Vincent Chauvet
President
Vincent was born in a small French-speaking village in Alberta, and attended Alberta School for the Deaf in Edmonton. As department head of the American Sign Language (ASL) & Deaf Studies at Vancouver Community College, he has taught ASL & Deaf Studies for more than 30 years. Enjoying the talented performers and artists as a professional art promoter, Vincent organizes the annual Deaf Arts Show at his workplace and is an avid Deaf Film Festival supporter. Vincent’s continuous involvement on the CCSD Board ensures that the future generations of Deaf people have exposure to talented Deaf artists.
Len Mitchell
Vice President
Len became Vice President on the CCSD Board in 2015. Len is currently working at the Manitoba School for the Deaf as Supervisor, Student Life and Services. He has been working at the school since 1990 where he first began as the Bilingual-Bicultural Officer. He led the school to become a bilingual school. He has been involved in local, provincial, national, and even international boards for a variety of non-profit organizations. Before joining the CCSD, he was the chairperson of the Canadian Hearing Society Board from 2007-2014. He was also involved with the World Federation of the Deaf Board from 1999 – 2007, and the Canadian Association of the Deaf Board from 1990 – 1999. His commitment to the improvement of living for Deaf & Hard of Hearing persons is reflected in his advocacy and empowerment. With warmth and enthusiasm, he creates an open, dynamic, and enjoyable environment for Deaf & Hard of Hearing persons.
Christine Spink-Mitchell
Secretary
Christine is now serving as Secretary on the CCSD Board, after retiring from the Manitoba School for the Deaf, where she worked as an ASL Specialist. The ASL Signing Dictionary for Children remains very close to her heart, as Deaf children have very limited access to sign language resources, putting them at an unfair disadvantage. She is passionate about helping others discover their talents, giving everyone an opportunity to shine and reach their full potential. Being on the Board is rewarding, as Christine can contribute her time to making a difference in the lives of Deaf children.
Julie Martin
Sign Language Training & Evaluation Coordinator
Julie has attended schools for the Deaf in Wisconsin, Milton and Vancouver. Armed with a Bachelor of Arts degree in ASL from Gallaudet University, and currently completing a Master’s in Education, she has taught ASL for more than 20 years. Julie is a featured poet in the DVD “The Selected Works of Clayton Valli.” Her passion for enhancing professionalism in ASL instruction is the reason why she sits on the CCSD Board as the Sign Language Training & Evaluation Coordinator.”
Hannah Reisman
Media Relations
Hannah was raised in the hearing world, in a fully oral environment. Her love for animals led her to become involved in dog and horse shows, as she felt a strong connection to them and could communicate with them in a meaningful way. Hannah graduated with a Master’s in Deaf Education, and believes in the power of communication. She has enjoyed being part of the CCSD Board, as she believes that language empowers, inspires, and gives people a sense of community.
Hannah Reisman
Media Relations
Hannah was raised in the hearing world, in a fully oral environment. Her love for animals led her to become involved in dog and horse shows, as she felt a strong connection to them and could communicate with them in a meaningful way. Hannah graduated with a Master’s in Deaf Education, and believes in the power of communication. She has enjoyed being part of the CCSD Board, as she believes that language empowers, inspires, and gives people a sense of community.
Charmaine Letourneau
Honorary Member
An educator and advocate, Charmaine received the Order of Canada in 2001 in recognition of her work in improving the quality of life for Deaf people. She was President of the CCSD Board from 1985-1996 and oversaw the completion of the Canadian Dictionary of ASL. This dictionary has since received six awards and one nomination. Charmaine srtongly believes in the mission of the CCSD to preserve Deaf culture, ASL, and Deaf pride.
Angela Petrone-Stratiy
Honorary Member
Angela Petrone Stratiy is an internationally known performer and comedian. Angela is a native signer from a Deaf family. She graduated from the Saskatchewan School for the Deaf and earned a B.A. in English from Gallaudet University and a M.Ed. in Deaf Education from Western Maryland College. She taught Deaf students for 2 years in North Dakota and for 14 years at the Manitoba School for the Deaf in Winnipeg. Since 1986, Angela had been a coordinator, curriculum developer, and instructor in American Sign Language and Deaf Culture in the ASL/English Interpreter Program and Sign Language Studies Program at Grant MacEwan University and Lakeland Community College in Edmonton, Alberta. She was a founding member of the Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf and had been active in the society for 30 years. She was a consultant on the American Sign Language in Canada Dictionary and is a co-author of Deaf Women of Canada. Her dvds now released are “You Think Deaf People Have Problems” produced by Angela, “Pursuit of ASL: Interesting Facts Using Classifiers” and “Pursuit of ASL Interesting Facts Using Numbers”, produced by Dr. Marty Taylor, Interpreting Consolidated. Angela is one of 50 Deaf recipients of the 46,000 Canadians to receive the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002. Since 1995, Angela has presented her “one-woman comedy show” in major cities throughout Canada as well as the United States. Presently she is on contracts with Alberta School for the Deaf as a substitute teacher and also a freelance Deaf interpreter. She travels for the shows and workshops across Canada and U. S. A. Her recently released book is “101 Activities for Teaching ASL.
Nanae Ho
Honorary Member
Nanae is an avid supporter of the arts industry. She was involved as a Secretary with the National Festival of the Arts in collaboration with CCSD in 1990. She is proud to be a part of the DEAF CULTURE CENTRE, and has helped contribute to the success of the organization, having shaped a long list of generous and supportive funders, and an equally significant group of talented and creative consultants. Nanae is a proud patron of the CCSD, and is avidly helping to pave the way for the future Deaf generation.
Support the ASL Advocate Program
Your support is truly needed. Unfortunately, only 1% of Deaf school children have access to sign language. Here at CCSD, we are now working hard to change this reality by developing exciting and innovative initiatives like ASLphabet.com—a new American Sign Language (ASL) instruction website for children currently in the making.
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