AG Bell Welcomes New Board Members

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) is pleased to welcome Karen Youdelman, Ed.D., a longtime member and former president of the organization's Ohio chapter, as president of the AG Bell board of directors. Youdelman will serve a two-year term as president and Inez Janger will transition to a new role as immediate past president.

John R. "Jay" Wyant, marketing director for CaptionMax and a member of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Section, has assumed his role as President-Elect. Wyant devotes much of his private time to volunteering on the boards of various organizations for the deaf or hard of hearing and is a frequent presenter on accessibility, advocacy and technology issues.

In addition, AG Bell welcomes three returning members to its board of directors. Dan Salvucci, director of the Clarke Pennsylvania Auditory/Oral Center, will transition from his role as chair of the International Professional Section to an elected board member. Paul Sommer, who recently received his master's degree in business administration from Babson College, will also return to a leadership role after several years' absence. Joanne Travers, the mother of two children with hearing loss and founder of Partners for a Greater Voice, was elected to a second term.

AG Bell also welcomes Lilian Flores-Beltran, M.Ed., Cert. AVT®, to a newly appointed position as the international liaison to the board. Flores-Beltran currently serves as the coordinator of rehabilitation at the Audiology Audiology and Phoniatrics Department in the General Hospital of Mexicon, an international affiliate of AG Bell, and as a member of the AG Bell Global Ambassador Program.

The AG Bell board of directors consists of 23 voting directors, including nine member-elected directors. By February 1 of each year, the Committee on Nominations and Elections presents at least five candidates to the board. Candidates may also be presented to the board by written petition signed by a minimum of 100 voting members.

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is a lifelong resource, support network, and advocate for listening, learning, talking and living independently with hearing loss. Through publications, outreach, training, scholarships and financial aid, AG Bell promotes the use of spoken language and hearing technology. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with chapters located in the United States and a network of international affiliates, AG Bell's global presence provides its members and the public with the support they need - close to home. With over a century of service, AG Bell supports its mission: Advocating Independence through Listening and Talking!

Taken from www.agbell.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?p=2006_New_Board_Members