Staff
Meet the Team
The staff at CDBA-BC has a wealth of deafblind experience, having been immersed in the world of deafblindness and Intervention in one way or another for many years. They have all ‘caught the deafblind bug’ and continue to strive for access to Intervention and strategies that will best support children and youth with deafblindness, their families, Intervenors and professional teams.
- Intervention Program
- Family Support
- Intervenor Support
- Kindergarten and Youth Transition
- Family Events
- Summer Recreation Program
- Virtual Recreation Program
- Hospital/Relief Intervention Services Program
- National Deafblind Awareness Month
- theresa@cdbabc.ca
- (604) 528-6170
Theresa Tancock
As Executive Director at CDBA-BC since 2008, Theresa Tancock is kept busy. Theresa began working as a Special Education Assistant in 1999, which led her to work with a student in school who was deafblind. She began taking the Intervenor Certificate Program that was offered by the Provincial Outreach Program for Students with Deafblindness, through Douglas College, here in British Columbia.
Theresa was welcomed onto the Board of Directors for the CDBA-BC and was subsequently first offered a position as an Early Intervention Program Consultant, then as the Family Services Coordinator in 2008, and now in 2022 she is Executive Director. Her work as a Special Education Assistant/Intervenor introduced her to the world of deafblindness and she has not turned back since. She has been ‘bitten by the deafblind bug’ and doesn’t mind at all!
Theresa is married, has two adult children and two grandchildren. She enjoys singing in a choir and looks forward to spending time with her family and friends.
- Early Intervention Program
- Family and team support
- Communication and deafblind strategies at home, daycare or preschool
- Kindergarten transition
- Deafblind training, workshops and in-services for professionals
- Opportunities to meet with other families
- sue@cdbabc.ca
- (250) 490-7532
Sue Gawne
Sue graduated from the Educational Assistant Program at Okanagan University in 1996. She was hired as a Certified Education Assistant in 1996 with the Penticton School District. She started working for the school district as an Intervenor in 1998. Sue was also a Foster Parent during that time. In 2009 she graduated from the Intervenor for Individuals with Deafblindness Certificate Program offered at Douglas College. It was through her Foster Parenting experience that she was introduced to the unique world of deafblindness and was bitten by the deafblind bug!
In 2007, Sue joined the Canadian Deafblind Association-BC Chapter as a part-time Consultant for the Early Intervention Program supporting families in the Interior and Northern areas of the province. As the Early Intervention Program continued to grow, the position became full-time in 2008. As of the spring of 2012 – bringing her many years of experience as an Intervenor, Foster Parent of a child with deafblindness, and as a Deafblind Consultant – Sue accepted the position of Program Director for the Early Intervention Program. She continues to provide family-centered support and training to families with children with deafblindness and their teams throughout the province.
Sue has two adult children and two grandsons. She enjoys being outdoors, adventure travel, and spending time with family and friends.
- Early Intervention Program on Vancouver Island
- Family and team support
- Communication and deafblind strategies at home, daycare or preschool
- Kindergarten transition
- Deafblind in-services for professionals
- Opportunities to meet with other families
- allison@cdbabc.ca
- (778) 428-0416
Allison Mail
As the Early Intervention Consultant, Allison looks out for the needs of our youngest members.
Allison graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a BA in Developmental Psychology. Her introduction to the world of deafblindness was in 1986 when she began work as an Intervenor at the W. Ross Macdonald School, Brantford, Ontario in the Deafblind Unit, In 1989 she began working as a Resource consultant, traveling Ontario supporting students with deafblindness aged birth to 21 and their families. In 1999 she heard the call of the west coast and moved to Richmond to serve as the Executive Director of Deafblind Rubella Housing, which is now Deafblind Services Society of BC (DSS-BC). She took some time off to start her family, and in April of 2003 she started up the the Early Intervention Program for the BC Chapter. The Early Intervention program gives Allison the opportunity to use her many skills as an Intervenor, Resource Professional and Deafblind consultant in her work with families all across BC.
When not working at the CDBA-BC, Allison spends her time “dressing up like a princess” and shooting arrows with the Society for Creative Anachronism.