Subject to Change
Aaryn has been interpreting for more than 20 years and holds National Interpreter Certification (NIC) from RID and she has her BEI Master and BEI Court Interpreter Certificate from Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS). As a practitioner, Aaryn values collaboration and strives to establish best practices regarding managing vicarious trauma, navigating ethical decisions, and building our professional practice. The bulk of her career, Aaryn specialized in being part of designated interpreter teams for medical professionals, Ph.D. candidates, and government employees. Aaryn also has extensive experience working with CDIs. Currently, her practice focuses on conference, platform, and business travel interpreting. Aaryn believes in being a practitioner first, which is reflected in her presentation topics, style, and approach. Each of her workshops includes intrapersonal awareness and interpersonal navigation training. Aaryn fosters spaces in which participants co-create knowledge and understanding.
Mary began her academic career by obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Pedagogy of Deafness from SUNY Empire State College. Then went on to obtain a Master of Arts from Columbia University in teaching American Sign Language (ASL) as a Foreign Language. Currently, Mary is the Lead/Manager of the NYC Convo Center for Convo Communications. Prior to Convo Mary served as Pastor for Hands for Christ Community Church. Mary served as trilingual interpreter as well as a mentor/tutor for Empire State College. Finally, Bacheller, was the owner and ASL teacher and interpreter educator for the Seymour Joseph Institute of American Sign Language.
Keri Brooks, M.Ed., CDI, was born Deaf to hearing parents and grew up with a Deaf brother. Her family learned sign language together, fostering a deep connection to the Deaf community from an early age. Since 2002, Keri has taught ASL and interpreting courses while working as a freelance Certified Deaf Interpreter. She specializes in high-tech conferences, press briefings, DeafBlind interpreting, and translation work.
In 2015, Keri co-founded an interpreting agency that provided online workshops and training. Building on that foundation, she launched ASPIRE Interpreting in 2022, focusing on training Deaf interpreters. Since early 2016, Keri has trained over 200 Deaf interpreters. She currently teaches interpreting at the University of New Hampshire and offers evaluation and consulting services to interpreting agencies.
Originally from New England, Keri’s lifelong passion for ASL and Deaf culture shines through her roles as a Deaf individual, educator, interpreter, and evaluator. Additionally, she is a certified yoga instructor (RYT-500) and teaches online yoga classes. Now, Keri enjoys living the Salt Life in Florida with her four children and her partner, Ryan.
Sarah a graduate of Carolina University, holds a Bachelor of Science in Deaf Studies with a concentration in American Sign Language interpreting. Formerly, she worked as a staff interpreter at Partnership Deaf Services where her interpreting experiences spanned a variety of settings including medical, mental health, community, vocational, and educational. Sarah is currently a Georgia resident, and she works as a full-time interpreter in the high school setting (in Alabama, a stone’s throw from Georgia). Ms. Condra has nearly a decade of experience in interpreting, and she holds her NIC and her EIPA (4.0). In addition, she studied several years at a Harvest Deaf Bible College which exposed her to a variety of signing styles as well as the culture of the Deaf community. Furthermore, her time at Harvest deepened her passion for access. On a personal note, she works alongside her husband preparing her church’s youth group for the future!
Patrick holds credentials as a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI), specializing in Legal and Mental Health settings. Recognized as “Mr. Shineyhead,” Patrick is a renowned Dark Tales author and an international storyteller. In addition, he is an award-winning educator, concentrating in the education of visual languages/American Sign Language (ASL), dDeaf Studies, and dDeaf History. He has taught ASL and dDeaf studies for more than 30 years, and currently is a certified ASLTA Master instructor, as well as an advocate. He comes from a family of German artists and has a strong background in theater and the arts. With a degree in graphic design, Patrick has held numerous roles as an artist, performer, director, and Director of Artistic Sign Language. Patrick is one of the founders of Connecticut Deaf Theater and is currently serving as the president.
