Interpreting Manager

Heather is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Interpretation and Translation at Gallaudet University, where she also earned her master’s degree in interpretation research. She has been a professional interpreter for 15 years, specializing in interpretation for scientific research, technology, conferences, and medical professionals as a designated interpreter. She has mentored interpreters for more than a decade and has been an interpreter educator for the last six. Her research interests include language ideologies, interpreter assessment, interpreting pedagogy, interpreter demographics, culturally responsive and trauma-informed pedagogy and interpretation, and interpreter cognition and learning.

CEO of Joyful Signing

Joi, first became interested in sign language in high school. Although she now has significant experience in the Department of Defense setting, she has always been interested in entrepreneurship and set a goal of starting and building an agency early on. She believes by setting interpreters up for success, they are positioned to service and provide high-quality communication access to the Deaf Community we serve.

Stephanie lives in Columbus, OH with their spouse and two young children. They have been a professional interpreter since 2006 and have worked in a variety of settings. Stephanie has participated as a mentee in a variety of mentoring programs, including moving to Washington, DC to participate in Gallaudet University's 9-month Results! Mentoring Program for the 2012-2013 school year. Stephanie has mentored many student interpreters over the years and believes that a supportive mentoring relationship is fundamental to developing strong interpreters.

Michael Fisher (he/him/his) is a nationally certified interpreter, mentor, and educator in the field of interpreting. Currently, he serves as a full-time lecturer at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), where he teaches courses such as Interpreting I, Interpreting II: English to ASL, and Interpreting II: ASL to English. Michael has mentored numerous student and novice interpreters, both independently and in his previous role as the mentorship chair for the New York City Metro Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. In this position, he was instrumental in developing and implementing the first cohort of their Connection Network, which paired novice and certified interpreters to engage in practice and reflection on the work. Since relocating to Rochester, NY, in 2023, he has also taken on the role of treasurer for the Genesee Valley Region Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Michael holds a B.S. in ASL/English Interpreting from Keuka College (2016) and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics and Foreign Language Pedagogy from the University of Massachusetts Boston (2019). Outside of interpreting, he is passionate about animal welfare, enjoys spending time with his four cats, and participates in various physical fitness programs.

Dr. Lisa Prinzi has worked as an interpreter for more than 20 years, specializing in educational interpreting, and as an interpreter educator for eight years. Lisa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of American Sign Language and Interpreting Education (ASLIE) at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf (RIT/NTID). She teaches core interpreting skills courses in the bachelor’s degree program and courses in the Certificate in Educational Interpreting. Her research focuses on interpreting in educational environments and professional development for educational interpreters.

RID Certificate of Interpretation (CI), Certificate of Transliteration (CT), Specialty Certificate; Educational (Ed:K-12),

Interpreted for Full Gospel Fellowship Church, Hazleton PA, Interpreted Masses at St. Peters Cathedral for the Diocese of Scranton PA. Interpreted services at Community Alliance Church, Bloomsburg PA. Fifteen years experience as a volunteer Interpreter at the Northeast Pennsylvania Christian “Creations Festival”. Interpreted numerous weddings, funerals, christenings etc. through career. Fifteen years experience interpreting in the educational setting, kindergarten through twelfth and post secondary education Twenty-five years experience in religious interpreting in various Christian denominations Twenty-eight years experience as a freelance/Independent Contractor Interpreter for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS / CERTIFICATIONS,

•The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Certified Member, Certificate of Interpretation (CI), Certificate of Transliteration (CT), Specialty Certificate Educational, (Ed:K-12).

•The Pennsylvania Society for the Advancement of the Deaf (PSAD) Lifetime Member.

•The Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) Pennsylvania State Registered

PROFESSIONAL INTERPRETING EXPERIENCE

1995 - Present, Freelance / Independent Contractor

2010 - Present, On call Interpreter Social Security Administration Wilkes-Barre Direct Operations Center

2009-2012, Hazleton Area School District (Special Education Department), as an Independent Contractor

2001-2009, Schuylkill Intermediate Unit #29 Staff Employee (Pottsville Area High School)

Educational Sign Language Interpreter

Educational Sign Language interpretation of all verbal in-class instruction.

