DEBORAH HEWES

Deborah Hewes is the Director of Communications, Engagement and Fundraising (CNF) at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS). Since joining DAS in 2011, she has played a central role in shaping the organisation’s voice, building meaningful connections with stakeholders, and securing vital support to expand access to specialist education for individuals who learn differently.

Living with dyslexia herself, Deborah is passionate about raising awareness and reducing stigma around learning differences. All three of her children have learning differences, which has fuelled more than two decades of advocacy and support for families navigating similar journeys. Before joining DAS, Deborah spent 10 years in an international school environment as a Learning Support Assistant and parent volunteer, supporting students in literacy, maths, and learning strategies, as well as working as a shadow assistant for children with ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome, and behavioural challenges.

Deborah holds a Master’s in Special Educational Needs from the University of South Wales, where she graduated with Merit in 2019. Her dissertation examined the entrepreneurial strengths of Singaporeans with dyslexia, building on her Honours thesis at the Singapore University of Social Sciences on self-concept, self-esteem, and depression in adolescents with learning disabilities.

She is the Managing Editor of the Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences (APJDD), the annual DAS Handbook, and has long served as editor of FACETS magazine and RETA Chronicles. She has also spearheaded several landmark DAS publications, including Embrace a Different Kind of Mind: Personal Stories of Dyslexia (2015) and Clearly Different: Dyscovering the Differences (2017), celebrating DAS’s 25th anniversary.

Today, Deborah leads the CNF division, overseeing strategic communications, external engagement, and fundraising. Her work continues to drive awareness, build partnerships, and sustain the mission of empowering every learner who learns differently.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master of Special Education Needs (Merit), University of South Wales
• Bachelor of Science, Psychology (Hons), Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore
• Specialist Certificate in Visual Communication, NAFA, Singapore
• Certificate in Dyslexia and Literacy Teaching, DAS Academy, Singapore
• Certificate in Understanding Dyslexia, DAS Academy, Singapore
• Unit Trust Taxation & Administration Certificates, Securities Institute of NSW, Australia

Deborah’s personal story can be found in Embrace a Different Kind of Mind.

PUBLICATIONS

• “I grew up with dyslexia, and so did my three children”  Article in “The Pride”, April 2021
• Entrepreneurship, Dyslexia, and Education  Chapter 3 – Dyslexia, Entrepreneurship and Education in Singapore by Deborah Hewes and Geetha Shantha Ram 2021
• Entrepreneurs with Dyslexia in Singapore: The Incidence, Their Educational Experiences, and Their Unique Attributes APJDD, Vol. 7 No. 2, July 2020
• “Being a mother of a child with dyslexia”  DAS BLOG – DAS NEWS – 2021
• “Is Dyslexia a Desirable Difficulty?” DAS Handbook 2018 (pg 255)
• Embrace a Different Kind of Mind, 2015
• Editor of FACETS, DAS Quarterly Magazine
• Editor of RETA CHRONICLES, RETA Annual Magazine
• Managing Editor of DAS HANDBOOK, Annual Publication
• Managing Editor of the Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences, a Biannual Publication
• “Moving to Singapore and the Challenges of Transition” in Voices of Mothers of Children with Dyslexia, Edited by Shawn Anthony Robinson (2019)
• “How Parents Can Help” article in FACETS Vol 2 2016 pg 54
• “Unforgettable” article in FACETS Vol. 2, 2014, pg 82
• “Are you giving a child with Learning Differences a Chance to Shine?” article in FACETS Vol 3, 2013, pg 71
• “Exam Fever: What parents can do to help their children through the exam experience” article in FACETS Vol 1 2013, pg 60

Every child deserves a champion; an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can possibly be.
Rita Pierson, Teacher