Jennifer Francisco is the Educational Interpreter Project Coordinator for Florida; she works with all K-12 educational interpreters and agency interpreters placed in schools across Florida. She holds certifications in: Elementary Education, Deaf Education, Reading Education, and an endorsement in ESOL. She comes from a generationally Deaf family and is passionate about Deaf Education and providing the best access to education and language for all Deaf and hard of hearing students. Jennifer believes in working with all staff members who work with Deaf and Hard of hearing students because we all should share the same goal of providing the best of the best for our Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. When she is not working, she is with her husband and two children, Mason and Molly, exploring what is out there to be seen and enjoyed. Jennifer and her family enjoy traveling and visiting new states.
Deborah Gibson is a lover of languages with extensive experience as a professional writer, corporate trainer, and public speaker. As a complement to her interpreting, Gibson routinely educates the hearing community and advocates with and for the Deaf community. She trained the Florida judiciary on ADA compliance inside the bar and taught UCF medical students about healthcare outcome disparities within language and culture minorities. She has attended public school IEP meetings as a parent advocate for skilled educational interpreting. Her personal specialty is medical interpreting, where she has spent substantial time advocating as well. She recruits, trains, and develops interpreters and oversees the provision of approximately 50,000 service hours in south Florida annually. Though she visits family and football stadium regularly in Florida, she resides in Delray Beach Florida with her cat Juliet.
Kayla Geide is a certified sign language interpreter and Co-Owner of Sign Language Studios, LLC, where she leads the Professional Development Department, delivering high-quality continuing education for interpreters nationwide. Originally from Key West, Florida, Kayla began her ASL journey in Orlando at Valencia College, later earning her BS in ASL/English Interpreting from the University of North Florida in 2019. Her international studies, including a focus on Deaf history in Europe, deepened her commitment to the Deaf and interpreting communities. Now based near Nashville, she’s dedicated to advancing accessibility, and providing valuable training resources for interpreters across the U.S.
Treva J. Haynes has worked in the field of deafness in one way or another for more than 50 years! She obtained Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees at Appalachian State University, majoring in English and minoring in education and public speaking. Treva was fortunate to obtain a position in dormitory programming at the North Carolina School for the Deaf (NCSD). Recognizing she needed additional training to work with people who are Deaf, she obtained her Master of Arts from Gallaudet University. Treva began working at the National Technical institute for the Deaf (NTID) as a career counselor. Treva returned home to North Carolina as a community services consultant. She also worked simultaneously as the assistant director of the North Carolina Theatre of Gesture. Later, she became an educational specialist at East Carolina University. She has been a teacher of the Deaf for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, elementary, middle, high school students and postsecondary students. Haynes has held multiple supervisory positions; Gallaudet Department of Education, counselors for the University of Oregon and the postsecondary work program in Tallahassee. In addition to counseling, teaching, and writing curriculums, Treva has supervised and delivered direct services in North Carolina mental health programs. Treva loves the Deaf community, and her passion springs from the infant to five-year olds and the recognition that a healthy foundation as children will impact the development of their imagination, pride, and independence.
Claris, a native of the Virgin Islands, has worked alongside the Deaf community for more than 35 years. In addition to her degree in Accounting and Business Administration, she went on to complete her interpreter training at Camden County Community College. She subsequently went on to receive her Certificate of Interpretation in 2001 and became NIC certified in 2011. After 18 years as the Interpreter Coordinator at Harvest Deaf Ministries, she now works as a freelance and VRS interpreter and owns Toolbox Interpreting.
Paul was born in Hartford, Connecticut and he became Deaf at the age of three. Paul is also a graduate from the American School for the Deaf (ASD). Joe and Patricia Jones are the Deaf parents of Paul and his brother, Mark, who is a CODA. He holds an Associate of Arts degree in Biblical Studies and Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. Paul has been a popular workshop teacher on a variety of topics for more than 30 years; some of his more popular topics are Biblical Studies, American Sign Language Storytelling, the Deaf Community and Culture. He is continuing to research in the areas of Bible Studies and aspects of Criminal Justice. He often shares his expertise in these areas to Deaf and interpreting communities to help them work more effectively together. His hobbies include traveling and completing logic puzzles. Paul’s sweetheart, Robyn, is currently a professor of American Sign Language in Texas. They enjoy traveling and sightseeing together.
