Return to: Georgia Sensory Assistance Project
Georgia State University
The Georgia Sensory Assistance Project is run by Georgia State University. Georgia State University is one of the nation’s leading urban universities, located in downtown Atlanta. It is composed of six Colleges: Education, Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, Health Sciences, Public and Urban Affairs, and Law. The Georgia Sensory Assistance Project is housed within the College of Education's Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education.
Ga. PINES INSITE
Ga. PINES INSITE serves families of children with visual impairments and multiple disabilities, including sensory impairments, from birth to five years of age, and families of young children with deafblindness for the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project. Special educators in a related specialty area, called parent advisors (or early intervention parent advisors) provide technical assistance and training to families / caregivers in their homes or other natural environments.
Georgia Sensory Assistance Project Staff
Dr. Kathryn W. Heller, Project Director
Dr. Heller is a Professor at Georgia State University in Special Education. She is the Project Director of the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project. She is responsible for: proper implementation of the grant, supervision of personnel on the grant, maintaining the budget, coordinating activities across the grant and other agencies, providing technical assistance to teachers of students with deafblindness and their families, training and inservice programming, providing coursework and inservices in deafblindness, coordinating census information, developing materials, and grant writing. Dr. Heller may be contacted at kheller@gsu.edu.
Ms. Martha Veto, Project Coordinator
The Project Coordinator is responsible for: providing on-site technical assistance to teachers of students with deafblindness and their families, conducting inservices across the state, assisting with training and service programming, maintaining the census, supervising the educational advisor program, and disseminating information and resources. She may be contacted at marthaveto@gmail.com
Ms. Lynn McFarland, Early Transition Coordinator
Lynn McFarland is the Early Transition Coordinator. She provides technical assistance to school personnel and families of young children. She especially works with parents, parent advisors, teachers, and other personnel to assist with making a smooth transition from home to school. She is a wonderful resource with her expertise in deafblindness. Ms. Lynn McFarland can be contacted at 678-691-5387 or epedlm@langate.gsu.edu
Ms. Deborah Harris, Family Support Coordinator
Deborah Harris is a parent of a child with deafblindness. She is responsible for: addressing family issues through training, networking, and product development; technical assistance to parents; training parents with SPARKLE material; and assisting with dissemination of materials and products. Ms. Harris may be contacted at dfieha@comcast.net
Dr. Jennifer Tumlin Garrett, Identification and Dissemination Coordinator
The Identification and Dissemination Coordinator is responsible for: collecting and analyzing census information, promoting activities to increase identification of students who are deafblind, providing technical assistance, facilitating sibling workshops and sibling issues, and disseminating information and resources. She may be contacted at jennifertgarrett@yahoo.com
GSAP Regional Advisors
Regional Advisors are teachers who have been trained by the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project and have specialized knowledge and skills. They are located across Georgia and provide additional technical assistance.
Regional Advisors: Deafblind Awareness Regional Advisors
Doug McJannet
Specialty area: Deafblindness, O&M
Location: Gwinnett
404-413-8312
dmcjannet@gsu.edu
Patricia Alexander, M.Ed.
Specialty area: Vision, Deafblind, Georgia PINES Parent Advisor and Trainer
Location: North Atlanta area (Cobb)
Email: pkavision@aol.com
Susan Resseau Baker
Specialty area: Severe and Profound, Multiple Disabilities and Medically Fragile,
Georgia PINES Parent Advisor
Location: Northwest Georgia (Rome, Summerville)
Email: susanbaker@chattooga.k12.ga.us, susanfrances@yahoo.com
Laura Bullard MED SLP
Specialty area: Speech and Language
Location: Central Georgia (Dublin)
E-Mail: laurabullard@lcboe.net
Debbie Hofmeister, M.Ed.
Specialty area: Orientation & Mobility Specialist, Georgia PINES Parent Advisor and Trainer
Location: East Georgia (Augusta Area)
E-mail: dlhofmeister@bellsouth.net
Tammy Johnson
Specialty Area: Hearing Impaired, Georgia PINES Parent Advisor
Location: Coastal Georgia (Savannah Area)
E-mail: Tjoh6163@aol.comJennifer Lyons
Specialty Area: Multiple Disabilities, Communication, Technology
Location: Atlanta Area (Fulton)
E-mail: Lyonsj@fultonschools.orgKathryn (Kathy) Sheriff Segers, Ed.S.
