Presenters
Tentative - This is subject to change.
Amber Farrelly
Amber D. Farrelly received her B.A. from the University of Oklahoma and her Juris Doctorate from Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law with the highest distinction for her pro bono work. Amber began her legal career clerking for both defense teams in the Yogurt Shop Murders in 2007. She practices law throughout Texas, first through her private practice as a criminal defense attorney, now with The Fowler Law Firm, PC. Amber worked with the Innocence Project of Texas, and testified as an expert witness for Stephen Brodie and other cases. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Austin Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Austin Interpreters for the Deaf, and Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Amber serves on the board of Texas School for the Deaf Foundation board and Deafblind Service Center of Austin and is an interpreting student at Austin Community College.
Amy Harmon
Amy Harmon is a twenty-five year decorated veteran of the educational system where she has interpreted all levels from pre-school through graduate school. Amy holds a Bachelor’s degree, RID-CI/CT and NAD Level IV certifications. Her free-lance experience ranges through weddings, funerals, legal depositions, municipal ground-breaking ceremonies, and public dramatic and comedy performances. Born and raised in Earthquake Country, Amy now makes her home in Hurricane Country,
Ann Horn
Ann Horn currently works as Direct Services Program Specialist at Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services under DARS. She works with various projects: interpreting services, senior citizens, continuing education units, among others, plus other workshops. She also teaches various topics at Communication Skill Workshops. She is certified as Level III-Intermediary from DARS-BEI. She is also adjunct associate professor at Austin Community College teaching ASL classes. She graduated from Gallaudet University with BA in Psychology and also from Lamar University with MS in Deaf Studies/Deaf Education. She is currently in a doctoral program at Lamar University.
Ben Hall
Ben Hall, SC:L, NIC, C.S.C. began interpreting professionaly in 1975 and obtained his first RID certification in 1979. Over 30 + years in this field, Ben has worked as a freelance interpreter, an adjunct faculty in an interpreter program, coordinated interpreters for the Ohio VR agency, worked with CSD (Communication Services for the Deaf) as national Director for Interpreter Relations, served 13 years on the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Board of Directors as the Region III Representative, Vice-President, and President. He is a former member of the RID – NAD National Council on Interpreting and the Supreme Court of Ohio Interpreter Advisory Board. He currently is a member of the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education’s Executive Committee that oversees accreditation of interpreter programs in the U.S. and Canada. He is a co-owner of Hallenross & Associates, LLC based in Columbus, Ohio.
Brandon J. Morgan
Since becoming an interpreter in 2003, Brandon has had the opportunity to interpret in a wide variety of challenging assignments. He approaches new settings with a sense of humor, and his contagious enthusiasm influences his energetic instructional style. In a fast-paced and interactive learning environment, Brandon’s goal is to provide practical strategies that fellow interpreters can immediately put into practice. He considers it a privilege to help his colleagues gain confidence and enrich their existing skill sets by integrating their past successes with new information. He sums this up in his mission statement: “To make those around me wildly successful”.
Chris Grooms
Chris Grooms holds a CI and CT from the Registry of Interpreters for the and Texas BEI Level IV Certification and has been interpreting since 1989. Chris has provided mentorship opportunities in the educational, medical and Deaf-Blind arenas. As a Manager for Communication Axess Ability Group, focusing specifically on professional development, he coordinates and provides workshops, trainings and study groups for interpreters of all levels on a variety of subjects. Chris has presented at state, regional and national conferences. He served on the board of TSID for seven years including two as President. He currently serves as the Region IV Representative on Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Board.
Clarice (Lisa) Bosson
Clarice (Lisa) Bosson is a retired University of Texas Senior Lecturer of American Sign Language since 2007. She has a total of 28 plus years of teaching at Arizona School for the Deaf and Texas School for the Deaf; serving as a Principal at T.S.D. High School prior to teaching at the University of Texas at Austin. Lisa has taught at San Antonio College and Texas State University. She is presently a Family Signs Coordinator for the Educational Resources Center on Deafness at T.S.D. (an online sign language program for parents of Deaf and/or hard of hearing children).
Doug Dittfurth
Doug Dittfurth, BSFA/MEd, currently works with Texas’ Health and Human Services Commission’s Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services/Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services in Austin as Outreach Development Specialist after 30+ years in the field of deafness. He serves as an officer on the Board of Directors for the American Foundation for the Elderly Deaf, which has as its main project the LaVista Retirement Center for the Deaf in San Marcos. Texas. He is also current Vice President for ADARA. He holds Texas BEI Level III and CIC interpreter certifications.
