Presenters

Marci Purtell

Marci Purtell

“A certified interpreter for the past 26 years, Marci Purtell, BEI Master, RID NIC, currently works for Sorenson Communications as the Sr. Regional Director of Interpreting in the Eastern Region.  After earning a degree in Deaf Education from Texas Woman’s University in 1993, she taught Deaf Education for 8 years. She completed her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Dallas Baptist University in 2001 and shifted her focus from the classroom to the community working as a counselor/life coach and interpreter.
 
Workshop Title: “The Emotionally Intelligent Interpreter”
 
Workshop Summary: “Have you ever felt like a chameleon trying to adapt to various challenges and consumers? Does it leave you exhausted – emotionally, physically, and mentally? Join us as we discover what it means to be emotionally intelligent as interpreters. We will discuss emotional intelligence, identify triggers, and learn strategies to guard and strengthen our minds and develop resiliency.
Twyla Loftin​

Twyla Loftin

Twyla Loftin graduated from Texas Woman’s University in 1996 with a Masters degree in Deaf Education.  Twyla has been Deaf Education for more than 30 years and is certified BEI Master.  She has been a teacher in a variety of Deaf Education settings for more than 20 years.  Prior to coming to work at ESC Region 11 as the State Deaf Education Specialist, and subsequently moving into the role of Texas Sensory Support Network project manager, she worked as a teacher at Texas School for the Deaf for 18 years, taught at Baylor University in their Deaf Education/Interpreting program as well as having worked as an outreach specialist at the Educational Resource Center on Deafness. Her passion for all aspects of working with and for the Deaf community drives her to want to connect and grow the support systems within and surrounding this amazing population.”
 
Workshop Title: “ASL to English – Being Receptively Perceptive”
 
Workshop Summary: “In this workshop, participants will discuss ASL to English (receptive) interpreting struggles and how to overcome when a message is difficult to understand.  We will deep dive into the process that takes place in ASL to English interpreting, as well as learning strategies and techniques to better give voice to our clients. An opportunity to apply the information learned during the lecture/discussion portion of the workshop will be provided. Come ready to learn and practice how to be perceptive in your receptive interpreting.
Jennifer Hunter​

Jennifer Hunter

“Jennifer Hunter serves on the Texas Sensory Support Network (TxSSN), a grant-funded project of the Texas Education Agency (TEA), as a Deaf Education Specialist. She served for ten years as a Teacher of the Deaf in the Irving RDSPD, and she has 15 years of experience as an interpreter in a variety of settings. Jennifer has worked at both the elementary and secondary levels and has experience in resource, inclusion, and life skills settings. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Education from Stephen F. Austin State University and her Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is currently certified as a BEI Advanced. Jennifer is passionate about bridging the gap that exists for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students in many aspects of life. As a CODA (Child of a Deaf Adult), she feels she was blessed with a level of access to the Deaf community and a depth of language that many deaf and hard-of-hearing students do not have the opportunity to experience. Jennifer is excited to stand in the gap with the statewide network of professionals while navigating effective ways to serve this unique community.
 
Workshop Title: “Interpreting Academic Vocabulary”
 
Workshop Summary: “In educational settings, frequently, academic vocabulary that comes up during interpreting does not have an established sign. In this workshop, the benefits of fingerspelling versus creating a sign are discussed. A variety of ASL content dictionaries are reviewed to assist in creating established signs.
Maureen Denner

Maureen Denner

Maureen Denner, a native Jersey Girl, holds a Master’s degree in ASL/English Interpreting Pedagogy from the University of North Florida, a Bachelor’s degree in social work, and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Interpreting for the Deaf from Tarrant County (Junior) College. She is the practicum coordinator for the Sign Language Interpreting Program on the Trinity River campus, and a full-time instructor in the interpreting department. Maureen also serves or has served as an educational interpreter, community interpreter (primarily in business environments), and a video relay interpreter. She holds an Advanced level ASL/English certification from the Texas Board of Evaluators for Interpreters.
 
