Presenters

Edgenie Bellah, M.Ed., is the Family Engagement Coordinator for the Texas DeafBlind Project and a Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialist. She began her career specializing in O&M with DeafBlind adults.  Recognizing the central role of families, Edgenie shifted her focus to family engagement while continuing to offer contract O&M services. Edgenie supports the Project by advancing deafblind O&M practices, building family-professional partnerships, and promoting a community where individuals and their families are valued as active members.

Kaycee Bennett is a certified teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing and she also has a graduate certificate and master’s degree in deafblind education from Texas Tech University. She worked as a classroom teacher and an itinerant teacher for 10 years before joining The Texas Deafblind Project in 2019.

Kate Borg is the Elementary School Principal at Utah School for the Blind. Kate has been an administrator, instructional coach, classroom teacher, and itinerant TVI working with students who are blind, have low vision, or are deafblind. Kate has leadership roles within the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AERBVI), the Council of Schools and Services for the Blind (COSB), and sits on research grant committees to improve instruction for students with sensory impairment. When not at work, Kate loves to be out in the mountains…and will do almost anything for a good campfire dinner!

Brenna Brillhart is an Educational Diagnostician for a Regional Day School Program for the Deaf. She began her career in Deaf Education as a classroom teacher and is deeply passionate about advocating for students and ensuring they have access to the opportunities they deserve. Brenna empowers families and schools by promoting awareness of legal rights and responsibilities. Her commitment to highlighting the potential of every student through the evaluation process drives her mission to eliminate unwarranted barriers 

Rachel Collins is a certified Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing (TDHH) and Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVI). She holds a Master's degree in the Education of the Deaf/Hard of hearing and a graduate certificate in Deafblind Education. With over 20 years of experience, Rachel has worked in a variety of settings, including self-contained classrooms, residential programs, and itinerant services, supporting students who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/low vision, and/or deafblind. She previously served as a district Deafblind Specialist and has been a part of the Texas Deafblind Project since 2022.

Julie Durando is the director of the National Center on Deafblindness. She began her career in special education as a teacher in Volusia County, Florida. There she spent time as an itinerant, classroom, and homebound teacher. She earned her Doctor of Education in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado as a National Center for Leadership in Visual Impairment Fellow. Dr. Durando has served in multiple roles on grant-funded technical assistance projects including serving as the project director for the Virginia state deafblind project and the evaluation coordinator for NCDB.

Sofia Hansdotter is a licensed psychologist at Sweden's National Resource Center for Deafblindness, with over 15 years of clinical experience working with individuals with acquired deafblindness. Recent years, she has focused on providing supervision and education in this field. Additionally, she has expanded her expertise in congenital deafblindness and tactile cognition. She is a certified supervisor in the Tactile Working Memory Scale.

Mrs. Hartman is a dedicated advocate for the deafblind community, inspired by her experience as a parent to a 27-year-old son with Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) and deafblindness. She is also married with two children. A CPA for over 25 years and CPF® license for over 10 years. She has spent years in service for others through multiple nonprofit boards and committees. She is the current President of The Deafblind Multihandicapped Association of Texas (DBMAT), Finance Chair of the Lighthouse of Houston as well as the Co-Founder and Treasurer of Touch Base Center for the Deafblind. She is also a Lifetime member of the National Family Association of Deaf-Blind (NFADB).

Alaine Hinds has over 20 years of experience advocating for individuals with disabilities. As a parent of three adult children, including one who is deafblind with additional challenges, she brings personal insight and dedication to her work. She co-founded the Texas Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (TAPVI) and served on the board of the DeafBlind Multihandicapped Association of Texas (DBMAT). A graduate of TSBVI’s Family Leadership Training, she also worked with the ARC of Texas as a community organizer in Houston. Her passion is empowering families to overcome barriers, ensuring their loved ones thrive and live fulfilling lives.

