Harold Mowl has more than 40 years of experience in the field of education of deaf students.  From 1968-1990, he worked at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Pittsburgh, the largest comprehensive center for deaf education in the state.  In addition to serving as administrative principal, he also was dean of students, classroom teacher, and dormitory houseparent.

In 1990, he became Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer of the Rochester School for the Deaf (RSD), which serves nearly 300 deaf and hard of hearing students and clients from central and western New York through its educational and outreach programs and services.

Mowl is chairperson of the 4201 Schools Association, a coalition of 11 schools for deaf, blind and physically disabled children in New York State.  He is past president of the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf and has served on the boards at Rochester Institute of Technology, Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, Discovering Deaf Worlds, and Health Association.  In addition he is the current chairperson of National Technical Institute for the Deaf’s National Advisory Group.

Mowl has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Bethany College, master’s degree in education of the deaf from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Ph.D. in special education from the University of Pittsburgh.

Mowl and his wife Mary reside in Pittsford, New York.  

James DeCaro, Ph.D.- Interim Vice President

James J. DeCaro is interim president and a professor at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), one of eight colleges of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). He is the director of NTID’s Postsecondary Education Network-International (PEN-International), a multinational collaborative network of colleges and universities serving deaf students that is funded by more than $10 million in grants from The Nippon Foundation of Japan. DeCaro is also director of the NTID Center on Access Technology, a center that focuses upon the application of innovative technologies to facilitate access to education for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Prior to holding these posts DeCaro served as dean of NTID for 14 academic years; two of those years as interim director and CEO. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering and a Ph.D. in instructional technology. 

DeCaro has been a Rotary International Scholar at University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (England) and a Fulbright Senior Scholar at Orebro University (Sweden). He holds an honorary professorship at Tianjin University of Technology (China). DeCaro was also awarded an honorary doctoral degree by Bauman Moscow State Technical University (Russia). In 2008 he received the FESCO award of Japan for his service to humanity.

Khadijat Rashid, Ph.D.- Board Member

Dr. Khadijat Rashid has been a member of the Gallaudet University faculty since 1994 and currently serves as Chair of the Department of Business. She has developed and taught a broad spectrum of courses including political economy for social work majors, international development and economic policy issues, development economics, and macroeconomics. In addition to her classroom initiatives, Dr. Rashid has served in several leadership capacities at Gallaudet University, including as a member of the Gallaudet Faculty Senate and representative of  the Faculty on the Academic Affairs Management Team.

Dr. Rashid served on the board of the World Deaf Leadership Program when it was first created, guiding development projects for the deaf communities in South Africa and Thailand in the late 1990’s. She has also worked with and trained people from several deaf communities in Africa as part of Gallaudet-initiated leadership training programs. Dr. Rashid has also worked with the National Deaf Business Institute, and taught several years for NDBI and Merrill Lynch's summer program for Deaf Business. She was the first coordinator of the Gallaudet Leadership Institute's Deaf Women's Leadership Program, and implemented the program and curriculum that form the core of the DWLP today. Dr. Rashid currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Maryland School for the Deaf.

Dr. Rashid graduated magna cum laude with degrees in Business, Accounting and Computer Information Systems from Gallaudet University.  She received her MBA from the University of Maryland with concentrations in Marketing and International Business, and her Ph.D. in International Relations from the American University, Washington DC.  Her primary areas of interest are micropolitical issues in international development, the economics of development, and gender and development.  Born in Africa, Dr. Rashid is widely traveled in both developing countries and the West, and enjoys meeting deaf people from around the world.

Michael Schwartz, Ph.D., Esq- Board Member

Michael A. Schwartz, a deaf lawyer, is an associate professor and director of the Disability Rights Clinic at Syracuse University's civil rights clinic for people with disabilities. Formerly a University Fellow, Schwartz holds five degrees, including a Ph.D. degree from Syracuse University in Education with a concentration in Disability Studies. His dissertation was a qualitative study of deaf patients in the medical setting. He began teaching at Syracuse after a four-year teaching stint at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, New York.

