Deafweekly August 15, 2007

deafweekly

August 15, 2007
Vol. 3 No. 22

Editor: Tom Willard

Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community that is mailed to subscribers every Wednesday and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. Please visit our website to read current and back issues, sign up for a subscription and advertise. Deafweekly is copyrighted 2007 and any unauthorized use, including reprinting of news, is prohibited. Please support our advertisers; they make it possible for you to receive Deafweekly at no charge.

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EDITOR'S NOTE
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It has been a while since I've added anything to my blog, but I've put up a few new articles recently and thought you might like to check them out:

Why must journalists spotlight deafness?

Free sign language classes a MUST!

Open exhibit hall to one and all

AG Bell protest: Thinking back, looking ahead

We need adult schools for the deaf

For one reason or another, all of these postings failed to make the cut at DeafRead.com and thus they have gone overlooked. Hope you enjoy reading them and I will look forward to your own thoughts and ideas on these topics.

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NATIONAL
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MOBILE HOME FIRE KILLS DEAF COUPLE, 8-YEAR-OLD GIRL

A deaf couple and an 8-year-old girl were killed in a mobile home fire early Thursday, August 2 in Eagle, Idaho. Harold Eugene Waterer, 38, his daughter, Star D. Waterer, 8, and Heather Bohlin, 19, died of carbon monoxide poisoning, reported the Idaho Press Tribune. The family had just moved into the mobile home a day earlier. Bohlin was 32 weeks pregnant and hospital staff performed a cesarean section to try and save the baby, but the infant girl was stillborn. Fire officials had not determined the cause of the fire but noted that a smoke detector found in the home did not have a strobe light for the deaf.

SCHOOL CHIEF’S SON RECOVERING FROM IRAQ INJURIES

Army Specialist Kevin Mowl, son of Rochester School for the Deaf Superintendent Harold Mowl, is recovering at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. from injuries he received two weeks ago in Iraq. Mowl suffered brain trauma and several broken bones when an IED exploded in Baghdad, reported WHEC. His parents and sister were with him at the hospital during his recovery. In an email to the school, Harold Mowl said, “Kevin had a comfortable night. ... He was off sedation very briefly, responded to voices and moved his arm a bit.” Kevin’s deaf cousin, Anthony Mowl, wrote a blog about Kevin on DeafDC.com, and a page for Kevin has been established on CaringBridge.com.

DEAF WOMAN’S KILLER DENIED PAROLE

A Great Falls, Mont. man who was convicted in 1989 of raping and killing a deaf woman and dumping her body in the Missouri River has been denied parole, said the Great Falls Tribune. James Olivieri, 41, has served 18 years of a 120-year sentence for murder, obstructing justice and using a weapon in the death of Ethel Wood. Earlier this month, the state parole board denied his request for the second time this year and probably won’t consider the matter again until 2011, said Cascade County Attorney Brant Light.

CAR-TRAIN COLLISION RESULTS IN MAN’S DEATH

An elderly hard-of-hearing Fort Collins, Colo. man was killed Sunday afternoon when he drove his car into the path of an oncoming freight train. William J. Lofink’s death was ruled an accident by the Larimer County Coroner’s Office, reported The Coloradoan, and an autopsy failed to find any obvious medical conditions that contributed to the accident. A hearing aid was recovered from Lofink’s car, said Dianne Fairman of the coroner’s office. The train crew reported seeing Lofink, 85, drive alongside the train and then cross in front of it. “Why the individual did that may ultimately never be known,” said BNSF Railway spokesman Steve Forsberg.

OHIO PREACHER GETS 17 YEARS FOR CHILD RAPE

An Ohio judge sentenced Baptist preacher Wayne Biles to 17 years in prison for rape, kidnapping and gross sexual imposition, reported The Plain Dealer. One of the two victims, a deaf girl who was 12 in 2005 when she was molested, was in court with a sign-language interpreter for the July 31 sentencing but chose not to make a statement. (The other victim was Biles’ 25-year-old stepdaughter, who said he began molesting her when she was 12.) Biles, 54, tried to recant his June guilty plea but Judge Hollie Gallagher wouldn’t allow it. Said the mother of the deaf victim: “We do take comfort in the fact that the same thing that pedophile Biles did to these two children, his cellmate is going to do to him.”

