PRESENTERS

Alaina Webb

“Alaina has interpreted in multiple settings including medical, education, mental health, court and more. She has taught workshops across the state for DARS, HHSC, Region XI ESC, RID and TSID conferences, and a variety of other locations, as well as teaching and training in Summer Institutes since 2016. She is currently the chair of the BEI Advisory Board.”

Audrey McCann

“Audrey McCann, BEI Master, RID NIC Advanced, has been interpreting professionally for over 15 years. She has worked in numerous settings such as medical, mental health, technical, corporate, platform/performance, trauma informed, religion, video relay, and tactile. Raised in Austin, Texas by her Deaf family, she relocated to the Denver area with her husband to be the call center manager of Convo relay after having held a variety of lead and managerial positions in her time working in VRS. She is currently working as a VI at Convo and in private practice. She is passionate about providing access to the Deaf community and is a staunch advocate of interpreters providing pro bono services as appropriate.”

Bonnie Faye Gibson-Brydon

“Bonnie Faye has been interpreting for 45 years, presenting for 35 years. Her agency, Pula Legal Interpreting (1997), specializes in court and tri-lingual assignments in Mental Health environments (which opened new perspectives on presenting ethics). Bonnie is a Licensed Practitioner/Chaplin – (2007). Starting in educational interpreting (ECC – 1975), as a freelance interpreter (1982), in the courts (1999) and VRS (2004), presently the team trial interpreter with Deaf Prosecutor (2010). Bonnie brings laughter and activities to her workshops. Get ready to open up, laugh and appreciate new ways of learning interpreting skills!”

Carla Mathers

“Carla M. Mathers, Esquire, SC: L practiced law in Maryland and the District of Columbia from1993 to 2017. She currently practices legal interpreting, teaching and consulting throughout the country. Ms. Mathers’ law degree is from Howard University School of Law. Ms. Mathers’ interpreting degree is from the College of Southern Idaho. Ms. Mathers sat on the Advisory Group for Language Access to develop standards for language access in courts for the American Bar Association. She currently serves on the District of Columbia Courts’ Language Access Committee. Ms. Mathers also sat on the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts’ Advisory Committee on Interpreters Sub-committee on Ethics and Sub-committee on Testing and Training. Ms. Mathers previously served as the Legal Program Coordinator for MARIE Center/DOIT Center at the University of Northern Colorado. She has served as an adjunct instructor for the Gallaudet University Department of Interpretation teaching legal interpreting, among other courses. She served as Vice President for the Conference of Interpreter Trainers and sat on the Board of Directors for the Deaf Abused Women’s Network in Washington, D.C. Ms. Mathers is the author of Sign Language Interpreters in Court: Understanding Best Practices, a text for interpreters, attorneys and courts to understand the principles underlying ASL court interpreting.”

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bY85eMKdeDZROSEw7-723JPBQMM6C6z7/view?usp=sharing

Deb Martinez

“Deborah Martinez has an AS in interpreting, BS in Human Services and a Masters of Public  Administration. She has been professionally interpreting since 1994. Her certifications include  RID (CI/CT, NIC: Advanced, SC: L) and Texas BEI (Master and CIC). She has presented on topics  such as ethics, case conferencing, use of space, and consecutive interpreting. She looks  forward to sharing her love of the work, knowledge, and experience with others.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0IVSk5wp80

Jeremy Norman

“Jeremy Norman is an American Red Cross Certified First Aid, CPR, AED trainer. He is also  a Texas BEI Advanced Certified Interpreter and adjunct professor at Tyler Junior College.  Jeremy has spent over 15 years working in management capacities for companies that  place high priority on effective teamwork and providing an excellent customer experience.  He also spent several years hiring, training and mentoring employees in those areas.”

Justin Lee

“Justin Lee currently holds the Texas BEl Master Certification and the RID National Interpreter Certification. He is a freelance interpreter, mentor, and a part-time VR interpreter for Sorenson VRS. He has been interpreting professionally since 2004 when he was first certified by BEl. His interpreting experience has encompassed many different arenas including: Educational, Legal, Medical, Mental Health, and VRS. He has a passion for sociolinguistics and loves to instill the same passion in the interpreters he mentors”

Kristin Lund

“Kristin Lund has been interpreting for 45 years. Interpreter training from University of Arizona’s 4-year interpreter training program. Certified since 1986. She has been involved as a Board member with various local interpreter, and Deaf groups in Arizona, and Texas. Currently involved with Austin Deaf Club as a Board member for 10 years. She was on Texas BEI interpreter testing development committees for: current Basic/Advance/Master tests in use; Court; and Deaf Interpreter-Certified tests. She has given presentations locally, statewide, and at the national level. Various topics eg: legal, court, jail, emergency shelter, ethics, working with CDI, working with monolingual language users, etc. Four years ago, she formed CoP: Austin Deaf Interpreters. (CoP – Community of Practice). Currently involved with the developing DeafBlind Protactile Language for interpreters. She loves learning new things, and sharing collectively with others.”

