Our Mission
To preserve, protect, and promote linguistic, human, and civil rights for all Deaf Californians.
What is CAD?
The Association is a membership organization with voting and nonvoting members and shall be open to all subgroups within the Deaf Community without discrimination. We believe that the acquisition and use of American Sign Language is an essential human right, and operate as such.
The Association is a nonprofit member organization consisted of volunteers from local communities in California. Individual members have voting privileges at the Board of Directors meetings and at the Biennial Conference. The Association is open to all groups within the Deaf community without discrimination, and individuals may serve in any appointed positions or on any committees.
Anyone can become a member. More info here!
We protect your rights as a Deaf person, as well as advocate for issues that affect the general Deaf population. Contact us for more information how we can help!
Who We Are
Meet Current CAD Officers & Team
Kavita Pipalia, M.P.A.
President
president@cad1906.org
Jermaine Cornish
Vice President
vicepresident@cad1906.org
Deanne Bray
Secretary
secretary@cad1906.org
Dodi Ellis
Treasurer
treasurer@cad1906.org
Charity Acosta
Northern California Director
northcadrep@cad1906.org
Mingchen Yang
Southern California Director
southcadrep@cad1906.org
Darci Lessard
Central California Director
centralcadrep@cad1906.org
Abby Longo
Membership Director
members@cad1906.org
Vacant
Youth Director
youth@cad1906.org
Sulghi Hong
Head Trustee
headtrustee@cad1906.org
Doug Sampson
Trustee
trustee@cad1906.org
Denise Sidansky
Trustee
trustee2@cad1906.org
Amy Grindrod
Web Manager
web@cad1906.org
Julie Rems Smario
Past President
Mark Call
Past Treasurer
Current Standing Committees
Vacant
Chair, Employment Committee
employment@cad1906.org
Keith Gamache, Jr
Chair, Ongoing Quality ASL Committee
ongoingqualityasl@cad1906.org
Marla Hatrak
Chair, Public policy / Legislative Committee
langpolicy@cad1906.org
Neil Sprouse
Chair, Bylaws Committee
bylaws@cad1906.org
Maria Monte de Rey
Chair, Media Committee
mediachair@cad1906.org
Neil Sprouse
Vice Chair, Media Committee
mediavicechair@cad1906.org
Current Task Forces
Priscilla Moyer
Chair, Interpreting Licensure Task Force
terptf@cad1906.org
Richard Ray
Chair, Emergency, Disaster & Police Training Advisory Task Force
edptatf@cad1906.org
Kay Vincent
Chair, Senior Citizens Task Force
seniorcitizenstf@cad1906.org
Roberto Cabrera
Chair, Deaf-Blind Task Force
deafblindtf@cad1906.org
Key Focus Areas
Our standing committees and task force are working together to address the issues and strive to accomplish important goals. Learn more about what we are doing for the deaf Californians.
CAD believes that accessible education of all Deaf children is critical to the development of mind, body, and spirit. This includes support of an educational philosophy that will recognize and honor ASL and Deaf Culture, and provide the most accessible language-rich educational environments, especially the California Schools for the Deaf, day schools for the Deaf, regional programs for the Deaf and large mainstream programs.
CAD will serve as a watchdog for legislation and court proceedings and provide input on state policies as they relate to Deaf people and Signed Languages.
CAD recognizes American Sign Language (ASL) as the most accessible and natural language of and for the Deaf in America and therefore supports all activities that will preserve, honor, and promote ASL and Deaf Culture.
CAD acknowledges that employment opportunities for Deaf Californians are still limited due to discrimination. There is much work to be done to improve the economic status of Deaf people. CAD will support the development of innovative employment opportunities by working with appropriate state and local agencies to improve entry into a wider variety of careers. CAD also supports and celebrates Deaf entrepreneurs who own their own business.
CAD acknowledges that there is a growing variety of communication systems, including telecommunications, and tools available to empower the Deaf individuals with their day-to-day activities. Therefore, CAD will work with individuals and agencies to ensure that they provide the highest quality service, maintain trust and respect deaf peoples’ preference for communication access.
CAD is engaged in public relations to show Deaf people of all walks in life in a positive light. CAD also maintains a vigorous role in referring and aiding advocacy programs for Deaf people’s rights in the state of California. CAD works closely with the California Coalition of Agencies Serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing. CAD also works collaboratively with Deaf agencies and programs such as DeafHope and Bay Area Black Deaf Advocates (BBABDA).
CAD will provide referrals to various organizations throughout the state that exist to provide services, as well as other types of support, for Deaf Californians.
CAD will work closely with local/statewide businesses by attending chamber of commerce meetings in order to establish potential business ventures for Deaf entrepreneurs. This is to provide greater economic opportunities for the Deaf people to make a positive impact within the Deaf community.
Visit our Deaf Entrepreneurs page
Past Presidents, 1906 – Current
| 1906 – 1909 | James W. Howson |
| 1909 – 1913 | Douglas Tilden |
| 1914 – 1915 | Leo W. Williams |
| 1915 – 1917 | Winfield S. Runde |
| 1917 – 1919 | Isadore Selig |
| 1919 – 1921 | Emory E. Vinson |
| 1921 – 1923 | Melville J. Mathis |
| 1923 – 1926 | Alice T. Terry |
| 1927 – 1931 | Isabel M. Lester |
| 1931 – 1934 | Russell P. Handley |
| 1934 – 1936 | Emory E. Vinson |
| 1936 – 1938 | Perry E. Seely |
| 1938 – 1941 | Forest D. Gilbert |
| 1941 – 1946 | Emil S. Ladner |
| 1946 – 1948 | Einer Rosenkjar |
| 1948 – 1950 | Walter M. Lester |
| 1950 – 1958 | Toivo Lindholm |
| 1958 – 1962 | Herbert Schreiber |
| 1962 – 1963 | Victor H. Galloway |
| 1963 – 1967 | Harold Ramger |
| 1967 – 1970 | Richard L. Babb |
| 1970 – 1975 | Kyle Workman |
| 1975 – 1977 | Lillian Skinner |
| 1977 – 1981 | John Galvan |
| 1981 – 1985 | Gerald “Bummy” Burstein |
| 1985 – 1989 | Marcella M. Meyers |
| 1989 – 1991 | Sheri Ann Farinha |
| 1991 – 1993 | Julian “Buddy” Singleton |
| 1993 – 1999 | Ron Rhodes |
| 1999 – 2002 | Russell Bye |
| 2002 – 2003 | Donald Nuremberger |
| 2003 – 2005 | Donald Rosenkjar |
| 2005 – 2009 | Richard L. Ray |
| 2009 – 2011 | Ralph Singleton |
| 2011 – 2013 | Daniel J. Girard |
| 2013 – 2017 | Julie Rems-Smario |
| 2017 – 2019 | Kavita Pipalia |
| 2020 – Present | Kavita Pipalia |