MAN CLEARED ON RAPE, KIDNAPPING CHARGES

A deaf Pennsylvania man was acquitted of rape and kidnapping charges in a Fayette County courtroom last Tuesday, said the Tribune-Review. Robert H. Newbraugh, 52, of Lemont Furnace, admitted that he tried to hire a prostitute but denied that he forced the woman into his car or raped her. “It was just a normal encounter with a prostitute,” he said. Claiming it was his third encounter with the same woman, Newbraugh testifed that in the past he had taken his money back when he was unable to perform sexually. This time, said Newbraugh, “She wanted money. I didn’t have any.” Asked why the woman would agree to an IOU, he said, “Sometimes they do it for free.”

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CALIFORNIA ‘MENTOR’ GETS FOUR YEARS PROBATION

Timothy Wayne Harris was sentenced to four years probation and 555 days time served for molesting a deaf and mentally disabled man he was mentoring, said KNSD in San Diego, Calif. Harris, 46, pleaded guilty to sexual battery in January and had other charges dismissed as part of a plea agreement. The 24-year-old victim, from Perris, Calif., reported the crimes after Harris stopped mentoring him.

NEW MEXICO LAWYER AGREES TO SETTLEMENT

A private attorney in Albuquerque, N.M. has agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department in a case filed by a deaf woman through the National Association of the Deaf. Carolyn Tanaka, who uses sign language to communicate, said in her complaint that attorney Joseph David Camacho refused to provide her with an interpreter and instead depended on Tanaka’s 9-year-old son for communication. Camacho eventually withdrew from the case, said a news release, leaving Tanaka without counsel The settlement calls on Camacho to create a policy on communication with deaf clients and pay Tanaka $1,000 in compensatory damages.

CITY IN CONNECTICUT SETTLES COMPLAINT

The city of Torrington, Conn. has agreed to settle a federal civil rights action dating back to 2002 in which three deaf residents accused police of using excessive force to resolve a child custody dispute. According to the Register-Citizen, City Council members agreed to split $50,000 from an insurance policy between the three plaintiffs, Wendell Hunte, Barbara Hunte and Roosevelt Hunte. The Huntes claimed police used pepper spray to subdue them during a July 10, 2002 incident, while police said the family attacked them with two-by-fours with protruding nails. The settlement, which does not concede any police wrongdoing, was reached just as the case was set to begin trial.

RHODE ISLAND CANDIDATES MUST CAPTION TV ADS

Rhode Island Governor Donald R. Carcieri signed legislation recently that will require candidates for office in Rhode Island who receive matching public funds to caption their television ads. The legislation, introduced by Sen. William A. Walaska and Rep. Arthur Handy and approved by the General Assembly in June, also requires radio ads be provided in written or text format if requested by the listener. “Matching funds are public dollars,” said Rep. Handy said in a press release. “It’s only fair that these campaign messages are accessible to all.” The new law goes into effect on January 1.

AG BELL HAS NEW BOSS: ALEXANDER T. GRAHAM

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has a new executive director, and no, said an AG Bell spokeswoman, Alexander T. Graham is not related to the founder. Graham comes to the organization from the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals, where his duties included membership growth, revenue enhancement and operational streamlining. Graham also worked for the National Association of Workforce Boards and the Association of School Business Officials International, said a news release. “It is a great honor to have been chosen to lead the organization at such a pivotal time in the association’s history,” said Graham, who takes over in October. AG Bell was the target of protesters at a July 27-28 conference and faces criticism for its policies from the Deaf Bilingual Coalition, AGBell.info and others.

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INTERNATIONAL
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CHAIR OF DEAF SOCIETY REPORTED ABDUCTED

The chairman of the International Society for the Deaf was seized by Israeli soldiers at a Hebron checkpoint while on his way to work last Wednesday, reported the International Middle East Media Center in the Palestinian Territories. Yakub Munir Sa’ed Abu Ramoz, 32, father of three and chairman of the society for three years, was apparently being held at an Israeli prison camp. It was the latest in a string of attacks on organizations for disabled Palestinians, said the report, and follows an Israeli raid two weeks ago on the offices of the non-profit Union of Disabled Palestinians.

