Executive Officers
Kasey Cain,
Board President: Kasey Cain and her husband have two boys and live in Northern California. Kasey is the current Board President of CA Hands & Voices and a recent Doctor of Audiology graduate, working as an itinerant educational audiologist for the CCHAT Center in Sacramento. After her first son was born with hearing loss, she became passionate about supporting families with children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and pursued her AuD at California State University, Sacramento. She joined CA Hands & Voices because of its vital work providing families with the guidance, resources, and support they need to help their children thrive. Kasey enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, reading, and watching her favorite show, The Golden Girls.
Nick Zappas,
Board Vice President:
Nick Zappas lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two daughters. Their younger daughter is deaf as a result of congenital CMV. She uses bilateral cochlear implants and is growing her communication skills in both spoken language and American Sign Language. Nick was drawn to CA Hands & Voices through his family’s lived experience and a deep appreciation for the evolving journey of every DHH child. After receiving invaluable support, education, and community over the past five years, he felt called to give back and help other families navigate a path that can be both complex and empowering. As Board Vice President, Nick is committed to expanding access to resources, strengthening family-to-family support, and advancing advocacy for DHH children in schools and communities across California. He believes informed, connected families are powerful advocates for their children. In addition to his work with CA Hands & Voices, Nick volunteers with the John Tracy Center and is an active member of his company’s Disability Action Network – Associate Resource Group. In their spare time, Nick and his family enjoy traveling, camping, and spending time with friends and extended family.
Joycelyn Awakuni Lee,
Board Treasurer: Joycelyn Awakuni Lee is the Communications and Development Coordinator for Foundation for Hearing Research. She has a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communications from San Francisco State University. Joycelyn and her family have used communication modalities of ASL, total communication, oral/auditory communication and listening and spoken language. Joycelyn has been passionate about working with the DHH community since childhood. Joycelyn is committed to ensuring all families receive full information about DHH communication modalities and rights.
Meet Our Board of Directors
CA H&V is organized into 9 regions to better support families at the local level. Each region is led by a dedicated board member who helps connect families to resources, events, and peer support in their area. Scroll down to find your region’s representative —we’d love to hear from you!
Don’t see someone listed for your region? Contact the Board President above. 
Looking for events? Visit our Facebook page for the latest regional and statewide activities.
Many Area Reps have a wishlist for local events —scroll down to view and support their links.
Join Our Team and Make a Difference! Application
Kira Tran,
Region 2 Area Representative: Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Alpine, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Yolo, Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tuolumne
As an Area Representative my goal is to provide the outreach and support I had a hard time finding at the start of my parenting journey. After a 5 month stay in the NICU, my oldest received their Auditory Neuropathy diagnosis. We began learning ASL as a family with the help of a Deaf Coach immediately. I am now a mom to 2 curious, energetic, and very funny kiddos with fluctuating hearing loss and my family uses both spoken English and ASL. I’m passionate about language access and creating positive social experiences, academic outcomes and community for DHH children. Before kids, I was a Navy brat who travelled constantly. As a result, I’m an expert at finding something to love about every space we occupy. I’m looking forward to making new connections and helping local DHH families foster joy to the best of my ability!
Joycelyn Awakuni Lee,
Region 4 Area Representative: Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Monterey
Joycelyn Awakuni Lee is the Communications and Development Coordinator for Foundation for Hearing Research. She has a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communications from San Francisco State University. Joycelyn and her family have used communication modalities of ASL, total communication, oral/auditory communication and listening and spoken language. Joycelyn has been passionate about working with the DHH community since childhood. Joycelyn is a new member of the California Hands & Voices board, representing Region 4 Silicon Valley/South Bay Area. Joycelyn is committed to ensuring all families receive full information about DHH communication modalities and rights.
Jane Swift,
Region 7 Co-Area Representative: Los Angeles, Orange County
Jane Swift is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) who was raised by two amazing Deaf parents in Southern California. She is also hard of hearing herself, with single-sided deafness. Jane is a devoted wife and mother of three energetic children—one Deaf and two hearing—who keep their lively household full of love, laughter, and inclusion. Their home is always open to friends, family, and neighbors, who love visiting their friendly crew of pets: a dog, a rabbit, two desert tortoises, and five fish.
For the past eight years, Jane has served as a dedicated Girl Scout leader. Her professional background in events, conferences, and trade shows—combined with her passion for bringing families together—makes her an excellent fit for the role of Region 7 Area Representative.
Currently, Jane works as a Parent Advocate with the Newborn Hearing Screening Program, where she connects families of children with hearing loss to community resources, Early Start programs, support groups, and early intervention services. She provides parents with information about infant hearing screening, diagnosis, and available supports to help them make informed decisions for their children’s futures.
