Staff

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Sallie Hussey is the president and chief executive officer for Bridges, formerly League for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and EAR Foundation. Prior to joining the agency, she was a nonprofit consultant with Management Solutions Group specializing in strategic planning and fund raising. Previously she was the executive director of CASA, Inc. of Nashville, a nonprofit agency that works to find safe permanent homes for abused children, and was also an administrator with Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital charged with overseeing growth and change of the community and family service divisions. Ms. Hussey has a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University and a master’s in public relations from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa where she also studied American Sign Language for two years.

Sallie is a long-time volunteer with CASA and Junior Achievement here in Nashville. She is the past president for the Association of Nonprofit Executives, a 2004 graduate of Leadership Nashville, member of the Downtown Rotary Club, and was named to the Tennessean’s list of top 40 under 40 business leaders.

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Eric graduated from Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Kentucky, with a bachelor's degree in interpreting. He served on the staff of Deaf Services Unlimited, Des Moines, Iowa, and as a mentorship interpreter for Sign Language Associates, Washington, D.C. He was the recipient of the Department of Special Education Interpreter Training Outstanding Student Award and was selected to participate in the Theatre Development Fund at the Julliard School, New York City.

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Debbie was drawn to the Deaf community at the age of 21 when she met her roommate's deaf family. Since then, she has been an ongoing student of American Sign Language and teaches a basic sign language classes at her church. In 2004, Debbie retired from BellSouth and decided to broaden her skills to include transcription services. Debbie continues to be involved with Silent Dinners, Better Hearing & Speech Month picnic, Camp Rise & Sign, and other events involving the local Deaf and hard of hearing communities.

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Nikki has bachelor of science degree in political science, and a master's degree in public administration, both from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She worked as a research assistant, as a camp and after school counselor for youth, and in customer service before joining Bridges.

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Alexandra graduated from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine with a bachelor’s degree in political science. In 2009, she received her master’s degree in public health from New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York where she focused her research thesis on language and cultural barriers in health care. She has experience in non-profit organizations, and has worked in the marketing and community relations departments of hospitals in the New York area. Alexandra currently lives in Nashville with her husband and two dogs.

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Julie graduated from Ball State University with a bachelor’s degree in deaf education and a master’s degree in administration and supervision from the University of Memphis. Prior to joining Bridges, Julieworked as an itinerant hearing consultant for Williamson County Schools in Franklin, TN. Julie’s career began in Jackson, TN as a teacher at the West Tennessee School for the Deaf. Julie also taught self-contained children with hearing loss in Chattanooga, TN and Chesterfield, VA. She has previous experience as an adjunct-faculty professor at Chattanooga State Technical Community College. In her spare time, Julie enjoys being with her family and two dogs.

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Michelle has a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She is currently a student in Nashville State Community College’s Sign Language Interpreting program. Prior to becoming Social Coordinator & Administrative Assistant, she served as an intern at Bridges for a year, working with the Living Well program. In the future, Michelle hopes to pursue a master’s degree in deaf studies. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her bike and spending time with her friends and dog.

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Sylvya became deaf as a result of pneumonia at the age of three weeks. Sylvya graduated from Gallaudet University with bachelor’s degree in sociology and social work.  She went on to graduate school at Jacksonville State University in Alabama and received a teacher's certificate in deaf education. Sylvya has worked as an ASL Instructor for over 30 years, as a volunteer in Deaf communities, as a teacher with multi-handicapped deaf children, and as an employment coordinator in Atlanta, GA. She is married and the mother of four wonderful children, two boys and two girls.

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Carole has lived in Nashville, Tennessee since 1992. She has a Master of Arts degree in Teaching from Belmont University, and is working on her Special Education (modified) add-on endorsement from Tennessee State University. In her free time Carole loves to travel, read, spin, crochet, watch movies, and hang out with friends and family. She looks forward to growing and learning in her new position as Literacy Coordinator at Bridges!

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Mike Helms was born and raised in Tennessee. He graduated with double major in Accounting and Organizational Communications from Lipscomb University in 1999. Mike has worked with the retail business as a ‘jack of all trades’ for over thirteen years since his college days. On the side of his job duties, he continues to serve as a minister to the deaf with the local congregation in Hermitage. Mike has been a speaker for state and national workshops throughout the nation. He is the director of the Deaf Retreat since 2001 at Camp Discovery in Jackson County of Gainesboro. Mike has had long ties to Bridges since 1995. He served as a board member from 1997 to 2006, and as treasurer of Bridges's board of directors in 2005.

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A native of West Tennessee, Amanda holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish with a minor in International Business and an International MBA, both from the University of Memphis. She lived in Mexico City while working on her thesis in graduate school and has lived, worked and traveled throughout Central and South America as well as Europe. Locally, she has extensive experience in the non-profit arena in the areas of both financial and office management, working for the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute for over eight years.