Brandi Hitzelberger is the Treasurer for the National Family Association for DeafBlind Board of Directors, dedicated to empowering families with individuals who are DeafBlind. Active in community initiatives, she serves as a Family-to-Family Communities Self-Care facilitator. She has been Chair and Secretary of the Kentucky School for the Blind Advisory Board, Vice-President of its Parent Student Organization, and a board member for Visually Impaired Preschool Services. A founding board member of Twisted Pink, Brandi has also served on the Kentucky State Advisory Council for Exceptional Needs and is a member of the Kentucky Fillies, supporting scholarships and community programs.

Beth Kennedy, Ph.D., currently works as the Director of DeafBlind Central: Michigan’s Training & Resource Project and the Director and instructor for the online Deafblind Intervener Training Program that she developed through Central Michigan University. Dr. Kennedy has worked in the field of deafblindness since 1991, having held positions at Perkins School for the Blind in the Deafblind Department, and the Florida DeafBlind Project prior to returning to Michigan, her home state.  She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Boston and her Master’s Degree in Special Education, with a specialization in deafblindness, from Boston College studying under Dr. Barbara McLetchie. She completed the Interpreter Training Program at Lansing Community College, held interpreting credentials for several years, and remains fluent in American Sign Language. Beth led teams to develop four of the Open Hands Open Access (OHOA) training modules available through the National Center on Deafblindness (NCDB). She completed the Educational Leadership Ph.D. Program at Central Michigan University studying the process of how interveners learn to support students who are deafblind in school settings for her dissertation.

Hillary Keys, M. Ed., is the Early Childhood Deafblind Education Consultant for the Texas Deafblind Project. She has over 30 years of experience in education and worked as a classroom teacher, an itinerant TVI/TDB, and Deafblind Specialist at a regional and statewide level. While she has diverse educational interests, Active Learning approach, use of routines and calendar systems, and early childhood development and learning are areas of strength. She believes all children can learn and is passionate about finding the best ways for children to interact and experience joy, especially those with complex needs.

Dr. Khan is an exceptional Pediatric Doctor that is married and has five children. One of her children is a 31-year-old daughter who was born early resulting in her deafblindness. Rubina is a compassionate physician and cares for children in a Federally Qualified Health Center. She is the Co-Founder and Secretary of Touch Base Center for the Deafblind. She is also a Lifetime member of the Deafblind Multihandicapped Association of Texas (DBMAT).

Caroline Lindström is the Deputy Head and Special Educator at Sweden's National Resource Center for Deafblindness, with over 20 years of experience in the field. She specializes in communication and congenital deafblindness. For the past decade, she has focused on training and supervising staff. Caroline holds master’s degrees in upper secondary education, special educational needs, and a MSc in Communication and Deafblindness. She is also an active member of the Nordic Network on Tactile Language.

Julie Maier is the California Deafblind Services Project Coordinator. She has worked in the field of special education since 1987 in the roles of paraeducator, special education teacher, fieldwork supervisor and course instructor in the Special Education Department at San Francisco State University, and deafblind educational specialist. Throughout her career Julie has supported and taught many individuals with deafblindness or autism in community-based adult programs, in inclusive elementary schools, and technical assistance provider. Julie has also taught courses related to deafblindness and autism and presented at multiple state, national, and international conferences and webinars on the topic of deafblindness and ASD. 

Miileah is the Coordinator of Touch Base Center for the Deafblind (“TBC”). She is married and has a precious newborn baby. She has been with TBC for 6 years and is extremely talented in creating activities, organizing outings and getting to know each of our clients to learn what activities are meaningful to them. She keeps things running smoothly for all who join in at Touch Base Center for the Deafblind.

Sarah Mossberger is a certified Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVI) and recently earned certification as a Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing (TDHH). She holds a Master’s degree in Special Education and a graduate certificate in Deafblind Education. Sarah’s experience includes roles as a special education classroom teacher in both a behavior management unit and as a specialized instruction teacher.  She later became an itinerant TSVI and then served as her district’s Deafblind Specialist. In 2023, Sarah joined the TSBVI Deafblind Outreach team. 

