16th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
February 26-28, 2017 • Atlanta, GA
EHDI FAMILY LEADERSHIP AWARD
Terri Patterson
Terri and her husband, Matt, have two children, Molly and Riley. Riley was diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss at 2 months. By age six months, Riley was enrolled in intervention with Georgia's Part C Program, Babies Can't Wait, and Georgia's Parent Infant Network of Educational Services. Riley, now a high school senior, is top of his class and excels in film and music.
Terri's involvement with families started back in 2003, where she worked as a Parent Educator with Babies Can't Wait. In that role, Terri coordinated family events and workshops for her district's early intervention program, as well as for the organization and provided parent support to other families of children with special health care needs. In 2007, Terri founded and became Executive Director of Georgia's Hands & Voices (H&V) Chapter. In that role, Terri's relationship and partnership with the State EHDI Program developed. Terri has been a member of the EHDI Advisory Committee since it was re-established in 2009 and has been involved in developing EHDI parent educational materials, community outreach, and quality improvement projects. In 2010, Terri's role within H&V expanded as she began working for H&V headquarters in the role of Chapter Support. Then in 2014, her role expanded again, to start Guide By Your Side (GBYS) in Georgia, a program she had been fighting to start since 2009. Terri has participated in every national EHDI conference for at least the past eight years. Terri is a full voting member of Georgia's Newborn Screening and Genetics Advisory Committee.
Terri has been and continues to be a true parent leader here in Georgia and nationally. Terri presents on various topics around raising a child who is D/HH and leadership at local, regional and national conferences. She also participates on the Georgia Team for the National Deaf Ed. Summit, hosted by PEPNet 2 and is involved with the Georgia Pathway to Language and Literacy, and with Let Georgia Hear. Terri has been instrumental at bringing together and developing a community for parents of Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children. We are honored to work alongside her, to absorb her infectious determination and enthusiasm, and to learn from her experience in order to better shape the outcomes of deaf or hard of hearing children.