Interview with Terry Portis Executive Director, Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH)
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AO/Beck: Hi Terry. Thanks for joining me today. I am honored to work with you. Before we get to SHHH, let's start with a little bit about your professional education and background please.
Portis: Okay sure. My undergraduate degree is in organizational behavior from Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. I completed that in 1989. My master's degree is in adult education, and that's from North Carolina A&T State University, I completed that degree in 1996. My doctoral degree is in counseling psychology from Argosy University in Sarasota Florida, and I completed that in 2003.
AO/Beck: Very good. Sounds like a wonderful background for your current position as Executive Director at SHHH. How long have you been with SHHH?
Portis: Just a little over half a year.
AO/Beck: What got you interested in SHHH?
Portis: My wife has hearing loss, which became substantially worse over the last three years. She was seeking help and referral information, and we came across our local SHHH group in North Carolina. That's how we got involved. The local group in North Carolina was very helpful to us as far as explaining hearing loss, how to cope with it and some of the assistive technology that's available. Frankly, until a year ago, I thought the SHHH was just a local group! Of course we were thrilled to learn it was indeed a national group.
AO/Beck: Can you tell me a little bit about SHHH and its' history? And then I'll just ask a few questions about the highlights and milestones, if you don't mind?
Portis: That sounds fine. The organization was started in November 1979 by Rocky Stone. Rocky had retired from the CIA and he started the organization in his family room. The only office furniture they had, had been donated from ASHA. Rocky started the group with funds from his own pocket, and whatever money his friends and family would donate. Rocky never accepted a salary during his tenure with SHHH, and Rocky was appointed by President Reagan to the National Access Board in 1990.
AO/Beck: That really is amazing. When did they start publishing their journal?
Portis: The first bimonthly journal was published in 1980 and the first charter affiliate chapter was the Gainesville, Georgia Chapter, same year. In 1982, the first goal adopted for SHHH was to make hearing loss an issue of national concern. Also in 1982, SHHH had 25 chapters. To give you an idea as to the growth curve, today we have over 250 local chapters.
AO/Beck: How many members does SHHH represent?
Portis: We have people who participate only at the local level, and then we have people who are just members of the national organization, but all together, a little over 18,000 people.
AO/Beck: That's very impressive. When was the first national convention?
Portis: The first national convention was held in Chicago. It was in 1984 and some 450 people attended, but another national event actually drew quite a bit of attention for us that year. Ann Landers advised readers with hearing loss to contact SHHH. That resulted in 8000 letters! That column really helped bring hearing loss to the forefront. Ten years later, in 1994, we were mentioned in a Dear Abby column, resulting in 15,000 letters.
AO/Beck: The impact those two ladies had was astonishing, and thankfully they were aware of SHHH and knew to recommend it! Terry, are you now working with state-based SHHH groups too?
Portis: Yes. In 1996 we sanctioned our first state organization and that was North Carolina.
AO/Beck: How many state organizations do you have now?
Portis: We have 13 at the moment.
AO/Beck: And then you also had the Olympic Committee connection a few years ago?
Portis: Yes, that's right. In 1998, SHHH was contacted by the planning committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City regarding access to the games for people with hearing loss. In 2000, the first National Day for Hearing Screening was launched. It was sponsored by five hearing aid manufacturers, there were 2050 screening sites, and 75,850 people were screened.
AO/Beck: SHHH has really had a major impact on the national scene. And I guess that brings us to the present. What can you tell me about the goals SHHH has set?
Portis: I think our first goals were to define our vision, and clarify what our mission was, and what our areas of focus were going to be. I think we've done that pretty well. I think our message started with Rocky, and has three components; 1- Hearing loss is a daily challenge, 2- you don't have to hide your hearing loss, and 3- you don't have to face hearing loss alone.
AO/Beck: That's excellent. Tell me please, who is on the board of directors with you?
Portis: Ann Liming is our president and she's from Lansing, Michigan. Pamela Ranson is our vice-president from Oak Park, Illinois. Bea Lyons is our secretary, from Chattanooga. The Treasurer is James O'Donnell from Boston. We also have Deanna Baker from Tucson, Joan Camevon from Sarasota, Tennie Cooper from Boise, George Devilbiss from Falls Church, Virginia, Dr. Paul Hammerschlag from New York City, Lise Hamlin from Rockville, Maryland, Winnie Hargis from Dalton, Georgia, Melanie Stone-Hogan from Lakewood, Ohio, Paul Johnson from St. Paul, Richard Meyer from Libertyville, Illinois, Anne Pope from New York City, and then Dan Simmons is from Lowell, Massachusetts. As you can see, we have representation from across the country and we're a diverse group.
