BIOS AND PRESENTATIONS
Below are biographies of our speakers. Presentation materials are posted on the session pages.
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Corinna Bauer, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist whose research focuses on characterizing the visual dysfunctions observed in individuals with cerebral visual impairments and how these relate to brain structure and function. Following a master’s in bioimaging, she earned her doctoral degree in neurobiology at Boston University School of Medicine, and then went on to complete her postdoctoral training under the mentorship of Dr. Lotfi Merabet. more
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Dinah Beams, M.A., (dbeams@comcast.net) is a consultant for early intervention with children who are deaf and hard of hearing. She served as the Program Coordinator for the Colorado Home Intervention Program with the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind (2010-2018). more
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Allison Biever, AUD, received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Alberta in 1989 and her master’s degree in Audiology at the University of Colorado in 1992. In 2005 she received her Au.D. from Central Michigan University, completing a doctoral capstone that examined the impact of residual hearing on cochlear implantation in children. more
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Dan Brown, M.A., (Dan.Brown@asdb.az.gov) is the Systems Director for Certified Staff with the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. Dan’s deepest desire is to help people find success in their work and in their lives. more
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Deborah Chen, Ph.D., (Deborah.chen@csun.edu) is Professor Emerita in the Early Childhood Education Special Education from the California State University, Northridge. She is a leader in the fields of early intervention, early childhood special education, and deaf-blind education. more
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Joanne B. Corwin, MSE, is the Director of the Early Intervention and Involvement Department at the New Mexico School for the Deaf. She has a master’s degree in education and is a certified Developmental Specialist III through New Mexico’s Department of Health. more
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Jennifer Cranston, M.Ed., possesses expertise in multiple areas contributing to the success of deaf and hard-of-hearing students in K-12 environments. In addition to being a certified teacher with endorsements in Deaf Education PreK-12, ESOL PreK-12, Elementary Education K-6, and ASL, she is a nationally certified interpreter, state qualified cued language transliterator, & D/HH Early Intervention Specialist. more
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Allison Cunningham, Au.D., (Allison.cunningham@childrenscolorado.org) is a pediatric audiologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Shaped by her own experiences growing up hard of hearing, Allison has a special interest in self advocacy and resiliency of children who are deaf and hard of hearing. more
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Denise Davis-Pedrie is a Speech/Language/Hearing Pathologist and Teacher of the Deaf/HOH with a specialist certification in Infant/Toddler Special Education. She is currently a Colorado Hearing Resource Coordinator with The Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind supporting families with newly identified children, birth to 5 years old with hearing loss or hearing and vision loss. more
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Sophia Diaz, M.A., (sophiadiaz@nmsbvi.k12.nm.us) is a bilingual Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialist who works for the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Birth-3 program. She provides Orientation & Mobility services to the Southern part of New Mexico. more
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Paul Griego, M.Div., (Paul.Griego@childrenscolorado.org) is a Chaplain at Children's Hospital Colorado. He received his Master of Divinity degree at the Iliff School of Theology. Paul is a Hybrid Cochlear Implant user, a surgically implanted device that provides a sense of sound to people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, with a strong passion for serving the Deaf Hard of Hearing community. more
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Opening Keynote
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Sara Kennedy is a mom of four children, including a newly-launched daughter who was late identified as deaf after a homebirth. An occupational therapist by training, Sara has worked with Hands & Voices since 2001. She is the editor of The Hands & Voices Communicator and Director for the Colorado Chapter. more
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Paula Landry, M.A. TVI, (plandry@asharedvision.org) has 25 years of experience working with children and families in a variety of social service and educational settings. She has extensive training and participation within a highly specialized, multi-disciplinary team of professionals in the field of visual impairment. more
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Linda Lawrence, M.D., (lmlawrencemd@gmail.com) established in 1986 a solo, private practice in comprehensive ophthalmology with pediatric emphasis in Salina, Kansas, USA. Since 1992, she performs functional vision assessment in the early intervention, Part C program, at Salina Regional Health Center, Kansas, and has documented the high rate of undiagnosed ocular pathology in infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities, and advocated for earlier detection and interventions. more
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Loreta Martínez-Cargo, M.A., (loretacargo@nmsbvi.k12.nm.us) is employed by NMSBVI serving children in the Birth to Three Program. She is dedicated to supporting the children and families she serves. more
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Deborah Mood, Ph.D., (Deborah.Mood@childrenscolorado.org) is a licensed psychologist who specializes in working with children who are deaf/hard of hearing and their families. Her primary appointment within Developmental Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Colorado emphasizes clinical assessment and treatment of children with developmental disabilities. more
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Megan Mogan, M.S., CCC-SLP, (megan.mogan@asdb.az.gov) is new to the Arizona Deafblind Project in 2019. She is responsible for providing Technical Assistance to families and educators of children and youth who are Deafblind. more
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Jessica Mount Matney, M.S., CCC-SLP, (jessicamatney@nmsbvi.k12.nm.us) is a Speech Language Pathologist and Developmental Vision Specialist at the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired – Early Childhood Program. Jessica began her practice in early intervention and has spent the last 13 years working with children with severe disabilities and vision impairments. more
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Bettie Petersen, M.Ed., (Bettie.petersen@nmsd.k12.nm.us) has worked in early intervention at the New Mexico School for the Deaf in Santa Fe, NM for the past 12 years. She obtained her M.Ed. from Utah State University in Deaf Education Early Intervention in 2006. more
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Aaron Rose, M.S.D.E., (aaron@cuecollege.org) possesses expertise in multiple areas regarding Cued Speech and cued language services. As a native cuer, Aaron grew up with Cued Speech as his primary mode of access and co-founded the CLEAR (Cuers for Leadership, Education, Advocacy, and Resources) program. more
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Barbara Schrag, M.Ed., (Barbara.Schrag@asdb.az.gov) has been providing services to families in Arizona who have deaf/hard of hearing children, birth to 5 years of age, for over 30 years. Barbara has her Masters Degree in Deaf Education and her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and Deaf Education. more
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Philip Schweigert, M.Ed., (alimnmm@gmail.com) began teaching children with sensory and multiple disabilities in 1977. For 22 years he served as project coordinator on a number of federally funded research projects to investigate strategies for assessment and enhancement of communication for learners with severe disabilities. more
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Catherine Smyth, TSVI, Ph.D., (csmyth@anchorcenter.org) is the Director of Research at Anchor Center for Blind Children in Denver, Colorado. She has an extensive background as a TSVI in early intervention, providing support for families in center-based settings and homes. more
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Nanette Thompson, CCC-SLP, LSLS, (nanette@listening2learn.com) is a Speech-Language Pathologist and a LSLS Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist. She is the coordinator of Listening 2 Learn and works closely with The Listen Foundation, The Marion Downs Center, University of Colorado Hospital, and Rocky Mountain Cochlear Implant Center providing diagnostic services and weekly speech, language and listening therapy to families, children, and adults. more
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Amy Trollop's (Amy.Trollop@asdb.az.gov) career path has been a journey focused on teaching children and supporting teachers and educational staff in working with children with visual impairments, multiple disabilities, and deafblindness. She holds a master’s degree in teaching the blind and visually impaired from University of Arizona, is a certified Ayurveda counselor/coach, 300 hr Yoga Teacher, and a Mindfulness Instructor trained through Mindfulness First. more
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Emilie Wilding, M.A., (Emilie.Wilding@nmsd.k12.nm.us) is the Deaf Mentor Coordinator at the New Mexico School for the Deaf. She received her Master’s degree in Deaf Education and Family Centered Early Education at Gallaudet University. more
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