BOY, 11, GOES MISSING FROM INDIAN DEAF SCHOOL

An 11-year-old deaf boy has gone missing from a school for the deaf in Orissa, India, raising fears that the boy has fallen prey to a child trafficking racket. According to the Kalinga Times, Butuna Mallick was left at the school two weeks ago by his father, described as a poor rickshaw puller whose wife is battling cancer. Told that his son would get a free education, food and boarding, Satrughna Mallick agreed to bring the boy to the school with a man named Prafulla Das, who has since disappeared. Later, when the father went to visit his son, “I received the shock of my life not finding the boy there,” he said. He wandered aimlessly in the city for five days before trying to file a police report. “The police behaved rudely,” he said, “and did not accept my written complaint.”

INDIAN FILM ABOUT DEAF GIRL SWEEPS TOP AWARDS

The Indian film Black, described by the Hindustan Times as “the struggle of a deaf-mute girl to live up to the expectations of her mentor,” swept the major honors at the International Indian Film Academy awards, including the best film, actor, actress and director trophies. Child actress Ayesha Kapoor won the Best Supporting Actress award for playing the young deaf girl. Other honors included a Best Story award to filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor for the film Iqbal, “a sensitive portrayal of a deaf-mute villager’s quest to make it big in cricket.”

DEAF NEW ZEALANDER THROWS HAT IN RING

Kim Robinson hopes to become the first deaf person in New Zealand to be elected to a district health board, reported the Marlborough Express. He is the only candidate so far to register for the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board elections, which are held every three years. Election official Richard Palmer, who said he expected up to 12 nominations, vowed to cancel the election if not enough people come forward. “If we don’t get enough numbers we won’t have an election,” he said.

COCHLEAR FACES POTENTIAL FACTORY STRIKE

A potential strike at a Cochlear factory in Australia threatens to affect the supply of hearing aids, said The Sydney Morning Herald. The dispute between workers and management could even affect local elections, especially if it lingers until the November 6 deadline when the company plans to terminate the current collective contract. Cochlear workers have become restive, said one unnamed employee. “There are a lot of older women who have worked here for a long time, who are normally very quiet but now they’re so angry they’re arking up,” he said.

THREATENED LONDON SCHOOL SEES NEW HOPE

The Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children in London will be flattened to make way for a new secondary school, reported the Hampstead and Highgate Express. Camden Council members planned to demolish the school in part because only three of 40 students come from Camden borough. Frank Barnes officials feared they would be “cut adrift to fight for their future,” said the report, but pressure from governors and staff forced the Council to look at alternatives. Solutions range from building a new center for deaf students in Camden to merging Frank Barnes with a deaf school in Muswell Hill.

CHINA DROPS OUT OF SWIMMING EVENT IN TAIWAN

China’s deaf swimming team dropped out of a major competition that started last Saturday in Taiwan but wouldn’t say why. The 2007 World Deaf Swimming Championships in Taoyuan, which includes swimmers from 24 countries, is a warm-up event for the 2009 Summer Deaflypics, which will be hosted by Taipei. (Wikinews coverage can be seen here.) According to the Taipei Times, China had agreed to participate in the competition but informed organizers three weeks ago that it was backing out. “Their move came as a surprise,” said Yeh Kung-ting, director of the organizing committee, “but it’s not the first time China has abruptly dropped out of sports events hosted by Taiwan.”

CANADA CONSIDERS FIRST SIGN LANGUAGE COLLEGE

Canadian deaf advocates want to build Canada’s first sign language college on free land being offered by the Ontario town of Milton, said the Toronto Star. “This has been our dream for decades, to finally build the first deaf college in Canada,” said Jim Roots, executive director of the Canadian Association of the Deaf. But critics point to declining school enrollment - only nine students now attend the Metropolitan Toronto School for the Deaf, down from more than 100 ten years ago - and increasing reliance on cochlear implants and speech. More than 800 babies have been identified with hearing loss since 2001, said the report, “and about 94 percent have chosen to have cochlear implants.”

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LIFE & LEISURE
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DEAF STUDENT NAMED MISS SEAFAIR IN SEATTLE

Emily Suen, 20, was crowned Miss Seafair 2007 during a parade July 28 in Seattle, Wash. According to the Post Intelligencer, Suen is a dual business and psychology major at the University of Washington who volunteers with the deaf and deaf-blind community, “having been a victim of hearing loss herself.” A beauty pageant veteran, Suen won $6,400 in scholarships and will appear at several upcoming events. “I’m so excited,” she said.

