Sarah Rosendale, M.E.D., CED
Director
While Sarah grew up in Rhode Island, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Smith College in Northampton, MA in 2002, and a Master of Education of the Deaf from Smith College and Clarke School for the Deaf in 2003. Sarah taught in both Massachusetts and Connecticut for 2 years before moving back to Rhode Island in 2005, where she joined the RI Auditory-Oral Program. Sarah began as a classroom teacher with the program, and in 2008, she began providing outreach services to students in their home school districts across the state. In 2020, she became the Program Coordinator while continuing to to provide consultation, direct service, and technology management and support to districts across Rhode Island. In 2023, Sarah became the Director of the RI AOP.
When she is not at school, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children, as well as reading, singing, and being outside!

Bethany Lenk, M.S.Ed
Teacher of the Deaf, Outreach
Bethany Lenk grew up in the Pacific Northwest and completed her undergraduate studies at Western Washington University receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. She moved to Rhode Island in 2003 and shortly after began working in nonprofits with a focus on inclusion and accessibility. She attended Hunter College in New York City where she received a Masters in Deaf Education in 2009. She has worked in a variety of classroom settings as a classroom Teacher of the Deaf. She joined the Rhode Island Auditory Oral Program in 2024 as an itinerant teacher.
When she is not at school, she is spending time with her husband and children, exercising at the gym, spending time outdoors walking her beloved dog, or reading a good book.

Erin Manchester, M.S., OTR/L, BCP
Occupational Therapist
Coming Soon!

Brianna Morin, M.E.D.
Teacher of the Deaf, Outreach
Brianna grew up in Rhode Island and attended Rhode Island College where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Sciences. Brianna attended Washington University in St. Louis where she earned a Masters in Deaf Education. After graduate school, Brianna moved to Massachusetts where she worked as an Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf or Hard of Hearing in the metro Boston area. In 2018, she moved back to RI and began working for the Northern Rhode Island Collaborative as an Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf. She continues to work today for the RI Auditory-Oral Program, providing Outreach services to districts across the state. When she is not at school, Brianna enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, as well as reading!

Nicole Poirier, M.E.D.
Teacher of the Deaf, Mainstream
Nikki Poirier grew up in Rhode Island and attended Salve Regina University where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education. Nikki attended Smith College in Northampton, MA where she earned a Masters in Deaf Education. After graduate school, Nikki moved to Massachusetts where she worked at Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech in a variety of settings (early intervention, self-contained classrooms and outreach). She later worked as an Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf for Brookline Public Schools. She moved back to Rhode Island and began working for the RI Auditory Oral Program as a Teacher of the Deaf providing in-house Itinerant services, as well as Early Intervention services. Nikki has a bilateral profound hearing loss and wears cochlear implants. She believes that her educational and personal experiences have come full circle. It is fulfilling for her to work in this capacity. When she is not at school, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, being active, and traveling.

Beth Ranaldi, M.E.D.
Teacher of the Deaf, Elementary
Beth Ranaldi grew up in Providence and has a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Hearing Science with a minor in Psychology from Rhode Island College. She attended Smith College where she received a Master’s in Education of the Deaf. She then worked at Clarke School Boston in the preschool self contained classroom and Clarke’s parent infant program for 11 years before coming back to Rhode Island. In 2010, she started working for the Northern RI Collaborative as a self-contained Teacher of the Deaf. Today she continues to work for the RI Auditory Oral Program teaching elementary aged students in both the self-contained and mainstream settings. She reports that watching students advance in their language development and participate in successful transitions from a self contained setting to a mainstream setting has been the highlight of her 25 year career of teaching. Beth enjoys spending her free time with her 6 year-old daughter Elise and husband Marc, as well as being at the beach with friends and family, cooking, baking, listening to country music, theatre and attending concerts.

Stephanie Rich, M.S. CCC/SLP
Auditory Oral Speech Language Pathologist
Stephanie Rich is a Speech Pathologist specializing in Auditory Oral Speech Therapy. She graduated from URI with her master's degree in 2015. While in school, Stephnaie completed her professional training under the guidance of an auditory oral therapist at the RI Auditory Oral PRogram. She began working in the program full time in September of 2015. In addition to her experience with the preschool and elementary students who attended the RIAOP, Stephanie has worked in early intervention and with middle and high school students following an itinerant model. She prioritizes expanding her knowledge in the field through professional development, and frequently consults with other professionals, including audiologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and professionals who work for hearing technology manufacturers. She strongly believes that good listening skills are the foundation of communication.

Brenda Storti, M.Ed
Teacher of the Deaf, Preschool
Brenda Storti is an Auditory Oral Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She graduated from the University of Southern California in 2004 with a Masters Degree in Education with a Credential in Deaf Education. Prior to 2004, she had a successful career as an Accountant and is also the parent of a profoundly deaf daughter. She has worked for the Rhode Island Auditory Oral Program since it was established in 2005. Her teaching experience includes Preschool, Kindergarten, and First grade. She also worked with hearing impaired children and their families through Rhode Island’s Early Intervention Program. Her personal experience as a parent of a hearing impaired child who uses Cochlear Implant technology to hear with provides a unique insight into the special needs of her students. She is also very experienced with the Deaf culture and American sign language. She is passionate and dedicated to helping each and every one of her students reach their maximum potential. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, relaxing at the beach and spending time with her family.

Kathy Gentile, M.Ed
Instructional Assistant, Elementary

Coming Soon!

Stephanie Linhares, B.S
Instructional Assistant, Preschool

Coming Soon!

Mary Torres
Oral Language Facilitator

Coming Soon!