Board and Advisory Group
Board of ALDA-MAINE
We are very pleased to introduce our first Board of Directors and Advisory Group. All of us are volunteers, and we look forward to talking with you soon. Send us your questions, join our ALDA-Maine Chapter, and let us hear about your lives with hearing loss, in yourself, or someone you know. Email to aldamaine@gmail.com
MORE ABOUT OUR ALDA-MAINE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, JUNE, 2007. ALL FIVE OF US ARE HARD OF HEARING OR DEAFENED, WITH COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS AND ADVISORY CIRCLE:
SANDRA HAGGARD, VICE PRESIDENT Sandra is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, University of Maine at Augusta, and also Cooperating Associate Professor of Women's Studies at UMaine. She lives in Dixmont, Maine (Bangor region), and winters in Florida. Sandra travels to South Korea twice a year, to see her grandson and family.
Sandra teaches all classes online because of progressive hearing loss. She started wearing hearing aids 33 years ago, and says, “ Probably could have used them earlier!” She adds, “I like to travel and take my laptop and my students can't tell where I am unless I tell them.” She spends summers on Swans Island, and re-visits Oregon from time to time.
AMBER WILHELM, SECRETARY Talking about her work and hearing loss, Amber relates "I am late deafened, so I enjoy educating the public on hearing loss. I helped create a program under Deaf Vermonters Advocacy Services (DVAS) called the Hearing Loss Advocacy Network (HLAN). This program allows hard of hearing and late deafened individuals who do not use sign language to use DVAS services. In addition I host workshops to mental health workers and court personnel on hearing loss communication needs. Also, included in my training is hosting workshops for sign language interpreters on the protocal for domestic violence and sexual assault situations."OWEN J. (O.J.) LOGUE, MEMBERSHIP CHAIR, is Associate Dean of Academic Services at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine in Orono. His career includes many aspects of educational, advocacy, and administrative activities.
LAUREN STORCK, PRESIDENT Lauren is a consultant for Interactive Online Communications and Community Building, and a Volunteer for several associations. She is a current member of her town Medical Services Board, and a Consultant for Continuing Online Education, Center on Aging, UMaine, since 2005. This follows a career in healthcare and psychology, including international travels and services, in New York, London, and Boston. She travels each year now to France and England, and will visit Toronto (Canada) for the first time this June. She and her husband moved to Maine two years ago, from Boston where she was affiliated with Harvard Medical School for 18 years, offered services in public and private health, and was affiliated with the Gerontology Center of Boston University for four years ( when her hearing loss was first properly evaluated and hearing aids were first used, in 2001, the day after 9/11!).
Lauren has an inherited severe hearing loss primarily for speech range frequencies, and is passionate about advocacy for real time captioning. Having been a member of the Boston ALDA Chapter for about two years, she started ALDA-Maine in 2006, following about 12 months of talking with neighbors and friends, some deafened or hard of hearing, some hearing, and fulfilling requirements from the national established association, ALDA, to form a new and first Chapter in Maine. “The ALDA family is all volunteers, and we do this because we know that there are a lot more folks who want to learn more about acquired hearing loss with us, find needed resources, and make new friends. I enjoy the ALDA meetings so much, I wish we could talk every day in person about our experiences together, because so many others do not understand these changes in our lives.”
JUNE ELLIS. June has been deaf since age three and a half. She has worked in a hospital (Medical Records), and several other jobs. Now retired and busy at home, married and mother of 2 children, 2 step-children, 2 grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren and 1 step great grandchild. “I need to get out and be with people, and communicate more freely, but find it hard to do as the world today is soooo different.”
CHAIR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE, Gwen Lapointe.
ALDA-MAINE ADVISORY GROUP - Advisors are invited members and others who care about people and the mission of ALDA-MAINE. Along with Board members, each brings her or his expertise and experience in different areas (e.g. health, government, education, resources for deafened and hard of hearing). If you are knowledgeable about these or other areas of Maine and Northern New England life, (e.g. Business and Employment Needs, Media, Telecommunications, Fundraising, non-profit management) and are intersted in joining our Advisory Group, please email to alda-maine@caregiving-online.com.
John Shattuck, Director, Division on Deafness, http://www.maine.gov/rehab/dod/
Shari Majeski, Maine CART, http://www.mainecart.com/
Hannah Pingree, State Legislative Leader, http://pingree.com/
