DLIA FCEI Deaf Scholarship

Congratulations to the 2026 Family-Centred Early Intervention (FCEI) Deaf Scholarship Awardees:

Debopriya Ghosh

India

Debopriya Ghosh is a Creative Controller at Ogilvy, Kolkata, with over a decade of experience in visual communication, accessibility-focused storytelling, and community advocacy. Alongside her professional career, she is actively involved in Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) awareness and early intervention–related work in India through Anwesha Kolkata and its youth wing, Bondhu.

Her community work focuses on supporting families of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, particularly in the early years, by promoting early language exposure, family engagement, and accessible communication practices. In contexts where formal early intervention services are limited or delayed, she works closely with parents to increase awareness about hearing loss, reduce stigma, and encourage informed, family-centered decision-making for children aged 0–5.

She brings a country-specific perspective on family-centered early intervention in low-resource settings, highlighting how culturally responsive communication, parental empowerment, and community-based support can strengthen outcomes for deaf children and their families.

Katie McCarthy

United States

Katie McCarthy, MBA, CPACC (she/they) is the Outreach and Support Services Coordinator for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Boston Children's Hospital since 2014. The DHHP outreach program extends care beyond the clinic to foster the whole child approach and provide opportunities for positive identity development. Katie coordinates family-centered events, support groups for parents and children of all ages, educational workshops, hospital-wide best practices and accessibility, and collaborative efforts towards inclusion in the community. Katie also serves as the co-chair for the Disability Alliance Employee Led Group (DA ELG). Katie has been Deaf since birth and is bilingual in American Sign Language and English.

Sara Yahyaei

Canada/Iran

My name is Sara Yahyaei, born Deaf in Tehran, Iran, and have built my life at the intersection of art, education, and Deaf advocacy across Iran and Canada. My early schooling was marked by systemic barriers, including the absence of Deaf culture and accessible services, yet I persisted, nurturing talents in painting, English, and music while volunteering with non-governmental organizations as a librarian and participating in musical ensembles as a Traditional Iranian instrument player

I completed a bachelor’s degree in Cultural and Arts Management in June 2022 with honors, then earned a scholarship to York University, becoming the first Deaf student in Communication and Cultural Studies there and graduating in August 2024. I am currently a Doctoral student & GA at University of Toronto in Adult Education and Community Development.

As a Deaf social rights activist, my career began in my teens at the NGO for the Deaf in Iran as a Music instructor to Deaf and autistic learners. In Toronto, I taught ASL to Deaf immigrants & deepened my commitment to adult Deaf educators. I have written multiple English-language articles on sign language, art, communication, and Deaf culture in Iran and Canada.

As a volunteer in the Frank Impact Institute and Faranak Foundation, I serve as a Deaf young adult ambassador, supporting families of Deaf and hard-of-hearing children (0–5) through family-centred early intervention, emotional support, early communication guidance, and collaborative work with professionals to foster inclusion, identity, and advocacy from early childhood onward.

Congratulations to the 2024 Family-Centred Early Intervention (FCEI) Deaf Scholarship Awardees: