Board Members
Our board is comprised of parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, Deaf adults and professionals who work in the field of Deaf education.
Hands & Voices of New York was established in 2013 as a state chapter of the National Hands & Voices Organization. We are a parent driven, non-profit organization providing families with the resources, networks, and information they need to improve communication access and educational outcomes for their children. All of our board members play an active role in the organization, either organizing events, raising funds, or volunteering their time in advocacy efforts.
Gillian Barnard, President
Kristin Bergholtz, Vice President
Samantha Taylor, Treasurer
Kit Fraser, Secretary
Dr. Russell Wolff, Technology Coordinator
Jackie joined the Hands and Voices New York Board in Fall 2020. Jackie is a parent board member from the Central New York, Syracuse area. She has a son with bilateral hearing loss and also has bilateral hearing loss herself. Jackie is eager to help improve parental support and advocacy on the board. She wants to assist other families by sharing her experiences as a parent and her own journey with hearing loss. She is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at SUNY Cortland. Jackie enjoys time with her husband, family, two dogs, fishing, boating on the Finger Lakes, reading, and running.
Gillian joined the Hands and Voices Board in fall 2021. Her son was born with bilateral hearing loss, and enjoys life to the fullest utilizing communication modes of spoken and listening language through his hearing devices and ASL as his first language. Her family resides in Hurley near Kingston, NY. Gillian is eager to connect families with Deaf and Hard of Hearing children in the Hudson Valley. She is passionate about sharing her story and other parents’ stories to assist newcomers on their journey. She believes Hands and Voices’ resources are invaluable for connecting parents. Gillian is a graphic designer and enjoys life with her 2 kids and husband in the Hudson Valley.
Kristin joined the Board of Hands and Voices New York in Spring 2022. Based in Rochester, she is a board member with 18 years of experience as a speech-language pathologist, focusing on deaf or hard of hearing individuals. She owns a private practice in Rochester, NY, catering to families and children with speech, language, and hearing needs. Kristin runs Hear Together, a support group for parents and caregivers of deaf or hard of hearing children. With a music therapy colleague, she leads Hear We Go, a Preschool/Music group enhancing skills for deaf or hard of hearing children. Kristin is dedicated to advocating for these families and children. In her free time, she enjoys family, friends, running, reading, and visiting the Cape.
Morgan joined the Hands and Voices of New York Board in Fall 2023. As a parent board member from Albany, her 3-year-old son, Gabriel, has profound hearing loss and uses bilateral cochlear implants. Gabriel enjoys singing, playing guitar, and being outdoors. Morgan looks forward to connecting families with Deaf and Hard of Hearing children in the Capital Region. Thanks to early intervention and support from Hands & Voices of New York, Gabriel is thriving. Morgan hopes sharing their experiences will aid new parents. She enjoys family time, audiobooks, baking, and the fall season.
Steve and Karen Engel are founding board members of Hands & Voices of New York. They are proud parents of two adult children, Amara and Sam. Steve is a musician, and guitar instructor. He serves as Zone Chair and 2nd Vice President of the Chatham Lions Club. Karen is a retired Special Education teacher for the Hudson City School District, and a member of Alpha Delta Kappa. She is also a board member for Columbia County ARC, and a member of their Guardianship Committee. Together the Engels serve on the Foundation Board for the Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf and the Albany Medical Center Patient and Family Advisory Council. They are passionate about supporting families with children who are deaf/hard of hearing, and creating outreach opportunities. Karen and Steve enjoy traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Emilee is a Teacher of the Deaf and joined the New York Chapter of Hands & Voices in 2017. Residing in the Capital District, she has taught deaf students since 1981. For 17 years, she worked at Albany Medical Center Hospital’s Communication Disorders Center, teaching preschoolers. Since 1997, she has been with Capital District Beginnings as an itinerant teacher, providing services to children and families at home and in the community, working with infants, preschoolers, and school-age children.
Elaine is an associate professor and program leader of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing teacher preparation program at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Gale leads the Hunter College consortium on a research project titled Family ASL: Bimodal Bilingual Acquisition by Deaf Children of Hearing Parents, funded by the NIDCD of the NIH. She collaborates with NYC schools for deaf children and serves on the board of St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf. Internationally, she chairs the Deaf Leadership International (DLIA), advocating for Deaf Leadership in early intervention, connecting with young deaf children and their families. She is dedicated to positively impacting young deaf children and their families.
Kelsey joined the Hands and Voices New York Board in Fall 2023. As both a parent and professional member, she serves as a speech-language pathologist and AAC Specialist at Wildwood School, aiding students with Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Kelsey has a son, Jude, with bilateral profound hearing loss due to cochlear malformation. Jude is bimodal, using a cochlear implant and a hearing aid. After benefiting from Hands and Voices’ support, Kelsey joined to help families navigate their journey, especially early on. She resides in Albany with her husband, three kids, and dog. In her spare time, she enjoys running, hosting, and visiting Schroon Lake.
Dan and Kit joined New York’s Hands & Voices chapter as parent board members in Summer 2024. Dan is a musician and woodworker, crafting furniture and instruments. Kit is an illustrator and arts educator. They reside in the upper Hudson Valley and have a young daughter with bilateral hearing loss. In their rural area, finding resources and others with similar experiences was difficult after their daughter’s diagnosis. Hands & Voices offered the connection and empowerment they needed. Kit and Dan are dedicated to building community and support for families with Deaf/HOH children.
Samantha joined the Hands & Voices New York Board in fall 2023. She lives in Rochester, NY with her husband and two sons. Her older son is a Deaf teenager. Samantha owns a pediatric speech & language practice, helping hearing and deaf/hard of hearing children develop skills like language, vocabulary, social communication, and grammar. She also serves on several local boards connected to the deaf community. In her free time, Samantha enjoys family adventures, spending time with friends, and reading.
Russell is a licensed psychologist in New York and a member of the New York Chapter of Hands & Voices since 2019. As a Deaf individual who is both oral and fluent in American Sign Language, he has dedicated his career to supporting Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals across various settings, with a strong focus on advocacy for his clients’ needs. At Lexington Center for Mental Health Services in Queens, he provided mental health support to Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals with psychiatric conditions. In Troy, he ran a private practice, counseling clients on personal and mental health challenges. Currently, Russell is a school social worker at Capital Region BOCES, where he provides counseling, advocacy, and transition support for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. He also teaches American Sign Language at Hudson Valley Community College and Siena College. In his free time, he enjoys family activities, outdoor adventures, and biking.
