Deafweekly January 18, 2012

deafweekly

January 18, 2012
Vol. 8, No. 10

Editor: Tom Willard

Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community that is mailed to subscribers on Wednesdays and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. These are the actual headlines and portions of recent deaf-related news articles, with links to the full story. Minor editing is done when necessary. Deafweekly is copyrighted 2012 and any unauthorized use is prohibited. Please support our advertisers; they make it possible for you to receive Deafweekly.

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Last issue's most-read story: MORE INFORMATION ABOUT YEHS AND VIABLE OUTCOME / clercjr
Last week's website page views: 6,005
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ADVERTISE IN DEAFWEEKLY FOR $20 OR LESS PER WEEK

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NATIONAL
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Houston, TX
FIRST FDA-APPROVED STUDY OF STEM CELLS TO TREAT HEARING LOSS BEGINS AT CHILDREN'S MEMORIAL HERMANN HOSPITAL
Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and Cord Blood Registry are launching the first FDA-approved, Phase I safety study on the use of cord blood stem cells to treat children with sensorineural hearing loss. The study, which will use patients’ stem cells from their own stored umbilical cord blood, is the first-of-its-kind, and has the potential to restore hearing. This follows evidence from published laboratory studies that cord blood helps repair damaged organs in the inner ear. / PRNewswire

See Also AFA DENOUNCES FDA APPROVAL OF NEWBORN STEM CELL EXPERIMENTATION / PRWeb

St. Augustine, FL
BILL WOULD GIVE FSDB IN ST. AUGUSTINE THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN
A bill before the Florida legislature could give the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine the power of eminent domain, which enables the school to buy any property it wants without the owner's consent. George Gardner, who lives just a block away from the FSDB and is a former St. Augustine mayor, is concerned he and his neighbors could lose their homes years from now at the school's whim. / First Coast News

Orange County, CA
DEAF ACTIVIST 'SHAKEDOWN' OF O.C. BUSINESSES?
The letter making its way to small businesses starts out nicely enough: “Thank you for taking the time to read this important message from a deaf advocate in Orange County, California.” But then it takes a turn that makes some uncomfortable. The missive, from Richard Roehm, chairman of the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center, includes a link to the center’s Ebay store, where folks can buy a Simplicity ADA Access Kit ”for each one of your store(s) or business.” / The Orange County Register

Lubbock County, TX
COURT INTERPRETERS TRANSLATE INTO HIGH COST FOR LUBBOCK COUNTY
Scant qualified court interpreters and increased demand has translated into higher costs for Lubbock County. In a recent felony trial involving a deaf defendant and several deaf witnesses, four interpreters had to be flown in from Austin for the six-day trial. Lubbock County has seen interpreter costs nearly triple in the last year. / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Tucson, AZ
ARIZONA SCHOOL FOR DEAF AND BLIND CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL
The Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind kicked off their 100 year celebration Tuesday. Some 300 students from the Tucson and Phoenix campuses participated in the opening ceremonies. The first school building was right on the U of A campus at Park Avenue and East Second Street. As part of Tuesday's celebration, the students walked from the old school building to their current location on Speedway. / fox11az.com

Los Angeles, CA
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE GETS HANDS-DOWN APPROVAL
As a regular contributor to UCLA’s student newspaper, Asad Ramzanali was intrigued when a fellow student mentioned an appetite on campus for instruction in American Sign Language. "It was something I never thought of, but I thought it might make for a good piece," recalled the economics major, who was always looking for thought-provoking topics to write about. So in October of last year Ramzanali wrote a passionate Daily Bruin column urging university administrators to offer ASL and to allow the instruction to count toward the university’s foreign language requirement for undergraduates. Last month Ramzanali’s efforts paid off. / UCLA Today

New York, NY
DEAF-MUTE TEEN REPORTED MISSING
A deaf-mute 18-year-old woman left her East Harlem residence Friday morning and never returned home, and cops want your help finding her. Police say that Keyla Contreras was last seen at 2390 Second Avenue at 7 a.m. Contreras is described as a 5-foot, 115-pound light-skinned Hispanic. / Village Voice

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Communication Access and Accommodation Card

This New Year print your own personalized card to use when you visit your doctor or any health care office. You can make your own card to state your communication and language needs. Click on the “Create Card” button when you have filled in the blanks below. Print the card and keep it with your other identification cards.

