~ Featured Speakers ~
Su Isakson - Keynote Speaker
Su Kyong Isakson, MA, NIC, EIPA 5.0, is an Associate Professor of Interpreting with 15 years of professional experience consulting, presenting and training internationally. Informed by her formative experience as a Korean-American raised by deaf parents, she is passionate about how intercultural communication informs our work as interpreters.
Danilo Torres - Keynote Speaker
Danilo E. Torres V. is a Deaf Colombian-American educator, multilingual interpreter, accessibility advocate, and community leader. He serves at Gallaudet University’s Center for Black Deaf Studies. With extensive experience in International Sign, higher education, and global engagement, he promotes equitable opportunities for Deaf communities worldwide through collaboration.
Keith Gamache Jr. - Plenary Speaker
Keith Gamache, Jr. (KJ) is an ASL professor at Irvine Valley College and has taught ASL, Deaf Studies, and Interpreting for nearly 30 years. He holds a PhD from Gallaudet University, and both ASLTA Master and CDI certifications. KJ currently focuses on teaching pedagogy, interpreted work research, and ASL linguistics.
Molly Glass - Plenary Speaker
Danilo E. Torres V. is a Deaf Colombian-American educator, multilingual interpreter, accessibility advocate, and community leader. He serves at Gallaudet University’s Center for Black Deaf Studies. With extensive experience in International Sign, higher education, and global engagement, he promotes equitable opportunities for Deaf communities worldwide through collaboration.
Natalie Jordaan - Plenary Speaker
Natalie Jordaan is a Deaf software developer, AI educator, and founder of DeafGeeky in South Africa. Passionate about making artificial intelligence accessible, she empowers Deaf communities through simple, practical AI education. With over 14 years of software development experience, Natalie helps educators, professionals, and creators use AI to increase accessibility, creativity, confidence, and independence.
Stephanie Jo Kent - Plenary Speaker
Stephanie Jo Kent, CI, PhD. Steph, an ethnographer and interpreter, believes interpreted interaction works best when the conditions are designed for people—not just technology. Her action research explores how languages, cultures, and AI can strengthen the integrity of communication by supporting human collaboration among equals, enabling understanding to flow both ways.
MJ Bienvenu - Endnote Speaker
MJ Bienvenu is a pioneering Deaf ASL scholar, educator, and activist. A longtime Gallaudet University professor, she has advanced ASL, Deaf culture, bilingual and interpreter education, LGBTQIA+ activism, and social justice. Since 1983, she has helped shape interpreter education through her leadership with the Conference of Interpreter Trainers.
Jay Krieger - Endnote Speaker
Jay Krieger is a Certified Deaf Interpreter with 15 years of interpreting experience, including 10 years in ASL-English translation, and more than 30 years of experience in technology. He was among the founders of the National Deaf Interpreter (NDI), Deaf Interpreter Conference (DIC), and the first National Deaf Translator (NDT) Summit. He is passionate about legal interpreting, translation, and innovation.