Blogger Profile:

Judy brings more than 20 years of experience working with children with hearing loss who use spoken language to communicate; their families; and the educators who serve them to Bolesta. She has developed or assisted families and education specialists in the development of programs and services that meet the unique needs of students with hearing loss.

Judy served as a Special Education administrator for Pasco County Public School District (FL) for 5 years. In that capacity she supervised programs that included Speech-Language, Child Find/Pre-Kindergarten, Audiology, and other programs for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. Previously, she taught in Listening and Spoken Language Deaf Education public school programs in Michigan and Florida for more than 14 years.

Judy developed Pasco County Public School District’s first Oral Deaf preschool program, which is gaining national attention for its successful outcomes. She created and implemented a Listening and Spoken Language Summer Camp experience for children with hearing loss in Michigan that continues today.

Judy received a bachelor’s degree in Deaf Education and a master’s degree in Special Education from Eastern Michigan University. She also completed an additional 24 graduate credits in Educational Leadership. She holds a professional certificate in Elementary Education, Special Education-Hearing Impaired and Educational Leadership in the State of Florida. Judy is an active member of the national Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and serves on the board of its Florida chapter. Judy serves on a public school Advisory Committee for the Oberkotter Foundation; as Education Chair of the 2010 AGBell National Convention; and is active in the development of training programs in the State of Florida for teachers of the deaf.

Blogger Profile:

Kim brings twenty years experience in non-profit administration and finance, with skills in financial analysis, fundraising, and management, to Bolesta. Her work in the community began when she was a commercial loan officer for Mellon Bank and served on the boards of a variety of non-profit organizations. Leaving banking to devote full-time to non-profit work, her professional efforts have centered in fundraising and management for organizations that serve youth, most specifically, Alpha House of Tampa, The Children’s Home, and Eckerd Youth Alternatives.

Kim holds a Master’s degree from The University of South Florida in Tampa and an undergraduate degree from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL. 

In 1999, Kim was recognized as a “Woman of Distinction” by the Suncoast Girl Scouts Council. In 2000, she was recognized as one of “Forty Under Forty” to watch as an upcoming business leader by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.