Show the card to let doctors and other health care providers know about your language and communication needs. When you first schedule an appointment too, let the office know what you need in advance to ensure you have a visit where communication flows smoothly.

You can check this out in front page in www.healthbridges.info.

HealthBridges is a website which offers behavioral health, advocacy and resource information for people who are Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of hearing.

Happy New Year from the HealthBridges Team!

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INTERNATIONAL
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Internet
WE ARE DEAF
The Deaf community is made up of extremely diverse people. From every walk of life, in every corner of the world. Watch this powerful video, a signature statement on just how truly special and global the Deaf community is. With people from 27 different countries participating, We Are Deaf is a special message from us to you. / DeafNation

Geelong, Australia
EDITORIAL: PERFECT SETTING FOR DEAF GAMES
The capacity for sport to provide purpose and bring people together is being illustrated in an inspiring fashion in Geelong this week. Eight hundred athletes are here to participate in the Australian Deaf Games. Among their number are participants from Fiji, Samoa and New Zealand, which are being represented for the first time in these Games, held every four years. / Geelong Advertiser

London, England
THE SEARCH FOR A LIFETIME ACHIEVING DEAF PARENT AWARD 2012
We would like to announce a search for a Deaf Parent who achieved a great deal in his / her lifetime, who greatly improved the quality of life and access for Deaf parents and families. What we need from you, for this significant Award, is to make people look back several decades, (eg 10-100 years) to identify Deaf people who used their parent role in opening up new opportunities for other Deaf parents in achieving equality as hearing parents in family life. / Deaf Parenting UK

Bolton, England
FAMILIES JOIN IN FIGHT FOR FREE SIGN LANGUAGE LESSONS
Families of deaf children in Bolton are campaigning to get free sign language classes so they can communicate. Bolton’s Ear 4 Kidz -- a group that brings together deaf children and their parents -- says a complete course of sign language lessons could cost a family thousands of pounds, which is proving a barrier for some families. Jane Jones, chairwoman of the group and mother of 9-year-old Bobby, who wears hearing aids, said not providing the opportunity to learn sign language meant children were reliant on their hearing aids. / The Bolton News

London, England
ENABLING COMMUNICATION IS VITAL IN FAMILIES OF DEAF CHILDREN
In the last few weeks, a video of a deaf mother and her two year-old daughter Ava having a dinner conversation in British Sign Language (BSL) has gone viral. It has been tweeted, shared and blogged to the extent that the clip now has more than 150,000 views online. / Guardian

Vancouver, BC, Canada
CRTC TO END SERVICE FOR DEAF
A North Vancouver man is campaigning to save what he says is a vital telephone service for people with impaired hearing. Ryan Ollis, 31, has gathered more than 200 petition signatures so far and has presented his case to the City of North Vancouver's council. Roughly 10,000 petitions are circulating across Canada. Video relay has been available in the U.S. since 2002, but only came to Canada as a one-year CRTC trial in July of 2010. The pilot program was extended by six months, but will be discontinued Jan. 15. / North Shore News

Toronto, ON, Canada
DEAF BOY'S TREATMENT NOT ENOUGH FOR VISA OFFICER
Should a family be denied permanent residence to Canada because they have a young boy who is deaf, even after the child has been fitted with a cochlear implant? This is the question the Federal Court of Canada was recently asked to address after the Canadian consulate in Buffalo rejected the application of Ronilo Perez, an engineer from the Philippines. / MetroNews Canada

