Department of
ASL - English Interpretation

Faculty & Staff

Our renowned faculty includes internationally known performers, distinguished researchers, nationally certified interpreters, and native Deaf signers. Each faculty member has a strong connection to different facets of the professional world—from the local Deaf community to the international stage of interpreter education—and our faculty members take great strides to welcome students into this exciting world. 

Below is a list of all full-time faculty members in the Department of ASL-English Interpretation at Columbia College Chicago, as well as staff, adjunct faculty members, and tutors. 

FULL-TIME FACULTY

dgj     
     Diana Gorman Jamrozik

     Chairperson, Associate Professor

 



pc
     Peter S. Cook

     Associate Professor

 

 

cf     
     Carly Flagg

     Associate Professor

 




jvm     
     James Van Manen

     Assistant Professor

 




kcroms2

     K. Crom Saunders

     Assistant Professor




STAFF

Lisa Butler

Director of Communication and Research

Lynn Cachey

Lab Manager

Nina Campbell

Department Assistant

Candace Hart

Department Staff Interpreter
NAD IV (National Association for the Deaf) Advanced Level Interpreter License
State of Illinois 

ADJUNCT FACULTY MEMBERS

Lynn Cachey

  • ASL Lab manager, Columbia College
  • BFA, Graphic Design, Rochester Institute 

Regina Daniels

  • Dancer; actor; Deaf sign coach for Steppenwolf Theatre
  • BA, Dance, University of Maryland
  • MA, Performance Arts Management, Columbia College Chicago

Dana Demeter

  • ASL instructor 
  • BA, Graphic Design, Gallaudet University
  • MA, ASL Pedagogy, Gallaudet University

Shelley Engstrom-Kestel

  • Freelance interpreter; Region III Representative, Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf; Vice-President, Illinois Licensure Board, Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission
  • BA, Interdisciplinary Studies, Governors State University
  • MS, Training and Development, University of St Francis
  • CI (Certificate of Interpretation), CT (Certificate of Transliteration), and NIC Advanced (National Interpreter Certification), Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
  • Master Level Interpreter License, State of Illinois
  • Certificate in Interpreter Training, Waubonsee Community College 

Rob Firestone

  • Social worker; advocate; counselor
  • BA, Art History, Gallaudet University 

Jennifer Hart

  • ASL instructor; private ASL tutor; animal advocate 
  • BS, Deaf Education, Northern Illinois University 

Angela Malcomson

  • Video relay interpreter; freelance interpreter 
  • BA, ASL-English Interpretation, Columbia College Chicago 
  • MA, Interpreting Pedagogy, Northeastern University
  • NIC Master (National Interpreter Certification) and CT (Certificate of Transliteration), Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
  • Master Level Interpreter License, State of Illinois

Heather Nowicki

  • ASL instructor 
  • BA, Multidisciplinary Studies (Psychology Concentration), Rochester Institute of Technology

Patti Phadke

  • ASL instructor 
  • BA, Mathematics and Secondary Education, Gallaudet College (now known as Gallaudet University)
  • MEd, Deaf Education, Western Maryland College (now known as McDaniel College)

Susan Elizabeth Rangel

  • ASL instructor 
  • BA, Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • MA, Psychology, Illinois School of Professional Psychology

Susan Sotnick

  • Video relay interpreter; freelance interpreter; theatrical interpreter for the  Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the Goodman Theatre, and DePaul Theater School
  • BA, Acting/Directing, Towson University
  • BA, ASL-English Interpretation, Columbia College Chicago
  • NIC (National Interpreter Certification), Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
  • Advanced Level Interpreter License, State of Illinois

Carrie Speakman

  • Video relay interpreter; freelance interpreter 
  • BA, Deaf Studies, California State University Northridge
  • MA, Interpretation, Gallaudet University
  • CI (Certificate of Interpretation) and CT (Certificate of Transliteration), Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
  • Master Level Interpreter License, State of Illinois

Vera Denise Washington

  • Full-time video relay interpreter; theatrical interpreter 
  • BA, ASL-English Interpretation, Columbia College Chicago
  • CI (Certificate of Interpretation) and CT (Certificate of Transliteration), Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
  • Master Level Interpreter License, State of Illinois

Duriyah Wilborn

  • Full-time interpreter coordinator, Columbia College Chicago; video relay interpreter 
  • BA, ASL-English Interpretaiton, Columbia College Chicago (Arts and Entertainment Media Management minor)
  • NIC (National Interpreter Certification), Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
  • ISAS (Illinois Skills Assessment Screening-Interpreting 4/ Transliterating 5), Chicago Area Interpreter Referral Service
  • Advanced Level Interpreter License, State of Illinois

Department Tutors

Scott Mosley
Warren Christopher Smith
Vivian Warfield 

If you wish to schedule an appointment with an ASL tutor, please do so in OASIS. If you wish to find a tutor for your LAS Core courses, please visit the Learning Studio.