We’re excited to announce that Applied Development CEO, Kimberly Citizen, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Hearing and Speech Agency of Baltimore (HASA). This organization aligns very closely with our vision for Applied Development: to empower people of all abilities to share their brilliance.

About HASA

HASA was founded in the 1920s as The Speech Readers’ League. Since then, they’ve been expanding their reach throughout the Baltimore area, providing services to people with diversabilities (diverse or different abilities). They officially changed their name to The Hearing and Speech Agency of Metropolitan Baltimore in the 1960s when they began offering speech therapy in addition to services for the hard of hearing.

Today, HASA offers a number of programs to people with diversabilities in the Baltimore metro area. Some of their programs include:

  • Sign language interpretation
  • Hearing health awareness
  • Sign language classes
  • Speech therapy

Many adults don’t have the opportunity to address speech delays or hearing difficulties as children. Unfortunately, this means they often continue living with these complications well into adulthood. Since effective communication is so important for quality of life, HASA is proud to offer services to people of all ages. 

Additionally, HASA is heavily involved in initiatives to improve deaf culture awareness. They offer free sign language mini-classes, hearing health seminars, and deaf awareness workshops to the general public. By raising awareness and understanding for this community, they’re taking a huge step towards improving inclusion for people with all types of diversabilities. 

School Programs Through HASA

Early communication education can go a long way towards making school and work easier for people with diversabilities. HASA provides two different options for children with autism spectrum disorder as well as other communication disorders. These programs give them their best chances for success from a young age.

HASA also offers a unique PreK program for four- and five-year-olds that places a heavy emphasis on language.

Each of these three programs is a gateway to a lifetime of improved communication skills. HASA prepares students to go out into the world by giving them the confidence boost that comes with being able to communicate effectively.

Kimberly’s Place on the HASA Board of Directors

As a member of the HASA Board of Directors, Kimberly will be able to help shape the future of HASA. This appointment also aligns closely with her goal of “being the bridge” for 2020. She’s very excited to be working for a cause that she’s passionate about and will attend her first board meeting in April.

Please join the whole Applied Development team in wishing Kimberly a heartfelt congratulations on this exciting new chapter. 

For more information about the programs and community initiatives that HASA offers, you can visit their website here. You can also learn more about Applied Development and our vision on the “About Us” page of our website. 

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