Amy Lankheit holds national certification from RID and is the Founder and Co-Owner of Sign Language Studios, LLC. Inspired by her Deaf brothers, Amy pursued a career in interpreting, graduating from the Interpreter Preparation Program at John A. Logan Community College. Immediately after graduation, she began working as a staff interpreter for Lakeland College and Eastern Illinois University. Her journey continued in Oklahoma City, where she honed her skills in educational interpreting, VRS, and community work. In 2012, Amy relocated to Middle Tennessee, expanding her expertise as a contract interpreter in various settings, including medical, mental health, legal, government, media, and performance. Driven by her commitment to the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing communities, Amy founded SLS with their needs at its core. She began by providing professional development for interpreters, which led to a broader range of services offered to the community. As the lead for SLS, Amy oversees all general operations, from interpreting services to consultative offerings and beyond.
Anna is an Atlanta native and a graduate from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She earned a Bachelor of Science in American Sign Language/English Interpreting in 1996. After graduation, Anna relocated to Boston where she was a staff interpreter at the Learning Center for Deaf Children and part time at Boston University. Anna returned to Atlanta in 1999 and has been working as a freelance interpreter for 25 years. She holds the Specialist Certificate: Legal (SC:L), and the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) and the Certificate of Interpretation and Certificate of Transliteration (CI/CT). Anna co-presents intensive medical interpreting workshops across the US, one of her passions is the standardization of medical and legal interpreting. Anna, and her colleague Heather Brown, Ph.D., published an article in the Journal of the American Association of Physician Assistants, a peer reviewed medical journal. The article, Health Care Providers and the Americans with Disabilities Act was published in January of 2011. Anna currently lives in Marietta, Georgia, with her husband, Eric. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her stepdaughter, Cece, her fur kids, Kiwi and Pippa, traveling, and playing tennis.
Brian “BAM” Moss, BSW, is the Visual Gestural Specialist for the Alabama Department of Mental Health, Office of Deaf Services. A Montgomery native, BAM attended mainstream schools during his early educational years. Later he emerged himself in Deaf culture as a student at the Alabama School for the Deaf. He graduated from Jacksonville State University with a Bachelor of Social Work in 2019. Before returning to college to obtain his degree in Social Work, BAM worked as a Deaf Care Worker for several years under the ADMH. He was very motivated to work closely with patients again, and upon graduation returned to ADMH in his current role. BAM is also a certified Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) instructor and a certified Conducting Serious Incident Investigations (CSII) trainer, providing quarterly trainings for employees across Alabama. He has presented on various topics related to cultural demands and considerations in the mental health field and is currently pursuing the opportunity to become a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI).
Sandy works at Alabama Department of Mental Health, Office of Deaf Services. Sandy is trilingual with 22 years of interpreting experience. She initially began learning ASL to communicate with her cousin who is Deaf. She quickly fell in love with the culture, language and people and decided to pursue a degree from the ITP at Miami-Dade College. She began her career in Miami, Florida and from 2017-2022 she worked in Portland, Oregon as a staff interpreter specializing in medical and mental health. Sandy holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and Organizational Management and a Master of Science in Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology from Albizu University. She continuously collaborates with other BIPOC professionals in the community and has served on numerous boards including, ORID and Mano-a-Mano. She’s the co-founder and co-facilitator of Ñ-MHT, a new program under the ADMH ODS offering quarterly trainings for individuals working in the combined languages of ASL, English and Spanish. Sandy has lead supervision and discussion groups and has presented on topics related to medical, mental health and cultural and linguistic demands in the interpreting field.
