Ashley Kempton
Hello! I am excited to be a part of Arizona Hands & Voices as a DHH Guide in the Guide By Your Side program. I was born with severe-profound hearing loss that progressed to profound bilaterally. I am 20 years old and currently enrolled in school to become an EMT pursuing my dream of becoming a firefighter. I went to Desert Voices as a young child to work on my spoken language and later learned sign language. I mainstreamed in public school and have experience using different tools, on and off, such as an FM system and CART (caption) to help me along my educational journey.
Arizona Hands & Voices has been a huge part of my life growing up. My mom and I have been involved and supported by them over the years. I am excited for this opportunity to pay it forward in my role as a DHH Guide. I look forward to working with you!
Delight Lydiate
Hi! I’m excited to be a part of Arizona Hands & Voices as a DHH Guide and also as a parent of a deaf child. I was born hearing but started losing it when I was about 2 years old. I was diagnosed with progressive bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. I went to the deaf school for 3 years using Sim-Com (sign and spoken English together). In first grade, I mainstreamed at the public school using an FM system in the classroom. Except for a brief stint at the deaf school in 7th grade, I was one of two deaf kids in the public school system. I attended Utah State University where I immersed myself in the Deaf community/culture using American Sign Language, served a mission for my church in the Bronx, NY with the Deaf using ASL, then completed my Bachelors in Social Work at CSU-Sacramento.
Along the way I met and married my husband who is from New Zealand and is completely deaf. Together we attended CSU-Fresno, I for my Masters in Social Work, and he in his Masters in Deaf Education. We have 4 children, ages 9 to 2 ½ and they keep us hopping. My husband is a High School Math teacher at PDSD and I maintain a full-time job as mom. My 3rd child, Gabriel age 6, was born with unilateral hearing loss and we are on this new journey finding out what tools he needs to navigate the world with one deaf ear. Thankfully, this journey brought me to AZHV and the GBYS program. I am looking forward to serving you and your children!