Washington, D.C. - November 23, 2009 - The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) today announced the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors for the 2009-2012 term.
Established in 1890, AG Bell is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing who use spoken language and hearing technology to communicate.
"These individuals represent the core of the AG Bell community in that they are tireless advocates for those who choose a listening and spoken language outcome," said AG Bell President John R. "Jay" Wyant. "Their contributions to the organization, its mission and its membership are immeasurable and they are outstanding representatives of our volunteer leadership."
Patricia "Corrine" Altman is co-president of the AG Bell Nevada Chapter. She and her husband, Arnie, own Rainbow Media Productions, Inc., a video, production, photography and event coordination company in Las Vegas, Nev. She is the mother of five children;her eldest two, now adults, were born profoundly deaf and learned to listen and talk. Altman was instrumental in the passage of newborn hearing screening legislation in Nevada, which took effect in 2002. Since 2006, along with a team of volunteers, she has helped revive the AG Bell Nevada Chapter, which received the Chapter Education Award at the AG Bell 2008 biennial convention. With the guidance of John Tracy Clinic she started and runs a monthly support group for parents of children with hearing loss.
"I am passionate about the possibilities that exist through technology, resources and support for families of children with hearing loss," said Altman. "I feel that we live in some exciting times;however, there is still a lot of work to be done."
Holly Clark is a longtime AG Bell volunteer and is director of human resources at the National Business Aviation Association in Washington, D.C. She is the mother of an adult daughter who was born with a profound hearing loss and who listens and talks. Clark was program chair and a co-presenter at the AG Bell 2006 Biennial Convention, and has served as a facilitator and trainer for AG Bell's Parent Advocacy Training (PAT) program.
"AG Bell has made a significant difference in my daughter's life and my life and I view this opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors as a way to give back to an organization that has given us so much," said Clark.
Catharine McNally is founder of Keen Guides, which creates downloadable tours of museums, colleges and public venues in different languages and communication modalities, including captioning, sign language and cued speech. She is on the Board of Directors for the National Cued Speech Association and serves as its Government Liaison. McNally, who lost her hearing at 8 months old, served as a counselor for the 2009 Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program and was featured on the cover of the January/February 2009 edition of AG Bell's bimonthly publication, Volta Voices.
"It gives me great satisfaction to be a role model for parents and children, as there weren't any deaf and hard of hearing role models in my community growing up," said McNally. "Being active in AG Bell has provided me with unique opportunities to learn from professionals and other members, to listen to their stories, and feel a sense of pride in our accomplishments in being able to be good stewards of listening and spoken language," said McNally.
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing helps families, health care providers, educators and professionals understand childhood hearing loss and the importance of early diagnosis and intervention. Through advocacy, education, research and financial aid, AG Bell helps to ensure that every child and adult with hearing loss has the opportunity to listen, talk and thrive. With chapters located in the United States and a network of international affiliates, AG Bell supports its mission: Advocating Independence through Listening and Talking!
