2027 Virtual Conference Presenters

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Photo of Ashley Ben-Jacob with announcement board in background.

Ashley Ben-Jacob, Doctoral Candidate – Idaho State University

Ashley Ben-Jacob is a Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Education Specialist, consultant, mentor and doctoral student at Idaho State University with over a decade of experience supporting children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. She provides early intervention and school-age services while partnering with multidisciplinary teams to promote listening, language, communication, and educational access across home, school, and community settings.

Ashley’s professional interests focus on family-centered early intervention, coaching practices, interdisciplinary collaboration, and translating research into practical strategies that improve outcomes for children and families. Her doctoral research examines coaching practices in early intervention and the preparation of professionals serving young children who are deaf or hard of hearing, with a particular focus on how teacher preparation programs develop competencies in family-centered practice, collaboration, and coaching. She is passionate about equipping professionals with practical, evidence-informed tools that strengthen family partnerships, support interdisciplinary teamwork, and promote meaningful participation in everyday environments.

Yvonne Delgado, M.A. – Texas

Yvonne L. Delgado, MA, is a Special Education Coordinator for the Sensory Support Team at the Education Service Center (ESC) Region 13 . Yvonne has been in Deaf Education for 27 years. She served Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH) students as a DHH teacher for 11 years. She has also served as an ARD facilitator, a DHH Specialist and the Regional Day School Program for the Deaf (RDSPD) Coordinator for 13 years. She has been at the ESC Region 13 for 4 years. As part of her work at the ESC Region 13, Yvonne supports Regional DHH professionals, manages the Region 13 DHH Team, the Region 13 RDSPD Program and The SEE Center. Yvonne enjoys sharing her passion for Deaf Education. She has presented at the Regional, State and National levels on Deaf Ed related topics.

K. Todd Houston, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT – Ohio

Todd Houston, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, is a Professor in the School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at The University of Akron and owner & strategic life coach at Sunburst Coaching & Consulting, LLC. With more than 30 years of experience in listening and spoken language intervention, cochlear implant-related services, telepractice, university teaching, and professional coaching, Dr. Houston helps families and professionals use practical language to reduce overwhelm, strengthen communication, and support meaningful change. His current work focuses on micro-scripts, the SOS Model, burnout prevention, caregiver support, communication under pressure, and the use of intentional language to improve human performance.

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Nadia Iftekhar, Ph.D. – Missouri

Dr. Nadia Iftekhar is a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, researcher in Educational Psychology and Technology, and founder of Modal Education. Her background includes degrees in Deaf Education, Elementary Inclusive Education, Educational Psychology and Technology, and Instructional Design. Across her work as an educator, researcher, and founder, Dr. Iftekhar focuses on improving access for Deaf and hard of hearing students while supporting the teachers who serve them.

Her research study, A Qualitative Exploration of Burnout and Technology Acceptance Among Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, explored how Deaf/HH educators experience educational technology in their daily work, including when it reduces stress, when it adds burden, and how school systems shape technology use. Her findings highlight the importance of accessibility, teacher autonomy, administrative support, and culturally responsive technology design.

Through Modal Education, Dr. Iftekhar builds accessible educational tools informed by the real needs of Deaf/HH students, families, and educators. Her work can be found at nadiaiftekhar.com.

Cynthia Long, NIC – Kentucky

Cynthia Long has over three decades of teaching experience and nearly two decades specializing in ASL. She has seen firsthand how powerful communication can be. Cynthia is a Nationally Certified Interpreter, educator, author, and speaker who understands both the joys and the challenges of inclusive education.

Driven by her passion and background as both an educator and a Sign Language Resource Expert, she created ASLTeachingResources.com & ASLClipArt.com to give teachers, parents, and speech pathologists reliable, easy‑to‑use tools that make ASL accessible for all skill levels. Her resources help Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and non-verbal students feel valued, included, and empowered to participate fully.

Alexandria Mestres, M.S. – Florida

Alexandria Mestres holds degrees in Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Elementary Education as well as a master’s degree in Applied Learning Sciences. Alex has worked as an administrator, professional development trainer, and consultant in the fields of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education and Early Childhood. She is currently working for the University of Miami Children’s Hearing Program as the educational specialist. She leads a team of 3 D/HH Specialists who work across multiple counties in the state of Florida as a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist for Charter Schools and 2 rural districts.