Lara Wagner

“Lara has been a sign language interpreter/transliterator since July 2009. Through experiences in agency and contract work, she has gained insight on how to work in a variety of settings such as K-12, post-secondary settings, media work, conferences, medical, mental health, legal encounters and in courtrooms. Experiences in many of these settings were teamed with Certified/Deaf Interpreters (DI/CDI). Involvement as a Designated Interpreter (DI) for multiple consumers is also a part of her background. She graduated her interpreter training program at in the spring of 2009 and was certified by the summer that same year with a double major in interpreting and criminal justice. She received her undergraduate degree in criminology and criminal justice in 2014 from the University of Texas in Arlington. Lara has tested and earned advanced and specialty certifications such as the RID NIC in 2011, the BEI advanced in 2013, the state court certification in 2015 and CCHI’s CoreCertified Healthcare interpreter examination in 2017. She has been teaching community self-defense classes in ASL to the Deaf community across Texas for 7 years and teaches as an adjunct instructor in a local interpreter training program. Lara has developed and presented multiple interpreting workshops to a variety of entities. She continues to regularly attend interpreting workshops and conferences for the improvement of her interpreting and ethical decision-making skills. Lara’s proudest achievement would have to be her son, Colt, who is 4 years old whom her and her husband truly enjoy. Her family is actively engaged in their local church. For fun, she enjoys riding her horse and raising chickens. Competing in triathlons is way she relieves stress. Her hobbies include candle making and she is also an avid reader, with participation in multiple book clubs.”

Leyel Hudson

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“Leyel Hudson is a full-time college professor for Lone Star College-CyFair and has worked for LSC for over 20 years. She has a passion for teaching but also greatly enjoys still interpreting in the community. Some of her favorite settings to interpret for are religious settings and comic cons because they are so much fun! Leyel loves fostering the development of the next generation of interpreters to help them soar. She is looking forward to meeting all of you at conference!” ”

Marci Purtell

“A certified interpreter for the past 26 years, Marci Purtell, BEI Master, RID NIC, currently works as a Regional Manager for Sorenson Communications. After earning a degree in Deaf Education from Texas Woman’s University in 1993, she taught Deaf Education for 8 years. She completed her Master’s Degree in Co”

Randi Turner

“Randi Turner is the Accessibility and Disability Rights Coordinator of the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities. Ms. Turner previously served as the Communication Access Specialist of the Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) for the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), and held positions at its legacy agency, the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Turner is a graduate of Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Arts and Sciences. She received the Outstanding Service and Excellence in Academics” award when she graduated. She holds Advanced level sign language interpreter certification from DARS-DHHS, and a Certificate of Interpretation and Certificate of Transliteration from the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Through her work with the public and private sector, from the local to national level, she became a sought out trainer on ADA issues. In addition, her work as an advocate for people who are deaf or hard of hearing earned her the honored Deaf Celebration “LBJ Award.” The award signifies her “contributions toward equality and equal opportunities for people who are deaf as exemplified by the spirit of Lyndon B. Johnson and the Deaf President Now (DPN) movement at Gallaudet University.” “

Sam Harris

“Based in Austin, TX, Sam is a Communication Access Specialist in the Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (ODHHS) under Texas Health and Human Services (HHS). With extensive background in K-12, higher education, marketing, sales, and creative agencies, Sam provides insight, knowledge, and the tools needed in working and/or communicating with individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing by providing in-person training and webinars across Texas. In his free time, Sam enjoys reading, writing, meditating, and learning new recipes from watching too many cooking videos. “

Sonja Smith

“Sonja W. Smith holds BEI Master, BEI Court, and RID NIC certifications, as well as licenses in Michigan and Kentucky. She has a BA in Deaf Education and an MA in Interpreting Studies, with an emphasis in interpreter education. She is currently the Director of the ASLIS Program at the University of Louisville, in Kentucky. Sonja has been interpreting on and off for over 20 years, working in private practice for approximately 15 years in Austin, Texas, working briefly in Michigan, and now in Kentucky. Her primary practice focuses are conference interpreting, legal interpreting, and working from ASL to English. She is also a former RID Region IV representative and has held various volunteer leadership positions throughout her career. Her passions include mentoring, technology, squishy faced dogs, beaches, and a good charcuterie.”