Interpretation of school related events, assemblies and field trips.

Interpretation at the Schuylkill Technology Center (AVTS) (Welding I. II.)

Interpretation at Schuylkill Technology Center (AVTS) Collision Repair and Refinishing (Level I. II.)

1995-2001, Pocono Mountain School District:

Sign Language Interpreter

Sign Language interpretation of all verbal in-class instruction

Interpretation of school related events, assemblies and field trips. Extra and co-curricular activities.

VENUES: Medical, Theatrical, Social, Platform, Mental Health, Educational, K-12, Post Secondary, Business, Concerts, and Religious

AmyRuth McGraw is a native of Washington, DC and has been interpreting for over 30 years, working in 6 states and the DC metro area, primarily doing post-secondary and performance interpreting. Her theatrical interpreting experience includes dozens of productions ranging from Broadway tours to regional theatre to community and school productions, including such shows as Hamilton, A Christmas Carol, and Much Ado About Nothing, to name a few. Early in her career, she spent a year touring with Sunshine, Too, an outreach project of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. She has served as the accessibility coordinator for Geva Theatre in Rochester, NY, hiring both interpreters and audio describers. She earned a BA and an MFA in Theatre, as well as an MA in Interpreting Studies.

David J. McGraw, a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, has stage managed professionally for over a dozen theatres in his 27-year career and has twice served on the national board for the Stage Managers’ Association. He has authored a chapter in Off Headset: Essays on Stage Management Work, Life, and Career; produced the training film, “Standby Cue 101: An Introduction to Calling Live Performances,” and wrote the “Stage Manager’s Kit” blog for Stage Directions. He has taught theatrical workshops around the US as well as in Taiwan and in South Africa on a Fulbright grant. He earned a BA and an MFA in

Theatre, as well as an MA in Arts Administration. He is a professor and serves as the Coordinator for Elon University’s Arts Administration program.

Christina Stevens is the current Region 1 Representative for the RID Board. As a graduate of The Theater School at DePaul University, Christina’s work with the National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD) provided the impetus for her move to Connecticut, where she has served as the CRID president for four plus years. Christina is a graduate of the ASL-English Interpretation program at Columbia College of Chicago, Illinois. In her time in Connecticut, she has had the honor of serving as a governor-appointed member of the Advisory Board for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and is a designated lead interpreter for the Connecticut Robotics Chapter for K-12 students (FIRST). Additionally, she and her husband were married a few months before the pandemic lockdown on an All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Wrestling cruise. Her time on the RID board has fostered a passion for working with students and emerging practitioners and welcoming them into the profession.

Kevin Dyels (CI, CT) is a certified interpreter and the Director of Services at TCS Interpreting and Captions in the Washington DC metropolitan area. He has a degree in Theater from the University of Maryland and has held an executive position at a performing arts interpreting company called First Chair Interpreted Productions since 2009. He presents interpreting workshops in Theater, Affect, Team Building, and Self Confidence on a national and international basis.

He has traveled to India, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Taiwan presenting workshops and supporting Visual Theater performances to deaf and hearing audiences. Kevin served as Production Manager for “Deaf Way II”; overseeing over 50 performances featuring the world’s best deaf performing arts groups over the course of a two week intense international conference.

When not interpreting, Kevin mentors new interpreters, coordinates interpreters for various conferences, theatrical productions and festivals, and works as a professional sound designer and disc jockey. He enjoys international travel in his spare time and shares a cat named Sylvestre with his Hong Kong partner.

