15th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 13-15, 2016 • San Diego, CA
THE ANTONIA BRANCIA MAXON AWARD FOR EHDI EXCELLENCE
Janice Gatty
Dr. Janice Gatty has shared her considerable gifts with families whose children are deaf or hard of hearing, graduate students in the field of deaf education, and academic and professional colleagues for more than forty years. A pioneer and leader in the field of early intervention services, Dr. Gatty has Masters Degrees in Early Childhood Education and Education of the Deaf, and a Doctorate in Human Development.
As one of the preeminent experts in the field, she co-authored The Deaf Child in a Hearing Family: Nurturing Development (Arthur Boothroyd; Plural Publishing, 2012) and her presentations, on-line courses, and published articles are leading resources for early intervention professionals and families. Long before universal newborn hearing screening became the norm, Dr. Gatty was a passionate advocate of early intervention, with an emphasis on supporting each unique family and incorporating play into her approach.
Currently, Dr. Gatty is the Director of Child and Family Services at Clarke, where she has worked since 1974. Under her leadership, Clarke's Early Intervention Teleservices Program has become the largest in the country, and Clarke's EI Program is a model for programs around the world. Since 1977, she also served as a professor at Smith College's Graduate School of Education, teaching early development of deaf and hard of hearing children and family-centered intervention.
Tracy Osbahr, former Director of Specialty Services (Early Intervention), Massachusetts Department of Public Health, writes: "Jan possesses a combination of content knowledge about hearing loss and the nuances of language acquisition with a sophisticated understanding of child development that enables her to provide families of infants and toddlers with an enriched approach to promoting all aspects of development. She helps parents see their newborns as healthy infants, coaching them in ways to promote child development, and reinforcing their roles as their child's primary teacher."
Bill Corwin, Clarke President, and parent of two alumnae, recalled his family's experience after his older daughter's diagnosis at 3 months. "We were encountering professionals insisting on approaches without knowing the first thing about our family. After Jan met with us and observed Sophia, she said, 'Whatever approach you choose, your daughter is going to be okay.' We knew from that very day that we were going to move across the country, specifically so Jan could work with Sophia and our family. Jan came to our house each week, modeling for us the best ways to work with our daughter. She was masterful. Sophia mainstreamed successfully and like so many other families, we feel that Jan was the primary reason for the progress she has made."
Dr. Gatty cherishes children. Her signature "child first" perspective and engaging personal style have enabled her to connect seamlessly with families of all backgrounds. She is a dedicated and generous mentor, ensuring that less experienced professionals acquire the knowledge to become exceptional early intervention practitioners. Dr. Gatty's enthusiasm, warmth and joyful demeanor are truly one of a kind and infectious to all who have had the privilege to work with her.