Amy Aillon, MS, grew up in Illinois. She attended mainstream school until third grade and then transferred to the Illinois School for the Deaf. Aillon earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., and her master’s degree in deaf education from McDaniel College in Maryland. Previously, she worked as After School Program (ASP) staff and as a long-term substitute teacher at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, in Washington, D.C., before becoming a teacher in the K-2 department. Aillon has taught in both pre-kindergarten (one year) and kindergarten (six years) classrooms.
Randee Bickford, MS, is a proud New Englander. Although she was born in Spain, she grew up in Massachusetts. She comes from a hearing family and attended both deaf and mainstream schools as a child. Bickford earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and sociology from Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts and her master’s degree in deaf education from McDaniel College in Maryland. Previously, she worked at the American School for the Deaf teaching third through sixth grade and at the Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD) teaching third to fifth grade. After 13 years at MSD, she began her current job at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School in Washington, D.C., first as a middle school math teacher and now as an administrator. Currently, Bickford is in the process of earning her second master’s degree in STEAM education from the University of San Diego.
Jie Ma, MS, was born to a warm and loving Deaf family and raised in China. She graduated from Tianjin University of Technology in China with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and then earned her master’s degree in deaf education from McDaniel College in Maryland. Ma has taught for four years and is currently teaching Algebra 2 and STEAM classes at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf. Math and technology are very much her passion.
