Leadership

An expert in “building a plane while flying it”, Dr. Sarah Glenn-Smith has worked as a professional in the healthcare, education, technology and nonprofit arenas for more than 20 years. She has been an RID certified sign language interpreter, CI/CT, since 2003.

Dr. Glenn-Smith is President and CEO for The Learning Center for the Deaf. She also currently serves on the board of CASLI as Treasurer, and was recently appointed to the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.

Prior to joining TLC, Dr. Glenn-Smith worked for Kaleida Health, the largest healthcare system in Western New York, as both a CEO for their joint radiology venture, and, later, as President of Ambulatory Services. Applying her passion for education, she worked for six years at PLS 3rd Learning, an international education technology company, as Chief Operating Officer, and brings extensive experience in the conception, development and execution of strategic and tactical financial, organization and development initiatives. Dr. Glenn-Smith has also held the roles of Chief Administrative Officer for the healthcare management group, Exigence, and Executive Director of Deaf Adult Services, in Buffalo, New York.

Dr. Glenn-Smith earned her Executive Master's Degree in Business Administration at State University of New York at Buffalo, and both a Masters and Doctorate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

She grew up in Southern California, and currently resides in Massachusetts.

Karen Bishop received a Master's Degree in Education of the Deaf from Boston University. She has worked with children for twenty years, the past 16 with Walden School as a teacher, supervisor, curriculum coordinator, assistant director and now the Director. In 1999, she was trained in the Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum. Karen recently became re-certified as a Pro-ACT trainer, marking her tenth year as a Pro-ACT instructor.

With a genuine passion for social justice, Kyle Amber brings extensive background in mental health, Deaf culture and education.

She received her Master’s degree in Mental Health from Gallaudet University, she is currently working on her dissertation to complete her Ph.D. in social justice, and has participated in numerous presentations and panel discussions on mental health counseling, Deaf culture, empathy and intersectionality. Most recently she has also served on the Faculty of Color Coalition Committee at Gallaudet. Kyle Amber has worked with organizations nationwide, including the Deaf Abused Women’s Network, CSD Unites, National Association of the Deaf, National Black Deaf Advocates and Maryland School for the Deaf.

Isidore received his SHRM-SCP certificate from the University of Texas (Austin). He most recently worked as Director of Human Resources for Convo Communications, where he helped identify and implement employee relations practices, and established measures to promote diversity and drive equal access to opportunity and advancement, among many other notable achievements.

Prior to joining Convo, Isidore spent five years working with San Diego Youth Service as a Residential Counselor for At-risk Deaf youth.

As the current President of National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA)  Inc., Isidore’s leadership helped tripled NBDA’s membership and increased the organization's public presence and fundraising goals. 

Isidore serves on the Disability Advisory Committee for the Federal Communication Commission Disability Advisory, and is the Founding Executive Director for International Deaf Education, Advocacy & Leadership (IDEAL), Inc.

Isidore has signing fluency in ASL and five Sign Languages used in the East African Community. He also has professional writing fluency in English, French, Kirundi (Native), and Kinyarwanda.

Glennis passionately believes in the foundation of literacy and has focused her studies on early literacy intervention strategies for deaf and hard of hearing children with a career goal to advocate and implement an early literacy curriculum for deaf and hard of hearing children.

Glennis earner her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Spelman College in Atlanta after an Associate of Applied Science degree in Sign Language Interpreting from Georgia Perimeter College in Clarkston. She then obtained a Master of Arts degree in Middle Grade Math and Science from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta.

Her role as TLC Superintendent makes her the first Black Deaf woman and first HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) graduate to become a Superintendent of a Deaf School throughout the history of Deaf Education, joining the league consisting of a few Deaf BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Deaf School Superintendents in the United States.

Shira has a Master’s Degree in Deaf Education from Boston University, and a Master’s in Education Policy and Management from Harvard University. She brings 13 years of professional experience in Deaf Education to TLC.

Most recently serving as Curriculum Specialist for New Mexico School for the Deaf, Shira helped develop and implement curriculum adoption strategies, including cross-sectoral collaborations with community groups. She also designed and provided professional development training and instructional coaching for teachers.

Her participation in more than two dozen presentations and workshops cover a broad range of topics, including Deaf advocacy, mentorship, Anti-Bias education, Deaf identity and language access. 

Toni received her master’s degree in Deaf Education from Gallaudet University and has more than 30 years of experience working in the fields of nonprofit organizations, literacy, classroom management, education reform and lesson planning. She was an Elementary Principal for 25 years prior to moving into a senior leadership role in curriculum and instruction.  Toni is also responsible for TLC’s Educational Compliance through DESE and is a MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

With more than 17 years of experience working in the field of Deaf Education, Chris Kaftan is skilled in coaching and mentoring, program evaluation, policy development, curriculum and lesson planning, and educational technology. Christopher received his graduate certification with a focus on Special Education Administration & Supervision from John Hopkins University and a master's degree in Deaf Education from Gallaudet University. He was a member of the first cohort of participants in the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD) Leadership Academy in 2018. Previously, Christopher was the Secretary-General and Media Coordinator for the USA Deaf Sports Federation, focusing on international media and marketing for the USA Deaflympics teams for Pan-Am Games, Winter and Summer Deaflympics.

