Board of Directors

Russell Palk
Board Chair

As I roll into the Chair of the Board of Directors for Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, I am excited to see what 2021-2022 will bring to the communities we serve as we continue to navigate a global pandemic.  I am hopeful that we return to a “new normal” that both continues the standards of excellence and relationship but that also leverages all the innovation and agility we have during this challenging time.   

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The Bridges’ mission is meaningful to me because I am deaf.  Twelve years ago, I lost my hearing. Having lived as hearing person into adulthood, it was a dramatic change for me, but I now successfully use a cochlear implant.  Searching for a way to serve the deaf and hard of hearing community, I found Bridges two years ago and immediately knew I had found my “home.”  Serving on a very talented, diverse Board of Directors that prioritizes leadership representation from the D/deaf and hard of hearing communities and working with great leaders like Nancy Denning-Martin, I am excited about the future of Bridges and the growth and leadership of the communities we serve both in Middle and West Tennessee. 

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We are continuing a trajectory of unprecedented growth in the depth, quality, and number of programs and services we offer from birth through elder years and in our physical reach to deliver those programs and services. It’s an exciting time to be part of the Bridges family. I look forward to leading and serving and hope you will become a part of our family, too.   

Board of Directors
Meeting Schedule