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
INNOVATIVE COFFEE OUTLET RUN BY THE DEAF OPENS ITS DOORS
Actions speak louder than words at DiB Coffees of Hawaii, the country's first speciality coffee outlet run by the deaf. The colourful little Hawaiian-themed coffee outlet, which opened in Damansara Perdana Jan. 1, was set up to train and empower the hearing-impaired to be independent and achieve success. The cafe specialises in gourmet Hawaiian coffee and also serves a variety of cakes and pastries. / Malaysia Star

Singapore
MAN FINED FOR PUNCHING DEAF-MUTE COMMUTER ON BUS
A deliveryman was fined $2,000 today for punching a deaf-mute man in the eye twice on board a bus. He was also ordered to pay $300 as compensation to the victim, reported The Straits Times. The incident took place on April 9, 2011 on board an SBS Transit bus. Chia Boon Teck, 50, had boarded the bus with his wife and 16-year-old daughter. The victim, Mr Low Koon Huat, 56, later boarded the bus and sat in front of Chia's daughter. Chia told the court that he punched Mr Low twice because he was angry with Mr Low for repeatedly turning around to look at his daughter. / Asia One

Zimbabwe,
NYAKURWA'S DREAM FOR THE DEAF
Last month, he launched an organisation specially dedicated to the deaf and he did it in style. Aptly named Deaf Hands at Work (DHW), the company had meals served using sign language, something the benefactor believes was a first here. “DHW provides opportunities for deaf people in the construction and consumer service sector,” former waiter Nyakurwa told The Zimbabwean. “Deaf carpenters, project managers, teachers and housemaids are among the skilled and unskilled individuals for whom our mission is to create employment.” / The Zimbabwean

Aichi, Japan
AICHI DIRECTOR RECORDS THE DEAF'S STORIES
Deaf director Ayako Imamura's filmography boasts movies about the lives of deaf and hearing-impaired people. Imamura, 32, recently shot a documentary titled "Coffee and Pencil," whose main character is a deaf man who runs a surf shop. The man offers customers coffee with a smile, shows them paper and a pencil, and starts communicating with them using gestures and writing. "Did you surf today?" he writes. Customers, puzzled at first, are soon drawn into a conversation with him. / The Daily Yomiuri

Mbabane, Swaziland
BUS CONDUCTOR IMPREGNATES EX-MISS DEAF
Swaziland's pride in the international beauty pageants scene and the country’s former Miss Deaf, Simphiwe Magagula is pregnant. Magagula was crowned first princess in the Miss Deaf World in 2009. She is due to deliver her first born baby around May and the father has been identified as Sihle Dlamini, a bus conductor in Manzini, who also has a child with another woman. / The Swazi Observer

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Abused in Wisconsin? If you, or someone you know, were sexually abused as a child at St. John’s School for the Deaf in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we have an important message for you: Because the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has declared bankruptcy, you may now be able to bring a claim — even if previously you were told you could not. However, because there will be a limited amount of time the courts will allow for you to bring a claim, you must act now or you may be forever prohibited from doing so. Go to www.AbusedinWisconsin.com Today! Jeff Anderson & Associates

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UK Feature:

If you’re living in the United Kingdom and think your suffering from hearing loss, or just want a new hearing aid, visit Amplifon - for Hearing Aids and more.

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LIFE & LEISURE
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Sacramento, CA
SHOULD PARENTS BE ABLE TO SELECT A DEAF CHILD?
About one in every 1,000 children is born severely hearing impaired; more than half of these are a result of a genetic mutation. Let's say there's a medical test one could use to identify a fetus or embryo that would become a hearing- impaired child. Such a test would allow parents the option of selecting only pregnancies that would result in a child with normal hearing. This sort of testing is part of our attempt to select the healthiest children we can - a thought some find objectionable. / The Sacramento Bee

Davis, CA
STUDY: DEAF 'SIGNERS' QUICK TO INTERPRET BODY LANGUAGE
Deaf people who use sign language recognize and interpret body language quicker than hearing people who don't use sign language, researchers have found. "There are a lot of anecdotes about deaf people being better able to pick up on body language, but this is the first evidence of that," David Corina, a professor in the department of linguistics and Center for Mind and Brain at the University of California, Davis, said in a university news release. / USA Today