Workshop Title: “Educational Interpreter Ethics”
 
Workshop Summary: “This workshop will discuss how interpreter ethics were developed and compare and contrast the RID CPC with the National Association of Interpreters in Education (NAIE) Code of Ethics.
Lara Wagner

Lara Wagner

“”Lara has been a sign language interpreter/transliterator since July 2009. Through experiences in agency and contract work, she has gained insight on how to work in a variety of settings such as K-12, post-secondary settings, media work, conferences, medical, mental health, legal encounters and in courtrooms. Experiences in many of these settings were teamed with Certified/Deaf Interpreters (DI/CDI). Involvement as a Designated Interpreter (DI) for multiple consumers is also a part of her background. She graduated her interpreter training program at Collin College in the spring of 2009 and was certified by the summer that same year with a double major in interpreting and criminal justice. She received her undergraduate degree in criminology and criminal justice in 2014 from the University of Texas in Arlington. Lara has tested and earned several advanced and specialty certifications such as the RID NIC in 2011, the BEI advanced in 2013, the state court certification in 2015 and CCHI’s CoreCertified Healthcare interpreter examination in 2017. She has been teaching community self-defense classes in ASL for the Deaf community across Texas for 7 years and teaching as an adjunct instructor in the local Interpreter Training Program (ITP) at Tarrant County College (TCC) for the past 2 years. Lara has developed and presented multiple interpreting workshops to a variety of entities. She continues to regularly attend interpreting workshops and conferences for the improvement of her interpreting and ethical decision-making skills. Lara’s proudest achievement would have to be her son, Colt, who is 4 years old whom her and her husband truly enjoy. Her family is actively engaged in their local church. For fun, she enjoys riding her horse and raising chickens. Competing in triathlons is way she relieves stress. Her hobbies include candle making and she is also an avid reader, with participation in multiple book clubs.””
 

Workshop Title: “Utilizing Reflective Practice in Educational Settings”

Workshop Summary: “Ethical reflective practice presents a challenge for sign language interpreters due to the strict confidentiality obligations we must adhere to. However, this does not diminish the importance or necessity of reflective practice. Interpreters often encounter challenging situations during assignments, and it can be tempting to discuss these challenges with others, but the obligation to maintain confidentiality can prevent such discussions. Despite this, it is crucial for interpreters to engage in reflective practice and to critically evaluate their decisions and actions. Within our field, the term “unethical” is sometimes used to label decisions made by interpreters or their peers. Therefore, it is essential to stop and question whether this term is being correctly applied. In this workshop, Jordan and Lara will invite attendees to share their experiences and engage in supervision, a practice commonly used in the fields of psychology, nursing, and others. This will provide participants with a safe and ethical environment to discuss difficult choices they have made during assignments. Presenters will guide the conversation in an ethical manner to ensure that attendees can reflect upon their experiences without breaching confidentiality or negatively impacting the dignity of the assignments stakeholders.”

Jordan Ward

Jordan Ward

“Jordan Ward graduated in 2022 with a master’s degree from Western Oregon University in Interpreting Studies on the Teaching Interpreting track. She also holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Oklahoma in Legal Ethics and Social Issues, as well as an A.A.S. from an Interpreter Training Program at Oklahoma State University’s satellite campus in Oklahoma City. Jordan is a full-time educational interpreter for a North Texas school district and serves as the district’s lead interpreter. Jordan is also an adjunct instructor for Western Oregon University’s bachelor’s degree program for ASL/English Interpreting. She has been working as a certified interpreter since 2017. Jordan started out as a full-time community interpreter until she moved back to Texas, where she started working full-time as an educational interpreter, supplementing her nights and weekends with community work as her schedule allows. Her master’s thesis is published in Western Oregon University’s Digital Commons, titled “Examining the Divide: Understanding the Perceptions and Relationships between Community and Educational Interpreters.
 

Workshop Title: “You Can’t Sit With Us: Interpersonal Relationships and Horizontal Violence Among Interpreters”

Workshop Summary: “RID CPC Tenet 5.1 – 5.4 addresses treating each other with respect, which applies to other professionals and students alike. This workshop, based on the presenter’s master’s thesis research, will explore the importance of interpersonal relationships in the ASL-English interpreting profession, the issue of horizontal violence, and how this impacts our health, our interpreting work, and even the potential impacts it has on consumers.”