AO/Beck: And I guess you just had the National Convention in June?
Portis: Yes, it was from June 25th to June 28th in Atlanta. It was fabulous. We had just under 1100 people in attendance. Miss America 1995, Heather Whitestone McCallum was our opening session speaker. She stayed for several hours afterwards signing autographs and having her picture taken with people. Another highlight was our extensive exhibition hall with dozens of services and supports on display for people. The next National Convention will be in June 10-13 2004, in Omaha, Nebraska.
AO/Beck: Is the National Convention for consumers/patients or professionals, or both?
Portis: It's for both. We have a mix of folks that attend. Certainly our largest group of attendees were consumers. We also offer a research symposium every year. The research symposium this year was on cochlear implants. We had a variety of workshops too, some were on coping with hearing loss and the psychosocial aspects of hearing loss, others were on assistive listening devices and the latest technology.
AO/Beck: Very good. Why do you think consumers join SHHH?
Portis: Well I think people look for information when hearing loss is a new challenge to them. Some people join SHHH for the connection part of it. People want to be involved with other people who have faced hearing loss and successfully coped with it and have overcome the daily challenges. They believe in what SHHH is doing -- supporting people with hearing loss.
AO/Beck: Is SHHH still growing?
Portis: We want to expand our outreach to more people than we are currently reaching. Even though we have 18,000 people, we would like to see it grow over the next 3-5 years, to be a little closer to 50,000. I think that that's realistic, because with 5,000,000 people wearing hearing aids in the USA, and 28 million hearing impaired, we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg.
AO/Beck: Thanks Terry. I know you have a busy schedule. I really appreciate learning about SHHH and their amazing accomplishments. I encourage the readers to visit your website, and again, thanks for your time.
Portis: Thank you too Doug. It's nice to work with you, and we appreciate the news and information you guys send out to the professionals and the consumers too.
For more information about SHHH, please visit their website at www.hearingloss.org
Portis: Okay sure. My undergraduate degree is in organizational behavior from Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. I completed that in 1989. My master's degree is in adult education, and that's from North Carolina A&T State University, I completed that degree in 1996. My doctoral degree is in counseling psychology from Argosy University in Sarasota Florida, and I completed that in 2003.
AO/Beck: Very good. Sounds like a wonderful background for your current position as Executive Director at SHHH. How long have you been with SHHH?
Portis: Just a little over half a year.
AO/Beck: What got you interested in SHHH?
Portis: My wife has hearing loss, which became substantially worse over the last three years. She was seeking help and referral information, and we came across our local SHHH group in North Carolina. That's how we got involved. The local group in North Carolina was very helpful to us as far as explaining hearing loss, how to cope with it and some of the assistive technology that's available. Frankly, until a year ago, I thought the SHHH was just a local group! Of course we were thrilled to learn it was indeed a national group.
AO/Beck: Can you tell me a little bit about SHHH and its' history? And then I'll just ask a few questions about the highlights and milestones, if you don't mind?
Portis: That sounds fine. The organization was started in November 1979 by Rocky Stone. Rocky had retired from the CIA and he started the organization in his family room. The only office furniture they had, had been donated from ASHA. Rocky started the group with funds from his own pocket, and whatever money his friends and family would donate. Rocky never accepted a salary during his tenure with SHHH, and Rocky was appointed by President Reagan to the National Access Board in 1990.
AO/Beck: That really is amazing. When did they start publishing their journal?
Portis: The first bimonthly journal was published in 1980 and the first charter affiliate chapter was the Gainesville, Georgia Chapter, same year. In 1982, the first goal adopted for SHHH was to make hearing loss an issue of national concern. Also in 1982, SHHH had 25 chapters. To give you an idea as to the growth curve, today we have over 250 local chapters.
AO/Beck: How many members does SHHH represent?
Portis: We have people who participate only at the local level, and then we have people who are just members of the national organization, but all together, a little over 18,000 people.
AO/Beck: That's very impressive. When was the first national convention?