Gina Gonzalez
Gina Gonzalez holds BEI LEVEL IV and BEI Trilingual Master certifications. She has taught at the Big Spring Trilingual Interpreting Training for 3 consecutive years since 2007. Gina has presented at TSID 2008 in Houston on the Trilingual track. She has been interpreting professionally since 1992 and video interpreting Video Relay Service since 1999.
Jessica Bentley-Sassaman
Jessica Bentley-Sassaman has been working in the field of interpreting since 2001 after obtaining a B.S. in Interpreting for the Deaf from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. She later attended Gallaudet earning her M.A. degree in Linguistics in 2006. She has her CI & CT and Ed: K-12. Jessica currently teaches at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania. She is completing her doctorate from Walden University. Her study focused on the training needs of Deaf-hearing interpreter teams. Jessica has presented at national and state conferences on linguistics and interpreting. She works as an interpreter educator and a freelance interpreter in the community.
Leyel Hudson
Leyel Hudson is the Division Chair for ASL and Interpreter Training at Lone Star College-CyFair near Houston. Leyel enjoys interpreting in a multitude of settings but has a passion for interpreting in religious settings. She is BEI Advanced and NIC certified. She now presents workshops on a variety of topics and greatly enjoys teaching college classes.
Linda Stauffer
Linda Stauffer, Ph.D., CSC, OTC has thirty years experience in education, rehabilitation and interpretation. Coordinator of the Interpreter Education Program at the University of Arkansas, she he has also been a teacher at Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. For 25 years Linda was coordinator of the RSA Regional Interpreter Education Project. She co-authored Identifying Standards for the Training of Interpreters for Deaf People, authored a Leadership chapter for RID Affiliate Chapter Handbook, and co-edited the CIT NEWS. She won the 1992 RID/CIT’s Mary Stotler Award and UALR College of Education’s Faculty Excellence Awards for Public Service (1994) and Teaching (2010).
Lisa Gelineau
Lisa Gelineau has completed all doctoral coursework in Deaf Studies at Lamar University. She holds an MA in Deaf Studies/Deaf Education from Lamar University and a BA in Communication Studies from Texas State University. Currently, Lisa is a full-time associate professor at Austin Community College teaching all levels of American Sign Language courses. Lisa has taught ASL for 15 years and won ACC’s Teacher of the Year Award in 2009. Lisa teaches ASL, interprets as a deaf interpreter and has presented workshops on various interpreting/deaf/ASL-related topics.
Lonny R. McKinzie
Lonny R. McKinzie, B.S., D.C., A.C.N Interpreters seek his care for prevention and maintenance strategies, carpel tunnel complaints, spinal problems and repetitive motion injuries. He is Board-certified in advanced x-ray diagnostics and corrective spinal care plus holds certification in clinical nutrition. He has presented state-wide on various topics and authored numerous articles on spinal health, nutrition and disease prevention. He is a graduate of Missouri State University and Parker College of Chiropractic. Dr. McKinzie is active in community and ministry groups in the area and sponsors the Tyler Junior College Apache Signers, a sign language performance group.
Lynette Reep
Lynette Reep, CI and CT, has led interactive workshops on Ethics and Empowerment at RID Regional Conferences in Regions I, III and V. She has presented internationally at the Supporting Deaf People online conference, as well as at statewide RID conferences and other venues in twenty U.S. states and in Canada since 2004. Lynette currently serves on the RID Ethics Committee. She resides in Burlington, Vermont.
Melissa Hays
Melissa Hays, B.A., M.A., BEI Master Certification Melissa lives in Lubbock, TX where she works as the Coordinator for ASL Studies at Texas Tech University. She also works as a post-secondary and community interpreter and has several years of experience working as a Video Interpreter. She relishes any opportunity to learn from other interpreters and has benefited from involvement with TSID and her local interpreting chapter. She has been a TSID Trustee for 2 terms, president and vice president of her local chapter, a member of the mentoring committee and was Interpreter Coordinator for the 2006 and 2010 TSID conferences.
Monica Gallego
Monica Gallego, BEI Basic, has worked in the deaf community for the past 10 years. She has an AA in Liberal Arts from Nassau Community College and will complete a BA in Sociology in 2011. In 2008, She received a Certification of Completion from LaGuardia Community College’s ASL/ English Interpretation Program. She has been doing trilingual interpreting for 7 years in VRS and in various community settings. She is currently the Region IV Rep for Mano a Mano. Monica attended Big Spring Trilingual Interpreting Training, passed her written Test in Spanish proficiency and took her performance in November 2010.
