Zebra Experts
Karen L. Anderson, Ph.D.
Focused Functional Assessment
With over 40 years in the field, Karen started as an educational audiologist, worked at the state level for EHDI and early intervention, and then started Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss in 2011. With a BAS in Communication Disorders, Med in Audiology, EdS in Audiology, and PhD in Communication Disorders, Karen has over 30 years of conference presentations and has authored or co-authored checklists, books, and many publications, including the SIFTERs, CHILD, ELF, and LIFE-R which can be found on Teacher Tools Takeout and Building Skills for Success in the Fast-Paced Classroom, Steps to Assessment, SCRIPT Communication Repair, Building Self-Confidence and Resilience to Maximize Hearing Device Use, Achieving Effective Hearing Aid Use in Early Childhood from Supporting Success.
Mona Oster, Ph.D.
Estimating Effects of Hearing Loss on Speech Perception & Auditory Skill Development
Monika-Maria (Mona) Oster, Ph.D., CED, LSLS cert. AVT, is teacher of the deaf, LSL Mentor, and auditory researcher. Dr. Oster completed her graduate education in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Washington and in Early Intervention in Deaf Education at Fontbonne University, St. Louis, Missouri. She has worked at Listen and Talk in Seattle, Washington, since 2004, providing direct services and consultation for children with hearing loss birth – 18. Most recently she took on the role of Education and Research Director, where she supervises and manages the preschool age educational programming and research. Dr. Oster is a Research Associate in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.
Diane Klein, Ph.D.
Facilitating Conversational Competence
Dr. Klein has worked in the fields of Speech-Language Pathology and Deaf Education for over 45 years with virtually every age and grade level student with and without hearing loss. Dr. Klein received a BSHSS degree from Ohio University and an MEd and PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. She holds Speech Pathology, Deaf Education, and Supervision credentials and worked for the Pittsburgh Public Schools, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Carlow College, University of New Orleans, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Flagler College. She was also invited by the University of British Columbia to serve as a Noted Scholar during their 2006 academic year. In each of these settings, she was highly regarded as a specialist SLP working with D/HH individuals. In addition to her teaching, Dr. Klein was active in a number of professional organizations, serving in leadership roles, consulting and presenting nationally and internationally on topics ranging from incorporating technology into curriculum, enhancing the communicative opportunities for DHH in the classroom, utilizing and integrating your State Common Core Standards in daily instruction, and working as a collaborative team to maximize student learning. Dr. Klein also authored or co-authored three text books for the field of Deaf Education.
Maura Berndsen, M. Ed.
Owning Communication Repair Responsibilities
Maura Berndsen holds her BA in Deaf Education from Fontbonne University and her MA in Early Childhood Education from the University of Texas, San Antonio. Maura is a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist with a designation as an Auditory-Verbal Therapist through the AG Bell Academy. Maura has worked in listening and spoken language settings for young children with hearing level differences since 1990, joining Listen and Talk in 1996. She has served as a Teacher of the Deaf, Listening and Spoken Language Specialist, Consultant, and organization leader in her 26 years with Listen and Talk. As Executive Director, Maura provides visionary leadership and oversight of operations and the team while building community and strategically advancing Listen and Talk’s mission, vision, and values. Maura is the past-president of OPTION Schools and a Hands and Voice WA Chapter board member. She has presented and contributed to publications on topics related to the development of listening and spoken language in children with all degrees of hearing loss.
Brett Bersano, Psy.D
Odd Man Out – Addressing Self-Concept Needs
Dr. Brett K. Bersano is a licensed psychologist in New York and New Jersey as well as a certified school psychologist in New Jersey. He specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders and depression and works with individuals navigating difficulties such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, behavioral regulation, anxiety, depression, and transitioning through the stages of life. He has expertise in child and adolescent psychotherapy, behavior management, and working with the d/Deaf and hard of hearing population utilizing sign language. Dr. Bersano provides psycho-educational and neuropsychological evaluations to better understand an individual’s cognitive, educational, social-emotional, and global functioning.
Kaitlyn Millen, Ph.D.