Dr. Layne Pethick is a Consultant for Behavior and Autism Spectrum Disorder at Region 10 Education Service Center. He has a Ph.D. in Business/Organization Leadership, and a master’s degree in special education, along with degrees in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, and Reading. Dr. Pethick worked in general and special education as an administrator, a program director, and a professor of special education, assessment, early childhood and teacher education.

Kevin “Keva” Richmond, a Deafblind individual, holds a Master's Degree in Deaf Education and is the founder and owner of Evolve Access, LLC, previously recognized as ASL and Deafblind Consulting Services, LLC. Keva is a Deaf Interpreter and a highly respected lecturer who delivers numerous training sessions (including the presentations at the University of Vermont Medical Center) shedding light on the intricacies of the Deafblind experience and providing guidance on effectively interacting with Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deafblind patients. Keva's diverse interests include dark roast coffee, the art of baking, travelling to experience different cultures, and cultivating meaningful connections across the globe. Keva embraces the philosophy that "laughter is the best medicine” and spreads his love of adventures to all the people he meets.

Claire Ryan, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Dell Medical School and a pediatric psychologist at Dell Children’s Medical Center. Dr. Ryan earned her undergraduate degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology and completed her doctoral studies in the combined School/Clinical Child Psychology program at the University of Texas at Austin. As a Deaf person herself, she is passionate about equitable behavioral health care and centering the voices of disabled populations in health care. Her research focuses on adverse childhood communication experiences and the development of culturally and linguistically accessible patient-reported outcome measures for deaf youth.

Sarah J. Schoffstall, PhD, NCSP is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Dell Medical School and a pediatric psychologist at Dell Children’s Medical Center. Schoffstall currently serves a diverse range of deaf/hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and hearing patients, from infancy to young adulthood, through two clinics at Dell Children's: The Hearing Center/Children's Ear Nose Throat Department and the Texas Child Study Center. As a hearing, ASL-using clinician, Dr. Schoffstall strives to promote language- and communication-centered care when working with patients and families in medicalized settings.

Scott Turner is the Statewide Orientation and Mobility Consultant with Outreach Programs at TSBVI. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University and has enjoyed a career in Orientation and Mobility for over 30 years with work experience as an itinerant COMS and a Regional ESC consultant. Scott also holds a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of North Texas.

Jana Villemez is the Family Engagement Initiative Lead at the National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB). She has been working with families for over 20 years. She is a licensed clinical social worker with experience in hospice, palliative care, and behavioral health and served as the Family Consultant for Arkansas’ deafblind program for over 10 years. Her passion is in systems change - strengthening support systems by providing opportunities for all families and their children, meeting families where they are, and building and elevating family voice. 

Jennifer Vincent, a licensed vocational nurse, is a mother of three adult children and has firsthand experience navigating Early Childhood Intervention and special education systems. A 2006 Partners in Policymaking graduate, she completed the TSBVI Outreach Family Leadership training. Passionate about fostering lifelong natural support networks, Jennifer has successfully maintained a personal network for her youngest daughter. With experience supporting individuals with disabilities in her nursing career, Jennifer now focuses on empowering families and building sustainable community connections.

Sherri Wilson is a nationally recognized expert and consultant in family engagement. Currently, she serves as Senior Director of Training and Engagement at the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE). Formerly, she was Director of Consultative Services at Scholastic. She has also served as Senior Manager of Family Engagement at the National PTA. Ms. Wilson was the Co-founder of the Alabama Parent Education Center and served as Alabama PIRC Director for over fourteen years. She has served on a wide variety of national, state, and local boards and committees and was a founding board member for NAFSCE.

Heather “Hex” Lightfoot Withrow, COMS, joined the Texas Deafblind Project in 2023. An alumna of Gallaudet University and Texas Tech University, she holds a master’s degree in special education and a Deafblind graduate certificate from Texas Tech. As a certified orientation and mobility specialist, Heather draws from both professional and personal insights as a Deaf mother of three transition age individuals, including a Deaf adult and a DeafBlind teenager.