1506, 2022

Impacting an Industry: Subcontract Interpreters

While my past articles have focused on influential individuals in the interpreting industry—from VQAS Coordinator Elaine Zehl to HIS Sign owner and president Christina Hammrich—this piece concentrates on an impactful group! What group has had the greatest impact on the interpreting industry? The Deaf community is the obvious answer—HIS Sign and the interpreting industry at large could not exist without it—but in this context, subcontract interpreters (SIs) are the clear…

1404, 2022

Impacting an Industry: Associate Feature

When a drop of water falls into a pond, it ripples outwards and changes the water around it…forever! So, what happens when someone decides to teach a SEE (Signing Exact English) class at a community center? Although it may seem like an insignificant event, the impact of that one class—taught in 1991 in San Mateo, CA—continues to impact the lives of Deaf students in Northern California and beyond. Julie N.,…

1603, 2022

Interpreting Services Testing in the DMV

Current and future interpreters must understand the importance of regional and national interpreting standards. These tools ensure that professionals can deliver their services to the widest range of people. In the DMV, our instruments for certifying, measuring, and improving these skills are the Virginia Quality Assurance Screening (VQAS), Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA), and National Interpreter Certification (NIC). To learn more about stipulations for testing in your area, seek a…

0401, 2022

2021 Team Reflections

Christina and Brian Hammrich We keep thinking that life is going to slow down and every year we keep being proven wrong…2021 was no different. We gained a second granddaughter, but lost two family members. We strengthened relationships with our children, created new relationships with nieces, nephews and friends and we grew even closer to each other. We travelled around the country, visiting new places for the first time and…

0812, 2021

Impacting an Industry: Associate Feature

Mrs. Elaine Ziehl—a fixture of the Northern Virginia Deaf community—retired on September 30th, 2021. For over 20 years,  Elaine worked at the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH), where she was a Virginia Quality Assurance Screening (VQAS) Coordinator. To commemorate her crucial role in the DMV’s interpreting community, this ‘Impacting an Industry’ piece will reflect on Elaine’s legacy. Influence on the Community As a VQAS coordinator,…