Dr. Michelle Christie and Dr. Maura Martindale

Michelle Christie, Ed.D., Ms.Ed., CCC is the
Founder and President of No Limits for deaf
children and families, a nonprofit organization that equips children with hearing loss the skills to thrive
in both school and life. Dr. Christie, a teacher of the deaf, earned her Doctorate in Education from UCLA. Her expertise has led her to present globally, including at the Hearing Across the Lifespan (HEAL) Conference in Italy, where she
engaged with representatives from over 60 countries.Dr. Christie’s remarkable contributions have been widely recognized. She received the UCLA Educational Leadership Hero Award for her exceptional work in the field of deafness. She has also received numerous accolades from political leaders, including recognition alongside former
President George W. Bush and the title of CNN Hero.

In 1996, Dr. Christie pioneered the one-of-a-kind theater program at No Limits for deaf children who listen and speak. She has authored 25 original plays and overseen the production of over 200 performances. Through initiatives like the national touring theater production, Silent NO MORE, she has spearheaded grassroots efforts to raise awareness about hearing loss, resulting in two books of the same name. Dr. Christie's dedication has brought historic performances to venues like the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Carnegie Hall, giving deaf children a platform to express themselves. No Limits returned to Carnegie Hall in November 2023 for another remarkable performance.

She also established the No Limits Educational Centers, offering comprehensive programming at no cost to underserved deaf children and families. Her reach has expanded nationally with 52 satellite locations and internationally, touching the lives of families worldwide. Dr. Christie's unwavering commitment is driven by her mission to promote equity and inclusion for underserved deaf children worldwide.

Dr. Christie is proud to have No Limits provide these 3 Day Retreat each year where families can build connections.

Maura Martindale, Ed.D., LSL Cert. AVEd., is a certified Auditory Verbal Educator. She received her doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California in 1999. She is the founder and director of the Master’s Degree and Credential Program, and is an Associate Professor, at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California. She has provided guidance and support to families of children with hearing loss in listening and spoken language at No Limits for Deaf Children centers in Southern California for over 15 years. Throughout her forty plus years teaching at numerous universities, Dr. Martindale has prepared hundreds of teachers of the deaf for schools and programs throughout the US. She was a teacher and Director of Educational Services at the John Tracy Clinic in Los Angeles California for 26 years.