Elizabeth Whelpdale

Program Manager

Elizabeth is the Community Services for the Deaf Program Manager at the Hearing Speech + Deaf Center. For more than 20 years, she’s been dedicated to supporting the D/deaf and hard of hearing community through education, advocacy and outreach. In her role, she organizes community events and leads programs that build awareness, accessibility and inclusion.

She holds a master’s degree in vocational rehabilitation counseling from Wright State University and a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Rochester Institute of Technology.

Elizabeth is also an active advocate for people with disabilities. She contributes her time and expertise as a member of the Cincinnati Accessibility Board of Advisors (CABA), the Workforce Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities (4PWD) and Sinclair Community College’s American Sign Language Advisory Committee. Her work has been recognized with awards, including Employee of the Year (2023), a Declaration of Achievement from Hamilton County Government (2023) and an Honorable Mention Award from Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services (2025).

At the heart of her work is a simple goal: helping to create welcoming spaces where everyone can participate, be heard and thrive.