Southwest
HKNC Regional Network
California, Hawaii, Nevada, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands
Contact Info:
PO Box 4269
Crestline, CA 92325
Office: 516-421-0624
Chad Metcalf (Regional Services Coordinator)
VP: 951-208-6548
Text Only: 951-836-5196
cmetcalf@helenkeller.org
Scott Boyer (Office Manager)
Sboyer@helenkeller.org
Regional Services Coordinator Chad Metcalf
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.
Chad Metcalf
Regional Services Coordinator
Chad Metcalf assumed the duties of the Regional Services Coordinator effective June 2021 for the Southwest Region including American Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. Chad supervises the DeafBlind Employment Specialist for Hawaii and Region 9 Office Manager.
Chad began as a freelance trainer in 2014 to DeafBlind consumers in California, Nevada, and Ohio through the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP). He became HKNC’s part-time Associate Regional Representative from August 2015 to December 2018, concurrently with his part-time position at the San Francisco LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the California NDBEDP. He was promoted to HKNC’s full-time Regional Representative and became the first CA CSP Coordinator from January 2019 to May 2021.
Chad is DeafBlind due to Usher Syndrome and holds a B.S. in business administration from Gallaudet University.
Isabel Mejia Ramos
DeafBlind Employment Specialist
Isabel Mejia Ramos is the DeafBlind Employment Specialist serving Hawai’i, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Prior to joining HKNC, Isabel worked for the Hawai’i Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) as the Statewide Coordinator for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind Services/Program Specialist, a position she held for 4 years before joining HKNC. Prior to that, she was a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist for Hawai’i DVR. Before working for DVR, she was a teacher for 10 years in Colombia and 4 years at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.
A Deaf individual, Isabel was one of the first Deaf people in Colombia to receive a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Iberoamericana University in Colombia, South America, and one of the first Deaf individuals to become a teacher in Colombia. After moving to the U.S., she earned a master’s degree in Special Education with a concentration in Deaf Education from Saint Joseph’s University in Pennsylvania. She is fluent in American Sign Language, English, Spanish, and Colombian Sign Language.
Local & Community Services
Are you interested in getting involved in the DeafBlind community in the Southwest 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