David is an RID certified American Sign Language/English Interpreter based in Florida and an adjunct instructor for local ASL/English interpreter education programs. David has earned a Master’s in linguistics from Gallaudet University, as well as a Master’s in Interpreting from the Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences as part of the European Masters of Sign Language Interpreting 2023 Cohort. Currently, they specialize in federal government work, with expertise in performance and International Sign interpreting. As a “practisearcher,” David aims to apply the practical experience of practitioning (a new word they coined) to the realm of formal research, to elevate both interpreting studies and the work of those on-the-ground every day.
Bill is currently the CEO and owner of Humphrey & Ross Publishers, LLC. A niche market publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. In addition, he is one of the primary authors for one of the most recognized texts in the field of interpreting, You Want to be an Interpreter? (5th Ed.). As a child of Deaf parents, he has been interpreting for 40+ years and holds national certification from the Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf. Previously, Bill was the Vice President of Hands Up Communications, an all-access language company – managing the location since opening in August 2021. Prior to working at Hands Up, Bill was the Curriculum Development Specialist for Deaf Bible Society (DBS); an international organization that provided training/resources for individuals translating Scripture into sign language. He came to DBS from North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he was the Program Director of the Carlstrom Interpreter Training Program. Mr. Ross formerly held the position of Director of the Communication Access Support Services (CASS) Department at North Carolina School for the Deaf (NCSD); where he established the NCSD Mentorship Project to provide ongoing support to educational and freelance interpreters. He is passionate about building mentoring relationships, studying ASL and accompanying interpreters on their interpreting journey.
Crom is currently a Certified Deaf Interpreter working as an Associate Professor at the American Sign Language program of Columbia College, Chicago. Crom works extensively in translation, including PSA videos and children’s stories, with organizations such as Fun4TheDisabled and Sally Is Sarah, LLC. Crom has interpreted dozens of plays, from children’s theatre to musicals, including at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Steppenwolf Theater, and has taught dozens of ASL linguistics, educational, and theatrical workshops across the nation. In addition,
Keene Shank is a Deaf content creator, actor, and model dedicated to advocating for Deaf culture and raising awareness about American Sign Language on social media, where he has a growing following. His mission is to amplify the voices of the Deaf community and promote understanding. As a fourth-generation Deaf individual, Keene brings a rich perspective to his work. In addition to his creative pursuits, he is also a scholar-athlete, balancing his studies and sports. He currently resides in Maryland.
Wink enjoys researching and creating various workshops that focus on skill building through deliberate practice, which he wrote about in the RID Views, Winter 2012 issue. Presenting workshops the last fifteen years at national conferences (NAD, RID, Silent Weekend) regional conferences (RID I, II, III, IV, V), state conferences, and local workshops across the nation has given Wink experiences to enhance applications for interpreters of all levels. Wink is widely noted for the comfortable atmosphere he creates and the passion he exudes. Currently Wink travels full time performing, presenting workshops, and managing Winkshop, Inc, through which he has developed a dozen training materials. Wink currently is working on his PhD in linguistics from Gallaudet University where he investigates the embodied motivations of imagery in depiction.
DeAnna Swope, holds a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration. Currently, she is a Senior Program Associate for Deaf Action, which is a capacity-building initiative for Deaf victim services. Deaf Action is under Activating Change; an independent non-profit organization to increase the visibility of justice issues faced by Deaf people and individuals with disabilities. In 2018, she was honored with the Gender Justice Award from the Georgia Commission on Family Violence and the Collaborate Award from the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She is a southern Deaf belle from Georgia, she was born into a hearing family. DeAnna has been a lifelong advocate in the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Before joining Activating Change, she established BRIDGES, Georgia’s first direct Deaf-led program. As the founder and owner of Diamond Speaks LLC, an organization that provides training and consulting services addressing issues of mental health, anti-racism, interpreter-related issues, and empowerment. DeAnna finds joy in her family, she is happily married with five children and an adorable granddaughter.