FORMER QUEEN REVIVES MICHIGAN PAGEANT

The biennial Miss Deaf Michigan pageant went on hiatus after the September 11, 2001 tragedy but was revived thanks largely to Kenya Lowe, the 1999 pageant winner. Lowe told the Kalamazoo Gazette that she asked the Michigan Deaf Association how she could pass on the crown “and was told ... I would have to host the pageant myself.” She did exactly that, restarting the event in 2005 with help from April Lindbergh, Miss Deaf Michigan 1997. This year’s pageant took place July 28 and featured a new addition - the first Junior Miss Deaf Michigan Pageant for youth ages 13 to 17.

RAYOVAC DEVELOPS LONGER-LASTING BATTERY

Rayovac has developed a new hearing aid battery to meet the higher demands of cochlear implants, reported bdaily in Newcastle, U.K. Technical improvements developed at Rayovac’s European headquarters in Washington, Tyne and Wear, allow the new battery to regulate the air used to convert zinc to energy at all times, maximizing available power for more time and improving sound quality. Rayovac worked with device manufacturers, healthcare workers and hearing aid users on the battery, said Sales Director Vince Armitage, and the new product “matches the needs of users and will improve their quality of life.”

KENTUCKY JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES EXPAND DEAF SERVICES

A new Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Richmond, Ky. wasn’t easy to build - “One weekend a storm came and it blew the trusses off,” Brad Bates told the Richmond Register - but the work is now done and the new building will allow the group to expand its services to the Hispanic and deaf communities. About 60 people belong to the deaf congregation, said Bates, of Lexington’s Kingdom Hall. “We have people come from as far away as Louisville,” said Larry Goss, who directs the sign language services. “The next closest sign-language group of Jehovah’s Witnesses is in Ohio.” Services for the deaf take place Saturdays at 2 p.m. and all services combine adults and children.

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WORKING WORLD
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GOAMERICA TO ACQUIRE VERIZON VIDEO RELAY SERVICES

GoAmerica, Inc. announced August 2 that it will acquire the assets of Verizon’s Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) division for $50 million in cash and up to $8 million in “contingent cash consideration.” Verizon’s TRS business generated about $67 million in revenue last year, said a news release, and 93 percent came from IP-related forms of text and video relay services. Along with GoAmerica’s 2006 revenue, the combined entity would have taken in about $80 million last year “on a pro-forma basis.” CEO Dan Luis said the deal, which still needs approval from federal regulators and GoAmerica shareholders, will help the company expand its presence in the relay market and give it “a financially sound platform for growth.”

‘ONLY DEAF JUDGE IN TEXAS’ MAKES HEADLINES

The San Antonio (Texas) Express-News reported Monday on Judge Marion T. Carson, who “may be the only totally deaf presiding judge in the state.” (The State Bar doesn’t keep track.) Carson was a trial lawyer for 37 years when an accident in 2000 left him deaf. “At first I was depressed,” he said. Then he enrolled in San Antonio College, where professors in the ASL and Interpreter Training Program “taught me how to sign and read lips and use my other senses more.” Carson, who turns 70 on Saturday, uses hearing aids and read lips in the courtroom, though he also has a captioning system in case he misses anything. “Judge Carson is one of the best judges you will find,” said City Manager Todd Parton.

GRANTS OF $20,000 EACH AWARDED TO 23 RESEARCHERS

The New York-based Deafness Research Foundation announced earlier this month that it has awarded 23 grants of $20,000 each to outstanding scientists in the field of hearing research. The 49-year-old foundation has awarded over $23 million through nearly 2,100 research grants, said a news release, and is “committed to funding hearing and balance research at the level of a government grant.” A 5-page PDF document with information on each recipient and project can be seen here.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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'ALL MY CHILDREN' LAUNCHES DEAF STORYLINE

ABC’s long-running daytime drama All My Children is launching a storyline about a toddler who becomes deaf in a car accident. Bob Hiltermann plays Walter Novak, the soap opera’s first deaf character, in a story arc that begins this week. According to MovieWeb, producers have been working with One Life to Live star Kassie DePaiva, whose deaf son, James Quentin, had his first cochlear implant at 18 months and his second at age 8. JQ, as he is known, will guest star on All My Children episodes of September 20, 21 and 24. The show is consulting with the League for the Hard of Hearing and promises to cast deaf actors with cochlear implants in all applicable roles.

