Cora Shahid
CA H&V Executive Director and ASTra- Co-Coordinator
CShahid @cahandsandvoices.org
Cora Shahid and her husband Naseer live in San Diego, California where they are proud parents to Christina, Zain and Ibrahim, both boys are Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Cora enjoys encouraging families to recognize and celebrate the joy in raising their deaf and hard of hearing children and she believes that all children have a right to grow up feeling safe with a strong sense of belonging supported by peers, family and their community. A sample of Cora's background include working as an ASL Interpreter at Wichita State University, Montessori Preschool Teacher, Parent Mentor, and founding Board Member for California Hands & Voices and Coordinator for the CA H&V Southern California Family Camp. in 2019 Cora was awarded the 2014 Lee Katz Award (ASDC) and 2017 Parent of the Year award (CAL-ED) in honor of her commitment to ensuring no family walks this journey alone. Cora is a member of the Fostering Joy Core Team, she is a Graduate of the Hands & Voices Leadership-to-Leadership Program (L2L Graduated 2019) and has served as a Mentor for the L2L Program since 2021. At the core of it Cora's true passion is meeting parents where they are and walking side by side cheering them on throughout their parenting journey.
Kat Lowrance
Financial Director and ASTra Co-Coordinator
KLowrance @cahandsandvoices.org
Kat’s personal and professional journey.
Kat’s career in advocacy and support for families with diverse abilities is extensive. She previously served as the Executive Director at Rowell Family Empowerment of Northern California, a non-profit IDEA-funded Parent Center dedicated to providing information, training, and support to families. Additionally, she spent 11 years as the Parent Links Coordinator, covering 47 California counties, and was a Mentor for families with Deaf or Hard of Hearing babies in Northern California.
For five years, Kat directed the Northern California Deaf and Hard of Hearing Family Camp for California Hands & Voices. Currently, she is the Co-Coordinator, Trainer, and Advocate for the ASTra Program, an advocacy initiative by CA Hands & Voices, working with a dedicated team of seven Advocates statewide. Kat is passionate about giving back the support and love she received throughout her journey.
Kat’s journey into the Deaf community began many years ago through her close friendship with Toni, who had a Deaf son, Jamin. Kat supported Toni during the early stages of navigating services for Jamin. When Kat's own son, Dylan, lost his hearing to spinal meningitis at eight months old, Toni became her pillar of support. Initially, Kat learned Signed Exact English (SEE) based on medical advice at the time but soon discovered a richer understanding of Deaf culture and communication. Every day, Kat continues to learn and grow, deeply appreciating the friends, Deaf individuals, and professionals who have guided her along the way.
ASTra Advocates
Leslie Manjarrez
Spanish/ASL/English
Leslie is a born and raised California girl: Born in San Diego, raised in the Imperial Valley, now living in San Francisco. Leslie’s pronouns are she/her. She is raising a 18-year old dog named Bailey with her partner of 16 years. Leslie is trilingual; English, Spanish and American Sign Language. She possesses over 10 years of experience in Deaf education which spans infant to adult within a variety of environments from in-person, in-home, in-school classrooms, and virtual online instruction. She currently works as a Teacher of the Deaf, Early Interventionist, Health Educator, Interpreter and Co-Director of a Camp for Deaf Children. Leslie believes that children are as diverse as the cities we each live in and strives to continue to learn skills to best support them all with a lens on equity and justice within clinical and educational settings. She holds degrees from the University of California San Diego: a B.S. in Biology and a M.A. in Education Studies, Teaching, and Learning (Bilingual Education-ASL). In addition, she holds continuing education certificates. One for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers, and Families(ITF): Collaboration and Leadership from Gallaudet University and a second one in Child Life from University of California, Santa Barbara. She completed an in-person Child Life Practicum at UCSF in 2021. Leslie works tirelessly everyday to run the marathon that is life and never lose her sense of wonder.
