Deaf comedian, entertainer, artist, performer, online social media personality, entrepreneur, businessman, TikTok star, content creator, and advocate known for sharing sketches and memes that educate people about deafness. His videos often highlight the humorous side of his experience navigating life as a deaf person, while also celebrating the unique aspects of deaf culture.

Keynote Speaker! Friday, September 25th, 2026 from 7:00p.m. to 9:00 pm. Join us for an evening with Justin Loncar, “Some Deaf Guy,” as he takes the stage for a night of humor, entertainment, and Deaf culture. Come ready to laugh, connect, and enjoy a keynote that is sure to be anything but ordinary!

Cody McEvoy M.A., LMHP is an advocate, former behavioral health coordinator and a mental health practitioner specializing in supporting Deaf and hard of hearing youth throughout Nebraska. Cody has contributed his expertise to regional and advocacy programs. Cody will bring his experience in mental health advocacy, and behavioral health to an important conversation about supporting the well-being, growth, and success of DHH students.

Kick off Saturday, September 26th 2026 at 8:30 a.m. with Cody McEvoy for an engaging keynote focused on social-emotional development in Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. Cody will bring his experience in mental health, advocacy, and behavioral health to an important conversation about the social-emotional develpment in Deaf and Hard of Hearing students as well as exploring the lends of the Deaf Identity.

Abbey grew up Deaf as a student who relied on the Nebraska Regional Programs to be the place that she needed and now she gets to help facilitate that for students! She has bachelor degrees in Elementary Education and Special Education and master degrees in Deaf Education and Educational Administration.

Join Abbey on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for the closing session on Sunday at 10:00. The session will be a DHH Adult Panel.

Jessica is a Parent Guide, ASTRa Advocate, and Board member for Nebraska Hands and Voices. She is passionate about literacy and social skills for D/HH children and empowering parents to support these skills at home in easy and accessible ways. She loves working with families and helping them to find the resources that they need to help their children achieve their goals and reach their full potential.

Jessica will be presenting during Saturday’s breakout session at 1:30 p.m. alongside Jennifer Zysset. The presentation, “Becoming a Participating Parent,” is designed to empower parents of children receiving special education services to shift from passive attendees to active, equal partners in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. It provides actionable preparation, communication, and advocacy strategies to ensure the child’s unique strengths and needs drive their IEP goals.

Kim is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who is committed to educating parents and professionals on the neurological effects of a late or incomplete first language acquisition for Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children. She has given presentations on a variety of topics related to bilingualism, language acquisition, and language deprivation, and she is dedicated to changing the way that SLPs understand and work with DHH children.

Kimberly will be presenting on The Science of Reading (SoR) has transformed reading instruction across educational settings, yet many educators and clinicians are left wondering how these evidence-based principles apply to deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) learners. This presentation provides an overview of the Science of Reading and examines its application within the context of deaf education. Participants will explore the critical role of language access and language acquisition in literacy development, including the impact of language deprivation on reading outcomes. Practical strategies for adapting SoR-informed instruction through an ASL-English bilingual lens will be shared, with an emphasis on interactive, language-rich approaches to reading instruction.

Trenton Marsh is a third-generation Deaf individual, part of a large Deaf family that extends into a fourth generation. As a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) with over 20 years of experience, Trenton has worked both nationally and internationally, interpreting at conferences and for prestigious events like the Deaflympics opening ceremonies. Locally, he has contributed his expertise in legal, medical, and employment settings, and he is particularly recognized for his interpreting work with the Governor of Utah.

Trenton will provide a session about slowing things down and focusing on English-to-ASL translation. Trenton Marsh and Michelle Draper will walk participants through taking English text apart and rebuilding it into natural, visual ASL. The idea is that by practicing translation without the pressure of interpreting simultaneously, you can strengthen those skills and make simultaneous interpreting feel easier and more natural over time. The session will be presented in ASL, and voice interpretation will not be provided.

Sue Petersen is the new Greater Metro Regional Program Coordinator for students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, effective August 1st, 2026. Sue was previously an educator and interpreter with more than 30 years of experience working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals across K-12, post secondary, and community settings. She holds endorsements in Deaf Education (Birth-21), ESL, and Transition, along with a state interpreting license and an EIPA Performance Score of 4.5. Her background includes work with Ralston Public Schools, Iowa School for the Deaf, Boys Town National Research Hospital, and the Greater Metro Regional Program.  She also has strong personal connections to the Deaf community, and has the needs of our DHH students and families at heart!

Sue will be presenting during breakout session 1 on Sunday September 27th, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. on Ethics for the Educational Interpreter.

Susan is a clinical audiologist and for the last 25+ years has been specifically focused on cochlear implants and other implantable hearing technologies. She is currently an Audiology Manager for the Boys Town National Research Hospital Cochlear Implant Program. She serves both pediatric and adult populations and has a particular interest in treatment options for patients with single-sided deafness. 

Join Susan Sunday September 27th, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. for a Boys Town Sponsored Parent Workshop.