Brenda Seal, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is professor emerita in communication sciences and disorders at James Madison University (1981-2009) and retired professor/director of speech-language pathology (2009-2019) at Gallaudet University. Brenda was the first speech-language pathologist at the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Staunton (1975-1981). She has served on the CDF since 2009.

Brenda volunteers at JMU as a clinical educator and as a research assistant in a project dedicated to infant language acquisition. She also consults for the Department of Education in a project dedicated to improving language acquisition for deaf and hard of hearing 0-to-5-year-olds. She is both a SHAV Fellow and an ASHA Fellow; state, national, and international presenter; recipient of national and state training and research grants; and author/co-author of multiple papers and three books. Brenda has two wonderful sons, two lovely daughters-in-law, two loving granddaughters, and a bossy cat.