Brittany Comegna
bcomegna @cahandsandvoices.org
ASL/English
Brittany Comegna was born in Baltimore, MD and raised in California to hearing parents. Brit is also a SODA (Sibling of a Deaf Adult). Her brother, Nick is three years older and they both use American Sign Language as their native language. Being raised in a mixed hearing/Deaf household has given Brit a breadth of perspective about how family structures can be and are unique. Brit is passionate about empowering families of DHH children on their journeys of self-determination and informed decision making. Brit attended the California School for the Deaf at Fremont and went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Production and Marketing from CSUN. In 2013 Brit earned her Master of Science in Management from RIT. Brit completed her certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She is the CEO of Deaf & Disability Mediation Services wherein she utilizes her expertise as a Deaf person and an educator to mediate Deaf Ed conflicts.
Marissa Weiss
MWeiss @cahandsandvoices.org
Marissa is a fairly new transplant to Northern California, growing up in New Jersey and most recently living in Rhode Island before she moved with her family to Davis in summer 2020. Along with spouse Phil, Marissa has two daughters: Rosie who is hard of hearing and Ruby who is hearing. Rosie has EVA (enlarged vestibular aqueduct) and wears a hearing aid in her right ear and cochlear implant in her left ear. The family knows some ASL, but are continuing to learn. After experiencing the trials and tribulations of navigating medical care, early intervention, and the transition to the K-12 school system with her daughter, Marissa has been inspired to help other families in their quest to ensure that their children receive access to all of the options and resources. Fun fact: Marissa was part of the initial group to start the Hands & Voices chapter in Rhode Island. Marissa loves cycling, walking, and taking public transportation.
Pam Wirht
pwirht @cahandsandvoices.org
English/ASL
Pam Wirht is a credentialed & passionate deaf educator. She is proficient in ASL and loves communicating & connecting with the deaf community.
With a Masters degree in Deaf Studies & Deaf Education from Cal State University, Northridge and experience teaching in a variety of settings she understands the intricacies of the education system. She enjoys empowering families to advocate for their children.
As a mother of four grown children, Pam has 35 years of personal parenting experience. She understands the power of inclusivity and is already teaching her 3 grandchildren ASL signs.
Pam brings curiosity and compassion to every relationship she has and is eager to work with families to help them access the best possible support and educational environment for their DHH child.
Chelsea Hull
CHull @cahandsandvoices.org
English/ASL
Chelsea received her BA and an MA in Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Deaf Education. She’s worked as Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at various levels from preschool through high school. Currently, Chelsea enjoys working with the ASTra program because she has seen first hand how valuable consulting with experienced parents is and how parent-to- parent educational support can lead to improved outcomes. Chelsea works part-time as a certified ASL interpreter and privately as an educational advocate. She believes deeply in the Hands & Voices mission and loves sharing stories about her experiences as a child of a parent with hearing loss (CODA). Chelsea became a Navy spouse in 2011 and is the mother of two exceptional children with IEPs. In her free time, you can her find at a Thai restaurant, relaxing in a hot tub and once in a while surfing warm waters.
Tony Ronco
TRonco @cahandsandvoices.org
English/ASL
Tony is an involved dad, husband, with an engineering background. Along with his wife Jenny, they have two young adults: Their hearing son is Austin who does data analysis and their Deaf one is Sawyer whose a science teacher at the Model Secondary School of the Deaf on the Gallaudet campus. Tony has a particularly strong passion for all children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing to achieve Kindergarten Readiness and for those children to have the benefit of full family inclusion.
Nancy Grosz Sager
Retired ASTra Advocate
Nancy Grosz Sager was a teacher of the Deaf for the Sutter County Office of Education for 21 years, and she was the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Programs Consultant at the California Department of Education for 18 years. By far, the best part of her job has been the opportunity to work with and support parents through the Parent Links program and the Hands & Voices organization. She is a mom of two great (now grown-up) girls, Jeannette and Michelle. They both live in Oregon.
Pictured Left to Right
Back row: Kat Lowrance, Tony Ronco, Cora Shahid, Pam Wirht, Kasey Cain, Brittany Comegna, Catalina Partida, Marissa Weiss, *Rhonda Savage, Leslie Manjarrez
Front row: Nancy Grosz Sager, *Johanna Wonderly, Patricia Gomez
*Johanna Wonderly (ASTra Coordinator Founder), Rhonda Savage (ASTra Advocate) and Kristen Stratton (ASTra Advocate) are no longer with the ASTra Program but we appreciate their long service of 5 years to California families.