Ephphatha's Council:
President Shirlene Williams
Vice President William Ortiga
Secretary Yolanda Marsh
Treasurer Hershella Ortiga
Assistant Treasurer Roscoe Dixon
Vice President William Ortiga
Secretary Yolanda Marsh
Treasurer Hershella Ortiga
Assistant Treasurer Roscoe Dixon
Our President.
Shirlene Williams
Shirlene Williams was born in Drew, Mississipi and moved to Chicago, IL in 1966 with her family to pursue a better life during a prominent time of racism and discrimination in the south. She graduated from Chicago Vocational High School and later graduated from Galludet University with a Bachelor's of Arts degree in English and later pursued a two Master's degrees in Education and Guidance and Counseling. She has worked with the deaf, hard of hearing, and special needs children within the public school systems for a total of 33 years. The majority of her work has been here in Chicago at Whitney Young HS and Chicago Vocational HS, now Chicago Vocational Career Academic High School, teaching and counseling deaf and hard of hearing students. Ms.Williams is currently the president of the Chicagoland Black Deaf Advocates, a local chapter of the National Black Deaf Advocates. Ms. Shirlene Williams has been a member of Ephphatha Luthern Church for 28 years, and she continues to serve the deaf and hard of hearing community through her teachings in Christ here at Ephphatha. We are proud of you and salute you as a pioneer for the black deaf community.