Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advisory Board

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advisory Board Chairs: Stephanie Olson and Karen Putz

Stephanie Olson, BA Special Education and Social Work- H&V Co-Director D/HH Infusion and GBYS Trainer for D/HH Guides, Deaf/hard of hearing professional, Colorado Hands & Voices board member, Children's Hospital Colorado - Family Consultant, Colorado Home Intervention Program (CHIP) 15 years, served as a D/HH mentor for Colorado and been involved with training other mentors.

Karen Putz, BS in Counseling, MA in Deaf Rehabilitation Counseling - H&V Co- Director D/HH Infusion Director and GBYS Trainer for D/HH Guides, Deaf Mentor  IL EHDI system,  Deaf Adult with three deaf and hard of hearing young adults. Author of 9 books, including "The Parenting Journey, Raising DHH children." and HearStrong Champion.

Nancy Lee Asher, MLS  - Hard of hearing and Program Consultant at Michigan EHDI, professional member of Michigan Hands & Voices. Coordinates the Michigan Midwife Project and partners with the Michigan Coalition for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People as their treasurer, and assists in overseeing Camp Chris Williams, for D/HH campers ages 11-17. Past Executive Director for a state-wide non-profit that served Deaf and Hard of Hearing, five time Gubernatorial appointee for the Michigan Division on Deaf and Hard of hearing.

Anita Dowd, BS Psychology- Executive Staff Advisor, KY Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) where she performs a lot of advocacy, public relations and outreach work. President KY Hands & Voices and Deaf Adult Mentor in Kentucky. Anita is on the KY EHDI Advisory board and Governor appointed to the Statewide Advisory Panel for Exceptional Children and Early Childhood Advisory Council.  Anita is a deaf adult with two daughters with hearing loss.

Karen Hopkins, M.Ed. CAGS-Director of Early Childhood Education and Family Services, Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Director of early intervention programming for children who are Deaf and hard of hearing. Deaf Adult.

Jennifer Meredith, BS in Family and Human Development- Former GBYS parent guide for AZ H &V working with the Arizona Department of Health to make sure every newborn has been screened, diagnosed, and receiving supports including EI in a timely manner. Jennifer is Early childhood development specialist who is D/HH with a D/HH daughter and lives in Utah with her family.

Emily Burke, MA Developmental Psychology, PsyS (Specialist - School Psychology) – Deaf parent of a Deaf child, assisted with implementing the D/HH Adult role model program training through MN Hands & Voices, and served on the NCHAM Family Advisory Committee.

Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, MS – Director of Planning, Development & Dissemination at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center focusing on providing technical assistance and resources to educational professionals working with deaf and hard of hearing students and families raising deaf and hard of hearing children. Served on California's Medical Group Home monitoring group involving their EHDI and currently serving on the Maryland's EHDI Advisory Council. Has worked with parents in various capacities - from teaching ASL, to planning family orientation/learning weekends conducted in English/ASL, Latino Family Weekend conducted in Spanish, English, and ASL. Bridgetta is the mother of four children, 2 deaf and 2 hearing.

Madelyn "Meg" Warnock, MSEd (ECE); Early Intervention Specialist, Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education - Educational Consultant/Early Intervention, Parent Advisor, Deaf Mentor, Deaf Mentor Program Coordinator, Family F.U.N. Night Coordinator. Two primary roles for the Indiana Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education as an early intervention specialist include the Deaf Mentor Program and providing early intervention services to families.

Stacy Abrams, MA in Special Education and currently and ABD student in Special Education- Coordinator of Training for Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University supporting professionals and families through the dissemination of resources, training and evidence-based information in the areas of professional development, family-school partnerships and national collaborations.  Former Early Intervention Teacher, Former NM and AZ Deaf Mentor Program Coordinator, Deaf Mentor Trainer, Joint Committee on Infant Hearing member, Founder of #whyisign Campaign, Parent.

Dr. Daniel Koo -PhD Brain and Cognitive Sciences- Professor of Psychology at Gallaudet University and Undergraduate Program Director. His research interests lie in the cognitive neurosciences and psycholinguistics. Deaf father to twin boys and husband to Sherry Bradley-Koo, a teacher at Maryland School for the Deaf, he also serves on the board of Deaf Calvary Church and as a Treasurer to CueSign, Inc.

Family leader: Candace Lindow-Davies, BA – Hands & Voices Director of Outreach, Former Hands & Voices Board Chair, Former MN Hands & Voices Executive Director,  Former Parent Consultant for MN NBHS Program, past Chair MN EHDI Advisory Committee, Parent.