Dr. Kym Meyer has been on the TLC faculty since 1994 and developed Public School Partnerships in 2001. She received a Master’s degree in Audiology from Gallaudet University and a Ph.D in Special Education from UMass-Amherst, researching education policy and workforce analysis for deaf/hard of hearing students. In 2019, she was selected as one of 10 HECSE (Higher Education Consortium in Special Education) doctoral students to participate in their Policy and Politics in Special Education Short Course in Washington, D.C. and was the recipient of the 2019 Jane West SPARK award from the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children for teacher and student advocacy. Kym was accepted as a Fellow in the 2021-2022 cohort of UMass Chan Medical School/Shriver Center’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Program, where she is studying disability and health inequity in marginalized populations. 

Dr. Colón is the current Director of Audiology at The Learning Center for the Deaf. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, with a certificate in Latin American Studies, and was awarded her Master of Science and Doctor of Audiology degree from Gallaudet University. Dr. Colón had previously completed her last year of doctoral practicum at the world renowned Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona and was most recently the Clinical Program Manager of the Cochlear Implant Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston before transitioning to her current director role. Her passion is hearing healthcare as well as rehabilitative measures, including hearing aids and cochlear implants. She is a strong advocate of equality and ease of access of healthcare services for marginalized and immigrant populations, most recently spearheading the credentialing of the TLC Audiology Clinic for MassHealth services. Dr. Colón has her certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and is fluent in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language.

Elisa Valles is the CBHI/DCF Program Director. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with certifications in clinical mental health counseling and writing and literature. She has previously presented to the American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association (ADARA) about trauma-informed care for parents in the home and is trained in the GROW curriculum. In her spare time, Elisa enjoys baking. 

An expert in “building a plane while flying it”, Dr. Sarah Glenn-Smith has worked as a professional in the healthcare, education, technology and nonprofit arenas for more than 20 years. She has been an RID certified sign language interpreter, CI/CT, since 2003.

Dr. Glenn-Smith is President and CEO for The Learning Center for the Deaf. She also currently serves on the board of CASLI as Treasurer, and was recently appointed to the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.

Prior to joining TLC, Dr. Glenn-Smith worked for Kaleida Health, the largest healthcare system in Western New York, as both a CEO for their joint radiology venture, and, later, as President of Ambulatory Services. Applying her passion for education, she worked for six years at PLS 3rd Learning, an international education technology company, as Chief Operating Officer, and brings extensive experience in the conception, development and execution of strategic and tactical financial, organization and development initiatives. Dr. Glenn-Smith has also held the roles of Chief Administrative Officer for the healthcare management group, Exigence, and Executive Director of Deaf Adult Services, in Buffalo, New York.

Dr. Glenn-Smith earned her Executive Master's Degree in Business Administration at State University of New York at Buffalo, and both a Masters and Doctorate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

She grew up in Southern California, and currently resides in Massachusetts.

Ralph Hinckley is a vice president of Eaton Vance Management and portfolio manager and analyst on Eaton Vance’s floating-rate loan team. He is responsible for buy and sell decisions, portfolio construction and risk management for the firm’s floating-rate loan strategies. He joined Eaton Vance in 2003. Ralph began his career in the investment management industry in 1997.

Before joining Eaton Vance, he was a vice president in the communications lending division of Citizens Bank and a lending officer at State Street Bank. Ralph earned a B.A. from Bates College and an MBA, with honors, from Boston University Graduate School of Management.

He is a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society and is a CFA charter holder.

Kathy Vesey is the director of the Gallaudet University Regional Center at Northern Essex Community College.  Previously she directed a large K-12 program serving students who are deaf and hard of hearing in southeastern MA.  She has worked professionally as an administrator, educator, and counselor.  Ms. Vesey is currently on the Advisory Board for the MA Newborn Hearing Screening Program.  She has been instrumental in adapting the Shared Reading Program to include families with children with hearing losses who speak Spanish in the home.

Val has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Hollingsworth and Vose Company since 1997. He received his bachelor's from the University of Pennsylvania and holds an MBA from Dartmouth’s Amos Tuck School of Business Administration. Val and his wife Carol live in Dover with their three children.

Dr. Glenda Savitz, OD, has been managing a medical practice and providing care to patients in Newton, MA for the past nine years. She received a doctorate degree from the Southern California College of Optometry, completed residency in ocular disease at the Veteran's Affairs Boston Healthcare System and post-residency training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Savitz enjoys utilizing state-of-the-art technology to ensure early detection and management of systemic disease with ocular manifestations. Her clinic interests include retinal pathology and dry eyes. 

Faye Kuo began her legal career as a civil rights litigator and advocate for deaf and hard of hearing people's rights to equal access and effective communication. After nearly five years of litigation and advocacy work, she moved to a large non-profit to support its grant and business development group before becoming its in-house attorney and chief legal officer. During her nine years there, she worked on a wide variety of corporate and transactional matters to support the organization's business and operational groups' legal needs. She has also served as the organization's board's corporate secretary and privacy officer, tasked with broad oversight of the organization's overall compliance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Faye currently serves as deputy general counsel at Gallaudet University and splits her time between Texas and Washington DC.