2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
3/11/2025 | 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM | "Welcome To EI' | 309
"Welcome To EI'
"Welcome to Early Intervention" - a phrase that very few families anticipate hearing right after they have welcomed a new baby into their family. But once families hear it the ball starts to roll - and it rolls quickly! For families of children with hearing loss, so much needs to happen: diagnosis, evaluation, technology decisions and numerous medical appointments. While all are new and unfamiliar to most, Early Intervention can be overwhelming. In this "new normal" that our families and caregivers find themselves, the Early Intervention Service Coordinator becomes the key piece to their puzzle. Wouldn't it be nice to have a Service Coordinator who has been designated to guide and support families of Deaf/Hard of Hearing children? In rural Northeast PA, we took a closer look at how we could make this a reality for our families. We gathered our data - gathered our team - and got to work! While very much still a work in progress, we outlined what our team, individually, brings to the table. We included Parents, EI Supervisors, EI Service Coordinators, Audiologists and Teachers of the Deaf - all coming together on an ongoing basis, to bring their specialized skills to support a position specifically to address the needs of families new to the hearing loss journey in a rural setting. Come join the conversation- take from it what might help you and the families that you serve. Together we can give our children with hearing loss the very best start!
- Participants will list resources to support Service Coordinators
- Participants will identify ways to engage with the Deaf community.
- Participants will extend their knowledge of hearing loss to help families of newly identified babies
Presentation:
3545975_18170MARY ANNSTEFKO.pdf
3545975_18170MARY ANNSTEFKO_2.pdf
3545975_18170TaraNikou.pdf
Handouts:
3545975_18170MARY ANNSTEFKO.pdf
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
MARY ANN STEFKO
(Primary Presenter,Author), SSDHHC, mstefko@thescrantonschool.org;
MaryAnn Stefko is a graduate of Penn State University with a Bachelors degree in Communication Disorders and a Masters of Education in Counseling. She has been a teacher of the Deaf for over 30 years. Over the course of her career, Mary Ann has been a classroom teacher, school based therapist educational interpreter and mainstream coordinator. She has worked with children in a School for the Deaf as well as mainstream settings. MaryAnn is currently the Early Intervention therapist at the Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in Scranton, PA. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Scranton. Her passion is teaching/coaching children and families who are beginning their hearing loss journey.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Danielle Mendez
(Co-Presenter), CMSU, dmendez@cmsu.org;
Danielle Mendez is the EI Coordinator/Program Director for Columbia, Montour, Snyder and Union counties in PA. Danielle holds a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Penn State University and has had opportunities working with children and their families through other professional experiences such as Children and Youth and Behavioral Health. Danielle lives with her two children - one of which is currently in college and hoping to work with children with special needs. Overall, Danielle enjoys helping others and seeing them reach their potential.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Pamela Bankes
(Co-Presenter), CMSU, pbankes@cmsu.org;
Pamela Bankes, or Pam as she likes to be called, has been working with children of all ages since 1999. She has experience working in Special Education, Behavioral Health, Mental Health and currently works in Early Intervention. She has been with CMSU since 2016. Pam holds an Associate Degree from Luzerne County Community College in Nutrition and went back to college in 2012 (while both of her sons were attending college) to earn her Bachelor's Degree in Professional Studies/Behavioral Science at Misericordia University. Pam loves working with children and their families and has a passion for working with children with special needs.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Tara Nikou
(Co-Presenter), Choices For Children, tnikou@wpsd.org;
Since 2003, Tara has been working with D/HH children (birth to three) and their families as an Early Intervention Teacher and Program Coordinator of the Choices for Children program. Tara coaches families in their own homes to help understand their child’s hearing loss and shows best practices to prepare their child for language learning and the transition to pre-school. Tara also serves as Coordinator for the on-site Toddler Group program at WPSD. Prior to working at WPSD, Tara was a classroom teacher at Central North Carolina School for the Deaf and at Miller Elementary school in Pittsburgh, PA.
Tara Nikou received her Bachelor’s Degree in Deaf Education and Elementary Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and her Master’s Degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Early Intervention.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Western PA School for the Deaf.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Western PA School for the Deaf.
Nature: salary.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.