Houston, TX
VIRAL VIDEO SHOWS WHAT BABY TALK LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU'RE DEAF
Any family with multiple kids knows that a trip anywhere can be a boisterous, rowdy affair, especially if you’ve got a couple of toddler boys, and you’re at the mechanic’s shop. The Brown family is no different. Ken Brown, and his wife Sarah, live in Texas. Ken is deaf, and Sarah is fluent in sign language. They have five children, two of whom they adopted from China about six months ago. / Houston Chronicle

Fulton, MO
DOCTOR TO PARENTS: 'I'M SORRY, YOUR BABY IS DEAF'
A doctor usually makes the first comments to parents about the condition of their newborn baby’s condition. The way a doctor shares any concerns that he/she has can have a big effect on how the parents perceive their new baby. When the newborn is deaf, the doctor often tells the family, “I’m sorry to tell you this, but your baby is deaf.” Such a comment can create a negative image of the baby in the parents’ minds. / The Fulton Sun

Frederick, MD
CLASSIC TRUCK AUCTIONED TO BENEFIT MSD
The Maryland School for the Deaf received an early Christmas present in the form of a 1940 Chevrolet pickup truck, but it wasn't until Thursday that the gift's value was known. After an 11-day eBay auction, the truck sold for $15,400 to its new owner in Granville, Ohio. "This has been an extraordinary Christmas present for the foundation," said Marisa Shockley, president of the Maryland School for the Deaf Foundation. "We're thrilled." / The Frederick News-Post

Twin Falls, ID
TWIN FALLS WOMAN IS THE FIRST MISS DEAF IDAHO SINCE 1997
Chelsea Newberry kept her secret for nearly a week before gathering her family members and revealing her big news. Newberry, 24, named Miss Deaf Idaho on Dec. 19, will represent the state at the Miss Deaf America competition in Louisville, Ky., in July. Nobody saw it coming. / Twin Falls Times-News

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WORKING WORLD
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Bolingbrook, IL
DEAF MOM BECOMES A CHICKEN SOUP AUTHOR
In January, 2011, I sat down to add a few things to my ever-growing vision list. One of the things I wrote down was "To publish a Chicken Soup for the Soul story." As time went by, I looked over the list and realized that I was never going to get anywhere near that goal if I didn't start writing something. Right then and there, I went to the Chicken Soup website to see what story submissions they were looking for. / TribLocal

Montpelier, VT
NEW PARTNERSHIP SERVING DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING VERMONTERS
The Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and the Deaf Vermonters Advocacy Services (DVAS) jointly announced today that they are forming a new partnership in service to people who are deaf or hard of hearing in Vermont. / vtdigger.org

Rochester, NY
NTID PROGRAMS HELP DEAF COMMUNITY THRIVE
As a hard-of-hearing teenager from St. Louis, Gerard Buckley found his life transformed when he enrolled at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Now he's repaying the favor. As the first NTID alumnus to become its president, he's losing no time in creating new projects for this college at Rochester Institute of Technology. / Democrat and Chronicle

See Also NTID LEADER IS PASSIONATE FOR EDUCATION / Democrat and Chronicle

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Walnut Creek, CA
ABC FAMILY SERIES 'SWITCHED AT BIRTH' SEEN AS A GOOD SIGN
Olivia Stein, a 17-year-old student at California School for the Deaf in Fremont, Calif., can probably count on one hand how many times she has seen someone like herself beaming from a television screen. It's no wonder, then, that she has become hooked on "Switched at Birth," a feel-good family drama pegged, in part, to multiple deaf characters who have brought some prime-time exposure to an underrepresented segment of society. / Contra Costa Times

See Also HITFIX INTERVIEW: CREATOR LIZZY WEISS TALKS SWITCHED AT BIRTH / HitFix

See Also MARLEE MATLIN ON WHY THE SHOW IS BREAKTHROUGH TV / The Wall Street Journal