Michael Tuccelli was born profoundly deaf and was introduced to American Sign Language and Deaf Culture at Gallaudet College at the age of 21 when he was placed in a summer Signed English class in 1968. As a transfer student, he met his classmates in that fall where they ridiculed his Signed English – that experience caused him to make sure when he presents at conferences his students don’t endure that kind of rejection. Later, Mike was asked to teach American Sign Language at the University of Florida (UF). He taught at UF for 17 years and he was twice honored as the Teacher of the Year. He and his late wife Maureen went on to establish the World’s Largest Silent Weekend that lasted 40 years. His hobbies include operating a 55-acre gopher tortoise sanctuary in St. Augustine, Florida and leading many motorcycle tours to Alaska. Currently, he resides with his amazing bride Benita in Newberry, Florida. He is active in evangelizing and teaching in Deaf ministry, which he has been doing since 1979.
Jeff earned his BA in Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Master of Science degree in American Sign Language-English Interpreting with a concentration in Interpreting Pedagogy from the University of North Florida. He also earned a graduate certificate in the Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing from Missouri State University. He is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration program at Western Carolina University. Mr. York has thirty years of interpreting experience and holds full licensure from the North Carolina Interpreter Transliterator Licensure Board along with national certification from RID. Since August 2020, Jeffery has been the Interpreter Preparation Program Coordinator at Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton, North Carolina.
Kate holds her NIC and Ed: K-12 from RID and is an interpreter who specializes in the educational setting. Kate has worked as a full-time staff interpreter in the Palm Beach County School District for approximately fifteen years. In addition to freelance interpreting, she enjoys theatrical interpreting as well as the VRS/VRI arena. Like many of us in the field, interpreting is her passion, hobby, and her job! She was a regular attendee at Silent Weekend for many years and as a presenter, she would love to meet you this weekend!
Annie Pearl Murphy graduated from the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, Florida. Early on, she recognized that her Deafness was an asset to be shared. Using the story of her life, Annie Pearl worked to encourage and challenge students, interns, and interpreters to grow. As a master storyteller, Annie Pearl uses her skill with American Sign Language (ASL) to entertain the Deaf community, help interpreters develop language skills, and encourages others to cultivate their storytelling abilities. Her expertise with American Sign Language helps images come alive by utilizing the many subtle nuances of ASL. She shares her experiences with sports, life at Deaf camps, leading ASL clubs, and her personal journey in humorous and thought-provoking ways. However, the greatest change in the life of Annie Pearl happened while she on a search for Truth. Her quest led her to a Pentecostal church and January 2000, Annie Pearl was baptized in water. Shortly after, she attended her first National Deaf Evangelism Conference in California where God filled her with the Holy Ghost. Annie Pearl is a gifted storyteller who is active in Deaf Ministry in Gainesville, Florida.
Dawn Christianson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Deaf Education from Bowling Green State University. Dawn cares passionately about the educational well-being of dDeaf children; and as a former deaf instructor, she continues to maintain her Florida teacher’s license. Currently, Dawn is a full-time American Sign Language interpreter at Hands Up Communications. She holds a 4.0 in Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA). With more than 10 years of experience as an educational interpreter, she is actively involved in the deaf and interpreting communities. She consistently seeks to hone her craft by regular involvement in communities of practice and inquiry as well as other professional development opportunities. Christerson is one of the few individuals in the North Central Florida region who holds certification as a Baby Signs instructor. Her solid work ethic continues to positively shape how she performs her duties.
