Meet the Board - Michael Collins
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.