Specialty Area: Vision Impairments, Multiple Disabilities, Georgia PINES Parent Advisor, Coordinator of Student Services
Location: Georgia Academy for the Blind
E-mail: ksegers@doe.k12.ga.us
Zell Murray, M.Ed.
Specialty area: Teacher for the Visually Impaired, Certified O&M Specialist, Georgia PINES Parent Advisor
Location: Middle Georgia (Baldwin & Putnam Counties)
E-mail: zmurray@baldwin.k12.ga.us
Regional Advisors: SibAdvisors
Debbie Parkman
Specialty area: Sibshop organizer, deafblindness
Location: Gwinnett
706-769-2893
Dparkman1020@charter.netAmanda Adams
Specialty area: Deaf/hard of hearing/multiple disabilities teacher
Location: Atlanta Area School for the Deaf
E-mail: AmandaFA29@yahoo.com or AmAdams@doe.k12.ga.usErin Teets
Specialty Area: Art
Location: South Atlanta Area (Coweta)
Email: erin.teets@cowetaschools.netJennifer Lyons
Specialty Area: Multiple Disabilities, Communication, Assistive Technology
Location: Jo Wells Educational Center (Hapeville)
E-mail: Lyonsj@fultonschools.orgJennifer Richardson
Specialty area: Early Childhood Special Education
Location: Ft. Benning/Columbus
Email: jrandkr@knology.netKay Swanson
Specialty area: Multiple Disabilities, Sibkids Moderators, Don Meyer
Location: North Atlanta Area (Cobb)
E-mail: kaysibkids@bellsouth.netPeggy Wooddall
Specialty area: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Location: Atlanta Area (Coweta)
E-mail: peggy.wooddall@cowetaschools.org
Zell Murray, M.Ed.
Specialty area: Teacher for the Visually Impaired, Certified O&M Specialist, Georgia PINES Parent Advisor
Location: Middle Georgia (Baldwin & Putnam Counties)
E-mail: zmurray@baldwin.k12.ga.us
Regional Advisors: Teens/Young Adults with Deafblindness
Debbie Parkman
Specialty area: Deafblindness, Visual impairments
Location: Gwinnett
706-769-2893
Dparkman1020@charter.netAmanda Adams
Specialty area: Deaf/hard of hearing/multiple disabilities teacher
Location: Atlanta Area School for the Deaf
E-mail: AmandaFA29@yahoo.com or AmAdams@doe.k12.ga.usBarbara Sonnier M.Ed.
Specialty area: TVI, O&M Specialist, AT Coordinator, Georgia PINES Parent Advisor
Location: South Georgia (Ware)
Email: barbaraoandm@yahoo.comKathy Scudder
Specialty Area: Deaf/ Hard of hearing, SKI*HI and VIISA, Georgia PINES Parent Advisor and Trainer
Location: Atlanta Area (Forsyth)
E-mail: ktscud@yahoo.comKay DiPlacido
Specialty area: Teacher of the Visually Impaired/ O&M Specialist
Location: Carrollton and Atlanta Area
Email: kldiplaci@yahoo.com
Susan Fitchben
Specialty area: Teacher of the Visually Impaired/O&M Specialist
Location: Middle Georgia (Warner Robins)
E- mail: sfitchben@jones.k12.ga.usSusan Myerscough
Specialty Area: Vision Impairments/O&M
Location: South Atlanta Area (Fayetteville Area)
E-mail: susanmyerscough@comcast.netZell Murray, M.Ed.
Specialty area: Teacher for the Visually Impaired, Certified O&M Specialist, Georgia PINES Parent Advisor
Location: Middle Georgia (Baldwin & Putnam Counties)
E-mail: zmurray@baldwin.k12.ga.us
Home
| Contact information | Deafblindness
defined | Description of services
| Project staff
Georgia deafblind census | Training Schedule