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ASDB Superintendent: Annette Reichman

A photo of Annette Reichman

Annette Reichman is Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind’s (ASDB) new superintendent, assuming this position on July 15, 2016. Annette is both ASDB’s first deaf superintendent and also its first superintendent with vision limitations in the agency’s 104-year history. Annette’s entire 30+ year career has been devoted to supporting children and adults who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

For the past 11 years Annette’s professional focus has also extended to supporting children and adults who are blind or visually impaired. Prior to joining ASDB, Annette served as the Director of the Office of Special Institutions within the U.S. Department of Education (DoED) for 11 years. In this role she conducted monitoring and oversight of federally-funded special institutions, including the American Printing House for the Blind, Gallaudet University, the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

Prior to this role, Annette served as the Chief of the Deafness & Communicative Disorders Branch of the DoED (1999-2005) where she helped coordinate vocational rehabilitation activities with State Coordinators of the Deaf and helped expand nationwide training opportunities for American Sign Language-English education interpreters. From 1991 through 1999, Ms. Reichman served as Agency Director at the Valley Center of the Deaf for Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona. In this role, Annette oversaw 200 relay service phone operators and 25 staff who provided direct services to the local Deaf community, including interpreting referral services, educational support services, vocational services and independent living skills training. From 1985 to 1991, Annette worked at Community Outreach Program for the Deaf as a Mental Health Counselor, providing services to the Tucson area Deaf community.

“As superintendent, it will be my charge to ensure that every student is given the resources he or she needs to be successful in their chosen career and personal life,” said Ms. Reichman. “I can think of no higher calling, nothing more satisfying, than empowering every ASDB student with a high-quality education.”

Annette Reichman

ASDB Superintendent

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