18th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 3-5, 2019 • Chicago, IL
Effective Family Engagement: A Panel on the Power to Influence EHDI Systems
The panel will focus on family engagement within EHDI programs, including experiences of how family engagement can improve the system as well as challenges met and challenges overcome. This presentation will share practical strategies regarding Family Engagement priorities within EHDI systems and how the participants of the conference can enhance their work in this area. Family members from all over the U.S. with diverse life experiences will be represented on the panel.
- Participants will be able to identify strategies to enhance Family engagement in state/territory systems
- Attendees will gain the perspective of families on how they can positively impact EHDI systems.
- Participants will gain skills in how to overcome challenges in ensuring family engagement.
Presenter: Janet DesGeorges
Janet DesGeorges lives in Boulder, Colorado and is Executive Director of Hands & Voices Headquarters and the P.I. for the FL3 Center. Janet has presented to groups worldwide about the experiences of families as they journey through life with a child with deafness or hearing loss. Ms. DesGeorges received a program certificate from the MCH Public Health Leadership Institute in 2011 at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. As an EHDI Systems advocate, Janet believes in the principles and guiding philosophies of Hands & Voices towards a parent-driven, professionally-collaborative approach when supporting families in the early years. Her areas of interest include Leadership Development for parents who participate in systemic improvement; Deaf Education Reform and Improvement; Children’s Safety and Success(preventing child abuse and neglect); Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Systems; and Parent/Professional partnerships in Quality Improvement processes.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Djenne-amal N. Morris, BA Djenne-amal N. Morris, BA brings passion, humor, and real-life experience to her role as a national and international parent/professional trainer, facilitator, and motivational speaker whose view of the world is not as it is, but as it could be. As a mother of an amazing son with CHARGE Syndrome, she strives to build an atmosphere of support and empowerment for families of children with special needs and the professionals who serve them. This has led to her career working with families of children with special needs in various roles as Women’s Ministry Leader, and Family Specialist for the New England and North Carolina Deaf-Blind Projects, Parent Educator. She currently is the Family Faculty Advisor for the NC-LEND program at UNC-Chapel Hill and President of the Board of Directors for Hands & Voices Headquarters. Djenne is committed to creating an atmosphere of diversity wherever she goes. She received her certification in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion from Cornell University and does consulting and training professionally. Djenne and her husband Michael of 30 years have 3 children. Malik, 26 a graduate of the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf. He is independent and living his best life in a group home for Deaf young men. Imani, 27, is a future MPH focusing on Maternal and Child Health. Her youngest Zakiya, 21, is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and a future Audiologist. Djenne and Michael is enjoying their empty nest by traveling, growing their consulting business, and enjoying evening wine on the porch! Please visit her website:(www.todaywithdjenne.com)
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
Karen Wisinski lives in Brighton, Michigan, and is mom to two teen boys. The youngest is hard of hearing. Karen is Program Director for Michigan Hands & Voices™, and part of the Michigan team that worked to build membership, an active board, a successful Guide By Your Side™ program, and an ASTra program in less than four years. Karen is the 2014 recipient of The Seaver Vision Award from Hands & Voices Headquarters.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Grants for Management position from Michigan Hands & Voices.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Laura Gramer and her family reside in Seattle, WA. They are deaf parents to two deaf sons. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. Laura serves on WA Hands & Voices board and board president for Hearing Speech Deaf Center. She served on various commissions and boards in Washington and Illinois. Laura and her family are involved in the deaf community.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
Mariana Barquet was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico. She moved to the US in 2004 and married an Indiana native in 2005. She started working as the Hispanic Parent Guide in Indiana in 2015 and has served in that position since. She spearheaded the efforts to start the Educational Advocacy Program under Hands & Voices, ASTra (Advocacy, Support and Training) and became the ASTra Program Coordinator in April 2019, when the Program officially started to operate. Shortly after, she took over the position of the Guide By Your Side Program coordinator as the previous coordinator stepped down. As the Programs Coordinator she oversees all operations of the ASTra and GBYS Programs that provide Parent to Parent support for all families of newly identified children with hearing differences all the way to exit of High School. She was awarded the National Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Family Leadership Award for improving the involvement of the Hispanic families with children with hearing difference in the Early Intervention Program by 11% over this population growth in the State of Indiana through the last 4 years grant period under CDC requirements. She has served in the Hands & Voices Latino Council since 2016 and has presented in the EHDI National Conference, Hands & Voices Leadership Conference, and several state conferences in Indiana. She has a deep passion for supporting families through the different stages of the educational process that often require the parents to become skilled advocates.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -