Willie Ross School for the Deaf Announces Mary Cate Mannion as New Trustee

LONGMEADOW — Willie Ross School for the Deaf (WRSD) announced that Mary Cate Mannion has joined the school’s board of trustees. Mannion works for Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi) and is a former news anchor and reporter for Western Mass News.

Mannion said her hard-of-hearing sister is part of the inspiration behind her joining the school’s board of trustees. Her sister underwent surgeries and gained more language access through hearing aids and the use of American Sign Language (ASL).

Mannion said her sister “shares her love of ASL with our family and followed that passion to become an educator at a school for the deaf and hard of hearing on the West Coast. Witnessing her experiences in education shaped my perspective on the importance of providing an opportunity for deaf and hard-of-hearing students to learn in a way that is best for them.”

Mannion visited the main and partnership campuses prior to accepting the invitation to join the board. “Recently, I had a chance to visit the WRSD facilities in East Longmeadow and Longmeadow, and the excitement for learning of both educators and students was clear. I am thrilled to support them and the mission of the Willie Ross School for the Deaf as a board member.”

Mannion is a public relations analyst and video producer with eight years of storytelling experience. She previously worked as a news reporter for WMTW-TV in the Portland, Maine area, and prior to that was at Western Mass News. She earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Emerson College.

According to Bert Carter, president and CEO of WRSD, “we are blessed to have a committed and inspired group of trustees on our board. Mary Cate’s understanding and commitment for what we do in preparing students for the world offers a valuable new voice in that work.”