Hands & Voices HQ DHH Advisory Council

Heidi Klomhaus

Heidi Klomhaus is the parent of three children ages 28, 14, and 11. She holds a Certificate in Deaf Studies, an AAS in Sign Language Interpretation and a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies-Public Administration. Being late identified as Hard of Hearing herself with severe hearing loss led her to attending college and pursuing studies in the Deaf world. During that time, her youngest was born Hard of Hearing, giving Heidi a new direction in life. Knowing there were opportunities to make a difference in her own daughter’s journey led her to Arizona Hands & Voices where she is now making a difference in the lives of Deaf or Hard of Hearing children and their families. Heidi is a 2022 graduate of the Hands & Voices Leadership to Leadership (L2L) program. She serves as Executive Director and Guide By Your Side Coordinator of Arizona Hands & Voices.

Janna Rovniak

Janna is originally from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She is moderate to profoundly deaf since birth and has used hearing aids since the age of 2. Janna has two daughters, ages 8 and 5, who are also deaf/hard of hearing.

Janna is a business owner who put that business aside at the start of the pandemic to focus on her kids, who were 4 and 1 at the time. This started Hard of Hearing Mama on Instagram, where she wrote about growing up, navigating being deaf/hard of hearing, and the internal conversations that we have with ourselves. Janna also shares stories about raising her kids and navigating their hearing loss both as a parent advocate and role model. Her goal is to educate the public about various deaf and hard of hearing issues, promote self-advocacy and help challenge stigmas that exist around hearing differences for all age groups. Now, she works with others to help them come to terms with their hearing loss, as well as helping hearing parents come to terms and learn about their children’s hearing loss.

Janna is a graduate of Gallaudet University and is a Certified Peer Mentor for the deaf and hard of hearing. She currently resides in Orange County, California.

Karla Giese

Dr. Karla Giese has served in a variety of roles, currently in training and online learning. Karla’s background in Deaf Education as an instructor, administrator, educational consultant, and Deaf advocate puts her in a unique position to provide professional development trainings and online learning on numerous Deaf Awareness and Accessibility topics. She is passionate about effective communication and equitable access within the home, school, and community for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing children, youth, and adults. Karla is personally and professionally active in the Deaf Community and enjoys sharing her experiences with others. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and attending her kid's sports events.

Laura Gramer

Laura Gramer and her husband, Brendan, transplants from Chicago, reside in north Seattle. They are deaf parents to two deaf sons. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. Laura is involved with WA Hands & Voices and the DHH community here in Seattle/Washington state.  Laura is a former commissioner on the Seattle Commission for People with Disabilities. She joined WA Hands & Voices to meet other parents with children who are DHH for social events and advocacy to make sure our children have access to education and socialization with peers regardless of their communication methods.  Laura also likes to track legislation  that has an impact on DHH in all areas of life.

Sara Robinson

My name is Sara Robinson. I am hard of hearing and work as a speech language pathologist and D/HH family consultant for Children's Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs. My hearing difference was first identified when I was 6 years old, after a school hearing screening and before the days of newborn hearing screening. I was identified with mild hearing levels, which have been slowly progressive over time. I currently wear hearing aids and love my sparkly purple and blue earmolds. At work, I enjoy connecting and sharing my hearing difference and experiences with kids and families. Honoring family choice is important to me and it's a privilege for me to walk alongside a family in their journey. For fun, I enjoy running, gardening, reading, doing puzzles and drinking coffee. I'm thrilled to be a part of the DHH Advisory Council!