is a currently a Regional 1 Mental Health Therapist for the Deaf with the Alabama Department of Mental Health, Office of Deaf Services in Huntsville, Alabama since November 2014. Her responsibilities as a Mental Health Therapist are to provide direct Mental Health services to individuals who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing and work with community mental health centers to provide quality services to these populations.
Kim is originally from Niles, Michigan and was raised part of childhood in Russellville, Alabama. She attended Gallaudet University in Washington, DC where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumers Studies with a specialization in child development. She then moved to Oregon to attend Western Oregon University where she obtained her Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling with the Deaf. Kim pursued several Mental Health counseling related courses through the University of Utah to meet the qualifications for Clinical Mental Health Counseling licensure in Utah.
Kim worked as a Transition Specialist at Sequoia Schools for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Mesa, Arizona for a year and then a Case Manager/Advocate for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Salt Lake City, Utah for 7 years prior to moving to Alabama. She collaborated with two experienced parent educators for Deaf to develop “The Utah Empowered Deaf Parenting” curriculum designed for parents who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deafblind as well as parents who have children who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-blind to provide essential education, tools, and support in 2014.
Kim is currently living in Madison, AL, with husband Brian Thornsberry and have son, Ty (age 10, living at home) and daughter, Stormi (age 21, attending college in Idaho).
​
Kim's workshop covers important information about the five love languages of the children adapted from the book “The 5 Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively” By Gary D. Chapman and Ross Campbell. In addition, we will cover aspects on how to identify a Deaf/Hard of Hearing child’s love language through his/her communication methods. We will utilize these tools to develop/maintain effective communication skills and healthy relationships with children who have hearing losses.
Our Presenters
Kimberly Thornsberry, MS, ALC, CRC
Tawny Holmes, Esq.
Tawny Holmes, Esq. is a deaf attorney with a Masters’ Degree in Deaf Education and experience in teaching students of all grade levels.
Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, she attended mainstream school there before graduating from the Alabama School for the Deaf. Tawny then obtained her degrees in Deaf Studies, Sociology, and Deaf Education from Gallaudet University along with receiving her law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
Tawny currently resides in Germantown, MD and works full-time as the Education Policy Counsel at the NAD. She also serves as the chair of the National Education Strategy Team and as the coordinator of the Education Advocates Program at the NAD.
Tawny is the proud godmother of four deaf children: Avant, Leilani, Oriana and Talon. She loves reading fiction books and scrapbooking inbetween her travels around America for many education advocacy related presentations!
​
Tawny's workshops will cover information that parents need to know for Individualized Education Plans (IEPS) and Language Development Plans.