New England Region
Our Service Area
The New England Region encompasses the following states:
Connecticut
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Vermont
What We Do
Our regional offices bring HKNC resources to you. Your regional representative knows all about the programs and services that are available to DeafBlind individuals, their families and service providers in your state and beyond, and can help you find and access the ones that are right for you.
Whether you’re interested in learning about support services near your home, would like to take advantage of the technology available through the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program or want to explore the possibility of training at our national headquarters, your regional representative is your link to all that HKNC has to offer ─ consultation, advocacy, assessment, training, referrals and more.
Regional Representative
Tara Brown-Ogilvie joined the HKNC family in 2014 and in 2020, returned as the Region 1 representative. Tara has enjoyed over 10 years of working with youth and adults who are Deafblind as a support service provider, vision rehabilitation therapist, tactual sign language interpreter, and certified orientation and mobility specialist.
Tara is a National Leadership Consortium in Sensory Disabilities (NLCSD) scholar pursuing a Ph.D. in Special Education at University of Northern Colorado (UNCO). She also holds a M.S.Ed. with an emphasis in Orientation and Mobility and a B.S. in Sign Language Interpreting.
In 2019, she was awarded the Division on Visual Impairments and DeafBlindness (DVIDB) Virginia M. Sowell Student of the Year Award which recognizes a student committed to the education and rehabilitation of individuals with visual impairments and deafblindness. She has co-authored several articles related to visual impairment, deafblindness, and disability support services. Tara has also worked as an adjunct instructor and enjoys guest speaking at university classes, professional in-services, and conferences on DeafBlindess, transition services, orientation and mobility, and communication access.
Contact Information
Tara Brown-Ogilvie (Regional Representative)Email: tbrown-ogilvie@helenkeller.org
Brenda Baroncelli (Administrative Assistant)Email: bbaroncelli@helenkeller.org
Deaf, Inc.; 215 Brighton Ave
Allston, MA 02134
Voice: 516-320-0265
VP: 781-257-2000
Local Events
Are you interested in getting involved in the DeafBlind community in the New England Region? Your regional representative can provide information about social gatherings, conferences, listservs and more. Check this space for announcements about upcoming events or contact your regional representative to request email notifications.
Local Resources
You need answers about what’s out there for you, and HKNC has them.
Ask your regional representative about:
- The National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program
- Local services and referrals
- On-site assessment, consultation and training
- Making connections with other individuals and families within the deaf-blind community
- Technical assistance and in-service training
- Plans for youth transitioning from educational programs to post-educational services
- Educational materials and presentations about the capabilities and preferences of people with combined vision and hearing loss
If the services you need are not available in your area, you might want to consider exploring HKNC headquarters in New York as an option for assessment and training. Check out our FAQs and contact your regional representative for more information.