Our Authors

Jan Humphrey was introduced to ASL and the Deaf community in Texas at age 15, which led to a lifelong involvement with the Deaf community and a career as an interpreter educator. She began interpreting in 1966 and has taught interpreting since 1977, coordinating interpreting training programs in Kansas, California, and British Columbia.  She holds a Doctorate in Education from Brigham Young University. Jan is currently a freelance educator and consultant and provides community interpreting in Vancouver, WA.

William F. Ross III, CODA, has been interpreting for more than 35 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 Scripture 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.

Joseph Featherstone has a Master of Arts degree in interpreting pedagogy from the University of North Florida and has been a Certified Deaf Interpreter since August 2013. Joseph currently works at GoReact, an online feedback software company for ASL and interpreting students. He travels often giving interpreting and ASL workshops at conferences and educational programs. Recently, he has been traveling internationally to promote GoReact while giving workshops about technology and interpreting. Joseph has been teaching ASL and interpreting as an adjunct professor at several different colleges and universities. Joseph’s passion is providing quality access for the Deaf community by working alongside interpreters, partnering with technology innovators, and collaborating with colleagues. 

LeWana Clark began her first sign language class at age 10 and her early interpreter training came from members of the Amarillo, Texas Deaf community. By the time she turned 20, she was nationally certified. She has completed the Master Mentorship Program from Northeastern University, her master’s degree from Lesley University in Independent Study with a specialization in Transformative Learning for ASL/English Interpreters and her doctorate at Gallaudet University examining speaker identification in multi-party interactions in court (Washington D.C.). LeWana is a private practice interpreter specializing in legal/court settings, a mentor, and an interpreter educator.

Remembering Bob Alcorn | 1945-1996

Bob Alcorn grew up in Texas where he lost his hearing at the age of four from spinal meningitis. He graduated from the Texas school for the Deaf in Austin. Bob received a BA degree in English from Gallaudet University and a Master’s degree in Education from Texas A & M University. He taught Sign Language formally beginning in 1975 and taught interpreting beginning in 1981. At the time of his untimely death in 1996, Bob was teaching American Sign Language at the University of Texas in Austin. Bob was active most of his adult life in fighting for the rights of Deaf people and working to improve the quality of interpreting services.