Schwartz received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Brandeis University, a Master of Arts degree in Theater Arts from Northwestern University, a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law, a Master of Laws degree from Columbia University School of Law, and a Ph.D. degree from Syracuse University.

Schwartz has been an actor with the National Theater of the Deaf; a law clerk to a federal district court judge; Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office; Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice; a solo practitioner; and Assistant Attorney General in the New York State Department of Law.

   

Madan M. Vasishta was born in India and became deaf at age 11. He worked as a farmer for the next 10 years and moved to Delhi in 1961 where he first met deaf people and learned to sign. Vasishta taught photography in India and worked with the All India Federation of the Deaf before coming to Gallaudet in 1967.  He earned his B.A. in History and Psychology, M.A. in Deaf Education and Ph.D. in Special Education Administration from Gallaudet and later worked as a teacher, program evaluator, principal, researcher and administrator in various schools for the deaf. 

Vasishta retired from New Mexico School for the Deaf as its superintendent in 2000.  He has authored five books, scores of articles and book chapters and has made over 50 presentations at  national and international conferences.

At present, Vasishta divides his time between teaching at Gallaudet and working on various deafness-related projects in India. He is also working on two new books.

Bernard Bragg, Ph.D.- Board Member

An accomplished actor, director, playwright and lecturer, Bernard Bragg has trekked around the globe for fifty years beginning in 1956 when he studied with Marcel Marceau in Paris upon his invitation.  In the 1960s, he played an instrumental role during the formative years of the National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD), contributing as a leading actor, administrator, and sign master for ten years.  He has written numerous articles and several books related to theatre and signed arts. 

Among his many national and international awards, Dr. Bragg was awarded an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters from Gallaudet University in recognition of his extraordinary service to deaf people of the world in theatre, education and communication.  He also received a special Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Federation of the Deaf for his global leadership in theatre arts.  A resident of California, Dr. Bragg continues to enjoy painting, traveling and giving one-man shows. Currently, he is deeply involved in digital filmmaking – a new chapter in his long life. 

Stacey Miller- Board Member

Stacey Miller is the world’s foremost collector of ethnic hats and headdresses and authority on their cultural, historical and social significance. She is the founder and owner of Hat Horizons, a company based on a collection of 900 hats and headdresses from over 100 countries. Hat Horizons is dedicated to advancing the awareness and understanding of diverse cultures around the world through exhibits, education and presentations.  The collection completed a 5 year national tour being exhibited at 13 museums across the USA. The hats and headdresses have been showcased in Bergdorf Goodman’s holiday window on Fifth Avenue, NYC and featured in a HGTV program “The Ultimate Collector.”

Miller has collaborated with DDW on several occasions, loaning international headwear at fundraisers, presentations and other events.

Originally from Morristown, NJ, Miller had a previous career in the corporate world working for AT&T and Ogilvy & Mather Advertising in a variety of positions in marketing research, marketing and strategy. At AT&T she led inter-departmental teams to develop more effective procedures to enhance customer satisfaction, meet strategic objectives and drive down costs. At Ogilvy and Mather she designed and conducted research to assess customer attitudes and behavior and for new product development.

Miller attended Hampshire College and received a B.A. degree in political science and psychology from George Washington University.

A lifelong traveler and dauntless adventurer, Miller has lived abroad and traveled to over 55 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South and Central America. She speaks Spanish, French and some Chinese and plans to add ASL to the list.

Denise Thew, Ph.D.- Board Member

Denise Thew is currently a psychotherapist with the Deaf Wellness Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center and she will begin her Preventative Cardio Fellowship with the National Center on Deaf Health Research (NCDHR) at the University of Rochester in January 2010. She received her BA in Psychology with honors from the College of St. Mary in Omaha, NE, and MA in Counseling and PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of North Dakota. She is also a certified peer mediator. Thew is currently the chairperson for the American Psychological Association (APA) Special Interest Section on Deafness (SISD).  She has participated in several committees in which she received several national honors for her leadership and graduate work.  She has provided professional presentations nationally and internationally.
 
