Our Board Members
James “Dino” Christianson, Jr.
Board Vice President (Acting President)
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Dino
[On top of Table Mountain (5,735 ft), North Cascades, Mount Baker Area]
Dino has been a board member for SSDS since August 2015 when the school founded. He has worked as Senior Client Advocate with Hearing, Speech and Deaf Center (HSDC) office, located in Bellingham, since 2004.
He has also worked for Deaf Teen Leadership Camp (DTL) since 2009 as challenge course facilitator and currently camp co-director. In this role, he provides enriching leadership training and experiences for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing high school teenagers in the summer. He is currently a board member of National Association of the Deaf as the Region IV Representative, term 2020-2024.
He loves reading novels, collecting comic books, hiking and having quality times with family, especially his two daughters and dog, Faith.
Liza Bancroft
Board Secretary
Liza
Liza has been a board member for SSDS since August 2022. She has worked as the American Sign Language teacher at Burlington-Edison High School since 2010 as well as working closely with the OSPI ASL Program Director to coordinate professional development and supports for high school ASL teachers around Washington State.
Liza's love of Deaf Culture began as a child in elementary school when she attended Sunnyland Elementary School in Bellingham, WA alongside Deaf peers. After high school, Liza worked as a signing IA in elementary schools before becoming an interpreter. During the COVID pandemic, she was able to complete her BA in Elementary & Special Education Sciences.
She loves family time, coffee, camping, and adventuring when she's not wedding planning!
Misty Flowers
Board Treasurer
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Misty
[On top of Cho-La Pass, Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal - sitting at 17,778 ft]
Misty Flowers has served as the Salish Sea Deaf School Board of Directors treasurer for the past three years. She is a native of Washington State and has been employed by the Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services (ADWAS) since July 2005. Misty began as their business manager and now serves as Finance Director. At ADWAS, she manages a combined budget of approximately 1.4 – 1.9 million annually.
Misty graduated in June 2000 from California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Option: Management.
Misty also voluntarily develops annual budgets for Deaf Spotlight organization in Seattle.
Maria Christianson
Salish Sea Deaf School Director
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Maria
[Maria and Faith]
Maria has served in her current role as Executive Director since 2016. She has worked in the Deaf Education field since 2003 including as a facilitator and director for Deaf Teen Leadership Camp between 2009 and 2017.
She was a board member for Northwest Washington Community of the Deaf from 2001 to 2004, Washington State Association of the Deaf from 2007 to 2010 and Board of Trustee for Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth since 2013.
She enjoys camping, gardening, family road trips and spending time with her two daughters and dog, Faith.
Our Staff
Aaliyah Cheatham
Teacher of the Deaf
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Aaliyah
Hi! My name is Aaliyah Cheatham. I graduated from Gallaudet University last May 2021 with a masters in Deaf Education. I joined the SSDS family in late March of last year. I am so excited about being here and working with the great students at SSDS.
On a personal note; I love being outside and try to get in all the opportunities I can to hike. I also am addicted to bright shoes, maybe you have already seen me around with eye popping blue and my favorite yellow shoes, already?! Feel free to ask me any questions you’d like, or reach out just to chat, I don't bite! I hope to meet you all, and I can’t wait to start a new school year with these young, smiling faces. Have a wonderful day! :)
Cathy Graffuis
Administrative Assistant / ECE Teacher
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Cathy
Big hello! My name is Cathy Graffuis, and I have been with SSDS for the last 4 years as an educational facilitator (teacher) and am now also working within the administrative department as the Assistant to the Executive Director. I am extremely excited to start this new path on my Salish Sea Deaf School journey!
I have been in the field of Deaf Education my entire career, starting out as an Educational Interpreter 26 plus years ago (Certified), until I finally got my degree in Early Childhood Education! Deaf Education is my passion and a huge part of who I am. I love what I do, I love where I work, and I love who I work with! I am a MFD/CODA /SODA(Mother/Father deaf, Child of Deaf Adults, Sibling of Deaf Adults), with 4 Deaf Siblings and another Coda sister. I am so fortunate to come from a brilliant, crazy, full of love, wonderfully HUGE multi-generational Deaf family, including my youngest son! I may be able to “hear” but my heart and soul are “Deaf”.
I am married to a wonderful partner, Bob, and we have raised 4 amazing children together. Bob and I love to hang out on the water kayaking or crabbing, watch movies, and spend time with family and our two dogs. I love enjoy all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Come on by the school, I look forward to seeing you!
Tim Graffuis
Support Staff
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Tim
Hi, my name is Tim and I am one of the Support Staff here at SSDS. I enjoy working with kids and watching them grow. I also really appreciate their sense of humor- they make me laugh everyday. I have been signing my whole life. I have a brother who is Deaf as well as Deaf grandparents, aunts, uncles and dozens of Deaf cousins.
In my personal time I am a musician and have a great love of music.
[picture: performance at the music festival "Sh'Bang" in Bellingham.]
Thuy Truong
Support Staff
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Thuy
Thuy has served as a support staff since September 2019. Previously, she worked for The Market, LLC (formerly Brown & Cole, LLC) as an accounting clerk for 19 years in Bellingham, Washington.
She moved to Bellingham from Vietnam in 1990 when she was 15 years old and graduated from Washington School for the Deaf in Vancouver, WA in 1994.
She has been involved as a board member for Northwest Washington Community of the Deaf (NWWCD) for 20+ years.
Thuy enjoys camping, hiking with family and watching Asian films.