Val Nelson-Metlay LAYOUT EDITOR Layout@DeafRochesterNews.org Val was born in Chicago with congenial deafness from unknown causes. She was raised in an oral environment, and her family moved to different states several times while she was growing up. Her fondest childhood memories are from snowy Calumet in Upper Michigan - a small mining town with no services (meaning that the town had no speech therapy services.) Somehow, she managed to graduate from a hearing high school, eventually graduating from the University of Kansas with a BFA. She had various graphic art experiences with both big and small companies in Kansas City, New York City, and a few other places in New Jersey. After traveling for nine months in Europe and moving to Chicago, she got more serious about working in the graphic arts world and landed a job as a children's book designer for World Book Publishing for over 10 years. During that time, she picked up sign language and became immersed into the Deaf World. She is married to a great guy, Don, and they have two kids, both Deaf. Later on, they added a big dog and a small cat to their wonderful family. She does layout and design for the Deaf Rochester News issues, as well as freelance design and illustrations on the side.