Originally from Vancouver BC, Canada, Thew had a previous career in the business and financial industries for over 12 years. In addition to managing several home businesses, she held several leading roles at various financial industries around Canada and the United States.  As an adventurous seeker since birth, Thew has traveled to hundreds of locations around North America and enjoyed the great outdoors.  She plans to expand her outdoor exploration overseas within the next few years.

Bryan Hensel, MBA- Board Member

Bryan Hensel is Director of Development & Special Funding at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), one of the eight colleges of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, NY.  Hensel has worked at NTID for four years and has secured more than $2 million in gifts for research and student scholarships from a variety of private foundations, corporations and individual donors.  Hensel began learning American Sign Language upon arriving at NTID and has since developed a great appreciation for the language and Deaf culture.
 
Prior to joining NTID, Hensel was the Associate Director of Development and Alumni Relations at the RIT E. Philip Saunders College of Business.  In that role he worked to reconnect alumni with the University and spearheaded several scholarship fundraising initiatives.
 
Hensel has a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology and an MBA with concentrations in finance and technology management, both degrees earned at RIT. Hensel is married to his lovely wife, Rebecca, and is the proud parent of Cooper, his adopted greyhound.

Christy Smith- Interim Secretary

Christy Smith is the Co-Founder of Discovering Deaf Worlds and a full-time volunteer dedicated to carrying out DDW's mission.  During DDW's 2007-2008 World Tour, she connected with over 100 deaf associations, schools and non-profit organizations in eight different countries; was exposed to nearly 20 languages signed, written or spoken; and filmed over 100 hours of interviews with international leaders and advocates to deaf communities worldwide.

Smith co-directed DDW’s first documentary, Discovering: Shuktara and currently serves as Secretary to the Board of Director's.  Since DDW's inception, she has collaboratively raised over $70,000 for DDW projects and has presented to several audiences of over 500 people on DDW’s mission, discoveries, and future programs.  

Originally from Basalt, CO, Smith graduated from Gallaudet University with a B.A. in Criminology and Sociology.  After surviving 33 out of 39 days as a contestant on CBS's Survivor: The Amazon (2003), she became a well known international role model to the deaf community.  Smith directed and co-produced a children's television show called Christy's Kids: Challenge Yourself, and has visited over 100 schools and organizations across North America as a motivational speaker.  

Smith is passionate about challenging others to believe in themselves and has held positions as an American Sign Language teacher, facilitator for the Colorado Home Intervention Program (CHIP), and discovery & program coordinator for the Aspen Camp School for the Deaf (ACSD).  She is currently pursuing her Master of Science degree in Secondary Education at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). 

David Justice- Interim Treasurer

David Justice is the Co-Founder of Discovering Deaf Worlds and a full-time volunteer dedicated to carrying out DDW's mission.  During DDW's 2007-2008 World Tour, he connected with over 100 deaf associations, schools and non-profit organizations in eight different countries; was exposed to nearly 20 languages signed, written or spoken; and filmed over 100 hours of interviews with international leaders and advocates to deaf communities worldwide.

Justice co-directed DDW’s first documentary, Discovering: Shuktara and currently serves as Treasurer to the Board of Director's where he maintains DDW’s budget, taxes, and official records.  Since DDW's inception, he has collaboratively raised over $70,000 for DDW projects.  Justice co-writes and edits DDW’s monthly newsletter, distributed to over 2,500 subscribers, and has presented to several audiences of over 500 people on DDW’s mission, discoveries, and future programs.  He also designed and updates DDW’s official website.

A native of Rochester, NY, Justice strives to be an intermediary of cultural understanding between deaf and hearing worlds.  He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Sociology from Ithaca College (IC), and holds an A.A.S. in ASL/English Interpreter Preparation from Front Range Community College (FRCC).  He has served as a counselor to the Aspen Camp School for the Deaf (ACSD), and as an English/American Sign Language interpreter in the states of CO, WA, OR, and NY.  Justice established a supportive employment service center for the Southwest Washington Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SWCDHH) and currently works part time as a job developer for P.R.I.D.E. Employment Services under the Rochester School for the Deaf.