Portis: The first national convention was held in Chicago. It was in 1984 and some 450 people attended, but another national event actually drew quite a bit of attention for us that year. Ann Landers advised readers with hearing loss to contact SHHH. That resulted in 8000 letters! That column really helped bring hearing loss to the forefront. Ten years later, in 1994, we were mentioned in a Dear Abby column, resulting in 15,000 letters.
AO/Beck: The impact those two ladies had was astonishing, and thankfully they were aware of SHHH and knew to recommend it! Terry, are you now working with state-based SHHH groups too?
Portis: Yes. In 1996 we sanctioned our first state organization and that was North Carolina.
AO/Beck: How many state organizations do you have now?
Portis: We have 13 at the moment.
AO/Beck: And then you also had the Olympic Committee connection a few years ago?
Portis: Yes, that's right. In 1998, SHHH was contacted by the planning committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City regarding access to the games for people with hearing loss. In 2000, the first National Day for Hearing Screening was launched. It was sponsored by five hearing aid manufacturers, there were 2050 screening sites, and 75,850 people were screened.
AO/Beck: SHHH has really had a major impact on the national scene. And I guess that brings us to the present. What can you tell me about the goals SHHH has set?
Portis: I think our first goals were to define our vision, and clarify what our mission was, and what our areas of focus were going to be. I think we've done that pretty well. I think our message started with Rocky, and has three components; 1- Hearing loss is a daily challenge, 2- you don't have to hide your hearing loss, and 3- you don't have to face hearing loss alone.
AO/Beck: That's excellent. Tell me please, who is on the board of directors with you?
Portis: Ann Liming is our president and she's from Lansing, Michigan. Pamela Ranson is our vice-president from Oak Park, Illinois. Bea Lyons is our secretary, from Chattanooga. The Treasurer is James O'Donnell from Boston. We also have Deanna Baker from Tucson, Joan Camevon from Sarasota, Tennie Cooper from Boise, George Devilbiss from Falls Church, Virginia, Dr. Paul Hammerschlag from New York City, Lise Hamlin from Rockville, Maryland, Winnie Hargis from Dalton, Georgia, Melanie Stone-Hogan from Lakewood, Ohio, Paul Johnson from St. Paul, Richard Meyer from Libertyville, Illinois, Anne Pope from New York City, and then Dan Simmons is from Lowell, Massachusetts. As you can see, we have representation from across the country and we're a diverse group.
AO/Beck: And I guess you just had the National Convention in June?
Portis: Yes, it was from June 25th to June 28th in Atlanta. It was fabulous. We had just under 1100 people in attendance. Miss America 1995, Heather Whitestone McCallum was our opening session speaker. She stayed for several hours afterwards signing autographs and having her picture taken with people. Another highlight was our extensive exhibition hall with dozens of services and supports on display for people. The next National Convention will be in June 10-13 2004, in Omaha, Nebraska.
AO/Beck: Is the National Convention for consumers/patients or professionals, or both?
Portis: It's for both. We have a mix of folks that attend. Certainly our largest group of attendees were consumers. We also offer a research symposium every year. The research symposium this year was on cochlear implants. We had a variety of workshops too, some were on coping with hearing loss and the psychosocial aspects of hearing loss, others were on assistive listening devices and the latest technology.
AO/Beck: Very good. Why do you think consumers join SHHH?
Portis: Well I think people look for information when hearing loss is a new challenge to them. Some people join SHHH for the connection part of it. People want to be involved with other people who have faced hearing loss and successfully coped with it and have overcome the daily challenges. They believe in what SHHH is doing -- supporting people with hearing loss.
AO/Beck: Is SHHH still growing?
Portis: We want to expand our outreach to more people than we are currently reaching. Even though we have 18,000 people, we would like to see it grow over the next 3-5 years, to be a little closer to 50,000. I think that that's realistic, because with 5,000,000 people wearing hearing aids in the USA, and 28 million hearing impaired, we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg.
AO/Beck: Thanks Terry. I know you have a busy schedule. I really appreciate learning about SHHH and their amazing accomplishments. I encourage the readers to visit your website, and again, thanks for your time.
Portis: Thank you too Doug. It's nice to work with you, and we appreciate the news and information you guys send out to the professionals and the consumers too.
For more information about SHHH, please visit their website at www.hearingloss.org
