Executive Board Members
Kasey Cain
Board President
KCain
@cahandsandvoices.org
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Kasey Cain and her husband have two boys and live in Northern California. Kasey is the current President at CA Hands & Voices and a Doctor of Audiology student at California State University, Sacramento.
She became passionate about audiology and helping other families with DHH children after her first son was born with hearing loss. She knows how valuable it is to have the specialized support and resources to help parents make the best-informed decisions for their children and family dynamic. Kasey wants to work in pediatrics and educational audiology to help children and support other parents through their child’s unique journey.
Kasey loves to spend time with her family. She likes to read, hike and is a super fan of the Golden Girls.
Yiesell Huerta
Vice President / Region 7 Co-Rep
Yiesell
@cahandsandvoices.org
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Yiesell Huerta is a mother of three young boys. Her middle son, Marcus was identified at birth with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Marcus attends the California School for the Deaf, Riverside and communicates using both ASL and English spoken language.
After acquiring her B.A., Yiesell decided to focus on raising her Deaf son. She quickly discovered her passion for offering support and resources to other parents. Yiesell has worked with families of Deaf children for over 10 years. She applies both her professional and personal experience as an advocate to empower parents to advocate for their own children.
Yiesell is the Latino Outreach Coordinator at American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC), the Vice President for CA Hands & Voices and the Camp Director for The Inland Valley DHH and Microtia Atresia Family Camp . She is passionate about supporting parents, but also the professionals who serve them. Yiesell has presented at various conferences regarding the importance of family support and involvement. To better serve and improve family involvement, Yiesell believes there is a demand for heightening awareness of culture and family dynamics.
Gul Mushtaq
Board Secretary
GMushtaq
@cahandsandvoices.org
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Gul Mushtaq's journey and dedication to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community are inspiring and transformative. Gul holds a doctorate in Education Leadership and Management and is a seasoned Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in Early Intervention for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Her profound professional expertise is matched by her personal connection to the cause as a mother to a resilient deaf/blind child with usher syndrome who navigates the world with bilateral cochlear implants and faces the additional challenge of Methylmalonic Acidemia, a rare metabolic disorder.
Her path to becoming an advocate for families like hers began in Northern California, where she resides with her supportive husband and their remarkable son. Her journey into the world of speech and language pathology was spurred by her son's diagnosis, driving her to seek out ways to contribute positively to the community that had become her lifeline. Through her professional work and academic research, including a dissertation focused on parental access to comprehensive information about communication options, Gul has tirelessly worked to bridge the gap between families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and the resources they desperately need.
At California Hands and Voices, Gul’s commitment to ensuring unbiased and accessible parental information aligns perfectly with our mission. Her vision extends beyond the present, aspiring to cement Hands and Voices as a household name known for its unwavering support and invaluable resources for families navigating the complexities of deafness and hearing loss. Gul is dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions that will broaden the scope and impact of our organization's work.
When not immersed in her work, Gul enjoys working out, spending quality time with her family, traveling, and binge-watching her favorite sci-fi, alternative reality, and mystery shows.
Rosabel Agbayani
Board Treasurer
Rosabel
@cahandsandvoices.org
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Rosabel Agbayani (a child of Retired Navy Chief) lives in San Diego, California with her husband Mike and three children. Her son (pictured) was identified as deaf at the age of 3 in September 2010. Rosabel's passion for working with families began in 2002 (long before she knew she would be a mother of a DHH Child) as she worked for a non-profit organization, Supportive Parents Information Network (SPIN) San Diego. Working with low-income families and at-risk youth from a variety of cultural backgrounds, she learned to understand the importance of family engagement and empowerment by building community capacity through education and advocacy. Her career in Healthcare Administration helped branch her knowledge and expertise in Quality Risk Management and Clinical Research. It was a natural shift, applying her life experiences both professionally and personally committing her time to understanding the unique needs of families raising a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing child. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development, Bachelor of Science in Communicative Disorders & Deaf Education, and a Masters in Public Health Specializing in Health Promotion. Rosabel has committed her time working with California Hands & Voices since 2013. Her presentation "Raising a DHH Family" was featured at the 2017 DHH Family Camp in Julian, California. She served as the Regional Representative for Area 8 (San Diego & Imperial Counties) from 2017-2019 and was a member of the Diversity Panel that presented both at the 2017 Hands & Voices Leadership Conference in Galena, IL and the 2018 EHDI Conference in Denver, CO. She was the Unit President for California PTA at Park Village Elementary and currently serves as the Chair of the Special Education Community Advisory Committee for Poway Unified School District. She currently works for Rady Children's Hospital San Diego as the Lead Clinical Research Coordinator for the the Department of Rheumatology.
In all that she does, her spirit of collaboration is the driving force for creating a positive movement for the benefit of ALL children, especially those who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing. Her hopes is to continue to build on the ideal of Family-Centered Care giving parents the access to comprehensive information from a wide variety of community resources. With the work of the team at California Hands & Voices, Rosabel hopes to bridge those essential connections within the community to enable children who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing reach their highest potential.
