The Florida and Virgin Islands (FAVI) DeafBlind Collaborative team are five professionals who combine our backgrounds of education and experience to develop trainings and resources that benefit Florida’s children, young adults, families, and educational teams affected by deafblindness.
We also work together to develop individualized, child-centered solutions that address the strengths and needs of children and young adults with deaf-blindness throughout the state.
FAVI STAFF
Angel Perez, MA, MS, PhD Project Director
Angel has been working in the field of sensory disabilities for over sixteen years. Her collaborative activities have included working with the National Center on DeafBlindness (NCDB) as a host/instructor for the Open Hands Open Access (OHOA) training modules and with the University of Colorado’s Para2 Center as a mentor/reviewer for Nation Intervener Certification E-portfolio (NICE). Angel has worked previously as a Project Director/DeafBlind Specialist for the New Jersey Center on DeafBlindness and an Adjunct Professor at The College of New Jersey. Prior to her work with in New Jersey, Angel served as a Hearing and Vision Specialist and Educational Interpreter in her home state of Alabama.
Angel’s education includes a Master of Arts degree in Visual Impairments, a Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders and Deafness, and a baccalaureate degree in Special Education. She is also trained in the Orton Gillingham approach for education of students with dyslexia. Angel received a PhD in Vision Science Research, with an emphasis in Sensory Disabilities, through the university of Alabama at Birmingham. Angel has received honors as a Helen Keller fellow and a fellow of the National Leadership Consortium for Sensory Disabilities. Her areas of interest include literacy, technology, clinical research, and life-long learning. Angel has a passion for teaching and serving in the deaf-blind community.
Michelle (Wahlmeier) Pearson, MA Deaf Ed, Gallaudet, Project Coordinator
As Project Coordinator, Michelle leads FAVI’s interagency collaborations with a variety of national and state partners to address issues affecting the deafblind community. She promotes the initiatives of the DeafBlind technical assistance and dissemination network and the priorities of families, public school programs, educators, and service providers serving children and youth who are DeafBlind. Michelle provides child/youth-centered technical assistance, consultation, and training to assist infants and toddlers, school-aged individuals, and young adults transitioning to adult life. She partners with individuals and agencies throughout the state of Florida. Michelle also continues FAVI’s valuable partnerships with educators, service providers, agencies, and families in the US Virgin Islands: St Croix, St John, and St Thomas.
As Michelle identifies the needs of individuals and teams, she makes referrals to appropriate agencies and other professionals. Michelle also disseminates information regarding project supports, state resources, and national programs. By participating on various committees, Michelle helps to plan and initiate systemic-change initiatives and other capacity-building activities. She helps individuals and organizations to implement effective/promising practices to improve the inclusion of individuals who are DeafBlind in their schools and communities.
Michelle joined the FAVI DeafBlind Collaborative after teaching Deaf Ed in public schools for 10 years and teaching American Sign Language (ASL) at Central Florida Community College for 3 years. Her background of experience also includes freelance interpreting and interpreting in mass. Michelle enjoys spending time with her family, going to Deaf Club, and sports.
Shelly Voelker, M.Ed., Ed.S., Ed.D., Education & Training Specialist
Shelly worked in the classroom as a Special Education teacher and reading specialist for eight years. She has also worked as a Medicaid Waiver Support Coordinator serving individuals and families affected by developmental and multiple disabilities. Shelly and her husband William are the directors of Noah’s Endeavor, Inc: Inclusive Community Recreation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that celebrates the life of their late son, Noah Adam Voelker, who was affected by deafblindness and other disabilities.
Shelly received her doctoral degree in Special Education from the University of Florida in December 2013. She has taught courses in the UF College of Education for the Disabilities In Society minor, TeachWell online advanced degree, and Early Childhood certification programs.
Shelly’s areas of interest include literacy, assistive and educational technologies, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and transition. She draws on her experiences as a parent, special educator, support coordinator, and community organizer as she advocates for children and families affected by disabilities. Shelly contributes 30+ years of experience and resources to the FAVI DeafBlind Collaborative.
Pam Kissoondyal, Family Engagement Coordinator
Pam enjoys her job as a Family Engagement Coordinator – working with families who have children with special needs; including deafblindness. Pam partners with agencies and professionals in related fields. She has presented on a variety of disability-related topics at local, regional, state, national and international conferences—including keynotes. As a collaborative partner with other DeafBlind Projects, Pam serves as a mentor and facilitator on several activities to enrich and enhance Family Engagement. Her first-hand experience of parenting a child with special needs makes an easy transition into the shoes of a sympathetic and empathetic guide, to help parents navigating complex and stressful situations. Familiarity and experience with multiple community programs and organizations for families with special needs children is an added bonus when working with families. Pam loves to learn! She has over 20 years of experience and continues her education by attending conferences, webinars on topics with family centered/partnership approach. She has received training in the INSITE, SKI-HI and VIISA models and is a Florida Partners and Policy Making Graduate. Pam is also a Certified Infant Massage Teacher, Certified Life Coach and Certified Success Principle trainer.
Ann-Marie Orlando, PhD, CCC-SLP, Principal Investigator
Ann-Marie Orlando is Director for the UF Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) and a research assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry in Gainesville. Dr. Orlando works with individuals with autism and related disabilities, including deafblindness, as well as their families, clinicians, and educators to provide community outreach services and professional learning opportunities related to autism spectrum disorder and related disabilities. A certified speech-language pathologist and audiologist, Dr. Orlando’s research activities focus on supports services, inclusive education, and communication for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. She has published journal articles and book chapters, and taught both undergraduate and graduate courses related to these topics. Through her work at UF, Dr. Orlando has coordinated agency-funded grants focused on promoting communication for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, and coordinated federal- and state-funded grants focused on safety, teacher preparation, doctoral/postdoctoral preparation, and research in inclusive education for students with autism and other developmental disabilities. She also has presented nationally and internationally on literacy and communication for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. Dr. Orlando is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and TASH, an international disability advocacy organization.