About me...

A little bit about me –

I was born with a hearing loss (severe-profound) and received my first hearing aid at the age of 3.  My first spoken word took place when I was 3 1/2.  I grew up orally (reading lips and speaking) and did not learn American Sign Language (ASL) until I attended college (Indiana University of Bloomington). Hearing loss runs in my family (Grandfather, father, aunt, uncle, cousins, etc.) with me being the only one who uses ASL.  While English is my first language (the language I grew up learning and using), ASL is a very close second (fluent).

I graduated from Ball State University with a bachelors degree in deaf education.  Student teacher training was completed at Indiana School for the Deaf (second grade) and I even coached girl’s basketball for one semester.  Eventually a masters degree was earned in secondary education from Indiana University of SB. My first job was as an itinerant DHH Teacher for SBCSC. After three years, I created a proposal recommending the option of ASL as a foreign language. My proposal was sent to 5 different school corporations and PHM was the only one who accepted.  I was hired by PHM and taught at PHS for 5 years.  It was a lot of work creating a program from the ground up, but I am proud of it and am extremely pleased that ASL still remains as a foreign language option today! After I left PHS, I worked part-time as an Assistant Professor of American Sign Language at Goshen College teaching a few classes in the interpreting program.  I also worked with First Steps as a Developmental Therapist and SKI-HI Parent Advisor teaching DHH children aged 0-3 and their families.  It was a pleasure watching them grow and learn! I have been in my current position as an itinerant DHH Teacher/Consultant for PHM since 2010, starting out part-time and changing to full time after two years on the job.  It is always an adventure with this position!