Outreach Staff
Calla England
![]() Calla started learning sign language in a middle school club and immediately fell in love with the language. She obtained an associate’s degree in Sign Language Interpreting from Fairmont State University in 2005 and worked as an interpreter in the school system for a year before deciding to return college. In 2013, Calla earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, also from Fairmont State University. During her time in college, she became the proud mother of two sons, who are now 16 and 11 years old.
|
Ressie Phillips
![]() Ressie lives in Summersville, WV with her wonderful husband and two cats. She has worked in the field of education for more than 25 years teaching PreK through college. She has worked in early intervention for more than 20 years. Ressie has an associate degree in Sign Language Interpreting, a bachelor's degree in elementary education, a master's degree in deaf education, an educational specialist degree in curriculum and instruction and a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. Additionally, she teaches sign language classes for New River Community & Technical College. Faith and church are very important to her.
|
Melanie Shuck
![]()
|
Nora Stevenson
|
Debbie Adams ![]() Debbie graduated from Frostburg State University in 2002 with a degree in Elementary/Middle School Education with a focus on Language Arts. She taught first grade until 2010. In 2010, Debbie began her career as a teacher of the visually impaired. She earned a Master of Arts in Special Education/Visual Impairments through Marshall University. Although Debbie enjoyed teaching elementary school and especially reading, her passion is Special Education and Visual Impairments. Debbie has been working for five years in outreach. She truly loves working with families and children with early intervention strategies. Debbie also works as an adjunct for Marshall University teaching braille skills to future teachers of the visually impaired. When Debbie is not working she loves spending time with and going on adventures with her favorite people- her three children.
|
Laura Anderson
![]() Laura has demonstrated commitment to the visually impaired activities throughout our region. Recently she was asked to working closely with the West Virginia State Department of Education’s Vision Advisory Board to create guidelines for teachers of the visually impaired. Her real-world application and insight of the current practices in the visually impaired offer her families the opportunity to benefit from specialized knowledge in this area.
Laura's passion for working with families with children who have a sensory impairment started with her own family. She has a niece that has Usher’s Syndrome which means she is both Visually Impaired and Hard of Hearing. She has always enjoyed working with her to overcome her obstacles in life.
Laura has been married to Dr. Timothy Anderson for 24 years. They live in Princeton, West Virginia and have two adult sons, Stephen and Adam along with a miniature schnauzer who has been in their family for 17 years. Their dog's name is Holly Belle and she is blind and has very little hearing left.
Her favorite quote is: Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it. ~ Helen Keller
|
Melissa Carpenter
|