Fred Michael Beam is the Outreach Coordinator for Sunshine 2.0. He is an experienced performer with acting credits that include Nicholas in by, “The Music of the Spheres” at the Goodman Theater, Harry in, “Harry the Dirty Dog” at Bethesda Academy of Performing Arts, Witness in, “Miracle Workers”, and Stranger in, “Mad Dancer” at The Arena Stage in Washington, D,C.; “Fallout Shelter,” “The Dirt Maker”, and “The Underachiever” at the Kennedy Center and “The New Captain Kangaroo”, for which he won the 2000 Media Access Award. These are only a few of his credits! Beam was also a board member of Quest for Arts, Inc., the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Careers in the arts for People with Disabilities in Maryland. He was also a former President of District of Columbia Black Death Advocates. For his outstanding work with the Deaf Community, Beam was chosen one of “Essence Magazine’s” Real Men of the year and has been “DEAF LIFE” magazine’s Deaf Person of the month. Finally, Beam established the Black Death Expo and has hosted it since 2003 providing the deaf black community the opportunity to stand proud while displaying their culture.
Jennifer Francisco is the Educational Interpreter Project Coordinator in Florida. She works with all K-12 educational interpreters and agency interpreters placed in schools across the Florida state. She holds certifications in: Elementary Education, Deaf Education, Reading Education, and an endorsement in ESOL. She comes from a generationally Deaf family and is passionate about Deaf Education and providing the best access to education and language for all dDeaf and hard of hearing students. Jennifer believes in working with all staff members who work with dDeaf and hard of hearing students because we should share the same goal of providing the best of the best for any student. When Jennifer is not working, she is with her husband and two children, Mason and Molly, exploring what is out there to be seen and enjoyed. Jennifer and her family enjoy traveling and adventure around the US.
Jenny Locy (pronounced: Low-Sea) has obtained her Associates of Arts from St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, FL and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She served as a leader for the Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (FRID) as a Student Representative as well as a Student Representative Coordinator at the State Conference. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Blossom School for the Deaf in Clearwater, Florida; and has also served on the Advisory Board for the Sign Language Interpretation Program at the St. Petersburg College. Jenny’s skills, knowledge, and expertise in marketing, business, education, outreach, and social media have led her to join AQI Services as the Marketing and Training Director. Locy has attended the Florida CERT Association and National CERT Association to collaborate with Florida CERT programs and Emergency Operations centers; providing equal communication access to the disaster preparations and relief for individuals who are dDeaf and hard of hearing. She has become one of the first two deaf persons in Florida to become FEMA CERT instructor!
June Ann is an instructor and the Director of the American Sign Language (ASL) program at Flagler College in Saint Augustine, Florida. She is a freelance deaf interpreter and ASL translator in the central and northeast Florida areas. She holds an appointed position as a member of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Advisory Committee for the Florida Department of Health; she also serves on the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind (FSDB) Board of Trustees. LeFors is a state-certified K-12 teacher, she previously worked at FSDB for 10 years in several roles, including as an ASL specialist and evaluator, preschool teacher in the Early Learning Center, and as a parent advisor in the Parent Infant Program. She holds her Master of Arts degree in deaf education/deaf studies from Lamar University and a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from Gallaudet University. She and her husband, Eric, a physical education teacher at FSDB, have six daughters – three of whom are deaf or hard of hearing.
Kate Robertson holds her NIC and Ed: K-12 from RID and is an interpreter who specializes in the educational setting. Kate has worked as a full-time staff interpreter in the Palm Beach County School District for approximately fifteen years. In addition to freelance interpreting, she enjoys theatrical interpreting as well as the VRS/VRI arena. Like many of us in the field, interpreting is her passion, hobby, and her job! She was a regular attendee at Silent Weekend for many years and as a presenter, she would love to meet you this weekend!
Ku Mei Kern’s life and career has centered around understanding the intricacies of cross-cultural communication. As a child of deaf parents (one an immigrant from Hong Kong) she interpreted in sign language and quickly learned that communication involves much more than words and signs. Her first interpreting assignment was her own parent-teacher conference in kindergarten and it was an absolute failure. Since then, she has sought to understand what factors impact successful communication. Ku Mei holds degrees in Human Services Management, Deaf Education, and Teaching American Sign Language. Her work and life are interlaced with the Deaf community, and her experiences as a BIPOC individual (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color) has shaped her life in profound ways. Moving from not knowing what BIPOC meant, to identifying and eventually owning her place in the mixed society we live in, she now feels the freedom to share those stories with the intention of bringing to light how our own understanding of intersectionality lives in every conversation. Ku Mei is passionate about supporting her colleagues on their interpreting journey through mentorship on ongoing education. Currently, she is the Vice President of Sales and Outreach at Hands Up Communications, leading a team of professionals who are passionate about removing barriers and creating connections.