BAND MEMBER TAPS INTO TECHNOLOGY FOR DEAF JAM

Organizing the Deaf Jam concert that took place August 4 in Albuquerque, N.M. was “just something Deborah Reese wanted to do,” said The Albuquerque Tribune. Reese, who performed with her own band Black T-Shirt Monday, didn’t grow up with deaf people and isn’t fluent in sign language, but putting on a concert for deaf people is something she’s passionate about. She planned to tap into technology to make sounds come to life through vision and vibration, using a software program that creates images that respond not-for-note with each sound. “We spent hours going through [each song],” said Reese, who hopes to put together another event for deaf people in November.

FORMER GALLAUDET ART CHAIR HAS DELAWARE SHOW

Painter Barbara Petterson, who spent almost 30 years at Gallaudet University as chairperson of the art department and as an instructor, is exhibiting a collection of coastal scenes at the Peninsula Gallery in Lewes, Del. Petterson, a Lewes resident for almost 20 years, paints the local area and its people in saltwater themes and “peoplescapes” that are “carefully composed and features bright, crisp colors and rich textures,” said the Cape Gazette. Images from the show, which will remain on display until August 29, can be seen here.

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SPORTS
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GALLAUDET ATHLETICS GETS 2 YEARS PROBATION

The Capitol Athletic Conference has placed Gallaudet University athletics on probation for two years because an ineligible student-athlete competed on the volleyball team in 2005-06. The NCAA recognized the CAC’s decision and deleted the team’s performance in the 2005 NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship and its place in the final standings, acting PR director Rosalyn Prickett told The Washington Post. President Robert Davila said he took the sanctions very seriously and believed the situation creates “an opportunity for us to take a closer look at our entire athletic program.”

DEAF-BLIND TRIO CYCLE FOR DEAF BLIND RELAY SERVICE

Three deaf-blind cyclists were set to join the California Deaf Wheelers On their annual 424-mile race from Santa Cruz to Los Angeles from August 4 to 10, said a recent press release. John Lee Clark, 28, Jelica Nuccio, 42, and Molly Wezel-Peterson, 27, planned the trek to call attention to a proposal before the Federal Communications Commission to create a Deaf Blind Relay Service. Clark, a poet, publisher and writer from Minnesota, and Nuccio, executive director of the DeafBlind Service Center in Seattle, planned to ride on tandem bicycles with sighted partners, while Wezel-Peterson, a business major at Gallaudet, planned to ride on a solitary bike. “We have been training for several weeks now,” said Wezel-Peterson. “We are ready to show the world what we can do.”

GOLF TOURNAMENT TO FUND CAMP LAKODIA SCHOLARSHIPS

CSD of Sioux Falls, S.D. is planning its fifth CSD Golf Classic at Prairie Green Golf Course on August 27. The event is designed to raise funds for Camp Lakodia youth programs, said event coordinator James Johnson in a press release, and this year’s goal is to raise $30,000. Proceeds will help campers attend the annual National Leadership and Literacy Camp and other programs. The tournament will include a hole-in-one contest with a Harley Davidson motorcycle as grant prize and a putting contest that offers $5,000 to the top winner. More information in PDF format can be seen here.

ASPEN CAMP REOPENS, EYES YEAR-ROUND SCHEDULE

After cancelling the 2006 summer sessions for a campus overhaul, the Aspen Camp of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Colorado reopened this year with three summer sessions of three weeks each amid hopes that the program will expand to a year-round facility open to all local groups. Founded in 1967 on 17 acres in the mountains near Old Snowmass, the camp’s mission has not changed but “the manner in which the mission is executed has,” Executive Director Judith Cross told the Vail Daily News. This year’s camp was open to hearing siblings, a convenience for parents who didn’t have to send their kids to separate camps. Year-round usage will require several rustic camp buildings to be winterized, and Anderson Windows has helped out by donating 28 windows for three buildings.

