"As a 9-1-1 Public Educator, I continued to look for ways to ensure all have the opportunity to learn about 9-1-1. There was just one piece of the puzzle that I was lacking, reaching the Deaf community. This was big for me because I have a relative that is hard of hearing, she uses sign language to communicate, and not always could I interpret what she was trying to say. I could only imagine how frustrating that is for her because it was as equally for me. I have spoken to several people about how to connect with the Deaf community but they all provide the same basic information which did not satisfy my inquisitiveness until one day at a public safety conference I see that there was a session specifically focusing on the topic at hand. This was one of my must attend sessions throughout the entire conference, I was eager to attend by all means. Kathy provided so much insight and knowledge about the Deaf community and really broke down the do's and don'ts, how their gestures could be misinterpreted. After attending the session I came out with a better understanding and even stronger desire to reach the Deaf community. I recommended Ms. Kathy to speak at one of our Public Educators of Texas (PETS) meetings. I was delighted that she came to share her knowledge with us and myself again. She recommended a free ASL course provided by the Oklahoma School for the Deaf (OSD) which I am currently taking advantage of now. I know that I have found a great resource in Ms. Kathy and I appreciate her for having the courage to present at the conference which opened doors for me to learn more about the culture. Thank you, Ms. Kathy!"