umdeaf@gmail.com
Vision Statement
To share Jesus' love by equipping and advocating access through effective communication and leadership among the diverse deaf community.
About the Committee
In 1992, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church established the National Committee on Deaf Ministries as a mission initiative (renewed at each General Conference.)
As its mission expanded to include all people with hearing loss, the committee broadened its name to reflect the diversity of the population it represents. It is now known as the United Methodist Committee on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ministries or DHM.
The committee operates under the auspices of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church.
Ten members make up the Committee as follows: two people who are Deaf, two late-deafened, two hard of hearing, one DeafBlind person, as well as one deaf institutional ministry professional, and two clergy with experience in ministry with people who are Deaf, late-deafened, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind.
The Committee strives to be inclusive with regard to gender, ethnicity, jurisdiction, and different sign language and hearing abilities.
Read our General Conference authorization here.
Committee Members
Our committee is seeking for balance of jurisdictions, ethnic, hearing, Deaf, hard-of-hearing, Deafblind, lay, clergy, age and gender. If you sense God calling you to serve on our committee, please see our Membership Guidelines and contact the committee vice-president.
Committee members and any others who plan to submit photographs or other illustrations for the site
Rev. Dr. Sunny Ahn, Western Jurisdiction, hearing, clergy with Deaf Ministry
Rev. Timothy Barth, Southeastern Jurisdiction, hard of hearing, clergy
Bryan Branson, Western Jurisdiction President and Fundraising for Yatosha Deaf School 
Rev. Dan Bryant, GBGM Board Representative, North Central Jurisdiction, hearing, clergy
Mary Ann Deters, Southeast Jurisdiction, Deaf, lay
Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank, ex officio
Kathleen Griffith, General Board of Global Ministries
Lisa Harvey, President, late-deafened, lay, Baltimore-Washington Conference - Northeastern Juurisdiction
Zach Holler, North Central Jurisdiction, Deafblind, clergy
Rev. Thomas Hudspeth, Consultant, South Central Jurisdiction, Hard of hearing, clergy
Rev. Tonderayi Makaya, interpreter, Zimbabwe East Conference - Central Conferences
Dr. Audrea Nanabray, hearing, Deaf ministry advocate, DS
Lynn Swedberg, Disability Ministries Committee of the UMC, Western Jurisdiction, Deaconess
Tim Vermande, Communications, post-paralytic hearing loss, North Central Jurisdiction, lay
Rev. Barbara Whitlow, interpreter, Northeastern Jurisdiction
Rev. Leo Yates jr., Treasurer/bookkeeper, Northeast Jurisdiction, hearing, clergy
should note that it is GBGM policy to have a signed release for any such use.
Click here to download the form for this use.
