Workshop Presenter Bios

Stacy Abrams

Stacy Abrams is a Senior Project Manager in Early Intervention at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University, where she has worked for the past 10 years. She grew up in Arkansas in a hearing family that signs and was the first baby enrolled in the Parent Infant Program at the Arkansas School for the Deaf. A graduate of Gallaudet University and the University of California, Santa Barbara, she has more than 25 years of experience supporting deaf and hard of hearing children and their families. Stacy previously taught deaf and hard of hearing students and coordinated Deaf Mentor Programs in New Mexico and Arizona. She is the founder of #whyIsign, a social awareness campaign promoting the value of sign language. Stacy and her husband are parents of two bilingual deaf college students.

Dr. Christi Batamula

Dr. Christi Batamula is a professor in the Department of Education at Gallaudet University. She has experience teaching deaf children in a variety of schools and settings. Dr. Batamula received her PhD in Education from George Mason University specializing in International Education, Early Childhood Education, and Teacher Education. Her research interests are international education, including immigrant education and multilingual education and family collaboration with deaf and hard of hearing children.

Candace Jones, Ph.D. Candidate

Candace Jones is a certified BlackDeaf educator and first-generation college graduate currently pursuing her PhD at Gallaudet University in Critical Studies in the Education of Deaf Learners. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, graduating with honors as a member of the Phi Alpha Honor Society, from Gallaudet University, and her Master’s degree in Deaf and Special Education from Valdosta State University. She currently serves as an educator in the School of Language, Education, and Culture at Gallaudet University, supporting the Deaf Education and ASL departments. In this role, she supervises undergraduate student-teachers during their internships at selected schools. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Lamar University, teaching Bilingual Theories in Deaf Education. With nearly 20 years of experience across K–12 and higher education, her work centers on language, identity, and equity in Deaf education. Candace leads the Family Learning Vacation, a community-centered initiative supporting families through language and cultural empowerment with love and joy.

Dr. Bobbie Jo Kite 

Bobbie Jo Kite, Ph.D., is a Full Professor in the Department of Education at Gallaudet University and Assistant Director of the National Beacon Center. She earned her B.A. in Early Childhood Education and M.A. in Deaf Education from Gallaudet, and her Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education and Multilingual/Multicultural Education from George Mason University. Her research centers on Family Language Planning & Policy and Multilingual Education, with a focus on supporting deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families through inclusive language practices. At the National Beacon Center, Dr. Kite helps shape national initiatives within the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) system of services, advancing coordinated efforts across families, healthcare, and education. A second-generation Deaf scholar, she is deeply committed to fostering equitable, accessible opportunities for all children. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two cats, and a dog.

Dr. Judie Lomax, Psy.D.

Dr. Judie Lomax, Psy.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, who works in private practice and serves as the Coordinator of Training and Assessment Services at Gallaudet University’s Counseling and Psychological Services. She is also the former President of the Board of Directors for the American Society of Deaf Children. The role she cherishes most is being the mother of a Deaf child. 

Lynette Mattiacci

Lynette Mattiacci (she/her) is an Early Intervention Project Manager at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University. She holds a master's in Special Education from Arcadia University, a bachelor's in Early Childhood Education from Gallaudet, and an Early Intervention Studies graduate certificate. With two decades of experience in Deaf Education, she has worked as an early intervention provider and program coordinator, providing birth to three services to families with deaf and hard of hearing children. Lynette has served on local and state advisory groups and her greatest passion is empowering families to be their deaf and hard of hearing child's most powerful advocates. As a product of early intervention herself, Lynette credits it with playing a vital role in laying the foundation for her language development and success.

Dr. Julie Mitchiner

Dr. Julie Mitchiner, a professor and researcher in the Education Department at Gallaudet University, focuses primarily on Early Childhood Education. Mitchiner taught at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center in the bilingual ASL/English Early Childhood Program for six years. She received her BA in Early Childhood Education and her MA in Deaf Education, specializing in Family-Centered Early Education, from Gallaudet University. She received her Ph.D. in Education at George Mason University with a specialization in Early Childhood Education and a secondary concentration in multicultural/multilingual education. Her research interests include family language policy and planning, bilingual education in ASL and English, and the Reggio Emilia approach in teaching deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Mitchiner has presented at numerous national and international conferences and published several papers on deaf families with children who have cochlear implants, as well as on family language planning and policy for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Dr. Victorica Monroe

Dr. Victorica Monroe is an educator and leader in Deaf education and the DeafBlind community. A DeafBlind native of Mississippi, Monroe graduated from the Mississippi School for the Deaf and earned an AA degree in General Education, a B.S. degree in Physical Education and Recreation, and a M.A. in Deaf Education Studies. They have a Ph.D. in Critical Studies in the Education of Deaf Learners from Gallaudet University.

Victorica is also an acclaimed author of the book "Swishing" and a scholar-activist who leverages their teaching, research, and leadership skills to foster more inclusive and equitable educational spaces for all learners, particularly those with Usher syndrome and DeafBlindness. Victorica has received multiple honors, including the National Association of the Deaf Youth Award, the National Association of the Deaf Literacy Excellence Award, and the Gallaudet University Alumni Association Outstanding Young Alumnus Award.

Michelle Reyes

Michelle Reyes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with experience providing counseling and advocacy services to individuals with disabilities. A New York City native, she has worked extensively with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, using her skills in American Sign Language (ASL) to expand access to inclusive, culturally responsive mental health services. Michelle is passionate about helping individuals develop coping skills, strengthen relationships, and improve overall well-being. In addition to her professional work, she is also the proud mother of a child with Down syndrome, which further informs her commitment to advocacy, accessibility, and supporting families navigating disability and community resources.

Dr. Danielle Thompson

Danielle Thompson, Ph.D. teaches graduate school courses in the Department of Counseling and Early Intervention Studies.  She loves watching her students succeed in becoming phenomenal Counselors and Early Intervention Specialist. Her background is in Social Emotional Learning, Deaf Refugees and Immigrants, and working with families who have a deaf child.

Dr. Thompson is a native of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. She is leading the island in getting sign language recognized and improving the education of Deaf children in Trinidad and Tobago. She has a Master’s degree in School Counseling from Gallaudet University and her Doctor of Philosophy in Behavioral Health from International University of Graduate Studies from St. Kitts & Nevis in the West Indies. Dr. Thompson currently lives in Virginia with her husband and two children.