Involvement in the Needham Community

Kim Marie and her husband, Clifford O. Hayden, have lived in Needham for thirteen years. They chose Needham in large part because of the reputation of the school system and the character of the community with its strong sense of civic pride. Once their two children were both in pre-school, Kim Marie became more involved with community activities. She has been a Town Meeting Member for Precinct B since 2003, performed in three productions of the Needham Community Theatre , and is a member of the Citizens for Needham Schools. She became an active volunteer at the Hillside Elementary School when her oldest daughter entered Kindergarten in 2002 and has served as the secretary for the Hillside Parent Teachers Council (PTC) ever since. Kim Marie has been the American Sign Language interpreter for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Observance at the First Baptist Church in Needham and is registered as an interpreter volunteer to the Needham Health Department’s Medical Reserve Corps. In April of 2007, Kim Marie ran an active campaign for a one year seat on the Needham School Committee.

Educational Background

Kim Marie received an exceptional public school education from the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School System, and benefited from their Youth Challenge Progam which steered her into a lifelong career in the Deafness field. She went on to higher education, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Northeastern University in 1980, a Master of Social Work from Boston College in 1986, and a Master of Educational Administration and Supervision from the National Leadership Training Program at California State Univeristy at Northridge in 1987.

Additional Training

In the fall of 2006, Kim Marie participated in the Citizen’s Legislative Seminar offered by the Massachusetts State Legislature. She also attended The Labor Guild for several years and her coursework included Labor Relations, Contract Negotiations, and Labor Laws.

Professional Experience

Kim Marie has extensive experience in human services and educational programs working with individuals with hearing loss. She is currently employed as an associate at the The Hearing Care Center in Sharon, MA. For five years, she was employed as a School Counselor for the EDCO Collaborative Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at the F.A. Day Middle School in Newton. Previously, she worked for thirteen years at the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing as a Case Manager. In that position, Kim Marie served as an advisor to numerous public and private agencies, including the Department of Education’s Massachusetts Transition Initiative Advisory Committee. She was also the Chief Union Steward, Chapter Vice President, and Joint Executive Board Member of Local 509, SEIU. Kim Marie received the Pride in Performance Award from former Governor Weld in 1989.

Personal Information

She has been married to Cliff Hayden, a Software Engineer at IBM, for 15 ½ years, and two daughters, Parlee and Jenny. They are active worshippers at the Charles River Church in Cambridge, MA where Kim Marie serves in a leadership position. For twelve years, Kim Marie has been organizing an annual Christmas toy drive and gift wrapping party for the Newburgh (NY) Ministry. She is a member of several Deafness organizations, fluent in American Sign Language, and is a Massachusetts State screened oral interpreter. She is also familiar with a variety of communication techniques and equipment used by disabled populations.