Board Members

ALDA-Peach

The Atlanta chapter of the Association of Late-Deafened Adults

 
 

Board Members

 

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President

  

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Vice-President

  

 

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Secretary

  

 

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Treasurer

  

 

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Member-at-Large

  

 

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Communication

  

 

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ALDA-Peach 2018 Board of Directors

 President

Marge Tamas

president[at]aldapeach.org

Marge is one of the “founding mothers” of ALDA-Peach. She is not late-deafened, but found tremendous support from the online ALDA community when she began to encounter problems related to hearing loss in her 30s. Her work with ALDA-Peach is a way of paying that investment forward.

Marge has degrees in engineering and public health, and has developed computer software to support medical research activities. Currently, she is a medical writer for an international firm which develops continuing education programs for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers.

She enjoys long walks with her family, museum tours, photography, ethnic cuisine, military history, and a little sewing. She gladly uses hearing aids, FM systems, sign language, lipreading, or written notes as needed to communicate with ALDA-Peach members and guests.

Vice-President

Jim Stansell

vicepresident[at]aldapeach.org

Jim started with his hearing loss during military training. He is currently hard of hearing.

Jim has been a carpenter working with two custom staircase companies and was a job superintendent for two retail construction companies.

Currently he has the opportunity to care for his daughter (Kristin) who was injured in a car accident.

He loves the ALDA motto: "Whatever Works!"

 

 

Secretary
Sara Hartman

secretary[at]aldapeach.org

I still am not sure why I am deaf, but deafness has shaped who I am today.

There are certain milestones I remember that, I assume, caused or contributed to my deafness, as it is not hereditary.

I had a serious illness with swollen glands and high fever when I was an infant, and I have read that doctors often treated this by giving shots directly into the glands, which later caused deafness. Even though I was never tested as a child, I know that I could not hear as well as others around me.

When I was 25, I developed encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. I lost a lot of hearing as a result of that.

When I was 27 and pregnant, I saw an ENT who told me that "you are going deaf; you will be deaf in seven years and your baby is probably deaf too."  I had never even seen anybody who was deaf. Up until that time, this was the worst day of my life! Thankfully, he was wrong about seven years and my baby, but it made a lasting impression on me about the insensitivity of health professionals. It gave me empathy in teaching children who were deaf and working with parents of those children.

Over the years, my hearing continued to decline at a steady rate so that by the time I was in my mid-fifties I was socially alienated by the hearing loss and having problems coping with my job, even though I was working in a deaf school program.  I have a cochlear implant now and this has helped me interact better with others.

I found the local ALDA chapter in Atlanta and have developed some wonderful late-deafened friends. After all these years of struggling, I make no excuses about being deaf and am at peace with who I am. ALDA has helped me with that journey.

Treasurer

Steve Tamas

treasurer[at]aldapeach.org

Steve has been "adopted" into ALDA-Peach by association with his wife, Marge, one of the "founding mothers" of the chapter.

Steve is a unique member of the board in that he has not experienced hearing impairment but is familiar with hearing loss difficulties through his wife and through his friendship with ALDA-Peach members.

In addition to acting as Treasurer, he has been able to provide technical support for the ALDA-Peach website and during the ALDA-Peach meetings.

He likes the inclusiveness of ALDA-Peach and the acceptance of deafened members who use "whatever works" to communicate and enjoy social events together. 

Member-at-Large

Ann Smith

memberatlarge[at]aldapeach.org

Ann grew up hard-of-hearing, and became profoundly deaf in her 30s.

She attended public schools, college, and graduate school with no accommodations, long before the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed. She has a supportive biological family, but loves to spend time with her "just like me" ALDA family.

Anne has previously served as president, secretary, and treasurer of ALDA-Peach, and is one of the "founding mothers" of our chapter.
 
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Site updated: 05/21/2018