MJ is a certified ASL instructor/presenter who has been working with the deaf and hearing interpreter/student community for years. She is an ASL Coordinator instructor/interpreting team as a mentor at the Community College of Allegheny County and was employed as an American Sign Language instructor at the University of Pittsburgh. She holds her BA / MA from Gallaudet and Hofstra Universities. MJ is an award-winning ASL Poet Laureate of Allegheny County. She has also been in the Peace Corps Program and lived in Kenya while working as a Special Education teacher with deaf children with those with other disabilities such as deafblind, learning disabilities, and autism.

Jeffery first attended Western Piedmont Community College and later transferred to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he graduated with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. While at UNCG, he was a research assistant in the CAMINOS lab studying ethnic-racial socialization under the direction of Dr. Gabriella Livas-Stein. He also earned a graduate certificate in the Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing from Missouri State University. At the graduate level, Jeffery earned an MS in ASL/English Interpreting with a concentration in Interpreting Pedagogy at the University of North Florida and is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration program at Western Carolina University with sights set on graduation in May 2026. 

Jeffery has thirty years of interpreting experience; he holds full licensure from the North Carolina Interpreter Transliterator Licensure Board and NIC certification from RID. Additionally, Jeffery has achieved National Board Certification in medical interpreting and completed the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment- Elementary PSE- 4.1/Written Test 90%. He has extensive training in mental health interpreting from the Alabama Department of Mental Health/Office of Deaf Services, MHIT program. Jeffery's specific clinical interest is in language presentation and mental health symptomatology of Deaf patients within the clinical setting. 

In addition to his extensive career as an interpreting practitioner, Jeffery has assumed a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of interpreters in academia. He has served as the Interpreter Preparation Program Coordinator at Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton, NC, since August 2020. Jeffery actively contributes to the field as a workshop presenter and mentor, sharing his expertise and passion for interpreting with diverse audiences.

Dr. Leslie Puzio is an Associate Professor, as well as the Program Manager for the ASL Interpreter Preparatory Program at Frederick Community College in Frederick, Maryland. Dr. Puzio has over 20 years of professional interpreting experience and over 10 years of mentoring and teaching experience. 

Dr. Puzio obtained her A.A.S. degree in ASL Interpretation and Transliteration from St. Paul Community & Technical Institute in St. Paul, Minnesota, a B.A. in Public Relations & Marketing Management from Ashford University, a Master's in Public Administration from Ashford University, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Frostburg University. Her dissertation looked at the Lived Experiences of Deaf and hard-of-hearing students in a predominately hearing community college specifically related to inclusion and isolation in and out of the classroom. 

Dr. Puzio has focused a lot of her work and research on DEI initiatives relating to individuals who identify with multiple marginalized groups. Dr. Puzio has presented at many conferences about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging. She is a 2023 Equity Scholar. She has served on several boards including: the local Potomac Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, a local non-profit board that aimed at providing ing access to resources to community members in Frederick County who did not have the means or know-how to access resources. 

She is currently serving on the RID Academic Coursework Review Committee and FCC’s Faculty Union Bargaining Team. Lastly, she worked with Maryland Association for the Deaf, PCRID, along with community members to create what is now known as the Maryland Sign Language Interpreter Licensure. She testified in front of Maryland’s Senate, House of Delegates, and sub-committees and was there when Governor Wes Moore signed the bill into law. She is now serving as a State-appointed member of the State Board of Sign Language Interpreters. 

She lives in Ijamsville, Maryland, with her wife of 16 years, 13-year-old son, and their 7-year-old English Mastiff – Bailey

Megan Wetzel is a Certified Deaf Interpreter and an ASL teacher in Pittsburgh, PA. She loves interpreting in the legal system, for deaf children, and deaf with intellectual disability. She teaches ASL at a small private high school and ITP classes at Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC). She is currently working on her second Masters Degree in ASL Education at Gallaudet University.

