Deanne Bray (born May 14, 1971) is an American actress. Bray was born deaf and is multilingual in American Sign Language, British Sign Language, and English. She is also known as Deanne Bray-Kotsur.
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Early life and education
Bray's parents made certain their daughter was instructed from an early age to speak and write English and learn American Sign Language as well, sending her through a variety of learning programs and centers to strengthen her language skills.
A California native, Bray broke into the entertainment industry after she was discovered performing with a deaf dancing group called "Prism West" at a Deaf festival at California State University, Northridge, where she earned a bachelor's degree in biology. She received a master's degree in sign language education in 2013.
Career
Bray is best known for her role as Sue Thomas in the show Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye and has also had a recurring role as Emma Coolidge on Heroes, as well as being a co-host with Missy Keast on the DVD Your Pregnancy: What To Expect, a comprehensive resource for pregnant deaf and hard of hearing women.
Bray is also an advocate for improving early childhood education for deaf children and is a spokesperson for Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids (LEAD-K).
Bray taught American Sign Language (ASL) at Oak Park High School in Oak Park, California, from 2013 to 2021.