Theron Parker

“Theron has been teaching workshops on the G-spot for over 20+ years and has become a well renowned “expert” on the subject. Theron’s incredibly graphic gestures, expert expressions, and skilled body language as well as his thorough understanding of the subject allows the attendee to experience full immersion in the topic. Theron Parker leads a notable career as a performer, instructor and presenter. He has been renowned for his ABC stories where he produced four DVDs (In the Minds of Ed and Theron, Have ASL, Will Travel: Fables from Around the World, Folklore from Around the World, and Little Deaf Spies). Theron also appeared in Forget Me Not, and served as an assistant producer for ASL Films. Theron has worked on projects such as Illusion of ASL, a deaf theater group, five years certified Baby Signs instructor, he teaches literacy through America Sign Language for his non-profit organization, ABC ASL, working with children and parents (A humor of Deaf history to ASL storytelling). For Theron, ASL storytelling is the most beautiful music imaginable, with its natural beauty and expressiveness, he aspires to expose ASL to many generations of deaf children and hearing people as possible with his first children’s book published earlier this year and many more to come.”

www.havegspot.com

Tyriibah Royal-Lampkins

“Tyriibah Royal-Lampkins is an interpreter who began learning Sign Language as a child from her Deaf cousin, and continued to take classes through high school and college. Realizing the importance of access, and how much it is taken for granted by the hearing population, she pursued and earned multiple degrees in interpreting (A.A. and B.A.). Wanting to learn and experience more, she attended Gallaudet University to pursue her Master’s degree in Combined Interpreting Practice and Research. She conducted her research on the comparison of Black and white interpreters’ target English when interpreting for Black Deaf consumers. She holds multiple certifications: BEI Advanced and NIC. She lives in Texas with her husband and puppy. In her spare time, she mentors, goes to ASL socials, poetry slams, game nights with family, plays video games, enjoys crafts, and spends time with friends.”

www.havegspot.com

Todd Agan

“Todd Agan, MA, RID CI & CT, BEI IV/MASTER, BEI Medical is an interpreter practitioner, educator, and consultant. Currently he is the Lead Designated Interpreter for the Division of General and Hospital Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, and an adjunct professor in the interpreter training program at San Antonio College. Todd began interpreting professionally in 1994. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in American Sign Language/English Interpretation from Western Oregon University (formerly Western Oregon State College) in 1996, and his Master’s Degree in Interpreting Studies and Communication Equity from St. Catherine University in 2018. Todd provides consultation and continuing educational opportunities, with a particular emphasis on medical settings, to working interpreters at the local, state, regional, and national levels. Additionally, Todd spends time working as a performing arts interpreter and is a 2002 graduate of the Juilliard School’s Interpreting for the Theater summer workshop.”

Tracey Huguley

“Top-level American Sign Language interpreter with over twenty-five years of experience. Native ASL user. Experienced educator committed to igniting the inherent motivation that lies within each learner. “

Virginia ‘Ginger’ Bennett

“Ginger Bennett, MACL, RID CI/CT, BEI III, is currently the Director of Interpreting & Captioning Services at Austin Community College and has over 35 years of interpreting experience in preK-12, community college, and university settings. Her BA is in Social Psychology and her MA is in Communication & Leadership – both from Park University’s online programs. She is currently a doctoral student at Northcentral University studying Educational Leadership.”

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_WKPhfodf-2MPk_5FOF_lssbXWpA-sDP/view?usp=drive_web

William (Bill) Ross

“William F. Ross III, a child of Deaf parents, has been interpreting for more than 32 years and holds dual certification (CI/CT) from the Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf. He has a Master of Science Degree in Special Education from Missouri State University. Currently, Bill is the Curriculum Development Specialist at Deaf Bible Society (DBS); developing trainings and resources for individuals who work on Bible translation into Sign Language. Prior to coming to DBS, he was the Program Director of the Carlstrom Interpreter Training Program at North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mr. Ross was previously the Director of the Communication Access Support Services Department at North Carolina School for the Deaf (NCSD); where he established the NCSD Mentorship Project and Distance Learning Mentoring Program to provide ongoing support to educational and freelance interpreters. He is passionate about building mentoring relationships, studying ASL and accompanying interpreters on the journey of perfecting their craft. “