NAD Establishes New Technology Committee

Andrew J. Lange, president of the National Association of the Deaf, announced the establishment of the NAD Technology Committee (NAD TC) that will monitor federal, state, and local telecommunications and technology issues of importance to deaf and hard of hearing Americans and respond as the need arises. The new NAD Technology Committee replaces the NAD Telecommunications Advocacy Network (TAN) established by the NAD in 1997.

The objectives of the NAD Technology Committee are:

• To work on NAD telecommunications and technology priorities;
• To develop and maintain an active and effective NAD consumer driven telecommunication network in the USA;
• To develop and maintain and take appropriate action on federal, state, and local telecommunications and technology policy, rulemaking, and laws as they affect deaf and hard of hearing consumers in the USA;
• To review, discuss, analyze and respond to Notice of Proposed Rulemaking announcements and other relevant actions timely with feedback from the committee members to the NAD;
• To review, discuss and identify any action strategies needed when a telecommunications and technology related access concern is raised by a NAD TC member for consideration and possible action; and
• To provide overall support to the NAD and its Law and Advocacy Center.

President Lange appointed Sheila Conlon Mentkowski to serve as chair of the NAD Technology Committee. She received her J.D. degree from Georgetown University in Washington, DC and her M.A. in Education of the Deaf from Gallaudet University, also in Washington, DC. She is employed by the California Department of Rehabilitation as Chief of the Client Assistance Program (CAP). Prior to her appointment as CAP Chief, Ms. Conlon Mentkowski was the coordinator of the California Assistive Technology System Initiative Project. Throughout her professional career, she has served on various advisory committees that involved oversight of program evaluation and policy for individuals with disabilities.

"I am excited about working with Sheila Conlon Mentkowski and the members of the new NAD Technology Committee. This committee is beginning where the very productive NAD TAN left off," said Lange. "NAD TAN, as the years went by, shifted to a discussion group rather than an advocacy network", he continued, "and the NAD Board of Directors at the recommendation of the Pamela Holmes, the outgoing NAD TAN chair, felt it was important to establish a new group with a newly defined purpose that better served the NAD mission and priorities.  We are deeply grateful to Pamela Holmes for her initiatives over the past seven years and to Mitch Travers for maintaining the group listserve."

"I am honored by this appointment and look forward to stepping into Pam Holmes’ 'big shoes'," said Sheila Conlon Mentkowski, "I am confident the newly constituted NAD Technology Committee will take up and move forward on technology issues of concern to deaf and hard of hearing consumers.  The NAD TC will work with President Lange and the NAD, in collaboration with and in support of the NAD Law and Advocacy Center."

Qualifications for membership on the NAD Technology Committee have been developed. Those interested in serving on the committee:

• Must be a member of the NAD in good standing;
• Must be a well-known and proven advocate in and have taken action on telecommunications and technology matters;
• Must commit to working cooperatively with all committee members;
• Must agree not to promote those technology or telecommunications issues in which their employers have a financial interest;
• Must have email access and be able to respond in a timely manner;
• Must be willing to engage in discussion on and to present issues of concern to deaf and hard of hearing consumers; and
• Must strive to keep discussions and written committee drafts confidential until the comment/paper is officially signed off on and released publicly by the NAD.

Interested individuals may send a direct email to NAD Technology Committee Chair Sheila Conlon Mentkowski at s.mentkowski@comcast.net [2] explaining their rationale for wishing to join, with a statement regarding acceptance of the above expectations.