Nicholas Mastromatteo was born in Oklahoma and became Deaf at the age of one due to spinal meningitis. Not long after becoming Deaf, his family moved to Southern IL near St. Louis, MO, where Nicholas received his Cochlear Implant at the age of 3. He was placed in a Deaf oral school for a few years before becoming mainstream in 3rd grade. During Nicholas’s search for Deafhood in his early life, he found American Sign Language (ASL), which opened his world and experience into the Deaf world. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University in 2015, Nicholas moved to Pittsburgh, PA, where he started working with Deaf children with mental health and communication barriers. He also began his career in education teaching ASL as an Adjunct Instructor at the Community College of Allegheny County. In 2019, Nicholas also started working at Slippery Rock University, taking up the role of ASL Instructor. Nicholas pursued his Master of Arts in Teaching American Sign Language from the University of Northern Colorado while teaching ASL and graduated in December 2020. From 2021-2023, Nicholas took up the role of American Sign Language/English Interpreting Instructor at Mount Aloysius College. Nicholas teaches ASL and Deaf Culture as an Assistant Teaching Professor at the Pennsylvania State University.

Sarah Veith was introduced to ASL in 2004 and fell in love.  2008 marked her transition to professional interpreter.  Her interpreting years started in Buffalo NY and focused on Community before moving into education.  Upon moving to PA in 2012, she attained her EIPA and continued working in education for several years.  Upon her return to community interpreting, she was asked to join an agency as their Interpreter Coordinator/Staff Interpreter where she continues to this day.

Sue Ann is an educational consultant with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network, providing technical assistance and professional development to programs serving students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind, educational interpreters, teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing, literacy coaches and reading specialists. She is a qualified educational interpreter in Pennsylvania with an EIPA 5.0 at the elementary level. Sue Ann has over 25 years of sign language interpreting and teaching experience. She is a founding member of the National Association of Interpreters in Education (NAIE).  She holds a bachelor's degree in education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Master of Arts degree in School Counseling and Guidance from Gallaudet University.   While at Gallaudet, Sue Ann worked as an interpreter for the university as well as a graduate assistant in the office of the vice president and department of counseling.

Melissa Hawkins has served as the Director of the PA Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing since  2018. Melissa was awarded the Governors Award of Excellence for her work insuring the COVID Pandemic coverage was accessible for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deafblind population.  

Denise Brown is a representative for L&I’s Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) in Allentown, Pa over 27 years. Working for ODHH is something Denise loves, and, while she shared that her job involves many different tasks, at ODHH, she primarily helps provide advocacy, information and referrals for residents of Pa experiencing hearing loss.

Jessica Bentley-Sassaman, Ed.D., is an Associate Professor of ASL/English Interpreting at

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania: Bloomsburg. Jessica earned her bachelor’s from

Bloomsburg University in Interpreting for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, her Master of Arts from

Gallaudet University in Linguistics, and a Doctoral Degree in Education from Walden University:

her student was focused on Deaf and hearing interpreter teams and the teamwork aspect of their

work. She has earned her CI, CT, and SC:L from RID and hold the ED:K-12 certification. She is a

master certified interpreter through the Administrative Offices of the Pennsylvania Courts legal

interpreter program. She interprets in various settings like legal, government, and religious.

Jessica has published articles related to mentoring and Deaf-hearing interpreter teams and has

presented workshops on several topics.

Natalia Petrova is the Interpreter program Administrator at the Administrative Office of

Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC). She is also Pennsylvania’s representative to the National Center

for State Court's Conference of Language Access Coordinators (CLAC), a group whose mission

is to improve access to court services for limited English proficient (LEP) litigants. Prior to

assuming her present position, she worked for 10 years as an Interpreter Program Coordinator.

Natalia has twenty-five years of free-lance interpreting experience, having obtained her court and

medical interpreter certification in the Russian language in 2003 and 2012, respectively. A native

of Western Siberia, she has a Master’s in teaching English and French from Minsk Linguistic

University. Natalia volunteers at the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust and Delaware Valley

Translators Association (DVTA), where she served two terms as a Director of Membership and

Marketing. She is an active member of American Translators Association (ATA) and Pennsylvania

Court Management Association (PACM).

