Liz (she/her) is a Deaf sonographer and educator with nearly 30 years of clinical practice. When not scanning patients, she teaches science and mentors DHH students pursuing careers in healthcare and biomedical sciences.

Liz serves as the Director of the Deaf Health Vital Signs (DHVS) and Mentor Supported Shadowing Program (MSSP) under NTID’s Deaf Healthcare and Biomedical Sciences Hub. During the summer, Liz introduces ultrasound basics to DHH high school students in Exploring Your Future (EYF) and the Health Care Careers Exploration Program (HCCEP) through hands-on scanning. She also coordinates Code Blue simulations featuring accessible AEDs in collaboration with local DHH healthcare professionals.

Beyond RIT, Liz serves as Secretary of the University of Rochester’s Deaf Professional Advisory Council, volunteers at the Rochester Museum & Science Center’s Deaf Culture Day by hosting a hands-on ultrasound booth, and reviews for two healthcare journals. She is also a trained and certified Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member.

Research interests include health literacy with multimodal delivery, accessibility in healthcare for DHH professionals (particularly AED and stethoscopes), student-centered pedagogy, and transformative design.

Corey is the founder and CEO of 2axend, a Deaf-owned strategic consulting and training firm that partners with organizations to deliver user-centric, accessible experiences for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals. A sought-after consultant, thought leader, and trainer, Corey works across the education, healthcare, government, and language services industries to advance communication accessibility, inclusive organizational design, risk management, and cultural humility.

Corey currently serves as a board member for the Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses and as a member of the ASTM International F43.06 Subcommittee on Captioning Standards. He is a past three-term president of the Illinois Association of the Deaf, which is the state’s leading civil rights organization for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

He has also held leadership roles with the Northwest Community Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council, the Village of Arlington Heights Commission for Citizens with Disabilities, the Illinois School for the Deaf Advisory Council, and the Chicago Hearing Society Advisory Council. Corey is a recipient of the National Association of the Deaf’s Knights of Flying Fingers Award and the Illinois Association of the Deaf’s J.B. & Beatrice Davis Leadership Award.

Kyle Homer is a current medical student attending the University of Michigan. He is planning to enter the field of family medicine and is excited to see what lies ahead! 

Kyle was born hearing. Starting at the age of 4, he gradually lost his hearing until he was completely deaf at 7 years old. He got bilateral cochlear implants shortly afterwards. While in his undergrad, he decided that sign language was important for him to learn. He has worked hard over the last 8 years to improve his ASL skills. He hopes to continue progressing so he can provide accessible, effective care for patients using ASL. 

Kyle, his wife Katie, and his two daughters live in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His daughters are both hard-of-hearing. As a family, they enjoy biking on the nearby river trail, growing their garden, exploring nearby parks, and watching movies together. He works hard to promote a world where his daughters will have opportunities to pursue their dreams.

Emily has been a registered nurse since 2010, and is currently certified in peri-anesthesia nursing, working in the adult recovery room at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, NY. Beyond her nursing duties, Emily is also passionate about educating fellow employees about various communication needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing population.

Being deaf herself, she feels it is beneficial information that staff and co-workers can utilize to improve their interactions with those with hearing loss, whether it'd be patients or co-workers. In addition to recovery room and education, she has ICU, travel and charge nurse experience as well. 

She has a rescue pup named Daphne and a goofy cat named Chasey. Outside of work, she enjoys being outdoors, hiking and biking, and would pick the mountains over the beach any day!

Julia is a Physician Associate currently working for the Department of Surgery at Unity Hospital in Rochester, NY. She works in the operating room as a first assistant for general, colorectal, vascular, plastics, ENT, neurological, urological, and orthopedic cases. Julia works in an inpatient setting in the hospital, which involves floor management, ED consults, and admissions. In addition, Julia is the new hire and student liaison for the Department of Surgery, which includes orientation, scheduling, and coordination of shadowing/training/onboarding. 

Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, Julia graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Physician Associate BS/MS program in 2020 before starting her career in Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine in Cooperstown, NY.  Julia was born with a progressive hearing loss, used bilateral hearing aids up until age 13, and now uses bilateral cochlear implants. Julia’s family uses spoken English and she learned ASL in college. Julia now proudly uses both spoken English and ASL in her daily life.

Julia’s professional interests include student mentorship, advocacy, and precepting in addition to patient education and outreach. In her free time, Julia enjoys reading and playing video games with her partner, who is a CODA. 

Dusty is a Nationally Certified Sign Language Interpreter (NIC) with over 15 years of professional experience, specializing in high-level educational and clinical interpreting. His work predominantly spans rigorous university environments and a renowned secondary academic powerhouse, including medical education.

Beyond interpreting, Dustin is an accomplished MakerSpace educator, technologist, and innovator. He holds a professional certificate as a MakerSpace Coordinator and applies his passion for invention and technical design to coaching award-winning student academic teams, including Science Olympiad, Science Bowl, and Model Rocketry.

His foundation in mentorship includes working for several years as the Director of a youth leadership and outdoor adventure recreation program for a summer camp on Catalina Island, where he focused on designing and implementing leadership frameworks for youth and staff alike. Dustin brings a rare intersection of advanced linguistic skill, operational strategy, and a lifelong commitment to technical innovation to his work.

Carolyn R. Stern, MD, is a pioneering Deaf Family Physician, educator, and international advocate dedicated to advancing healthcare accessibility. She balances dual clinical roles as the Medical Director and School Physician at the Rochester School for the Deaf, and as an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care physician at University of Rochester Medicine. Driven by a passion for accessible health literacy, Dr. Stern co-founded DeafDOC.org, a digital platform hosting comprehensive health education videos for the Deaf community.

Throughout her career, Dr. Stern has provided clinical care to thousands of Deaf, Hard of Hearing (D/HH), and hearing patients. As a sought-after speaker, consultant, and mentor, she frequently presents to medical professionals, interpreters, and advocacy groups globally on universal design and healthcare equity. Dr. Stern graduated cum laude from Case Western Reserve University, earned her medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School, and completed her Family Medicine residency at Lutheran General Hospital. She lives with her husband, Al Spanjer (a CODA), and cherishes time with their three children, daughter-in-law, and young granddaughter.