People behind the foundation

Paddy Ladd, Honorary Member, Author and Creator of “Deafhood”   

Paddy is a lecturer and MSC Coordinator at the Centre for Deaf Studies at the University of Bristol. He completed his Ph.D. in Deaf Culture at Bristol University in 1998 and has written, edited and contributed to numerous publications in the field. Both his writing and his Deaf activism have received international recognition.

He received the Francis Maginn Award “For Lifetime Achievement for the Deaf Community” from the British Deaf Association (2004); the E.M. Gallaudet Award for “International Leadership in Promoting the Well-Being of Deaf People of the World” from Gallaudet University (2009); and the Deaf Lifetime Achievement Award from the Federation of Deaf People for activities which have extended the possibilities for Deaf communities in the UK and worldwide (1998). He was also added to the British Deaf Association’s Roll of Honour for “Outstanding Contributions to the Deaf Community in Deaf Education” (2007).

George “Butch” Zein is a globe trotter who lived in Tokyo for a year serving as ASL instructor/consultant with the Japan American Sign Language Society. He went on to travel solo around the world for a year visiting Southeast Asia, India, Africa and Europe.

His extensive professional experience began in California starting as a Linguistic Research Assistant at the famed Salk Institute studying how the human brain acquires ASL. He is now working in the upper management levels for both a non-profit organization and in the corporate environment.

He is a devoted son of a Deaf mother, Rosemary Stapp McGaugh; a proud brother of a Deaf sister, Risa Lewis; and a beaming uncle of three beautiful Deaf children, Marika, Karita and Rory Lewis. He is thankful to Risa and Robert for continuing the long line (six generations) of Deaf family members (for him)!

Upon discovering the word “Deafhood” (coined by Dr. Paddy Ladd), Ella was challenged to stop the injustices done to Deaf people by Audism and Oralism.  She set out to unshackle the Deaf community in which she grew up and identifies with.

Born in Berkeley, California, to wonderful Deaf parents and a vibrant Deaf community in the mid-1950’s, she grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1960’s. There she witnessed not only protests against war and racism, but the beginning of the Deaf Resurgence. Upon graduating from the California School for the Deaf, Berkeley, in 1971, she went on to Gallaudet University.  It was at Gallaudet that she had an epiphany about American Sign Language which launched her into a career of teaching, training instructors and interpreters, performing poetry and helping with linguistic research.

Recently retired after 16 years of full-time teaching ASL and Deaf Culture at Berkeley City College (formerly Vista Community College), Ella has formed ASL Presents LLC. Her immediate goal is to complete the major updating of the Signing Naturally curriculum series of which she is a co-author. Her long-term goals include promoting academic excellence in American Sign Language and healthy Deafhood discourse among all Deaf people as well as in the general public.

Ella has been blessed to raise five kids with her wife, Judy Gough, and is a proud grandmother of nine kids (one is Deaf) with a tenth one on way. She especially enjoys her many pets: five dogs (two are deaf), five cats (none is deaf), and two llamas.

In 2005, Kathy was introduced to the Deafhood concept and was inspired and determined to contribute her energy. She did this by becoming a part of the Deafhood Foundation, teaching an online course on Deafhood for Certified Deaf Interpreter students and over the last three years she has been giving Deafhood workshops.

She is currently an Adjunct Faculty at Phoenix College and an independent contractor with Purple Communications, Inc. In addition to this career, she is also the owner of an internet marketing business, Saynet LLC. Her various professional experiences include: Student Life Counselor at the Washington School for the Deaf; researcher with the Salk Institute; Trainer with the Massachusetts Relay Service; Director of the One Day Project; Manager of the Norcal Center on Deafness; and Chief Operating Officer of the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency (DCARA). She is a proud alumni of Gallaudet University and the Arizona School for the Deaf. She has an M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and she lives in Tempe, AZ.  

Kevin is currently Chair of ASL Studies at Sacramento City College.  He teaches different classes from the beginning through advanced levels of American Sign Language, Deaf Education, Deaf Culture and Deafhood classes. He has a B.A. degree in Psychology from Gallaudet University, and an M.A. in Deaf Education from California State University, Northridge. He taught at a variety of community colleges and universities including CSUN, UCSD and College of the Canyons before starting work at Sacramento City College. He was a researcher at the Salk Institute for the Biological Studies researching the relationship between American Sign Language and the brain. 

Kevin has a partner of eleven years, James Henderson, and a dog, Peanut. Sadly, his parents Robert and Margaret Clark, passed away recently. He has two sisters, Roberta Clark and Darline Gunsauls. He has four nieces, Tanya Northcraft, Tiffany Gunsauls, Selina Gunsauls and Neelamma Brehns and one nephew, Aaron Barnett. He has two grand nephews, Cannon and Mac.

