Former Missouri School for the Deaf Superintendent Ernest Garrett III recently accepted a new position at DEAF Inc., a St. Louis-based nonprofit.
Garrett will begin his role as executive director Oct. 16.
For three years, Garrett led MSD through its strategic plan and adoption of the school's motto, "education without limits." He resigned from that role in early July with two weeks' notice.
Now, he will continue working to build relationships with the deaf, deaf-blind, hard-of-hearing and hearing populations in the metro St. Louis area.
DEAF Inc. is an empowerment awareness foundation that works to sustain a bridge of communication between communities who live among the hearing and hard of hearing and deaf people.
"Serving as DEAF Inc.'s next executive director will allow me to continue to employ the scholar-practitioner model in my work with and on behalf of the deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing and hearing community in the St. Louis area, in the interests of advancing the organization's dynamic mission," Garrett said. "I am thrilled at the opportunity to return to my native city of St. Louis, where my support system - family, church, friends - is based, while simultaneously completing my doctoral dissertation."
He said his interest in the organization was triggered by DEAF Inc.'s mission to empower and raise awareness in the affected communities, but also because that mission speaks to his values as a social worker.
"We are confident that Ernest's experiences, knowledge and integrity are a great match for the work, staff, friends and supporters of DEAF Inc.," the nonprofit's board of directors said in a letter.