Danielle Gregor is the 2nd generation Owner of Sign Language Interpreting Professionals (SLIP).  In this role, she focuses on the company’s strategy and vision and manages its daily operations and administration. Danielle was raised bilingually with Deaf grandparents and attributes her passion in the field to them. A working interpreter Danielle holds the RID NIC-Advanced and PA AOPC Court Interpreter certifications. 

Danielle is dedicated to educating and inspiring businesses on cultural awareness and the integration of a diverse workforce by way of using ASL interpreters and being fully inclusive of the Deaf community.  She also enjoys mentoring new interpreters both one-on-one and in group settings. No matter what role Danielle assumes, it is her personal and professional mission to ensure quality communication access to the Deaf community. She is an open book for sharing tips and resources on how you can be a part of ensuring access to this basic human right. 

An experienced public speaker and interpreter, Danielle has taken the national conference stage at StreetLeverage Live and Accelerate, and has interpreted a number of large-scale live and televised events, including Hillary Clinton's 2015 campaign kickoff. She designed a yoga and mindfulness program with OpenUp during the pandemic focused on the mental health needs of Deaf senior citizens; this program has grown and now meets weekly in Lawrenceville.

Danielle is a member of the Association of Language Companies Board of Directors, the Advisory Board for Mt. Aloysius College's ASL/English Interpreting program, and the executive committee of ASTM F43 Language Services and Products and serves as the Chair of the ASTM F43.06 Subcommittee on Captioning.  Danielle previously served as the District 2 Representative of the Pennsylvania Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (PARID). She was a Pittsburgh Magazine and Pump “40 Under 40” awardee in 2021.  Danielle  earned a BA in Business from Washington and Jefferson College and MBA in Leadership and Organizational Transformation from Chatham University.

Jose Peralez III (he/him) is a Rio Grande Valley (south Texas) native.  He moved to San Antonio, TX where he received his A.A.S. in American Sign Language – Sign Language Interpreting and A.A. in American Sign Language from San Antonio College in 2013.  Jose works in a variety of settings including post-secondary, K-12, medical, conference, theatrical, cruise/tourism, VRS, and virtual.  He has previously served as a board member for the Texas Society of Interpreters for the Deaf (TSID) and is a member of other various organizations.  In December 2021, Jose graduated from William Woods University with a B.S. in Interpretation Studies ASL-English and a minor in Business Administration.  Jose currently resides in San Antonio, TX where he continues to interpret, develop workshops, and works as a mentor with students at his alma mater of San Antonio College.  He currently holds his Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI) – Advanced level and his Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf – National Interpreter Certificate.  When not working, he spends time walking, going to game nights, and playing the saxophone in a local LGBT band and at times is seen on the podium waving the baton conducting!  Jose is a proud Slytherin, loves to go to conferences, and is currently learning the clarinet!

Alma Sepulveda is a Deaf advocate with firsthand experience of language deprivation. Born into a Deaf immigrant family, she holds a BA in American Studies with a minor in Psychology. As the Director of Advocacy and Community Outreach for a Deaf-run nonprofit, Triad Deaf Services, she works to raise awareness about language deprivation and its impact on development and communication.

Danette Levy, NIC is a nationally certified interpreter with nearly 25 years of experience specializing in a variety of settings, including DeafBlind interpreting, medical, theatrical, and cruise interpreting. She earned her associate's degree in Interpreting from John A. Logan College in 2000 and currently serves as the Director of Interpreter Services at Triad Deaf Services. Danette is deeply committed to fostering excellence in the interpreting profession and supporting both interpreters and the Deaf community.

Beyond her professional work, Danette enjoys crafting, gardening, music, and traveling. She cherishes time spent with her husband, four grown children, a son in eighth grade, two grown stepchildren, and two grandchildren—all while being lovingly accompanied by her two toy-sized Aussies.