Born deaf to deaf parents in Oakland, CA, Judy enrolled in the Kansas School for the Deaf in Olathe, Kansas. After graduation, she went to Gallaudet University and graduated with a B.A. in Sociology. 

Although now retired, her work history includes: History and Geography teacher at the Kansas School for the Deaf (KDS); General Education Teacher in Middle School at KSD; Rehabilitation Instructor at a Sheltered Workshop in Kansas and in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Work Evaluator in Columbia, Ohio, and Morganton, North Carolina; ASL Instructor at Tulsa Junior College and Johnson County Community College in Kansas and Vista College in Berkley, California; and Cottage Counselor at California School for the Deaf, Fremont.

She has been married to Ella Mae Lentz for 26 years. She is a proud mother of five children and a grandmother of nine, with a tenth on the way. Her interests include caring for animals and reading books.

Mel was a Deaf Studies professor at California State University, Northridge, and is now retired. Prior to his employment at CSUN, he directed the National Association of the Deaf Communicative Skills Program in the Washington D.C. area; implemented a national consortium of Sign Language teacher programs; and coordinated a sign teacher certification program. Mel also served as a teacher in Minnesota, a principal for Deaf elementary school students, a drama coach for Deaf high school students, and as a supporter of creative artworks by Deaf artists. He frequently emcees at local and national Deaf events. American Sign Language and Deaf Culture are interwoven into his very being and one of his joys in life is sharing these with people - especially Deaf people and people who work with or are in some way connected to Deaf people.

David was born to Deaf parents in Fresno, California. He graduated from the California School for the Deaf, Fremont, in 1991; Gallaudet University in 1995; and San Francisco State in 1998. His sister, Adele Ann, also graduated from these same schools.

He returned home to CSD-Fremont as a Kindergarten teacher and is currently the Principal of the High School Department. David also served on the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency (DCARA) Board of Directors for six years, four of them as president. He occasionally teaches Deaf Culture at Berkeley City College.

All his life, David has been very actively involved in the Deaf community, most recently helping to establish a Deaf think tank and taking in Deaf foster children with his partner, Colin Piotrowski. He was awarded the Hal Ramger Distinguished Service Award (the top honor in the Bay Area) from DCARA in 2005. Along with Ella Mae Lentz and Dr. Genie Gertz, David is currently traveling all over the country giving training based on Dr. Paddy Ladd's work, Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood. David hopes to revolutionize the American system of education for Deaf children, starting with California.

Marvin has always believed that the Deaf community has a lot to offer the world. He wants to build the world’s first fully integrated Sign Language town populated by a variety of bilingual people who use ASL on a daily basis. His work to build this town continues behind the scenes to this day.

Marvin launched several monthly newspapers of, for and by the Deaf and signing community including: The Deaf Michigander and DeafNation (www.deafnation.com). He later helped launch SignNews (www.signews.org). Marvin has worked in media, video relay service and he has consulted with organizations on business development.

Marvin is currently President of Indiana Association of the Deaf (IAD). He is a graduate of the Model Secondary School for the Deaf, attended Gallaudet University for two years and he has been involved with student politics and newspapers. Marvin lives in Fishers, Indiana, with his four Deaf children. His children are currently attending Indiana School for the Deaf where Marvin’s grandmother graduated from in 1945. Marvin enjoys reading, using his Mac and iPhone, and thinking about how to create a better future for the Deaf and signing community.

Colin grew up in Massachusetts in a large hearing family that learned Sign Language. He was in a mainstream program until he was fifteen and then enrolled at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf. Despite having a family who signs, this was where he embraced Deaf Culture and ASL without really understanding the importance of it. It wasn’t until he graduated from Gallaudet and entered the working world that he truly saw the hardships that Deaf people experience in the world. With over 500 deaf clients in an employment service, he decided that he had had enough of his clients’ unjust treatment and wanted to make a change.

He has been involved in a lawsuit against San Francisco International Airport to improve accessibility; a new case involving a large bank which has been denying relay calls from Deaf customers; and he aims to improve fire safety for any Deaf owners of newly developed residential buildings.

Colin works as a High School Career teacher at the California School for the Deaf, Fremont and is studying to become a Career Guidance Counselor. He resides in Pleasanton, California.

Colin is truly thrilled to see such an organization as the Deafhood Foundation being started. Never did he think that he would see a light lit in our Deaf hearts and minds because we finally knew what exactly was broken and how exactly we can fix it for the betterment of our Deaf lives.

Founding Board Members

Clark Brooke

Patrick Boudreault