Western Massachusetts for three years and then a communication access training specialist statewide for eleven years. She has also taught courses - Introduction to Deaf Studies and American Sign Language at various colleges - American International College, University of Massachusetts, Smith College, Holyoke Community College and Hampshire College.  She has recently retired from Hampshire College after teaching ASL I and II for ten and half years. She is actively involved in some organizations. She is the parent of two deaf sons and the grandparent of six hearing grandchildren.

 

 

Win Moore

Winchell Moore (right) was born deaf from hearing parents and attended Mt. Airy School for the Deaf in Pennsylvania and also Clarke School for the Deaf in Massachusetts.  After these two schools, he went to a private school until eighth grade and then public high school.  Then, he went to University of Pennsylvania for one year, Philadelphia School of Arts for two years and Rochester Institute of Technology for three years. He graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology focusing on metal work.  After doing volunteering work by working at an art gallery and teaching art to deaf young children for one year, he decided to go to Gallaudet College and study to become an art and crafts teacher.  He received his BA degree in art education. He taught art/crafts at three different schools for the deaf - Wisconsin School for the Deaf in Delavan, Wisconsin, Crotched Mountain School for the Deaf in Greenfield, New Hampshire and Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton, Massachusetts.  He is also a silversmith and designs/makes gold and silver jewelry. He is a member of some organizations. He is the parent of two deaf sons and grandparent of six hearing grandchildren.

 

 

Outdoor Leadership Program (OLP)

Hannah Lewis

NIC, Boston, MA.  Hannah is a Nationally Certified ASL/English Interpreter specializing in back country expeditions and technical training courses.  Hannah and Raylene have developed a unique hearing/Deaf Interpreter teamed approach for these highly specialized outdoor settings and she is honored to be a part of the groundbreaking work being done by this team.

Raylene Lotz

CI, Boston, MA.  Raylene is a graduate of OLP and a Certified Deaf Interpreter.  She will be speaking about her experience as a Deaf student at OLP and now as a Deaf Interpreter working at OLP.  Raylene's Deaf perspective and experience in an all hearing educational environment is central to why this workshop is important for others in the field.

Evan Perkins

Barnett, VT. Instructor Trainer.  Evan has had several years of experience incorporating Deaf students into the learning community at OLP.  He has learned many lessons about what works best in the unique outdoor context and feels it is important to share that with other instructors.

Lauren Sprague

Colorado Springs, CO  Lauren graduated from OLP Spring 2015 and has begun her career as an outdoor instructor. Her status as a recent graduate allows her a unique perspective on what works and what doesn't when it comes to creating full access for a Deaf student in a primarily hearing outdoor program.

Rye Zemelsky

NIC-A, Northampton, MA.  As a graduate of OLP and an ASL/English Interpreter, Rye has been the Interpreter Coordinator and Lead Interpreter for OLP.  She has worked to, and seen, the program evolve to become more accessible for Deaf students over the years and will be highlighting many of the "lessons learned" from this process.

 

 

René Pellerin

René Pellerin (right) is a natural entertainer who was born in Quebec and moved to Vermont at age five. As a deaf child of a French speaking family, he had no choice but to hone his gesture skills to survive. His subsequent education at Austine School for the Deaf and Gallaudet University gave him language and audience to develop that innate storyteller. With the progression of Usher Syndrome, his routine gelled to become "René the Unstoppable", a comedic glimpse into the DeafBlind experience. René will perform "When Cultures Collide", stories exemplifying the convergence of the DeafBlind, Deaf and hearing worlds.

 

 

Carlisle Robinson

Carlisle Robinson (left) is a deaf genderqueer comic creator and illustrator. They are passionate about educating the public with rarely told stories by the minority groups, especially deaf people. They went to Gallaudet University for undergrad. They graduated from The Center for Cartoon Studies in Spring 2015 with a Master of Fine Arts. They currently reside in Massachusetts with their cats.

 

 

The Rosenberg/Child Family

Rita, the youngest of the Rosenberg/Child family, was born Deaf in December 2005. She was the first Deaf person any of the family had ever met. She is now 10 years old, goes to school at the Marie Philips School at The Learning Center for the Deaf in Framingham, MA, and is thriving educationally and socially. Both parents and sister immersed themselves in ASL in order to both communicate with Rita, but more immediately upon finding out she was Deaf, to help her build enough language for cognition. To this family, deafness is considered a special need, but not a disability. Needing to learn both a language and a culture is a tremendous challenge that has brought positive growth, expanded awareness, and ultimate joy. The Rosenberg/Child family live in Amherst and Hadley, and also in Natick as a nearby residence to The Learning Center.

 

Claire Sanders

Claire Sanders (left) has been teaching in the field of American Sign Language and Deaf Studies for 20 years.  She is a Deaf Studies Department Chair and a professor of language and culture at Holyoke Community College. She has also taught at numerous colleges including Hampshire College, Keene State College, Mt. Wachusett Community College, Greenfield Community College.  She holds a professional national certification from American Sign Language Teachers Association.  She has also led workshops related to the booming field of Deaf Studies.

 

 

Fatima Silvestre

Currently, Fatima Silvestre (right) is a full-time freelance Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI).  She has worked in the field of interpreting since 2008.  She has obtained her Deaf Interpreter certification from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) in 2009.  She was involved in the first group that took Road to Deaf Interpreting Workshop series in 2008 and completed in 2009.  Previously, she has worked in the mental health field for over 13 years.  She was also involved in Mentorship Program as a mentor for few years.  She received Bachelor degree in Human Services in the year of 2005 at Springfield College, Manchester, New Hampshire.

 

 

BJ Wood

Barbara Jean ‘BJ’ Wood is always on a mission to ensure that Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals have equal and effective access to services and communication.Best known for her work at three state commissions serving the needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals in Massachusetts, Colorado, and New Mexico, BJ speaks up and fights for improved access for all members of the community. In addition to her state agency work, she is a strong and popular leader who serves, and has served, on a number of committees such as the National Association of the Deaf and on the Board of Trustees at her alma mater – the National Technical Institute of the Deaf.  She always encourages organizations and individuals to plan for future growth and recognition of human rights. On a personal note, BJ is also a storyteller who sparks laughter and ‘AHA’ moments about life and the Deaf Community.

 

 

Uiko Yano

Born as a third-generation deaf on Ehime-ken Oshima Island (Ehime, Japan), Uiko Yano (right) works as a translator of the Bible from Japanese to Japanese Sign Language.  Participated in various research projects of Japanese Sign Language: most recently acting as the primary researcher in the documentation of the community sign language on the Ehime-ken Oshima Island.