HLAA Chapter Development Workshop

Amplifying the Next Generation of Chapter Leaders

Chapter longevity depends on a lot of factors. The Austin Chapter had already folded twice and almost folded a third time, and was determined to bring in younger members who would participate in running the chapter, not just attending meetings. These chapter leaders will share their experiences and their tips to help attract the next generation of leaders.

Presenters: Anecia Lockhart, Debra Dietz, and Carrie Leising, Austin Chapter, Texas

Anecia Lockhart was born profoundly deaf and has been wearing hearing aids since she was one year old then was bilaterally implanted with cochlear implants in 2017. She holds a master’s degree in rehab counseling which expanded her awareness on how to advocate and assist individuals with disabilities. During her spare time, she enjoys spending it with her friends, family, and animals including a donkey in the country.

Deb Deitz woke up deaf one morning at the age of 17. After 14 years in silence, Deb was tested for a very early experimental cochlear implant. This Storz 4-channel device was short-lived. This provided only environmental sounds and failed after nine months. Of the 16 devices ever implanted, Deb had one of the three that failed. In 2002 she had a cochlear implant implanted in her left ear. Hearing her daughter’s voice for the very first time in an emotional phone call was the start of her amazing hearing journey being reconnected to sound. These days you will find Deb creating art while listening to music. Catching up on the 30 years of missing music has been a labor of love!

Born with a genetic hearing loss, Carrie Leising has worn hearing devices since she was 18 months old. Always inspired to make a difference, she has a master’s in nonprofit leadership and management, giving her the knowledge to educate, lead and support the HLAA Austin Chapter and other organizations that are close to her heart. In her spare time, she likes to hike, to camp and spend time with her family while sipping a glass of wine.

Helpful Hints and Tutorials

• Zoom concerns have been addressed and procedures will be modified as Zoom continues to update their software. The main security issue was with open meetings. When you register, it creates a unique link for a password protected session.
• Use a computer. If possible, attend the meeting on a computer rather than via a smart phone or iPad. This will give you the best layout to view the captions as well as other meeting features.
  • How to Install Zoom on MAC 
  • How to Install Zoom on PC
• Captions. This meeting will be open captioned. Captions will be visible at the bottom of your Zoom meeting screen. Closed captions will not need to be enabled.
• Check your time zone. This meeting will take place live at 2 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. CT, 12 p.m. MT and 11 a.m. PT. If you are in a different time zone, please adjust the time so you do not miss the meeting.