Empowerment Therapy

It is my distinct pleasure to provide these words for Brian J. Hubbard. I have known Brian for some 40 years, and it is from this base of knowledge that I submit to you this reference.

For the past 30 years I have worked in urban public education as a classroom teacher and administrator. As a school principal for eight years, I was often required to attend conferences, workshops and seminars both in Massachusetts and other New England states. Having had many opportunities to listen to presenters, I feel I have become a fairly good judge of what constitutes effective speaking. The ability to capture the audience's attention from the outset and maintain your focus throughout the presentation goes without saying. Driving home your point for all to understand even though the audience may not agree is the goal. Brian Hubbard, without question, has this ability.

Recently, I attended Brian's induction into the Lynn English High School Hall of Fame. Speaking without notes (Brian is blind as you know and would not be able to read them anyway), Brian captivated the overflow crowd of several hundred. He was funny was he sensed the audience was looking for something light, informative when background information was essential to his story and emotional when he told of his struggles to deal with his blindness and deafness. At the end, the crowd gave him a well deserved standing ovation. It took several minutes before the audience quieted and the ceremony could resume. As a licensed clinical social worker, Brian has an innate ability to listen and understand. He is in the communication business and is very good at it.

Dr. Raymond Bastarache
Deputy Superintendentl, Lynn (MA) School Department