Dr. Topher Ávila

Sabrina Boykin

Eric Epstein

Jolleen Ives

Robert G. Lee

Wink Smith

Jenni Thomas

Sarah Wheeler

Dr. Topher Ávila (pronouns: él/he & name sign: "X" on each side of the chin) is a Tejas-raised Latine Disabled/Deaf interpreter hailed from a LSM/Deaf familia. Multilingual in LSM/Protactile/ASL, Topher started to interpret professionally in 2015. Topher holds all possible BEI certifications comprehensively: Level 3, Level 4, Level 5, and Court. Disability Justice and abolition inform Topher's work, blended with creativity and cinema. In Topher's spare time, Topher loves to write scripts, binge-watch, and spend time with his rescue dog.

Sabrina Boykin has been an interpreter since May 2019. She has been a change agent, champion for diversity, speaker and community organizer since 2006. In 2020, she recognized the need to develop a platform where a multicultural group of people could get together to talk. The goal was to have open and honest discussions about the issues surrounding race relations in America. Through her work as an interpreter Sabrina decided to share her knowledge and experience with interpreters as a way to bring awareness to the field.

Sabrina hosts and leads monthly Mindful Discussions which is a platform focused on building a community where people of all backgrounds engage in understanding the importance of their actions.

Eric Epstein is an ASL poet, consultant & educator whose work has been featured in the Folger Shakespeare Library traveling exhibition and the New York Times article “American Sign Language Reveals Wordplay Beyond Sound”. He is passionate about elevating our understanding of ASL. He has given numerous workshops & presentations to various organizations, nonprofits, and colleges/universities. His groundbreaking research in advanced ASL can be found in the website  Signplaying.com , which is currently being used as part of the ASL curriculum at CSUN, RIT/NTID, Boise State University as well as a training program for signing artists in Sweden-based theatre Riksteatern Crea.

Jolleen's bio in ASL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjgfBqCCxzE

Jolleen Ives is a seasoned medical and mental health interpreter with 20 years of experience. She currently serves as a full-time Medical Staff Interpreter, specializing in healthcare and mental health settings. Her foundational experience in healthcare began as a volunteer Firefighter/EMT-Basic, where she acquired a comprehensive understanding of emergency medicine and triage.

A pivotal experience that shaped Jolleen’s professional perspective occurred when she advocated for her grandmother during her cancer treatment. Despite her grandmother’s long standing rapport with her clinicians, Jolleen recognized that aging, even in the absence of cognitive decline, can precipitate subtle yet significant breakdowns in communication. She understood that her grandmother’s ability to access medical care required space to be provided in which her questions could be fully explored and addressed. This experience underscored the importance of advocating for clear communication, particularly within marginalized groups whose voices are often overlooked.

Jolleen has shared her expertise through presentations on interpreting standards, mental health practices, and licensure advocacy. She played an instrumental role in the passage of Oregon’s 2023 interpreter licensure bill, working in close collaboration with the Oregon Association of the Deaf. The bill, which ensures minimum professional standards for interpreters, exemplifies her commitment to increasing accountability and raising the bar for the profession statewide.

Jolleen regularly engages in supervision with fellow interpreters, fostering dialogue on reflective practice, the intricacies of mental health interpreting, and the unique challenges of working with aging clients. Her work is dedicated to advancing the field of interpretation while ensuring access to essential resources and support.

Outside of her professional life, Jolleen is a devoted mother to two children and places great importance on health and wellness. She is preparing for an upcoming marathon, reflecting her passion for running. Jolleen and her family also enjoy cultivating a deep connection to nature.

Robert G. Lee, MA, CI/CT, has been interpreting, teaching, and researching for over 35 years. He is currently a Staff Interpreter at Harvard University. Robert has been a member of the boards of the Conference of Interpreter Trainers and the Association of Sign Language Interpreters (UK).  Beginning in 1995, he was a member of RID’s Professional Standards Committee which developed the original set of RID Standard Practice Papers which have been used and replied to over the years. From 2008-2021, Robert was Senior Lecturer in British Sign Language & Deaf Studies and Course Leader for the MA/Postgraduate Diploma in BSL/English Interpreting and Translation at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, UK. He has taught interpreting and linguistics at Northeastern University and Boston University and has presented keynote addresses, workshops, professional seminars, and conference papers in North America, South America, and Europe. Robert has written extensively on linguistics and interpreting. He co-developed the Role-Space model of interpreting with Peter Llewellyn-Jones. Robert is also an Academic Member of the UK Institute of Interpreting and Translation and a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy.

Wink's bio in ASL: https://youtu.be/qUR3_68sFAM 

Wink Smith, MA, MBA, NIC Master, is an interpreter, educator, and researcher with over sixteen years of professional instruction and research in the field of interpretation. He has presented at national conferences, including the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), and across the United States and Canada. His focus is on the intersection of skill development, practice, and theory in interpretation, highlighted by his workshops and a published article on deliberate practice in the Winter 2012 issue of RID Views. He has also served on the Certification Council for RID, held a board position with the Conference of Interpreter Trainers (CIT), and received the NAD Outstanding Service to Interpreting Award in 2016. As of 2023, Wink has delivered over 2,800 hours of live CEU professional development training.

Currently a faculty member in the Department of Interpretation and Translation at Gallaudet University, Wink engages with undergraduate and graduate students, fostering a deeper understanding of interpretation and encouraging graduate students to become change agents in the field. Nearing completion of his PhD in linguistics at Gallaudet, his research explores the embodied motivations of imagery in depiction and the processes through which they are constructed. His academic work centering on interpreting and translation, focuses on message analysis within a cognitive linguistic framework and the role of depiction in interpretation. His approach redefines traditional notions of expansion and equivalence, offering a more nuanced perspective, while his exploration of depiction provides interpreters with a structured framework for effectively conveying meaning.

With nineteen years of professional interpreting and translation experience, Wink has developed translated tours for the U.S. Capitol and the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas. Outside of academics and interpreting, Wink enjoys crafting ASL stories on and off the stage for his cat’s amusement. 

Jenni's bio in ASL: https://youtu.be/elaCUIiuH5U 

Jenni Thomas (she/her) earned a Masters in Disability Studies and a Certification in Gerontology after nearly 20 years of professional interpreting. In 2021 she became the Power of Attorney for her parents. In the last year she opened Certified Nomad, LLC, a boutique consulting firm, focused on Disability & Aging. Working hand in hand with seniors, Jenni presents workshops at local Senior Centers and Assisted Living locations. In her spare time, she hosts the Turtle Optimist podcast which highlights positivity in aging. On the weekends Jenni and her partner support local coffee shops in search of the perfect cold brew with four doodles in tow.

Sarah Wheeler, M.Ed., M.S. works in the intersection of interpreting, neuroscience, and emotional intelligence. As the founder of The Interpreter School and The EQ Factor, she has spent nearly two decades reshaping how interpreters approach communication, decision-making, and self-regulation.

With master’s degrees in Interpreting Pedagogy and Psychology, Sarah is known for pioneering innovative techniques that integrate affective neuroscience, cognitive science, and practical application to elevate interpreters’ skills. Her work isn’t just about linguistic precision—it’s about how interpreters show up—emotionally, mentally, and strategically—in every interaction.

Sarah is a Certified Advanced RID Interpreter and an EQ-i 2.0 & EQ 360 Certified Coach who delivers transformative training that challenges interpreters to think beyond the role and master the art of emotional connection in interpreting. She is committed to bringing cutting-edge neuroscience into interpreter education, bridging the gap between research and real-world practice.