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Hi, I’m your Instructor, Jamie. I’m a Nationally Certified American Sign Language Interpreter, Educator and mother of 2 amazing daughters. I’ve been interpreting and teaching Sign Language as well as hosting Sign Language lessons and Workshops for over 20+ years.
It all started when…
I was about eight years old when I first encountered American Sign Language. My brother had a deaf teammate on his softball team, and I noticed the boy communicating with his mother through sign language. Intrigued, I went to the library and checked out books on ASL, teaching myself fingerspelling and basic signs. I eagerly practiced whenever I could with the boy and his mother, who encouraged my efforts and helped me develop my skills. That early exposure made a lasting impression and ultimately set the foundation for my future career.
Years later, I chose to major in American Sign Language in college. After graduating, I worked for many years as an Educational Interpreter while also taking on freelance interpreting assignments within the community. Over the course of my career, I had the privilege of working in a wide range of settings and collaborating with incredible individuals, experiences that deeply enriched both my professional and personal life.
Approximately ten years ago, I began to notice changes in my own hearing. After consulting with a medical professional, I was fitted with hearing aids and eventually made the decision to retire from interpreting. While many Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals work successfully as interpreters, the combination of my hearing loss and decreased word recognition made it increasingly challenging for me. After more than twenty years in the field, I felt it was the right time to step away.
However, my work in the Deaf Community did not end there. Today, I focus on educating children, parents, and educators on how to become Deaf Friendly. I also speak to audiences about my experiences within the Deaf Community and my personal journey with hearing loss. I particularly enjoy creating customized workshops and presenting to both small and large groups.
My professional background, combined with my lived experience as a hard-of-hearing individual, has given me a unique and meaningful perspective on hearing loss and accessibility. Sign Language has been a part of my life since that moment of childhood curiosity at a softball field, and it has continued to shape who I am in profound and lasting ways.
Here are some of my former clients and projects…
The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Columbia College Chicago, Park West, The Chicago Emmy Awards, Disney China, Baby Signs, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, University of Illinois Hospital, Rush Hospital, DePaul University, Boulder Valley School District in Colorado, Focus on the Arts, Peter Cook, Liz Tannebaum, Marlee Matlin, Mindy Hester and the Timeouts Band, and so many more!
Here is a signed version of Three Little Birds By Bob Marley, music from That Baby CD, Oy Baby, LLC. Signing songs is a nice way to begin to flow your signs together in a comfortable and familiar way. Try signing along with me!
This is a performance from The Deaf Illinois Awards in 2009 with me performing on stage at Park West with The Hubbard Street Dancers. I had a blast doing this! The music is Brand New Day from the Broadway musical The Whiz.