ABOUT

Nearly 30 Years in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education

Heather Freeman, M.Ed., has spent nearly 30 years supporting Deaf and Hard of Hearing students across public school and specialized educational settings. Her experience spans both Listening and Spoken Language and Total Communication/sign-language-based environments, giving her a broad perspective on the individual communication, access, and educational needs of students.

Throughout her career, Heather has provided direct and consultative Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing services, collaborated with multidisciplinary school teams and families, supported educational planning and classroom access, worked with hearing technology, and provided professional development for educators.

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From Direct Service to Program Leadership

Heather began her career providing direct instruction to Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in a self-contained Total Communication high school program in North Carolina before spending more than a decade serving students in public schools in Connecticut. She later joined Summit Speech School as an itinerant Teacher of the Deaf, providing direct and consultative services to students throughout New Jersey.

From 2019 through 2026, Heather served as Coordinator of Summit’s Itinerant Mainstream Support Program, directing a program serving approximately 65 school districts and 270 students throughout New Jersey. In that role, she supervised and mentored a team of 15 Teachers of the Deaf, consulted with school districts, collaborated with educational audiologists, developed professional learning, and guided program development, staffing, and strategic planning.

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A Broad Perspective on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education

Heather’s experience across communication approaches and educational settings shapes the way she approaches each student and school team. Rather than beginning with a predetermined model, she focuses on understanding the student’s strengths, communication needs, educational environment, and access to instruction.

Her work is grounded in practical collaboration with the educators, related service providers, administrators, and families who support students every day.

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Statewide Leadership & Professional Contributions

In 2024, Heather was selected to serve on a statewide advisory committee for the New Jersey Department of Education’s Educational Planning Guide for Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Working alongside educational leaders from public and specialized programs throughout New Jersey, she contributed to the development of a statewide resource designed to support school districts in educational planning and service delivery.

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Education & Credentials

Supervisor Certification
Rowan University, 2016

Master of Education, Reading and Language
University of Massachusetts Lowell, 2009

Sixth-Year Graduate Studies
University of New England, 2009

Bachelor of Science, Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The College of New Jersey, 1997

New Jersey Certifications

Teacher of the Deaf or Hard of Hearing, K–12, Standard

Supervisor, Standard