Alumni Corner: Elizabeth “Libby” Pollard

This article is originally published on WPAN Volume 122, Number 2, Winter 2011.

Elizabeth “Libby” Pollard is a proud member of the Class of 1956. Upon graduation from WPSD she went on to further her education at Gallaudet College (now University) for three years.

In the 1960s, Libby became interested in computers and attended the Electronics Computer Programming Institute in Cleveland, Ohio where she studied for two years. She was hired by the Iron City Sash and Door Company in Pittsburgh as a keypunch and data entry operator. She decided to return to school to study Advanced Computer Programming and upon graduation, she was promoted to Junior Computer Programmer, and later promoted again to Senior Programmer/Systems Analyst. In April 2002, after 30 years with Iron City Sash and Door Company, Libby retired.

In her retirement, Libby became active in social and non-profit organizations at both the local and national levels. She has held several Board membership positions including WPSD, the WPSD Alumni Association, Gallaudet University Alumni Association, and local women and mixed Deaf bowling leagues. Libby served as President of the local division of the National Fraternal Society of the Deaf. She was the first madam president of the Pittsburgh Association of the Deaf in the early 1980s. In 1985, Libby became involved with the Pennsylvania Society for the Advancement of the Deaf (PSAD) as a member of the Board of Managers for 12 years, its Secretary for six years before her election as President of PSAD in 1992. Libby was the first female President in its history.

In 1994, Libby was elected to the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Region 1 Board Member seat. Four years later, in 1998, at the NAD’s Biennial Conference in San Antonio, TX, she was elected as President of NAD, becoming the third woman in the organization’s 120-year history to hold the Presidency. She served as President of the NAD for two terms for a total of four years. After serving the NAD, she has served as a parliamentarian for many organizations, and hosted many parliamentary and leadership workshops for our young future Deaf leaders.

In October 2008, she started a new position as a manager at the Columbus Colony Housing, an independent living housing for Deaf Senior Citizens with over 200 Deaf residents there.

Libby is also the proud mother of four sons (2 Deaf and 2 hearing), 15 grandchildren (3 of whom are Deaf ), and 7 great-grandchildren. Currently, Libby resides in Westerville, OH near Columbus with her
husband, Henry.

Her outlook on the future of WPSD remains bright. Her advice to students: be socially assertive and aggressive in social organizations (Deaf Clubs, state and national Deaf organizations.) READ, READ, and READ! Be a bookworm! Be a strong leader in the Deaf community. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – they lead to positive learning experiences.

WPSD thanks Libby for taking time off from her very busy schedule to talk to us and congratulates her on her many successes and achievements.