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2026 SERID Logo, "Making Waves Wherever We Go"

Keynote Presenter

Scott Lehmann and Shayna Unger

Man and woman standing top of mountain with background of more of mountains.

Scott Lehmann and Shayna Unger are deaf mountaineers, educators, storytellers. They are athletes for Mountain Hardwear, SCARPA, Smartwool and Hestra. Both were born into multigenerational deaf families and raised in the deaf community. Growing up, there was limited deaf representation in the outdoors, and they faced barriers to outdoor education due to communication challenges. It wasn’t until after college that they taught themselves how to climb mountains by studying YouTube videos and communicating with other climbers on the mountains using paper and pen.

Over the past ten years, Scott and Shayna have climbed the world’s highest peaks together. They became the first deaf Americans to summit Mount Everest and Lhotse, and in doing so, the first deaf individuals to complete a back-to-back double ascent of 8,000-meter peaks in just 26 hours. They also became the first deaf individuals in the world to summit three additional 8,000-meter peaks, Makalu, Manaslu, and Kangchenjunga, and were part of the first all deaf team to summit Denali.

Scott and Shayna launched the project Seeing Beyond: Seven Summits with the goal of becoming the first deaf individuals to complete the Seven Summits while raising awareness, improving access to information and education, increasing deaf and disabled representation, and inspiring their community to explore the outdoors.

Presenters

Cindy Camp

Face shot of womanCindy Camp is the Marketing & Communications Specialist with DCMP (Described and Captioned Media Program).  She holds a Master’s degree in English, is a nationally certified interpreter, and C-Print captioninst and trainer.  She has provided access services to students who are deaf and hard of hearing for over 35 years.  

Charlene Crump


Charlene Crump is the State Coordinator for Communication Access and Training Services with the Alabama Department of Mental Health and oversees the national Mental Health Interpreter Training project. She is a nationally certified interpreter, Qualified Mental Health Interpreter-Supervisor, and holds a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling with additional certifications in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services programming. A co-developer of the Communication Skills Assessment, Crump is a frequent presenter and published author on topics related to mental health interpreting and communication access.

JC Jerome Smith

JC Jerome Smith is a dedicated advocate for accessibility, inclusion, and equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities. He is passionate about helping people achieve their personal, educational, and employment goals while promoting greater awareness and understanding within communities. Through his work with individuals from diverse backgrounds, he encourages self-advocacy and helps create more inclusive environments where everyone can thrive.

 

Amanda Gerson

Amanda Gerson is the Vocational Rehabilitation Outreach Manager at Gallaudet University with more than 15 years of experience in vocational rehabilitation and disability services. Her career has included roles as a VR Counselor, Supervisor, Manager, and Statewide Coordinator for VR and Transition Services, including leadership of a DeafBlind Services Unit. Amanda works closely with students, families, VR agencies, and university partners to support educational and employment success. As a Sibling of a Deaf Adult (SODA), she brings both personal and professional insight to her advocacy for communication access, equity, and opportunities for Deaf individuals.

Miranda Beard


Miranda A. Beard is a nationally recognized speaker, author, certified executive leadership coach, and certified emotional intelligence coach. As President of B&B Consultants Inc., she provides leadership coaching, consulting, and professional development to organizations across the country. A former President of the National School Boards Association and longtime school board leader, Miranda is passionate about helping professionals build resilient teams, strengthen communication, and create thriving workplace cultures.

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