Rochester, NY
SIGNING 'NEMO' AT OLYMPIA HIGH SCHOOL
Taylor Rodwell stands on the edge of the stage at Greece Olympia High School, signing to friend Alexandrea Rambali next to the risers. Their hands move rapidly, and other students mill on stage waiting for direction as they rehearse a stage setting of “Finding Nemo.” Teacher Sharon Duffy says, verbally, to have students take their places and perform from the top. Not everyone here is deaf. But they’re all students in Duffy’s American sign language classes, and their love of the language goes beyond the classroom into the ASL Club. / Henrietta Post

Ashland, OR
A CAPTIONED AUDIENCE
For deaf and hearing-impaired audience members and others with disabilities, the accessibility of a genuine theater experience at Oregon Shakespeare Festival is better than ever. Since captioning its first play in 2007, OSF has continued to bolster in-theater services for its deaf and hearing-impaired audience members each season, and is discussing the potential of making further adjustments to better those services for upcoming seasons. / Mail Tribune

Victoria, TX
IN HER ARTWORK, A DEAF WOMAN FINDS HER VOICE
The chilly winter air flutters tufts of short, mousey brown hair away from Laura Lang's face as she dabs a brush into a paint palette. "Muh," the 44-year-old groans as she mixes soft and hard paint strokes onto a picnic table at Dad's RV Park -- an artistic talent she recently tapped into. Staring at her mother, Lang signs and uses facial expressions to communicate why she likes birds. Her mother cracks a smile. "Cause they're pretty" her mother translates. Lang was born partially deaf and by the time she was 5 years old, she was completely deaf, her mother Wanda Wilson says. / The Republic

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SPORTS
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Wilmington, NC
DEAF UNCW BASKETBALL MANAGER SETTING EXAMPLE
Dan Larkin, a sophomore, is one of 10 student-managers for the UNCW men's basketball team. Larkin doesn't hear every instruction from coach Buzz Peterson or every request from a player. But it doesn't matter. He's already met their needs. / StarNewsOnline.com

Pittsburgh, PA
LET'S HEAR IT FOR SOUTH PARK SENIOR
Moments before the national anthem, as Johnny Sopczynski warmed up within earshot, the officiating crew approached South Park boys basketball coach Will Saunders with a serious concern. They saw the contraption Sopczynski was wearing, which wrapped around his right ear and the side of his head. Worried about their liability should something happen to it or him during Tuesday's game against West Mifflin, they threatened not to allow the Eagles swingman to wear his earpiece. / Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Framingham, MA
R.I. GOLF CHARITY AWARDS FRAMINGHAM DEAF SCHOOL $20K
The Learning Center for the Deaf has been awarded $20,000 by the 2011 CVS Caremark Charity Classic. The annual golf tournament, Rhode Island’s largest charitable sporting event, distributed $1.2 million to 64 nonprofit organizations in total this past year. / The MetroWest Daily News

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EMPLOYMENT
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You can advertise your job openings here for just $20 a week (up to 100 words, 10 cents each add'l word). To place your ad, send the announcement to mail@deafweekly.com.

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LOCATION: Deaf Mental Health Services

Position: Mental Health Practitioner/Community Support Specialist

PT (Tues 1pm-9:30pm, Wed 9am-5:30pm, Fri 1pm-9:30pm) Mental Health Practitioner/Community Support Specialist position available at a deaf mental health service program in Minneapolis. The primary responsibility of this individual will be to provide overall staff support and direction to the Deaf Mental Health Services Program drop-in center services. The individual will also have primary responsibility for scheduling and planning recreational/social activities in the drop-in, psychosocial rehabilitation skill training to individual clients, and provide information, referrals, and advocacy for clients both in the center and in the community. To qualify for this position your must be fluent in American Sign Language, have a Bachelor’s degree and two years experience providing direct services to adults with mental illness. Ability to read, analyze and interpret general human service periodicals, a familiarity with Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf/Blind histories and culture, ability to work independently as well as part of a tea, and valid driver’s license also required. Salary $17.80/hour Job Code: MHP500

