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The Connecticut Chapter of AG Bell is determined to provide local families of children who are deaf and hard of hearing with opportunities to network with other families and professionals through social events and educational workshops across the state. We strive to provide our families with the support they need to become confident and successful advocates for their children of all ages. CT AG Bell takes pride in responding to the needs of Connecticut families, so we are always open to the comments and suggestions of how we can better support you all at each stage of your child’s development. This is an inclusive environment, for families of deaf and hard of hearing children all over the state to connect and grow together. Family events and educational workshops are held regularly to provide families with ample access to support. Please join us at our next event to learn more!

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Officers

Julia Garrick

President

Julia is President and Secretary of the Connecticut AG Bell Chapter. She is an audiologist in Connecticut and has worked in early intervention, private practice, educational, and nursing home settings. She has special interests in interprofessional collaboration and community involvement. She is past president of the HLAA Eastern CT Chapter.

Jessica Hasbrouck-Giovanni

Vice President

Jessica is Vice President of the Connecticut AG Bell Chapter. She is a Speech Language Pathologist and Auditory Verbal Therapist at the New England Center for Hearing Rehabilitation. Her areas of interest include mainstreaming children with hearing loss, spoken language development through listening, and the role of rehabilitation in device programming.

Gina Dowling

Treasurer

Gina is a parent board member and Treasurer of the Connecticut AG Bell Chapter. She is the mom of two boys with special needs, one of which has a bilateral profound hearing loss and has bilateral Cochlear Implants.

Emily Potrzeba

Marketing Director

Emily is the Marketing Director of the Connecticut AG Bell Chapter. She is a Speech Language Pathologist specializing in Aural Habilitation at the New England Center for Hearing Rehabilitation. She works with clients with hearing loss ranging from infancy through adulthood, providing individualized intervention focused on developing listening and spoken language skills.

Allison Malerba

Advocacy & Policy Director

Allison is the Advocacy & Policy Director for the Connecticut AG Bell Chapter. She is a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing with the New England Center for Hearing Rehabilitation. Allison specializes in the development of listening and spoken language for young children who are deaf and hard of hearing. She provides aural habilitation and parent education services for infants and toddlers and their families throughout Connecticut.

Shea Bailey

Sponsorship & Fundraising Chair

Shea is the Sponsorship & Fundraising Chair for the Connecticut AG Bell Chapter. She is a Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in Aural Habilitation at the New England Center for Hearing Rehabilitation. She works with clients with hearing loss from early intervention all the way through high school. Her areas of interest include speech and language acquisition in children with hearing loss, educational impacts, and articulation disorders in children with hearing loss.

Jennifer Banks

Outreach Director

Jennifer is a parent board member and Outreach Director of the Connecticut AG Bell Chapter. She has a daughter who has sensorineural hearing loss and wears bilateral cochlear implants. She is currently in school studying radiography and has been wanting to be more involved in learning more about hearing loss and spreading the importance of understanding and awareness when it comes to hearing loss.

Casey Dingus

Youth Outreach Committee Chair

Casey is the Youth Outreach Committee Chair. Casey is a 7th grader with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. She uses cochlear implants on both of her ears and was raised with listening and spoken language. She wanted to join AG Bell to be youth outreach committee chair because she wants more deaf kids to know that there are other choices rather than only using sign language; that listening and spoken language, sign language, or using both are all okay choices! She would also like more deaf kids and adults to feel like they are seen because she feels, from experience, that there is a great lack of representation and inclusivity for people just like her. She just really wants to be part of and make a difference!

2023 Events

Chapter Resources and Information

A.G.Bell is committed to equipping you with the tools you need to take action. Here, we provide you with resources for further learning that can help you ensure your child has the opportunity to develop language on par with children who have no hearing loss.