Linda Risser Lytle

Linda grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania as one of 8 children and countless aunts, uncles, and cousins. As the oldest girl, she quickly learned the importance of taking care of others and contributing to the family. With hearing verging on the profound levels, she was a good student, but not a great student, and keeping one’s eyes on the teacher at all times, trying to lipread, got extremely tiresome. When the college selection process neared, none of the choices looked good, until she visited Gallaudet University. There she majored in English and Psychology and was active in campus life. Nevertheless, after graduation, she was at quite a loss as to what to do next.

Fate stepped in and got her a teacher’s aide position at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf – a very young school at that time and a perfect place for a young professional to grow. She spent over ten years there, moving from aide, to teacher, to school psychologist. It was in these positions that she began to first see and comprehend the great needs of deaf and hard of hearing students – thus were planted the first seeds of Turning the Tide. She became particularly interested in student's social emotional needs and soon entered a doctoral program, which lead to a license and a private psychology practice. She had a full time practice for over 20 years, a practice she continues today on a limited basis. She is currently a professor in the Gallaudet University Department of Counseling.