Elizabeth Tracz Ogiltree, M.E.D., LSLS AvEd. – Ontario, Canada

Bachelor of Elementary and Special Education (Providence College)

Master Education of the Deaf (Smith College

Elizabeth Ogiltree is a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing with more than 27 years of experience supporting students across a wide range of educational settings in the eastern United States and Ontario. Currently an itinerant teacher, she brings a deep understanding of inclusion, accessibility, collaboration, and practical classroom strategies, with a focus on structured literacy and supporting deaf-plus learners with multiple exceptionalities.

Elizabeth is passionate about authentic professional learning, mentoring colleagues entering the field, and fostering collaborative practices that help students and educators thrive, as well as determining how many things she can carry at once.

Barbara Robinson, M.S. – Washington, D.C.

Barbara Robinson is an experienced educator and leader with over 20 years of service in state-operated, district, and charter schools. She currently serves as the Director of State and School Partnerships at the Clerc Center, bringing a deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and student success. Barbara began her career as a Teacher of the Deaf and Special Education teacher, and has since held leadership roles including Principal, Director of Student Support Services, and Director of Special Education.

A Georgia native, Barbara holds degrees from the University of Georgia and Gallaudet University, including a Master’s in Deaf Education and an Educational Specialist degree in Change Leadership. Her career spans impactful work in New York and North Carolina, where she has led teams,

strengthened special education programs, and helped improve academic outcomes for students with diverse needs. She was named one of Westchester Business Council’s 40-Under-40 Rising Stars, reflecting her strong leadership and dedication to educational excellence.

Christy Vogel, Founder of Sounding Joy – Florida

At the age of 11, Christy Vogel was told two things: She was hard of hearing (probably since birth) and she taught herself how to read lips without realizing it. As a child, because she had to put sound and facial expressions together with what she saw while lipreading to figure out what people were saying, she would sometimes respond slowly. People thought she was slow or “stupid.” As she grew into her teens (still without hearing aids because her parents couldn’t afford them), she decided they must be right. It wasn’t until Christy was already succeeding in the business world in her 20’s, despite her hearing loss, that she was able to afford her first pair of hearing aids. It changed her world. Finally able to participate and contribute to her full potential, Christy’s career took off. Christy came to the realization in 2021 that she was supposed to be born hard of hearing and unable to afford hearing aids so she could be passionate enough to help others get hearing aids. In March of 2021, she started a nonprofit, Sounding Joy, that provides hearing aids to children whose families can’t afford them. Christy is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Tampa.

Heather Washington, M.Ed. – Texas

Heather Washington, M.Ed., is the Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Regional Day School Program for the Deaf Supervisor for Bastrop Independent School District. Heather has served in Deaf education for 25 years. She has served Deaf/Hard of Hearing students as a paraprofessional (communication facilitator), sign language interpreter, and DHH teacher. She has been serving as the supervisor for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing & RDSPD programs for the last 4 years where she supports a variety of students from Early Childhood (ECI) to Post Secondary DHH learners. Heather also manages a team of 20+ DHH/RDSPD staff who provide instruction and support to Deaf/Hard of Hearing students.

Carl B. Williams, Ph.D. – Florida

Dr. Carl Williams is a Professor in the Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Program at Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL. A published author with more than 40 years of experience in deaf education, he has taught students with hearing loss at all educational levels.

Cara Wilmot, Ed.D. – Florida

Dr. Cara Wilmot, Ed.D. is a researcher, consultant, and licensed Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing with more than 25 years of experience supporting literacy, accessible educational materials, assistive technology, STEM education, and transition services. She partners with schools and organizations to translate research into practical solutions that improve instruction and access for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. Dr. Wilmot is a national presenter, professional development provider, and program evaluator specializing in evidence-based practices and systems-level improvement.

Dr. Wilmot is the ELA STEM Trainer for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf Regional STEM Center at the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind (NRSC @ AIDB). She holds a dual bachelor’s degree in Deaf Education and Elementary Education from Flagler College and a master’s degree in Special Education from the University of North Florida (UNF). As a UNF Project SPIDERS scholar, she earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership with a focus on deaf education in rural districts. Cara has expertise in evidence-based reading and language interventions, STEM integration, assistive technology, and transition services for students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind. She is trained in multiple specialized instructional programs for deaf and hard of hearing and holds teaching licenses in Alabama and Florida.

Torri Ann Woodruff-Gautherin, Ph.D. – University of Connecticut

Torri Ann Woodruff-Gautherin received her PhD in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences from the University of Connecticut in 2022. She has conducted research implementing both qualitative and quantitative methods to look at drivers behind access to early intervention for children who are D/deaf and Hard of hearing. She is passionate about language access across all modalities. In her free time, Torri Ann enjoys hiking with her family and trying allergy safe baked goods!