Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind

Member, Citizen Who is Blind

Allison Steven, originally from England, has lived in the United States with her husband since 1998. She worked as a music teacher at Riverstone International School in Boise, Idaho, for 12 years, developing the K-12 music curriculum during that time. Losing her vision due to Retinitis Pigmentosa, a progressive degenerative disease of the retina, she became a student at the Assessment and Training Center of the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually-Impaired. In November 2017 Alison graduated with a Master of Arts in Teaching the Visually-Impaired from Louisiana Tech. While completing her Masters she was hired on as the Transition Coordinator at the Commission for the Blind working with blind and visually-impaired students aged 14 through 21, developing and implementing programming aimed at improving student independence and preparedness for college and employment. She volunteers with the National Federation of the Blind, running camps and activities for blind children and youth, including the annual summer NFB BELL and Beyond program. She received the Distinguished Blind Educator of the Year Award from the National Federation of the Blind in July 2019.

In her spare time Alison enjoys playing piano and guitar, singing, hiking, biking, reading and spending time with her husband, four grown children and brand new baby granddaughter.

Member, Certified or Specialized Personnel

Dr. Charlie Silva - Dr. Silva has over 30 years’ experience working in the field of special education. She has worked as a classroom teacher, consulting teacher, school psychologist, and administrator in several states. Since moving to Idaho in 2020, she has worked for Boise State University as an Assistant Professor, consulting school psychologist, Special Education Director for the Boise School District, and the Idaho State Director of Special Education for 7 ½ years.  During her tenure as state director, she was on the board of directors for the National Association for State Directors of Special Education.

Currently she is an IDEA Subject Matter Expert working with a few national projects funded by the Office of Special Education Programs.   Dr. Silva is dedicated to supporting all students with disabilities and their families.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and dogs at their cabin, riding her bike, working in the yard, and reading.

Member, Citizen who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Steven Snow serves as the Executive Director of the Idaho Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, where he leads state-wide efforts to ensure accommodation, access to services, and the advancement of public policies benefiting deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens.

In his current roles, Steven is the Vice Chairman of the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) ADA Advisory Board, Chairman of the Idaho State University Deaf Community Advisory Board, and a member of several key organizations, including the Idaho Supreme Court Language Access Committee, the Idaho Assistive Technology Project Board, the Idaho Sound Beginnings Board, and the Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and Blind. He also holds the position of Vice President for the National Association of State Agencies of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Previously, Steven contributed his leadership to the Deaf Center of Idaho Board, Disability Rights of Idaho, and was instrumental in the formation of the Idaho Interpreter Licensure Task Force. His academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and a master’s degree in Community Counseling from Gallaudet University.

An alumnus of the Idaho School for the Deaf, Steven is also a dedicated family man, raising four children with his wife, Davina

Director of Special Education

Cindy Cook, PhD - Dr. Cook has been employed by the Nampa School District since 2001, and currently holds the position of Special Education Director. Currently she is an active member of the Idaho Council for Exceptional Children and the Idaho Council for children with Behavior Disorders and has served on their executive boards over 14-years. Dr. Cook is also an active member of Idaho CASE (Council for Administrators of Special Education) and recently joined IASA and IASEA. She believes in advocating for children with exceptionalities and in order to do that well she must be involved in professional organizations and participate in the innerworkings of the educational options available for the students in the Nampa School District. Dr. Cook is married with 2 adult married sons and 3 granddaughters.

Parent of Deaf Student

Valerie Player - Valerie Aker Player has twenty-plus years of experience in the preK-12 education system including special education; family literacy and family involvement; early childhood education; elementary and secondary classroom instruction; and school administration. Previously having worked in public and higher education; in Idaho’s State Department of Education; for St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital; and for Idaho Hands & Voices, Valerie now focuses exclusively on advocating and supporting families with exceptional children. She is a board member of the Idaho Bureau of Education Services for the Deaf and Blind (IESDB) and the Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CDHH.) Most recently she has joined The Idaho Project for Children and Youth with Deaf-Blindness (ICYDB) as the Family Engagement Coordinator. Valerie holds a BA from Boise State University and her M.Ed. and Ed.S. from the University of Idaho. She lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband and son both of whom are d/hh, their therapy dog, and six hermit crabs. When she’s not busy advocating for someone, Valerie enjoys reading, writing, endless trips down rabbit holes on the internet, and learning American Sign Language.

Member-at-Large

Kathleen Crowley - Kathleen is retired educator with multiple teaching and administrative experiences. She was the principal of several elementary schools in the Treasure Valley including Ponderosa and Silver Sage in the West Ada School District. During her tenure at Ponderosa Elementary, the school served and continues to serve as the magnet program for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing who reside in school districts in the west area of the Treasure Valley. Kathy also has administrative experience with the IESDB preschool and kindergarten Total Communication and Listening and Spoken Language programs in the public school setting.

Kathy has taught all elementary and middle school grades. She also taught in the one-room school in Lowman, Idaho. She was a principal for nearly 30 years. Kathy earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education at Oregon State University and her Master of Education degree in Education Administration from the University of Idaho.

Member-at-Large

Beth Eloe-Reep - Beth has a M.S. in education of the deaf and came to Idaho to work in the regional rogram of ISDB in Idaho Falls. She taught in the classroom for 4 years and then was an itinerant teacher working with families in their homes. When her own son was born with a cleft lip and palate, her training in speech and hearing was put to very personal use. Later she worked with Idaho Parents Unlimited to help families of children with all disabilities navigate the special education world.

She went on to be a regional special education consultant with the State Department of Education working with school districts in southeast Idaho, while also an adjunct instructor at Idaho State University teaching special education courses, including the SpEd law class. She retired from being a SpEd consulting teacher in the Shelley district. Currently she contracts with the Dispute Resolution department of the Idaho Department of Education to facilitate meetings with special education teams struggling to reach agreement.