FCC Appoints AG Bell to Consumer Advisory Committee

From: AG Bell - Jun 9, 2005

For Release: June 9, 2005

Contact:

Jessica Ripper
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf
and Hard of Hearing
Phone: (202) 337-5220 ext. 123
Fax: (202) 337-8314
Email: jripper@agbell.org
Website: www.AGBell.org

FCC Appoints AG Bell to Consumer Advisory Committee
Hearing Access Program Founder Janice Schacter Named as Representative

Washington, DC, June 9, 2005 – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently announced the appointment of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) to its Consumer Advisory Committee. The Committee makes recommendations to the FCC regarding consumer issues, and members are selected to represent the Commission's many constituencies and provide a balanced point of view as required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act. AG Bell will join 19 new appointees representing consumer interests, disability interests, state regulators and industry, as well as 35 Committee appointees announced earlier this year.

Janice Schacter, an AG Bell parent whose daughter is hard of hearing, will serve as AG Bell's representative on the Committee. Schacter, a former attorney, first started advocating for access to assistive listening devices when taking her daughter to the theater and on family trips. Since then, she has founded the Hearing Access Program, a collaboration between AG Bell, The League for the Hard of Hearing/Communication, and Self Help for Hard of Hearing that promotes appropriate access to public cultural and entertainment venues for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

"AG Bell is proud to name Janice Schacter as our representative to the FCC Consumer Advisory Committee," said K. Todd Houston, Ph.D., Executive Director/CEO of AG Bell. "She understands the challenges facing adults and children with hearing loss and has already gained invaluable practical experience working with venues such as the American Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Theater and The Metropolitan Museum of Art to enhance their communication access programs."

Michael Janger, a long-time AG Bell member who recently received a cochlear implant, has been named as an alternate. Janger holds a master's degree in business administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is a lifelong resource, support network, and advocate for listening, learning, talking, and living independently with hearing loss. Through publications, outreach, training, scholarships, and financial aid, AG Bell promotes the use of spoken language and hearing technology. Headquartered in Washington, DC with chapters located in the United States and Canada and a network of international affiliates, AG Bell's global presence provides its members and the public with the support they need – close to home. With over a century of service, AG Bell supports its mission: Advocating Independence through Listening and Talking! For more information, contact AG Bell at (202) 337- 5220 or visit the AG Bell website at www.agbell.org.
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