What We Do
History | Equity Leadership Team | Board of Directors | Admin Staff
The mission of Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center (HSDC) is to foster inclusive and accessible communities through communication, advocacy, and education. We envision an inclusive, accessible world where everyone is understood and respected.
We offer a comprehensive array of programs that foster effective communication for individuals and families affected by hearing or speech differences. Our services include:
History
HSDC has been serving the Puget Sound area for over 80 years, and family and community have been fundamental parts of the agency since the very beginning. Originally a partnership between mothers of children with hearing loss and a social club for hard of hearing women, HSDC was incorporated in 1937 as the Seattle Chapter for the Hard of Hearing. In the 1950s, our name changed to the Seattle Hearing and Speech Center, which remained the only independent nonprofit west of the Mississippi for children and adults with communication differences until the mid-1960s.
Over the years, the HSDC began to incorporate more programs for the local Deaf community, who favored sign language over spoken language. During the 1960s and 70s, HSDC introduced what was, at the time, a controversial program that taught children with hearing loss American Sign Language (ASL).
By the 1980s, the Deaf community had become such an essential part of the agency’s programming that our name was changed to Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center. In February 2016, we dropped the “ness” and became Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center to reaffirm our commitment to the local Deaf community.
Today, HSDC has a main office in Seattle and satellite offices in Bellingham and Tacoma. The majority of our clients are in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Whatcom Counties, but we serve thirteen counties in total across Western Washington. Many of our services are offered for free or at reduced costs, allowing local individuals and families in need to receive high-quality communication access and care.
Equity Leadership Team
Click on a staff member’s picture to learn more about them.
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Ariele Belo
Director of Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services
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Carol Brown, MS
Director of Development
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James “Dino” Christianson, Jr.
Client Advocate, North Sound
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Anna Dodd, MEd
Parent-Infant Program Director
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Jason Eastman
Grants & Communications Manager
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Buddy Elledge
Graphic Designer & Social Media Connector
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Gina Gallaway, NAD IV
Director of Interpreting Services & Logistics Manager
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Pamela Grossman, MA
Rosen Family Preschool Director
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Brad Ingrao, AuD
Director of Audiology, Audiologist
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Andrea Klarman
Executive Assistant
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Lindsay Klarman, MNPL, NIC-A
Executive Director
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Athina Maganzini, MS, CCC-SLP
Director of Speech, Speech-Language Pathologist
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Marcelle Wellington
Director of Finance & Administration
Board of Directors
Matthew Aprecio | UW Medicine | Bonnie Lau | University of Washington |
Jonathan Budden, Secretary | Microsoft | Dave Lenox, Treasurer | Special Olympics Washington |
Lyn Cameron, Vice President | Microsoft | Roger Mauldin | BECU (Retired) |
Laura Gramer, Vice President | Accessibility Advocate | Molly M. McCarthy, President | University of Washington |
Rasheeda Grant | Amazon | Laurie Rosen-Ritt | Teacher of the Deaf & Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) |
Kelly James | Education First | Bill Schiffmiller | Akoio, LLC |
Sara Kover | University of Washington |
Admin Staff
Click on a staff member’s picture to learn more about them.
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Carol Brown, MS
Director of Development
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Bryan Bullock
Facilities Manager
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Jason Eastman
Grants & Communications Manager
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Buddy Elledge
Graphic Designer & Social Media Connector
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Andrea Klarman
Executive Assistant
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Lindsay Klarman, MNPL, NIC-A
Executive Director
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Don Lawrence
Accountant
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Kelly Scott
Executive Assistant
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Marcelle Wellington
Director of Finance & Administration