Information: Tawnie Langenfeld, Human Resources, People Incorporated, tawnie.langenfeld@peopleincorporated.org

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FACULTY POSITION OPENING

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
Northridge, California 91330

Department: Deaf Studies

Effective Date of Appointment: August 2012
(Subject to Budgetary Approval)

Rank: Assistant/Associate Professor (Two Tenure-Track Positions)

Salary: Dependent on Qualifications

Qualifications: Earned doctorate in Deaf Studies, Linguistics, American Sign Language (ASL), or closely related field of study. ABD candidates will be considered, but doctorate must be completed by the time of appointment (August 2012). General knowledge of linguistic principles of ASL and an understanding of sign language interpreting processes with ASL as the foundation. Possess strong and effective teaching methods in various aspects of ASL and/or related courses in Deaf Studies. Extensive knowledge of Deaf Culture and the Deaf community. Evidence of successful teaching experience at the college level. Demonstrated evidence of recent scholarly publications or equivalencies and activities or evidence of potential for such scholarly accomplishments. Ability to interact effectively with both Deaf and hearing people. Evidence of positive relationships and collegiality with university students, staff, and colleagues. Evidence of participation in ASL/Deaf Studies and Deaf community organizations on local, state, and national levels. Commitment to the Deaf bilingual/bicultural experience and its foundation in basic human rights. Native/native-like fluency in ASL. Basic understanding of curriculum development. Demonstrated commitment to teaching and mentoring a diverse student population.

CSUN is a Learning Centered University. The successful candidate will be expected to join faculty and staff in a commitment to active learning, to the assessment of learning outcomes, and to multiple pathways that enable students to graduate.

At time of appointment, the successful candidate, if not a U.S. citizen, must have authorization from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services to work in the United States.

Evidence of degree(s) required at time of hire.

Responsibilities: Teach American Sign Language and Deaf Studies content courses. The standard teaching load is twelve (12) units per semester (plus committee assignments). A reduced load will be assigned during the first year of teaching. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to and participate in the life and development of the department (including curriculum and program development); engage in scholarship and community service and to remain current in their field; serve on departmental, college, and/or university committees, and to participate in other service as needed.

Application Process: Applicants should submit: (1) a letter of application that includes statements of teaching and research interests, (2) a current curriculum vitae that includes educational background, prior teaching experience, and evidence of scholarship and/or related professional experience, (3) evidence of teaching effectiveness/potential (including sample syllabi and summaries of student evaluations, if available), (4) photocopies of all earned degrees and certificates, and (5) the names and contact information of at least three professional references.

Application Deadline: Screening to begin on February 24, 2012. Position to remain open until filled.

Inquiries and nominations should be addressed to:

Flavia S. Fleischer, Chair
Department of Deaf Studies
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, California 91330-8265

General Information:
California State University, Northridge, one of the largest of the 23 campuses of The California State University system, is located twenty-five miles northwest of central Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley, a suburb with a multi-ethnic population of over one million people. The University enrolls approximately 35,000 students (27,000 FTEs) from diverse ethnic backgrounds, served by 4,000 faculty. Nine Colleges offer baccalaureate degrees in 70 degree programs, master’s degrees in 58 graduate degree programs, 1 doctorate graduate program and 55 teaching credentials in the field of education, and various opportunities in extended learning and other special programs. For more information about the University, check our website: http://www.csun.edu/.

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, California State University, Northridge has made crime-reporting statistics available on-line at http://www-admn.csun.edu/police/clery-report-2009.pdf. Print copies are available in the library and by request from the Office of Public Safety and the Office of Faculty Affairs.

Applicants who wish to request accommodations for a disability may contact the Office of Equity and Diversity, (818) 677-2077.

The university is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sexual identity, sexual orientation, sexual expression, gender, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran status.

