Staff
Our teachers and speech therapists have master's degrees, hold California teaching credentials and licenses, and have extensive experience in the areas of:
- Parent education and support
- Early childhood development
- Sign language
- Speech therapy
- Auditory training
- Support for children who are medically fragile or have multiple special needs
- Interagency coordination
- Deaf culture
Several staff members are deaf or hard of hearing and provide positive role models for our students and families.
Our Program Consultants include a neuro-developmental pediatrician, mental health specialists in the field of deafness, a pediatric occupational therapist, and a pediatric physical therapist.
CEID Teachers
Kim Burke-Giusti, M.A. Deaf Education
Cynthia Fong, M.A. Early Childhood Special Education
Helisa Katz, M.A. Deaf Education
Jessica Salaam, M.A. Deaf Education
Kimberly Tarasenko, M.A. Deaf Education
Teacher Aides
Maria Rooney
Natalie Carrillo
Tisha Harvey
Micah Dempsey
Speech Therapy
Carol Lettko, M.A. CCC-SLP,
Jennifer Wayman, M.S. CCC-SLP
Occupational Therapy
Kelli Parnall, MOT, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist
Audiology Clinic
Michal Joseph, Au.D., Audiologist
Allison Nachman, Au.D., Audiologist
Sabra Carman, Au.D., FAAA, Audiologist
Maria Maravilla, Audiology Administrative Coordinator
Julia Cardin, Newborn Hearing Screener
Sunshine Preschool and Childcare
Vinona Bennett, Teacher
Kyla McKenrick, Teacher
Mary DeBeer, Teacher Aide
Stacey Sullivan, Teacher Aide
Management and Administration
Jill Ellis, M.Ed. - Founder and Executive Director
Cindy Dickeson, MSW - Program Director
Fred Johnstone - Finance and Accounting Manager
Jennifer Conroy - Development Manager
Beth Reynolds - Program Associate
Leah Dahlgren - Development Associate & Special Events Coordinator
Dan Dahrouge - Facility Assistant
Jill Ellis, M.Ed. Co-Founder and Executive Director
Jill earned a Masters in Education (Deaf) at Lewis and Clark College. She also received advanced specialty training from Good Samaritan Hospital Infant Hearing Resource, working as a Parent-Infant Specialist for the hearing impaired.
For more than 30 years, she has worked in the field of deaf education as an interpreter, classroom teacher, parent-infant specialist, trainer, presenter, sign language instructor, consultant, fundraiser, and administrator.
Jill co-authored a federal grant proposal to Handicapped Children's Early Education Programs in 1980. Funding from this grant was used to establish, the family-focused, early intervention program for young children and families, now known as Center for Early Intervention on Deafness (CEID).
Jill has supervised and implemented numerous special projects to establish mainstream childcare opportunities, community outreach, parent empowerment projects, physician and medical provider training, and special training materials.
She also produced a unique, animated storytelling videotape in sign language, “Show 'n Tell” Stories (available for order), and has consulted and presented nationally and internationally. She and her husband, Jim, have three grown sons, all of whom have unique learning styles, personalities, talents, and interests.
