Rick Hauan has been involved in Deaf Education since the early 1990s. During his 30-plus year career, he has been a Teacher of the Deaf, School-to-Work transition teacher, and Director of Special Education and Programs in two local school districts in Washington State. In 2004, Rick accepted the position of Assistant Superintendent at Washington School for the Deaf (WSD). He served in that role for three years. In 2007, Rick moved into the role of Superintendent at Washington School for the Deaf. In 2009, Rick worked with state legislators to expand the work of the agency to support deaf and hard-of-hearing at the local level. This law changed WSD to a statewide system of support called Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth. The new law also changed his title to Executive Director of the state agency.  

From 2009 until today, Rick has continued to focus on developing partnerships across the state of Washington and across the country. He has facilitated and co-facilitated several national groups, including a group of professionals known as the Common Ground Project. Mr. Hauan has done comprehensive state systems reviews for services provided to deaf/hard of hearing deafblind and blind-low vision in two states, worked closely with partners in the state of Georgia to expand Georgia Pathways to Literacy and was a contributing editor for the NASDSE publication Optimizing Outcomes for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Educational Service Guidelines. 

Before becoming the CATT Director, Stephanie Pizza served as a Regional Director for AIDB's Office of Field Services since April 2020. The Office of Field Services is a state-wide network of ten centers that provide services and support to individuals and their families, birth through senior citizens, who have vision loss and/or hearing differences. She is a certified TSVI and attended Florida State University where she received her BS and MS degrees in Visual Disabilities in 2012. She then obtained her Education Specialist degree in Teacher Leadership from Thomas University in 2017. Stephanie began her career in Georgia as an itinerant teacher with Gwinnett County Public Schools and worked as a TSVI and O&M for five years. Stephanie then served as the Director of Children and Youth Services at the Center for the Visually Impaired in Atlanta from 2017-2020 to oversee two year-round programs for early intervention and school-age students. She resides in the beautiful city of Florence, Alabama with her dog, Toby, and enjoys traveling.

Susie has been serving as a trainer since the inception of the Center for Assistive Technology Training program. Prior to working with the CATT program, Susie worked as a secondary science and English teacher for ten years, a Certified Teacher for the Visually Impaired for fifteen years, and a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist for fourteen years. Additionally, Susie served as the Lead Outreach Provider for AIDB Outreach for a year and a half. Among her formidable experience, Susie is also a Certified Braille Transcriptionist and a National Board Certified Teacher. 

Jennifer Oldenburg serves as the Deafblind Trainer for the Center for Assistive Technology Training (CATT) and Regional Early Acquisition of Language (REAL) programs at Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB). Jennifer began her career as a Speech Therapist at Helen Keller School of Alabama and Alabama School for the Blind in 1996. In 1999, Jennifer was honored to be named Lead Teacher of the Awakenings Pilot Program at Helen Keller School of Alabama (HKS). Jennifer taught at HKS until 2017 when she was named Lead Outreach Provider for Deafblind Services for AIDB as well as Coordinator of the Alabama Initiative for Children and Youth with blindness. During her time serving in this role, she traveled the state of Alabama providing technical assistance, observations, and resources to families, teachers, and students who are deafblind. In the fall of 2022, Jennifer accepted her current position as Deafblind Trainer for CATT and the REAL Program in Special Projects. Jennifer is married with two adult children.

Jill Dunaway currently serves as an Assistive Technology Trainer/Specialist at the Center for Assistive Technology Training (CATT). Prior to joining CATT, she taught assistive technology at Alabama School for the Blind (ASB) for fifteen years. Ms. Dunaway is a Certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired as well as a Certified Braille Transcriber. Additionally, she holds certifications in ZoomText, JAWS from Vispero, and NVDA from nvacces. She also serves on the curriculum committee for the Quorum Programming language, a computer programming language specifically designed for users who are blind or visually impaired. A braille reader and screen reader user herself, Ms. Dunaway likes to say that assistive technology and braille literacy are keys to independence.

Originally from Alpine, Alabama, Eli attended Jacksonville State University where he studied graphic design. He became a member of the Center for Assistive Technology Training (CATT) team for Special Projects in November of 2021. Previously, Eli worked with Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) as a graphic designer where he took on numerous projects. He designed flyers, t-shirts, logos, and much more. He has also assisted with multiple camps and events hosted by Special Projects at AIDB. He describes himself as a resourceful and detail-oriented designer and employee with an extensive skill set, specializing in design and media. In his free time, Eli enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as watching movies.

Katy Reid is a native of Oxford, Alabama. She serves as an assistant for the Center for Assistive Technology Training (CATT) program at AIDB and is also a devoted Support Service Provider for DeafBlind individuals through the Talladega Regional Center. She has worked in the Alabama school system for over 16 years in various positions. She enjoys serving others and has a passion for people with disabilities. Katy’s belief is that all individuals with disabilities have the potential to be empowered to achieve their goals. Katy enjoys spending time outside, playing corn hole, kayaking, and enjoying time around a bonfire with her family.  She loves being active in her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop. Her greatest joy in life is being a mother to her children. 

Originally from Jacksonville, Alabama, Savannah attended Jacksonville State University, earning her bachelor's degree in business management. She began her career at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) with the Center for Assistive Technology Training (CATT) team within Special Projects in July of 2023 as an accounting clerk. Savannah is called to serve others in her life which led her to AIDB. In her free time, Savannah enjoys spending time with her friends and family. She is honored to be a part of an amazing organization that is truly limitless.