Jane first attended the California Hands & Voices DHH Family Camp in Chino in 2016, where she instantly fell in love with the organization and its mission—and finally found a place where she truly belongs. She hasn’t missed a camp since and has made lifelong friendships along the way. Jane is honored to have the opportunity to create meaningful experiences for other DHH families in her community.
Karen Aung,
Region 7 Co-Area Representative: Orange County, Los Angeles
Brianna Meshke McLay,
Region 8 Co-Representative: San Diego, Imperial
Brianna lives in North County San Diego with her husband and their three kids. As a family, they enjoy going on trips to the lake and just going places in general. Brianna completed her BA in Sociology at UCLA and her graduate education at Chapman University, including a PhD in Education. She has extensive experience working with Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams, both as a parent and as a professional. One of her children is hard of hearing due to aural atresia and also has apraxia of speech secondary to a chromosomal deletion. Brianna has worked as a school psychologist for the past 12 years, mostly at the high school level. She also recently became a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP). As someone who has worn both hats, she strongly feels that parents should be equipped with the knowledge and resources to advocate for their children with confidence. Although advocating for her own child came somewhat naturally given her background, Brianna was thankful to learn about California Hands & Voices and join as a member several years ago. This organization provided the community and resources she was looking for and she is thrilled to now be in a position to give back by helping to support other families.
Jen Jordan,
Region 8 Co-Representative: San Diego, Imperial
Jen joined California Hands and Voices as a region representative in 2025. A San Diego resident, she became involved in H&V when her son William, who has bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, was born in 2022. She and her husband immediately immersed themselves into the community and found immense support through their early intervention experience with San Diego Unified and park playdates and family camps with H&V. Full time, Jen works in media relations and communications in higher education and has experience with photography and social media. A New Jersey native and spouse of a military veteran, she also volunteers as a doula with UC San Diego Health.
Ashley Jones,
Region 9 Area Representative: Riverside, San Bernardino
Ashley is a dedicated stay-at-home mom, who finds fulfillment in raising her five children with her husband Ayinde. Their family dynamic shifted when they learned that two of their children were hard of hearing due to a genetic condition. This revelation prompted Ashley to step into a role as an advocate and ally of the Deaf and hard of hearing community. When she's not actively involved in her advocacy work, Ashley cherishes quality time spent with her family. Whether they're gathered around the table playing board games, snuggled up for a movie night, or out enjoying walks together, family bonding is at the heart of their everyday life. Ashley's commitment to raising awareness and her dedication to her family reflect her compassionate and nurturing spirit, making her a pillar of strength for her loved ones.
Tony Ronco,
Founding President of California Hands & Voices
Tony is an involved dad, husband, and engineer. With his wife Jenny, they have two children: Their hearing son Austin and their Deaf daughter Dakota. Tony has a particularly strong passion for all children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing achieving Kindergarten Readiness and for those children to have the benefit of full family inclusion.
EHDI Family Leadership Award Winner 2024
Hands & Voices HQ Emeritas Director
Kristen Stratton,
Director of Deaf Plus Education & Support Services
Kristen Stratton has dedicated the past two decades of her professional and personal life to advocacy work. First in her role as a consumer advocate for maternal healthcare and then as a special education advocate. As a public speaker, she most frequently presents on topics such as special education, communication rights of disabled children, parenting children with disabilities, advocating for compliance and civil rights in the public school system, and informed consent rights of children with disabilities in healthcare. Having grown up with a bilateral severe hearing loss, for many years without the benefit of hearing aids, sign language, or accommodations, she synthesizes these experiences with her expertise as a professional advocate with an educational background in law and compliance to present compelling and informative content. Kristen is most passionate about improving the quality of life and access to services for DeafDisabled (Deaf+) children, adults, and their families. As the parent of three children, two of whom are Deaf and DeafDisabled, this is a personal endeavor she undertakes with empathy and passion. Kristen attended undergraduate school at California State University, Long Beach where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with a Concentration in Political Theory and a Minor in Sociology. She holds a Juris Master Degree in American Legal Studies from Liberty University School of Law. She completed the Special Education Law and Advocacy Certificate program at the University of San Diego School of Law. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in the area of Law and Public Policy. Kristen served as a law clerk for Disability Rights California and as an educational advocate with Morton Advocacy Group. She is also a frequent collaborator with NorCal Services for Deaf & Hard of Hearing. As a volunteer, Kristen serves on the Deaf Steering Committee for the California Department of Developmental Services. Kristen's first language is spoken English and her second language is American Sign Language.
Region 1: Humboldt, Del Norte, Lake, Mendocino, Butte, Glenn, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, Lassen, Modoc Plumas, Sierra
Region 5 - Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo
Region 6 - Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Fresno, King, Inyo, Mono, Tulare, Kern