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 earned 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.

Raymond received his bachelor’s from Gallaudet University, a Masters in Social Work and MBA from Loyola University in Chicago. His first job after graduating college was at TLC as a residential supervisor. Raymond grew up all around the country, including California, Colorado, Washington, DC, New Mexico and Washington state. In his spare time, Raymond enjoys camping, hiking, bicycling, films, coffee shops, working out, yoga, traveling and quality time with friends.

Prior to joining TLC, Raymond was most recently Executive Director of Deaf Counseling, Advocacy & Referral Agency (DCARA) for six years, and as Interim Executive Director for the World Federation of the Deaf for a year and a half.

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).

Chris is an experienced educational administrator with over two decades of experience working in the field of Deaf Education. With a background in coaching and mentoring, program evaluation, policy development, curriculum and lesson planning, and educational technology, Chris brings a strong variety of skills to the Senior Education Team. He has a graduate certification focused in Special Education Administration & Supervision from JHU, and a Masters in Deaf Education from Gallaudet University.

Dr. Colón 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.

Kathy is the retired Director of Gallaudet University Regional Center East. With more than 40 years of experience, Kathy has served on the Boards of several Deaf organizations, such as MSAD, DEAF Inc., and NE Home for the Deaf.

Prior to her time at Gallaudet, she was Director of a large Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program in Southeast Massachusetts.

In her free time, Kathy enjoys spending time with family and friends. You will find her reading the latest novels as well as hiking, kayaking and Pickleball!

Val is the Chairman of Hollingsworth & Vose, Co., a global manufacturer of advanced materials used in filters and batteries. He also serves on the Boards of Brooks School of North Andover MA, and of Victaulic Corporation of Easton, PA.

He received his bachelor's from the University of Pennsylvania and holds an MBA from Dartmouth’s Amos Tuck School of Business Administration. Val a member of TLC Finance and Governance/Nominating Committee.

He lives with his Carol and children, Juliet and Henry. Val and Carol had a third son, Ben, who passed away in 2016. Ben was a student at The Learning Center for the Deaf. 

Marilyn Sass-Lehrer is a longtime resident of Washington, DC and Professor Emerita at Gallaudet University. She has a Master’s in Deaf Education from New York University and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in Early Childhood Education and Curriculum and Instruction.

Marilyn was a professor in the Department of Education at Gallaudet University for 37 years and the director of the Family-Centered Early Education graduate teacher preparation program for 20 years. Dr. Sass-Lehrer was co-founder and director of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Their Families Graduate Interdisciplinary (ITF) Certificate Program from 2011-2016. She has been a Trustee of The Learning Center for the Deaf, Inc. in Framingham, MA since 2017.

Dr. Sass-Lehrer is the editor of Early Intervention for Deaf and Hard-of- Hearing Infants, Toddlers and their Families: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (2016), co-author of Parents and their Deaf Children: The Early Years (2003), and co-editor of The Young Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child: A Family-Centered Approach to Early Education (2003). She has authored several book chapters and articles on early intervention and made numerous presentations nationally and internationally. Her work has focused on the promotion of quality early education for young children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, family involvement and professional development.

For more than 30 years, Al Santoro has been the owner of Santoro Associates, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation that specializes in the management of the design, installation, and commissioning of complex mechanical and electrical systems for colleges, universities, hospitals, hotels, laboratories, libraries, and residential complexes.

Prior to this, Al was a former Vice President Bay State York, Inc., as well as an engineer in and around the greater Boston area. He has more than 50 years of experience in various mechanical and engineering careers. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Franklin Institute Boston.

Jay is a retired Dean from the College of Professional Studies at Gallaudet University. 

Dr. Innes established the Gallaudet Leadership Institute, renamed the Burstein Leadership Institute in 2002 and served as its Director until becoming Dean of the College of Professional Studies in 2007. As Director of the Institute and in partnership with other academic departments, Dr. Innes spearheaded development and implementation of an educational leadership program focusing on whole system thinking and change leadership. 

Actively engaged in the profession, Dr. Innes has served in numerous leadership capacities and as a professor and consultant on strategic planning, management and leadership.  Dr. Innes served an as a member of the Board of Directors of the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf, and as a member and President of the Council on Education of the Deaf, was appointed by two Governors to serve six-year terms as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Maryland School for the Deaf, and has also served on the Board of Directors of the Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf and on the National Mission Advisory Panel of the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center.  

Dr. Innes was a member of the Steering and Advisory Committees of a collaborative effort to develop and implement a National Agenda on the Education of the Deaf, and more participated in the re-writing of a National Association of State Directors of Special Education document titled, Educational Service Guidelines, Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  

Highly sought as a keynote speaker, presenter, consultant and trainer on topics ranging from educational policies, leadership, and programming to the teaching of mathematics and use of technology in education, Dr. Innes remains committed, first and foremost, to community engagement and advocacy in the development, implementation, and evaluation of educational policies directly impacting on the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people.  

Shilpa holds a bachelor's in Biology from George Mason University, as well as an MA and Ph.D in Clinical Psychology and M.S. in Administration and Supervision from Gallaudet University. In addition to her role on the TLC Board of Trustees, she is a Partner of Aligned Clinical and Educational Services (ACES), PLC in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Additionally, Shilpa provides consulting and training workshops ranging in topics from deaf identity, diversity, microaggressions, and mentorship. 

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.