Our Deaf Mentors
Deaf Mentors
Meet our team of highly qualified and passionate staff who strive to provide families of deaf/hard of hearing children the tools they need to succeed in life, education, and the pursuit of happiness.
Cassandra Bell-Jones
Deaf Mentor of Northern Arizona
When I first joined Deaf Mentor program in November 2019, this journey has been nothing but an inspiring and exciting journey for me! A little about me: I was deaf at the birth but did not identify me as deaf until about 3 months old. I’m an ASDB alumni. I used to live in dorms in ASDB from age 5 to 15 years old before I became a day student. I attended Gallaudet University before I got sick which forced me to return home. Before this job, I worked as Teaching Parent for the residential program of K- 12 in ASDB Tucson campus for 6 years. I joined Deaf Mentor program because I want to invest my efforts, my passion of ASL to this program and serve the families of deaf children of birth to age 5 with multi goals as such as to arise communication access between the families, their deaf family member and language acquisition for the children, provide the support in family dynamics and etc. I enjoyed seeing kids get excited to be able to communicate with their beloved parents! My desire is to see this program expand and its team and continue serving the families of deaf or H/H children in Arizona. .
Joline Gregory
Deaf Mentor of Phoenix
I was born in Corona, California into a family of 6. I was born Deaf. My parents and siblings are all Deaf as well. ASL is my first language. I grew up attending Deaf Schools until I graduated then I attended Rochester Institute of Technology and graduated with AAS in Lab Tech. I became Deaf Mentor because after working in Developmental Disabilities field for over 10 years, I wanted to do something different and I am very passionate about Deaf children’s Language Acquisition and I saw that there was a position that allow me to be part of the solution so I became a Deaf Mentor.
Joseph Ponte
Deaf Mentor of Phoenix
As a Deaf Mentor, I’m given an opportunity to serve families who may otherwise find it difficult to navigate a world vastly different than a child with normal hearing. Coming from a small town in Massachusetts my parents had to learn and educate themselves in order to ensure I would receive all opportunities to be successful. With my upbringing and career arc, I have learned to see and understand the imperativeness of parents to be able to communicate with their children, have an understanding of Deaf Culture and have access to resources. My innate passion to serve and advocate has guided me through 20 years of service to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.
Edna Gray
Deaf Mentor of Yuma
I am from Yuma, AZ. It is in southwest Arizona. I was raised in Somerton, AZ and live in Yuma AZ. In Sometern, AZ, a very lovely small town and a lot of Mexican culture events because we are closer to Mexico that is only 13 miles away from my hometown (21 minutes).
How did I become a Deaf person? In my childhood: I am the oldest child (have two sisters) in that family. You see, I wasn’t born Deaf. I was born in hearing until 2 or 3 years old. All my illnesses are caused by bacterial meningitis. It was the 1980’s; at that time we didn’t have many vaccines.
My first language at home, my family uses a lot of Mexican home signs (for example: gestures) to communicate with me in Spanish. At elementary to middle schools, Signing Exact English (S.E.E.) with multiple disabilities students class (such as special education programs) until high school, was American Sign Language (ASL) with 5-8 Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing students. You see, there are super differences between Spanish, S.E.E. and ASL phases; I have 3 languages. I am proud of being Deaf and ASL is helpful! Yay! Yes, I prefer ASL as a champion than SEE. SEE super difficulty understanding the meaning in English Phrase. I love being ASL and it helps me with a lot more understanding. ASL is the bestest as a champ!
I love being Deaf Mentor because I want to encourage those families who have Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing children to be lovable, communicate in ASL, be well-educated and together in a “family” meant to be. I also want my role as Deaf person to show that Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing can do anything except cannot hear. All those Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing children can have confidence in following their dream to be successful and be with families together. Make sure all Deaf children will never ever be left alone as a family. Family is the key.
Rachel Foster
Deaf Mentor of Northern Arizona/North Phoenix
I am a dedicated Deaf mentor with a rich background in both personal and professional experience that equips me to effectively support the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Born Deaf into a hearing family, I began learning American Sign Language (ASL) at the age of three. My educational journey includes attending both a Deaf school and a mainstream educational setting, providing me with a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities within diverse learning environments.
I hold an AAS degree in Laboratory Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. My professional career has been diverse and impactful, including roles in the Developmental Disability Division, Childcare Administration, and Vocational Rehabilitation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. These positions have allowed me to develop a comprehensive understanding of the various needs and support systems crucial for our community.
My commitment is to leverage my expertise and personal experience to mentor and advocate for individuals within the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, fostering independence, empowerment, and inclusion.
Suzanne Best
Deaf Mentor of Tucson/Southern Arizona
I was born Deaf as part of the skipping generation and my hearing family members have been using sign language since I was 18 months old. Total communication was my first language before I experienced using Total Communication, CUED, SEE, and ASL. I grew up moving a lot due to my parent’s careers and have attended mainstream schools with Special Education and Deaf schools in Washington State and California. I have enrolled in several colleges from CSUN to Gallaudet University before graduating from Portland State University in Oregon with a BA in Art Practices.
I chose to become Deaf mentor due to my job experiences in working with the special needs with multi-disabilities, Deaf children/ adults from the group homes, private schools, Deaf schools, and Deaf camps in several states. From my experience in teaching ASL and English grammar to those people, I have seen a lot of improvement in their learning, writing, and expressing themselves. I find that providing them with language acquisition has improved their self-esteem and ability to communicate and do something in their daily lives.
Colin Denny
Deaf Mentor of Northern Arizona
Bibi Ashley, MA
Deaf Mentor Program Administrator
I was born and raised in Southern California. I became deaf at the age of one and attended a Deaf and hard-of-hearing program at a public school. I later transferred and graduated from the School for the Deaf in Riverside, California. I continued my education and received a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Development, followed by a Master’s degree in Human Service Counseling.
In 2021, I transitioned from a part-time to a full-time Deaf Mentor, and then I was promoted to an administrative position. I truly enjoy working with families and deaf children to provide support and share our knowledge, investing in the best interests of deaf children to help them thrive and achieve their future accomplishments. As role models for deaf children, we are committed to ensuring they have the necessary language skills to overcome obstacles and receive a high-quality education. Language acquisition is essential for deaf children to reach their developmental goals. My goal is to foster statewide collaboration and support in Arizona, as well as to secure investment for our program and family support system.
Jennifer Scarboro, Ph.D.
Deaf Programs Director
As the Director of Deaf Programs I am tasked to support families and students outside of the traditional classroom setting, with special programs like the Deaf Mentor Program. In addition to families, I support ASDB’s partnership with the deaf community and other community organizations; I work with different groups to create and support new programs and opportunities for growth of deaf and hard of hearing children, throughout their childhood into adolescence (asdb.az.gov/CampLEAP), striving to promote healthy identity growth and development! It’s my goal to improve understanding and awareness of deaf related areas of interest inside and outside of the agency.