Leslie Cagle, a child of deaf parents, holds National Certification (NIC) with the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. She also holds a 4.2 score on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA). For her Master’s of Arts degree in Art Therapy, her thesis emphasized the overlap and similarities of art as a visual language and American Sign Language as a visual language. While earning her degree, she has worked as a Sign Language interpreter at her local community college. Growing up in a deaf home, she interpreted in a variety of settings. Previously, she worked as a care coordinator at the Child and Family Guidance Center in Dallas, Texas, and as an Art Therapist at Northeast Youth and Family Services in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Currently, Leslie is a full-time staff interpreter with Hands Up Communications in Ocala, Florida. Leslie is passionate about the Deaf Community, helping others, while improving herself both personally and professionally.
Sharon Lott holds a Master of Arts in Teaching Sign Language from Gallaudet University and has a Master of Science in Career and Human Resource Development. She has recently retired from NTID/RIT as the American Sign Language Training and Evaluation Coordinator. She has extensive experience with the Sign Language proficiency Interview (SLPI:ASL) both as a SLPI rater and educator. Sharon’s expertise with American Sign Language has caused her to be a sought-after presenter, instructor, and faculty member. She has taught at numerous colleges and universities; Central Piedmont Community College, Lenior-Rhyne College, Western Piedmont Community College, Gardner Webb University, Appalachian University, and Eastern Kentucky University to name a few. Her knowledge and understanding of sign languages have afforded her the opportunity to provide training regarding the National SLPI: ASL educator in Ghana and Kenya, Africa. Formerly, she had the position of the Staff Development Specialist at the North Carolina School for the Deaf (NCSD) and Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf (ENCSD). As such, she coordinated and taught American Sign Language, Deaf Culture, Linguistics, and a variety of other sign-related topics at both schools. She possesses professional-level ASL Certification from the American Sign Language Teacher Association (ASLTA). She continues to serve as an ASLTA evaluator. Finally, on a personal note, she is the mother of three children; to Leslie, Christina, and James, and a proud grandmother to Lathan.
Shawn Norris serves as the president of the Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (FRID) and the Coordinator of Interpreting Services, ADA, and Section 1557 Coordinator at UF Health St. John’s in St. Augustine, Florida. Raised by Deaf parents, Shawn has a deep-rooted connection to the Deaf Community, which drives his advocacy and volunteer work. With over a decade in the interpreting field, Shawn has mentored numerous emerging interpreters; both professionally and in the community. Shawn is developing an online community for interpreters and translators to connect and share resources. His positions as a Commissioner for the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) and a member of the SAFE-AI task force reflect his dedication to advancing the interpreting profession and ethical AI practices. In addition to his professional pursuits, Shawn enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and football.
William “Will” F. Ross IV, a native signer, grew up in a language rich environment. Until Age 5, Will attended a deaf church with his family, both deaf grandparents, and a deaf older brother who were excellent language models. Will holds his National Interpreter Certification (NIC) with RID. Currently, he is a staff interpreter for the University of Florida. Previously, Will was the Senior ASL Interpreter at Hands Up Communications; the host of the interpreting conference. He has interpreting experience on both the National and International stage; journeying to Japan, the Philippines, Brazil, Malta, and Africa. As a team player, William enjoys opportunities for active collaboration and values ways to solidify his working relationships. He is actively involved in the Deaf and Interpreting Communities and believes in giving back to the people who have given so much. He is also a proud father of two beautiful girls whom he is also teaching the ASL language and Deaf culture.
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