Great Plains
HKNC Regional Network
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
Contact Info:
450 E. Park Street
Olathe, KS 66061
Office: 913-677-4562
Beth Jordan (Regional Representative)
Voice: 913-677-4562
VP: 913-227-4282
bjordan@helenkeller.org
Michele McClain (Administrative Assistant)
Voice: 913-677-4562
mmcclain@helenkeller.org
Regional Representative Beth Jordan
Our regional offices bring HKNC resources to you.
Your regional representative knows all about the programs and services that are available to DeafBlind individuals, their families and service providers in your state and beyond, and can help you find and access the ones that are right for you.
Whether you’re interested in learning about support services near your home, would like to take advantage of the technology available through the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program or want to explore the possibility of training at our national headquarters, your regional representative is your link to all that HKNC has to offer ─ consultation, advocacy, assessment, training, referrals and more.
Meet the representatives and specialists in your region.
Beth Jordan
Regional Representative
Beth Jordan has served as the HKNC Great Plains representative since 1992, serving the states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. She supervises the regional administrative assistant and the Iowa DeafBlind Specialist.
Beth compiles and maintains the national listing of SSP programs in the United State and is an author of the recently released (2021) SSP White Paper: Deafblind People and Support Service Providers in the 21st Century.
Additionally, Beth co-coordinates the Iowa Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program, also called iCanConnect, and can help facilitate the application process for anyone eligible in the four-state region. She also is the co-editor of CONNECT!, HKNC’s electronic newsletter.
Beth earned a Masters of Education degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and Independent Living with an emphasis on deafness from the University of Arkansas, graduating with honors. She is a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC).
Laurie McBride
DeafBlind Employment Specialist
Laurie McBride is the DeafBlind Employment Specialist for the state of Iowa. She provides job development services, such as online job searching skills, support in online job applications and job interviews, including solving transportation challenges and ensuring reasonable accommodations are provided by employers. Also, as a DBS, she can provide information and resources to family members, employers and local vocational rehabilitation counselors.
Originally from Ontario, Canada, Laurie worked in Iowa as a Graphic Designer for almost 20 years. Since 2015, Laurie has worked as a contract trainer with the Helen Keller National Center for the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (or iCanConnect), providing consumers training in telecommunications equipment, while attending college and university to obtain her bachelor’s degree in Human Service.
Laurie has learned to adapt to different workplace environments with her hearing loss, and now with combined hearing and vision loss. Her experience is a helpful tool in her DBES position, which allows her to share examples of successful strategies and tasks that she has accomplished. Her personal experience as a DeafBlind person shows consumers and potential employers that people with vision and hearing loss can live and work in their communities. Self-advocacy has been an important tool in finding her own jobs and adapting her career path. Using these personal assets to assist other DeafBlind consumers in finding and retaining employment will result in the right fit for both employee and employer.
IA-DBS Services Provided:
- Job development
- Customized employment
- Supported employment job coaching
- Job follow-up
- Non-supported job coaching
Local & Community Services
Are you interested in getting involved in the DeafBlind community in the Great Plains Region? Your regional representative can provide information about social gatherings, conferences, listservs and more. Check this space for announcements about upcoming events or contact your regional representative to request email notifications.
Ask your regional representative about:
- The National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program
- Local services and referrals
- On-site assessment, consultation, and training
- Making connections with other individuals and families within the DeafBlind community
- Technical assistance and in-service training
- Plans for youth transitioning from educational programs to post-educational services
- Educational materials and presentations about the capabilities and preferences of people with combined vision and hearing loss