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District Manager, Outreach - Southeast

To apply for this position with Purple Communications, please follow this link and apply through our Careers Page:
http://www.purple.us/job-search.aspx?jobid=214635

About Purple Communications
Purple Communications is one of the nation's largest providers of communication services for the deaf, hard of hearing, and speech-disabled communities. As a leading provider of onsite interpreting services, video relay and text relay services, and video remote interpreting, the Company delivers a wide array of options designed to meet the varied communication needs of its customers. Purple Communications’ vision is to improve the quality of life of its customers by being their premier provider of high quality, innovative communication services that break down communications barriers.

POSITION SUMMARY:
Under minimal supervision; engages and oversees the work of sales employees who represent the Company’s products and services to deaf consumers in local communities. This position builds relationships, and promotes customer awareness and loyalty through effective outreach, marketing, sponsorships, and product support services. This job requires in-depth familiarity with the deaf community and culture; knowledge of sales techniques, business operations, and management principles; and familiarity with sales channels for products and services that support the communication needs of deaf people.

Duties and Essential Job Functions:
* Oversee the work of sales employees who represent and support the Company’s products and services to customers in local areas.
* Train representatives on services, products, procedures, systems, technology, and customer training. Promote effective sales behaviors such as analyzing customer needs, qualifying customers, providing solutions, and ensuring customers understand products.
* Communicate productivity goals, monitor employees progress toward goals, and provide feedback on quality of work.
* Perform community outreach. Build relationships within the deaf and hard of hearing communities, provide services to agencies and schools, and participate in a variety of events.
* Work with employees to resolve customer service issues and to assist customers with technical issues.
* Assist marketing team by traveling to tradeshows, events, and conventions. Network with attendees, and promote company products and services.
* Gather lead information from events, and feed into a system that employees can access.
* Correspond with employees on a daily basis using extensive email and videophone, and respond to issues or questions as they arise. Facilitate or attend daily conference calls with employees to discuss issues, ideas, feedback, training and other matters.
* Verify that employees work is completed, and approve invoices, travel and expenses. Complete and process paperwork, and manage the standard contracting process.
* Source and recruit new employees using a variety of means such as posters, agencies, schools, publications, networking, and outreach. Find good quality representatives who are comfortable with technology, possess leadership skills, and have strong connections throughout the deaf community. Enter into contracts with those who are best suited to represent products, and are willing to commit.
* Serve as point of contact for company sponsorship, select sponsorship opportunities and enter into agreements.
* Respond to escalated customer complaints, issues and questions. Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
1. High School Diploma or G.E.D.; Associates degree (A.A.) or Bachelors Degree in Business Management or Communications related discipline, preferred.
2. Experience in sales and sales training. Supervisory experience is desirable. 3. Must be a self starter who can work independently without close supervision, and a self confident outreach professional who is comfortable approaching people in a variety of settings.
4. Knowledge of relay services, products and how they function. Solid comfort level in working with various technologies and using electronic communication tools and devices.
5. American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency, extensive knowledge of the deaf culture, and familiarity with products and services that support the communication needs of deaf and hard of hearing people.
6. Knowledge of and ability to use specialized software related to departmental operations, including Internet, spreadsheet, presentation, and word processing programs.
7. Familiarity with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Regulations and Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) standards.
8. Ability to communicate effectively, train employees, present information and respond to questions from clients, customers, and managers.
9. Planning skills to establish priorities and meet objectives, plus the flexibility to work evenings and weekends, and handle last minute requests.
10. Ability to handle multiple, competing priorities and work effectively under pressure.
11. Basic mathematical skills including the ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, and percentages.
12. Knowledge of departmental operations, and organizational policies, processes and procedures, and ability to establish and communicate goals and priorities.
13. Human relations skills to build effective working relationships with company staff, employees, customers, community groups and individuals.

Disclaimer:
The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to this job. Employees are expected to follow their supervisor’s instructions and to perform the tasks requested by their supervisors.

To apply for this position with Purple Communications, please follow this link and apply through our Careers Page:
http://www.purple.us/job-search.aspx?jobid=214635

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