N.Y. METS PLAN DEAF AWARENESS DAY

The New York Mets announced plans this week to hold the first Deaf and Hard of Hearing Awareness Day at Shea Stadium in Flushing, N.Y. on Saturday, September 29, when the Mets host the Florida Marlins for a day game starting at 1:10 p.m. The Mets are partnering with Sorenson Communications and a portion of tickets sold will be donated to two local non-profit organizations. Two ticket levels are available ($9 and $27) and all payments must be submitted by September 14. A pre-game ceremony will honor key supporters and each person will receive a Citi Field key chain. To order tickets, visit www.mets.com/groups (ID HEAR, Password METS) or fax ticket orders to Matt Gulotta at 718-507-7735.

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EMPLOYMENT
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Deaf & Hard of Hearing Interpreting Services (DHIS, Inc) based in New York City is recruiting for the following positions.

Staff Interpreter - full-time and part-time staff sign language interpreters to work within the community and our video relay service call center. Must be able to provide excellent interpreting skills for a variety of consumers. Will need to be comfortable working in a call center environment, and have the ability to use a broad spectrum of ASL to accommodate a diverse consumer base.

Qualifications
- RID or NAD certified preferred. Pre-certified interpreters who have successfully passed DHIS screening and/or who have appropriate experience.
- Strong personal ethical decision making skills along with knowledge of the RID and NAD Code of Ethics.
- Three years experience working as a sign language interpreter in a variety of settings.
- Possess strong capacity for self assessment of your interpreting and interpersonal skills with the ability to incorporate practical feedback.
- A dedication to superior customer service.

Call Center Manager - for its Manhattan based VRS Call Center. Manages the operation of the VRS call center and call center employees. Responsible for all aspects of training sign language interpreters as Video Interpreters, including coaching and mentoring current interpreters, developing and implementing ongoing training processes and procedures, creating and maintaining employee work schedules, maintaining a working knowledge of call volume, booth occupancy/minute ratios and providing daily/weekly/monthly/annual reports. Holds staff meetings to ensure effective communication in the office, master the VRS interpreter software application, manages the employee rating and evaluation process, ensures all employees abide by company and FCC polices, rules and regulations, manages the center and its expenditures within the guidelines of the established budget.

Qualifications
- RID or NAD certified preferred.
- 10 years working experience as a sign language interpreter working in a variety of settings preferred
- Background managing teams of people and projects
- Strong personal ethical decision making skills along with commitment to the RID and NAD Code of Ethics.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with managers, peers and other co-workers.

Send résumés to: Elizabeth.Keegan@dhisnyc.com

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT GLAD

GLAD is an Affirmative Action Employer with equal opportunity for men, women and people with disabilities. For more information on the following positions, please go to: www.gladinc.org. The status of all positions is: Regular, Full-time, Non-Exempt, Full Fringe Benefits unless otherwise noted. All positions are open until filled.

- Regional Director - Riverside
- Director of LIFESIGNS - Los Angeles
- Community Interpreter 1 - Riverside
- Community Interpreter 2 (3 positions open) - Riverside
- Lead Dispatcher - Los Angeles
- Community Advocate - Los Angeles
- Community Advocate - Ventura
- Hard of Hearing Specialist - Riverside
- Hard of Hearing Specialist (Temporary) - Los Angeles
- LIFESIGNS Dispatcher - Riverside
- Community Advocate (Part-time) - Riverside
- Community Health Educator - Los Angeles

If interested for any of these positions then please submit resume and application to:

Jeff Fetterman
Human Resources Specialist
Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc.
2222 Laverna Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90041
V/TDD: (323) 550-4207
Fax #: (323)550-4204
E-mail: jfetterman@gladinc.org

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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Position: Product Manager, Relay Services
Location: Hackensack, NJ

This position is responsible for managing the company’s product portfolio of new and existing Internet-based relay products, services, features and platforms, in timely response to customer, market, competitive, and operational requirements.

