Meet the Board - Michael Collins
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As we work to provide equal communication access, education and advocacy to the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing in pursuit of all life’s opportunities, we are grateful to a wide range of partners, including our Board of Directors. We want to share more about them with you.
In this installment, we spend a little time with board member Michael Collins. Michael is the father of a Deaf child, has a wide variety of life experiences and now works with Michigan Hands and Voices as a children’s Special Education Advocate. Born and raised in the Grand Rapids area, he has an undergraduate degree in engineering and a graduate degree in public management.
Learn more about him and his involvement on the D&HHS board below!
How did you first get connected to D&HHS?
I was introduced to D&HHS through a fellow board member, Betsy Smith. She invited me to help and the rest, as they say, is history! I should add that we started participating in D&HHS events and camps a decade ago, and so it is a pleasure to give back to an organization that has given us so much.
What’s one thing you love about being a D&HHS board member?
Really one of the main things is the connections to other Deaf community members. I give my time because there is no substitute for the knowledge our family has learned from our D&HHS experience. I am hopeful there will be more D&HHS parents who will provide support and advocacy for my child and his peers when I am no longer able.
What would be lost if D&HHS didn’t exist?
One of the main things is that D&HHS is an organization which provides and advocates language equity. That’s extremely important, and there isn’t another agency on this side of the state that does it like D&HHS does.
What’s one thing you wish people knew about D&HHS?
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services is not a government-funded program and needs community fundraising involvement to continue its social programs helping the Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing communities.