Kim A. Hanna – Executive Director
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.

To contact Kim, send an email to khanna@bolestacenter.org

Judy Horvath – Clinical Director, Educational Services Coordinator
Judy Horvath, MA, is a certified teacher of the deaf and hard-of-hearing, who recently served as an administrator for the Pasco County Schools. In that capacity, she was a supervisor for the Exceptional Student Education Department, which included Speech-Language, Child Find/Pre-Kindergarten, Audiology, and programs for students who are deaf and hard-of- hearing. Her career has focused on working with children with hearing loss who use spoken language to communicate, and their families and the educators who serve them.  She has assisted families and education specialists in creating programs and services that meet the unique needs of students with hearing loss.

Judy has more than twelve years experience teaching hearing-impaired children. She is an active member of National AG Bell and a serves on the board of the Florida Chapter of AG Bell.

She holds a professional certificate in Elementary Education, Special Education-Hearing Impaired and Educational Leadership in the State of Florida.

To contact Judy, send an email to jhorvath@bolestacenter.org

Kelly S. Teegardin, MS, CCC-SLP – Therapist
Kelly is a licensed speech-language pathologist who has provided speech and language therapy services to children and adults for more than twenty years.  

She holds an undergraduate degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences and a Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Purdue University in Indiana. Kelly is a member of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association and the AG Bell Association.  

Kelly has worked with children with various degrees of hearing impairments in public schools in both Indiana and Florida for nearly a decade. As a team member of deaf educators and a school-based audiologist in the start of Pasco County, Florida's first oral-deaf program, Kelly worked closely with professionals and parents to promote listening and speaking skills in  children with hearing loss.

To contact Kelly, send an email to kteegardin@bolestacenter.org

Nancy M. Patterson, AuD., CCC-A – Staff Audiologist
Nancy is a clinical instructor at the University of South Florida Communication Disorders Center. She is currently the lead audiologist and team coordinator of the USF Cochlear Implant Program as well as staff audiologist at Bolesta. Nancy has been involved in the field of audiology for over twenty years with a special interest in amplification and therapy needs for children with hearing loss. She also supervises adult audiologic rehabilitation classes at USF and is a member of the American Academy of Audiology, American Speech Language and Hearing Association and the Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology. She received her B.S. and M.A from Ball State University, and her AuD. from USF.

To contact Nancy, send an email to npatterson@bolestacenter.org

Tina LeVasseur, B.A., CED, SLP-A
Tina has worked as an Auditory-Verbal Therapist with Bolesta since 1994. She has experience with children wearing cochlear implants and hearing aids. Tina graduated from Flagler College with a dual Bachelor’s degree in Deaf Education and Elementary Education.

In 1994, Tina was awarded the “Rookie Professional of the Year” award by the AG Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Tina has assisted with training professionals and building satellite programs to promote the Auditory-Verbal Approach with Bolesta. She is a member of the AG Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

To contact Tina, send an email to tlevasseur@bolestacenter.org

Theresa Vaz – Office Manager
Theresa joined Bolesta after moving to Tampa from New York. She has more than thirty years experience working with non-profit organizations, as well as expertise in executing day-to-day operations.

To contact Theresa, send an email to tvaz@bolestacenter.org

Kristi Whitcher – Fund Development Assistant
As a high school student, Kristi received a Doorways Scholarship and attended St. Petersburg College, where she received an associates degree before transferring to the University of South Florida. During her college career she was involved in many organizations including The High Achievers Club, Student Support Services and was also a volunteer note taker for students with disabilities. Kristi began as a summer intern at Bolesta as she completed her degree in Communications at USF and joined the staff full time. Kristi coordinates Bolesta’s fundraising and marketing efforts.

To contact Kristi, send an email to kwhitcher@bolestacenter.org