Gayla H. Guignard

Gayla H. Guignard, chief strategy officer, AG Bell

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell), Washington, DC, has announced Gayla H. Guignard, MA, CCC-A/SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, as chief strategy officer beginning September 1, 2015. According to AG Bell, the chief strategy officer works with the CEO in developing, promoting and delivering up-to-date and accurate content, and serves as the content expert for AG Bell and the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language. This position promotes and supports collaboration, develops strategy to achieve AG Bell’s mission, and works cooperatively on key strategic initiatives of AG Bell and the AG Bell Academy.

“Gayla brings a depth of experience in the field of listening and spoken language and a passion for the mission of AG Bell that will help the organization move forward,” said Emilio Alonso-Mendoza, chief executive officer at AG Bell. “Gayla has worked to effect systems change for children and their families, to enhance family support mechanisms, and to strengthen systems for early hearing detection and intervention. Gayla truly recognizes the tremendous possibilities for children who are deaf and hard of hearing today.”

AG Bell reports that Guignard had served as director of the Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education within the Indiana State Department of Health since 2013 and was a consultant and content expert to Indiana’s Office of Management and Budget in the planning and development of the newly formed center. She previously served for six years as the program director for the Indiana Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program. Guignard also was a consultant with the National Center on Hearing Assessment and Management’s (NCHAM) National Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Resource Center at Utah State University. She has over 12 years of experience as a clinical supervisor and instructor at the University of Tennessee–Knoxville in the Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. She returns to AG Bell after serving as the organization’s deputy executive director of education and professional outreach and chief programs officer from 2003–2007. Guignard served as a principal investigator and grant writer for projects that received more than a total of $14.3 million in funding.

Guignard has presented and published extensively on EHDI systems, and strengthening systems of care and support for families. She serves on numerous committees, councils and initiatives in Indiana, as well as the National Initiative on Children’s Health Care Quality. She holds certifications as a speech-language pathologist and audiologist, and earned certification as a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS) from the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language. She earned two master’s degrees in audiology and speech-language pathology from the University of Tennessee, and a bachelor’s degree in audiology and speech sciences from Purdue University.

“With early identification, advanced hearing technology and appropriate support, children who are deaf and hard of hearing have unprecedented opportunities,” said Gayla Guignard via the AG Bell announcement. “It is truly an honor to serve as chief strategy officer of AG Bell at this pivotal juncture in our field and our association as we ensure that parents and professionals understand the potential of today’s children and can advance listening and spoken language development.”

 Source: AG Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell)