Project Coordinator

Phone: 415-405-7558
E-mail: mbelote@sfsu.edu

Maurice Belote has served as the CDBS Project Coordinator since 1997 and began his work with the project in 1992 as an Educational Specialist. Maurice has taught at public and private schools throughout the state and has developed innovative models at local school sites related to integration into general education programs, augmentative and alternative communication systems, community-based instruction, job development and training, and transition from school to adult life. Maurice has conducted lectures and seminars at universities throughout the state and is frequently invited to present training workshops and institutes throughout the U.S. He is an active member of the National Deaf-Blind Network and represents CDBS in National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness initiatives specific to intervener training and early identification and referral. Maurice loves his work with children, families, and school teams, and is inspired every day by the courage and determination of the students he serves. He is a graduate of the teacher training program in deafblindness at San Francisco State University.

Project Director

Phone: 415-338-7848
E-mail: hunt@sfsu.edu

Pam Hunt is a professor in the Department of Special Education at SFSU and coordinator of their Moderate/Severe Disabilities Program.  In her role as credential program coordinator, she has collaborated with staff at CDBS to ensure that content specific to students who are deafblind is included in the core methods classes.  Dr. Hunt serves as the principal investigator for an innovative personnel preparation project funded by OSEP that includes coursework specific to the education of students who are deafblind and extensive, supervised practica focusing on the provision of services to students with deafblindness and other significant disabilities in inclusive educational practices.  The major focus of her research has been on interventions to increase the academic and social participation of students with significant disabilities, including deafblindness, in inclusive settings.  Finally, Dr. Hunt has provided extensive consultation to school districts, educational teams, and families in local school districts on strategies to develop effective educational programs for students with low-incidence disabilities, including students with deafblindness.

Educational Specialist

Phone: 415-405-7559

E-mail: jmaier@sfsu.edu

Julie Maier is an Educational Specialist for CDBS. She joined the team in 2012 and provides technical assistance to students with deafblindness, families, and school teams. In addition to her work with CDBS, Julie is a faculty member in the SFSU Department of Special Education and has served as a research assistant, guest lecturer, course instructor and fieldwork supervisor in the Moderate-Severe teaching credential and Masters degree programs since 1999. Julie has been involved in the in the field of special education since 1987 when she first met and taught individuals with deafblindness in community-based adult program and later in inclusive schools in Berkeley. Julie loves her role at CDBS which offers her opportunities to meet and work with remarkable families and educators and most especially to marvel at the creativeness, determination and resiliency of the children and youth she serves.

Family Engagement Specialist

Phone: 951-785-7898
E-mail: myrnam@sfsu.edu

Myrna Medina has served as CDBS Family Engagement Specialist since 2000 supporting families who have a child with deafblindness.  She is the parent of two children, one of whom is deafblind as a result of an unknown etiology. Myrna is a native of Mexico and is fluent in English and Spanish. She has been instrumental in ensuring linguistic and cultural sensitivity of all CDBS Spanish language services and products.  Myrna serves as the coordinator as well as an active regional participant of the CDBS Network of Family Support Providers and is currently serving her second term as Secretary of the Coalition of Parents and Educators Deaf-Blind (COPE-DB), the statewide family organization on behalf of children who are deafblind.  Myrna also plays a leadership role in numerous organizations throughout the state, including Unidad y Fuerza (the FRC based at Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach), Centro de Niños y Padres at California State University Los Angeles, Birth-to-Five Vision Network, Junior Blind of America, and Dicapta, an OSEP-funded accessible communication development project.

Administrative Specialist

Phone: 415-405-7561
E-mail: devereux@sfsu.edu

Brian Devereux joined CDBS as an Administrative Specialist in March, 2015. He coordinates and compiles the annual California Deafblind Child Count / Census, maintains the web sites for CDBS, and serves as intake for Technical Assistance requests. He enjoys working with CDBS to serve the students, educators, and families throughout the state.