This position includes the following responsibilities: (i) manage new and existing relay product/service offerings for deaf and hard-of-hearing customers; (ii) drive product/service development/management process within the company and with outside vendors, producing and iterating specifications throughout; (iii) develop and implement customer research and cultivate first-hand understanding of customers; (iv) monitor product/service performance and drive product/service lifecycle changes as required; (v) participate in development and management of overall customer communications strategy and customer/trade promotion strategy; (vi) develop pricing/offers and pursue initiatives for new business development. This position reports to the Vice President of Product Management.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Technical or marketing degree with 4-6 years of product management experience; telecommunications or hearing/speech industry experience desirable
Ideal candidate must enjoy technology and its use in building bridges among the Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing communities
PC literate for analyses and forecasts/budgets
Able to juggle multiple projects & changing priorities with enthusiasm; be able to give clear direction to ensure deadlines are met and quality results are achieved
Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills
Attention to detail and accuracy
Work with minimal supervision to coordinate activities with internal departmental staff and contractors
Knowledge of or interest in people with hearing loss; American Sign Language conversational abilities very desirable, or willingness to learn required
Ability to travel, especially on weekends, required

Application deadline: Until filled

Please submit your resume or application to: hr@goamerica.com

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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Position: Product Manager, Hard of Hearing Products & Services
Location: Hackensack, NJ

This position is responsible for managing the company’s portfolio of new and existing products and services geared to, but not limited to, the Hard of Hearing market (e.g., hearing-aid compatible mobile phones, Internet-based captioned telephone service, voice carry over services), in timely response to customer, market, competitive, and operational requirements.

This position includes the following responsibilities: (i) develop, recommend, and implement strategic/tactical product/service offerings primarily targeting (but not limited to) the Hard of Hearing Market; (ii) manage new and existing product/service offerings for hard-of-hearing customers; (iii) drive Hard of Hearing product/service development/management process within the company and with outside vendors, producing and iterating specifications throughout; (iv) develop and implement customer research and cultivate first-hand understanding of customers; (v) monitor Hard of Hearing product/service performance and drive product/service lifecycle changes as required; (vi) participate in development and management of overall customer communications strategy and customer/trade promotion strategy; (vii) develop pricing/offers and pursue initiatives for new business development. This position reports to the Vice President of Product Management.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Application deadline: Until filled

Please submit your resume or application to: hr@goamerica.com

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INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS NEEDED

Position: i711 Relay Specialist
Location: Hackensack, NJ

We are seeking independent contractors to help drive i711 relay services revenue by assisting customers with installing required hardware and/or software and by providing remote and/or onsite customer training to ensure positive, sustained, and increasing customer usage of i711 relay services.

i711 Relay Specialists have the following responsibilities, among others: (1) complete an assigned number of remote installations of i711 VRS per month; (2) review and approve customer applications for webcams, and conduct follow up interactions with customers until installation and usage is confirmed; (3) provide technical assistance to customers requiring help in setting up webcams, updating their videophone directories, and placing VRS calls; (4) participate in trade shows and community events, with an emphasis on qualifying prospects, capturing installation leads, and arranging for fulfillment; (5) provide remote and/or onsite customer education and training on using i711 relay services; and (6) provide, on an escalation basis, second-tier customer support and/or technical assistance to relay users, in collaboration with the Customer Support team.

QUALIFICATIONS:

4-year college degree or equivalent experience in a sales-, technical-, or community-related field
Self-starter with firsthand experience and knowledge of what it takes to “sell” relay services in a highly-competitive marketplace
Able to work effectively both in a team environment and independently, with minimal supervision
Demonstrates strong interpersonal, communication, and presentation/teaching skills
Able to multi-task effectively in a fast paced environment, with strong follow-through on a wide variety of details
Demonstrates strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
Able to travel to and from customer premises by private car and/or public transit
Able to work on a flexible schedule in order to meet sales and customer needs (some weekend and evening work time required)
Able to read and write large volumes of email and instant messages (IM)
Knowledge of or interest in people with hearing loss and communication challenges
Conversational fluency in American Sign Language (ASL)
3 years experience with Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office applications, and with using the Internet
Troubleshooting experience on PC and Macintosh; desktop support certification a plus
Technical experience with videophones, webcams, videoconferencing software, residential firewalls/routers, and wireless devices, or willingness and aptitude to learn
Experience presenting product information directly to end-user customers
Experience working in a customer service role preferred

Application deadline: Until filled

Please submit your resume or application to: hr@goamerica.com

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