Parent leaders - Willa Hand

Willa Hand - Auckland, New Zealand

In 2019, Willa’s youngest son, Emerson, lost his hearing as a result of illness and is now profoundly deaf, aided by a cochlear implant. Alongside her work in the Deaf community as President of Auckland Parents of Deaf Children and an Advisory Board member for The Hearing House (The North Island Cochlear Programme), Willa has extensive experience in culture and engagement, process improvement, strategy, facilitation and the member lifecycle, skills she hopes to put to good use as President of Deaf Children New Zealand (DCNZ). 

Willa is an advocate for NZSL and Deaf Culture and credits the Cochlear and Deaf communities for providing support and encouragement as she learnt to navigate both the hearing and deaf worlds and to advocate for her son and others in the community.