Board of Directors
Our State has been organized into 9 regions aimed at enhancing support for families on a local scale. We invite you to reach out to your region's representative today. If there isn't a board member assigned to your region, please don't hesitate to get in touch with either Board President Kasey Cain or Executive Director Cora Shahid. We look forward to connecting with you soon.
Upcoming regional and statewide events can be found on our Facebook Page here https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaHandsandVoices
Region 1: Humboldt, Del Norte, Lake, Mendocino, Butte, Glenn, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, Lassen, Modoc Plumas, Sierra
Kira Tran
Area Representative
kTran
@cahandsandvoices.org
Region 2 Area Rep: Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Alpine, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Yolo, Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tuolumne
Click for Bio
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!
Minda Berbeco
Co-Area Representative
MBerbeco
@cahandsandvoices.org
Region 3: Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Marin, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Alemeda, San Mateo
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Minda Berbeco is the parent of two rock star kids, one hearing and one Deaf. She and her family hopped onto learning ASL from the stellar professors at Berkeley City College when her Deaf son was born. They have a bilingual home using ASL and English. He now attends California School for the Deaf, where he is in a bi-bi learning environment. When she is lucky, she gets to visit his classroom, most recently doing a workshop with his kindergarten on human evolution. She has a PhD in Biology and works at the Air District. Ask her about electric school buses or chocolate - she is interested in both!
Caitlin Stueve
Co-Area Representative
CStueve
@cahandsandvoices.org
Region 3: Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Marin, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Alemeda, San Mateo
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Caitlin is a dedicated Speech-Language Pathologist based in Livermore, CA, where she lives with her dog, Luna. Owning and operating her own practice, The Signing SLP, she specializes in providing speech and language services that embrace and promote a deaf-positive environment. Fluent in ASL, Caitlin brings a unique blend of skill and passion to her work, heavily influenced by her upbringing in a military family—an experience that instilled in her a profound understanding of diverse lifestyles and resilience. Currently, she is furthering her expertise by pursuing studies in the Early Intervention Studies (EIS) program at Gallaudet University, focusing on strategies to support early developmental stages in children who are deaf and hard of hearing. This academic endeavor enhances her ability to serve families with the latest research-backed methods and interventions. Driven by a mission to empower families within the deaf and hard of hearing community, she also collaborates closely with Montana Family ASL, where she helps to extend support services to families in need. In her spare time, Caitlin enjoys engaging her mind with word games like Wordle and Connections, as well as more traditional board games, blending fun with mental agility. Her commitment to her field and the families she serves is deeply rooted in a personal and professional journey marked by empathy, expertise, and a relentless pursuit of positive communication and understanding.
Joycelyn Awakuni Lee
Area Representative
JAwakuniLee
@cahandsandvoices.org
Region 4: Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Monterey
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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.
Region 5 - Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo
Region 6 - Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Fresno, King, Inyo, Mono, Tulare, Kern
Elizabeth Desloge
Co-Area Representative
EDesloge
@cahandsandvoices.org
Region 7: Los Angeles, Orange
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Elizabeth has been an educator for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing since 1999. She graduated from CSUN with her MA in Deaf Education and began teaching in Total Communication programs. Elizabeth taught at the preschool-fourth grade levels. She transitioned into early intervention, working with families who have infants and toddlers with diagnosed hearing loss, in 2004. She was blessed to become an adoptive mother to an amazing boy with Microtia in 2018. Elizabeth has organized numerous events for families in Orange County over the years and looks forward to continue supporting families who have children with hearing loss. Elizabeth is fluent in ASL and trained in LSL (Listening & Spoken Language) Strategies.
Brianna Meshke McLay
Area Representative
BMeshkeMclay
@cahandsandvoices.org
Region 8: San Diego, Imperial
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Brianna Meshke McLay "I live in North County San Diego with my husband and our three kids. We have 6-year-old twins and a toddler so our house is filled with lovely chaos most of the time, but we wouldn't have it any other way! As a family, we enjoy going on walks and bike rides in our neighborhood and going to the beach. My daughter, Jordan, was born hard of hearing due to aural atresia. Although advocating for Jordan has come somewhat naturally for me given my background as a school psychologist (though it is definitely still challenging at times!), I was so thankful to learn about California Hands & Voices and join as a member when she was two years old. We found the community and resources we were looking for and now I am thrilled to be in a position to give back by helping support other families."
Ashley Jones
Area Representative
AJones
@cahandsandvoices.org
Region 9: Riverside, San Bernardino
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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.
Kristen Stratton
Director of Deaf Plus Education
& Support Services
KStratton
@cahandsandvoices.org
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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.
Nancy Grosz Sager
Legislative Chair
NGSager
@cahandsandvoices.org
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I am Nancy Sager. I have two grown daughters and sons-in-law. I also have a partner, Ken. I was a teacher of the deaf, a principal, and then the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consultant for the California Department of Education. My bosses always warned me that I what I did ‘bordered in advocacy’. So now I’m retired and I can be an ASTra advocate, and I love being that. I am also on the Policy Committee for the Infant Development Association. In my spare time, I love to do puzzles (all kinds), read, and play the piano.
Tony Ronco
Founding President
TRonco
@cahandsandvoices.org
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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