Patrick Fischer
Patrick Fischer has extensive experience in all things related to theatre and art. Patrick has been involved in a variety of artistic positions, as well as performed in a variety of performance genres (storytelling, poetry, emcee, skits, and comedy). Patrick launched his theatrical business in 2005 as a way to provide services to those who want to learn more about theatre through deaf eyes. Patrick also teaches ASL and has ASLTA certification and is a professional artist and owner of a freelance design business, “Infinity Design”. To know more about Patrick Fischer, check out his two websites: www.mrshineyhead.com and www.idwiz.com.
Peggy Cobb
Peggy Cobb, RID CI and CT, Tx BEI IV and Court has been a certified / working interpreter since 1988 and workshop presenter since 1993. Her experience includes medical, legal, educational, religious and more. Peggy has worked in the community, as a video relay interpreter and as a sole proprietor. As an advocate with DARS/DHHS, she provided education regarding communication access and the ADA to people with hearing loss in Texas as well as agencies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Mrs. Cobb currently teaches ASL at the high school level and interprets regularly for First Baptist Mansfieldand for local agencies.
Rachel St. John
Rachel St. John (MD, NCC, NIC-A) is a board-certified pediatrician, and a certified sign language interpreter. She received her BS in psychology at George Mason University. She completed her MD degree at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and then attended Georgetown University Hospital for her residency in pediatrics. During her residency, she obtained an MA in counseling from Gallaudet University. Currently, she is a Health Educator with the Texas EHDI Pilot Program, as well as a freelance interpreter. She also continues to serve as adjunct faculty in the graduate department of counseling at Gallaudet University.
Randi Turner
Randi Turner serves as the Communications Access Specialist for the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services - Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services. She serves as the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) representative to the Advisory Committee on Qualifications for Health Care Translators and Interpreters. She works with agencies, service providers and people with hearing loss regarding their rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and state law. Randi holds a BAAS degree from Texas State University, RID CI/CT and Texas “Advanced” interpreter certification.
Rhonda McKinzie
Rhonda McKinzie is the Department Chair of Tyler Junior College’s Interpreter Training Program. She holds a BEI Master/Court certification and has over 30 years experience. Rhonda is also a Licensed Professional Counselor for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She is an only-child raised by parents who were both blind. Her life experiences dealing with tragedy and health issues have helped her become a better counselor and educator. Through the years she has presented workshops and has organized retreats and conferences for interpreters, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, women and teens.
Roberto Sandoval
Roberto Sandoval currently serves as the RID Deaf Caucus Region IV Representative. He is the Founder and Chair of TSID Professional Deaf Interpreters Special Interests Group (SIG). Roberto also serves the President-Elect of Austin Interpreters for the Deaf. He has completed over 200 interpreting hours, receives an Interpreting degree from Austin Community College and is working toward to obtain Deaf Interpreter certificate. He received training designed to maximize the experience of Deaf interpreting through application of interpreting skills at Deaf Interpreter Training in Big Spring, Texas in May 2009 and June 2010.
Tamar Jackson Nelson
Tamar Jackson Nelson, M.A., CI & CT, NIC Master is an adjunct professor at the Saint Paul College Interpreting/Transliterating Program. Tamar enjoys and values presenting to promote growth, development, and respect of the interpreting profession. Workshop topics she has presented on include fingerspelling, ASL grammar, processing time, medical interpreting and others. She and her partner are currently conducting research within the GLBTQI Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities and presenting the results of this research at various venues. Tamar has worked as a certified community interpreter, mentor, ER on-call manager & interpreter, VRI & VRS interpreter on both coasts.
Thelma Ferry
Thelma Ferry, LCI, has 20 years of experience as a language consultant and managing her linguistics consultant firm. She has served as expert witness in court cases, performing as court interpreter-translator for the USA District Courts among other institutions. A Texas State Licensed Court Interpreter, she specializes in several fields. She conducts educational seminars at conferences of American Translators Association (ATA) and National Association of Judiciary Interpreters for the advancement of interpreting. A member of Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators, serving as NAJIT-Advocacy and Bench and Bar Committee member and is currently the Administrator of the ATA-Interpreters Division.