Karen MacIver-Lux

KAREN MACIVER-LUX, M.A., Aud(C), Reg. CASLPO, LSLS Cert. AVT  was diagnosed with a bilateral mild (125 Hz) steeply sloping to profound (1000Hz) sensori-neural hearing loss at 3.11 years of age. The otolaryngologist told her parents that the diagnosis of hearing loss meant a lifetime of silence and lost opportunities in spoken communication. However, with the support of a young audiologist, speech-language pathologist, a teacher of the deaf and an auditory-verbal therapist, Karen's mother learned skills and techniques that helped Karen turn a grey world of silence into a colourful world of sound. Karen is now an audiologist, an LSLS certified auditory-verbal therapist, providing auditory learning services to individuals of all ages with hearing loss. She is a highly sought after speaker and makes significant contributions to the literature and professional education programs worldwide. Understanding first hand the profoundly significant impact that the effective and collaborative relationship between her parents and the above mentioned professionals had on her personal and professional life, Karen is passionate about sharing steps for achieving early, collaborative, evidenced based best practices worldwide and raising the bar for professional practice. Karen has been a member of VOICE's Board of Directors since 2020.

Guita Movallali

GUITA MOVALLALI, PhD. Dr.  Movallali is a dedicated advocate and leader in the field of deaf and hard of hearing children's support and inclusion. With over 30 years of global experience, Guita has consistently made a positive impact in both academic and advocacy roles. With a Ph.D. in Psychology, an MSc in Audiology and two decades of experience in the academic sector, she has spearheaded successful initiatives aimed at supporting parents with deaf and hard of hearing children. Guita's commitment to bridging cultural gaps is reflected in her extensive work translating and editing 17 children's narratives and 33 books about deaf children and disability. Guita is the visionary behind Persian Cued Speech for deaf and hard of hearing children and adults, earning her the 2016 Educator Award for Excellence and Innovative Leadership from the National Cued Speech Association.

In 2021, Guita joined the Voice organization in Canada as the Early Years Director, where she initiated programs like Parent-Child Mother Goose program (P-CMGP) and Early Years Committee, showcasing her dedication to early intervention and community support. Her relentless advocacy led her to her current role as the Program & Development Manager at VOICE, where she continues to make a profound difference in the lives of deaf and hard of hearing children and their families. Guita's unwavering commitment to building empowering support networks and fostering meaningful relationships underscores her mission of creating a self-sustaining, empowered support network for Canadian Deaf families. Her multi-faceted contributions, from conference committee to social media content creation, fundraising, and grant writing, showcase her dedication to VOICE's mission of empowering the Deaf community. Guita joined VOICE's Board of Directors in 2020 and became its Program and Development Manager in 2023.