What and When: Self-Advocacy and Self-Determination Skills
Dr. Kaitlyn Millen is a special education consultant, supporting teachers with writing data-driven, compliant IEPs. She also offers professional development workshops and support with research and other projects. She completed her PhD in special education focused on self-determination and students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) at the University of Northern Colorado and her master’s degree in education of students who are DHH at Smith College. Kaitlyn worked as a teacher of students who are DHH in Massachusetts and established summer camps for students who are DHH in Massachusetts and Colorado. Her research is published in journals including the American Annals of the Deaf and the Journal of Special Education. She has also led expeditions with students who are DHH in the Grand Canyon, Nepal, and Peru.
Barbara Chubb, M. Ed.
Getting Through to Teachers – Accessing the General Education Curriculum
Barbara Chubb: Lifelong mentor, teacher, and student advocate. Barb is recognized for her extensive knowledge about educating students who are deaf or hard of hearing and for her endless commitment to supporting the professionals who serve these students. With more than 40 years of experience as a teacher, administrator, and innovator, Barb continues to lead multiple professional efforts designed to improve educational practices and learning outcomes for students. Her most recent efforts include revitalizing Pennsylvania’s grassroots professional organization for teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing (PESDHH), heading PA’s team in revising the Expanded Core Curriculum (PA ECC-DHH, patterned after the Iowa ECC), and working with IEP teams to understand how “access to the general curriculum” is assessed and improved for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Barb’s passion for teachers and their roles in creating student success is obvious every time she engages with colleagues in the field.
Jennifer Kilpatrick, Ph.D.
Ways to Improve Literacy Achievement for Students Who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Jen Kilpatrick is an Associate Professor of Deaf Education at the University of North Florida. Before transitioning to higher education, Jen spent a decade teaching a variety of k12 settings in Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida. In addition to preparing future teachers of the deaf, she provides professional development and coaching for teachers of the deaf as part of the Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) team. Jen’s primary professional goal is increasing accessibility and inclusion in education. She is interested in the intersections of UDL and issues of accessibility related to both disability and language. Her research is focused on the language and literacy development of deaf students and preparing teachers to provide accessible language and literacy instruction for all students.
Nicole Corbin, Ph.D.
Unilateral Hearing Loss IS Important – Appropriate Services
Nicole Corbin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders and Audiology Faculty in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Related Disorders (LEND) Center at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). She received her Doctorate in Audiology from Arizona State University in 2013 after completing a clinical externship and LEND fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her clinical interests lie in the family-centered, interdisciplinary assessment and management of hearing loss in children. Dr. Corbin completed her Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Sciences at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2019. Her research interests lie in the development of binaural hearing abilities and the effect of unilateral hearing loss on children’s overall development. In her current role, Dr. Corbin teaches in the classroom and clinic, serves as the academic advisor for students in years one and two of the Doctorate of Audiology (AuD) program, directs a supplemental audiology training grant at the LEND Center, conducts research in partnership with the DePaul School for Hearing and Speech under the Brain and Communication Science Research Initiative, and assists with clinical coordination for the AuD program. She serves on various committees within professional organizations, including the American Academy of Audiology and American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Thomas Horejes, Ph.D.
Advocating for Appropriate Educational Services and Supports
Thomas “Tommy” Horejes, Ph.D. has decades of academic and professional experience in legal policy and advocacy. His training academically and professionally has been a multi/inter/trans disciplinary focus on law, advocacy, social justice and impact, policy studies, communication accessibility, and public administration. Academically, Dr. Horejes has 15+ years of teaching disability policy, law, and sociology in higher education, 13+ peer-reviewed published articles including (Re)conceptualizing Disability Policy Frameworks for the Journal of Policy Practice, and presented 70+ scholarly works on legal policy, accessibility, education, and justice studies for industry conferences. Professionally, he is currently Director for Legal Compliance & Advocacy for Convo Communications and former Director of Policy & Advocacy for Telecommunications for the Deaf/HH (TDI) serving as a national leader in policy advocacy, education, and innovation to foster full accessibility, equity, and inclusion in Information and Communications Technology. Prior to TDI, Thomas was Associate Provost for Gallaudet University; and Executive Director of Deaf Empowerment Awareness Foundation (DEAF, Inc.), a non-profit organization to empower, raise Awareness, and bridge a sustainable Foundation of advocacy, communication and accessibility for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and the Hearing communities. He was also a former advocate for the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness (GLAD), the largest deaf-run non-profit organization that provided legal advocacy and empowerment to deaf and hard of hearing consumers. Tommy currently serves on the Board for Deaf Youth Sports Foundation (dysf.org) and is a member of Maryland Department of Health’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Advisory Council.