Jaime Marshall
Jaime Marshall, MSW and MASLED, has over 15 years of American Sign Language teaching experience, training and mentoring student interpreters and professional interpreters. She is a faculty member at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.
Jaime attended NC School for the Deaf in Morganton, NC from K to 12 and matriculated at Gallaudet University with triple majors: Social Work, Psychology and Art History & Museum Studies. She also has two Master's degrees: Social Work and Sign Language Education. She has served on the NC Interpreter and Transliterator Licensing Board and continues to serve on the NC Association of the Deaf Board. Acknowledging her signing privilege and access to the Deaf Community since birth, Jaime is dedicated to paying particular attention to marginalized deaf and hard-of-hearing children, as she strongly feels that it is important that their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being is valued and nurtured as a whole.
Jaime is a strong advocator for Sign Language as a human right. She is a team member of Language First organization and NC Association for the Deaf. She can be reached at Jaime@Language1st.org.
Hope Turpin Turner
Born Deaf, Hope didn’t begin learning ASL until her teens, but despite the late start, she has become an experienced educator. She has taught science at the NC School for the Deaf, ASL at Blue Ridge Community College, and provided private ASL instruction and tutoring. A proud A.C. Reynolds graduate, she earned degrees in Biology and Sociology from Salem College and a Master’s in Sign Language Education from Gallaudet University.
Now serving as a Legislative Assistant alongside her husband, Representative Brian Turner, in the NC General Assembly, Hope is eager to share her knowledge of politics with the Deaf community and empower others to advocate at the state government level.
A dedicated advocate for the Deaf community, Hope is currently serving her second term on the NC Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing as Vice-Chair. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys playing tennis, traveling, solving word puzzles, hiking with Brian, and spending time with their two dogs and cat.
Alicia Griffin
Alicia Griffin, M.Ed., has worked in the field of Deaf Education for over eight years. Before becoming a teacher, she served as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and Counselor-in-Charge for over ten years, gaining extensive experience working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals across diverse settings. Alicia has taught American Sign Language and currently teaches related courses at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), where she has been an instructor for over five years.
She holds a Master’s degree in Education in Rehabilitation Counseling from Auburn University and a Bachelor’s degree in Deaf Education: Advocacy Services from UNCG. Alicia currently serves as a member of the North Carolina Interpreter and Transliterator Licensing Board and is the Chair of Communication Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Greensboro.
Alicia and her husband, Frank, are proud parents of one Deaf young adult (20) and two Deaf teenagers (16, 13), whose experiences and perspectives have given her unique insight into the cultural and linguistic shifts among today’s Deaf youth—especially those who are mainstreamed. Her professional and personal experiences continue to shape her advocacy for inclusive, authentic representation of Deaf voices in education and interpreting.
Alicia enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, finding great books to read and going antique shopping.
Tina Hanford
Tina Hanford, M.A., As a former Deaf Services Specialist with Wilson Regional and Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Ms. Tina Hanford provided advocacy and consultation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals who needed a provision of services regarding ADA (American with Disabilities Act) law when it comes to medical, mental health, legal, civic, and education. Tina also worked with the VR (Vocational Rehabilitation) as a Casework Technician, and she eventually accepted a position as an Independent Living Center Transition Coordinator at ENCSD.
During her employment there, she decided to enroll as a graduate student in the MASLED (Master’s in Sign Language Education) program with Gallaudet University. Tina has provided various training and workshops to NCRID (North Carolina Registry Interpreters of the Deaf), and ENCRID (Eastern North Carolina Registry Interpreters of the Deaf). She has taught ASL courses under the Interpreting Program at Wilson Community College as a faculty member. Currently, Tina is an ASL Lecturer at University of North Carolina Greensboro.
In addition, Tina currently serves on three different boards: Communication Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Greensboro, the North Carolina Association of the Deaf and Piedmont Association of the Deaf.
Frank Griffin
Frank Griffin is an educator, advocate, and program coordinator at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he leads the IDEAS Program (Interpreting, Deaf Education, and Advocacy Services) within the Department of Specialized Education Services. With more than 18 years of experience in higher education, community advocacy, and instructional design, Frank has dedicated his career to advancing language access and equity for the Deaf community.
Frank holds a Master’s degree in Sign Language Education from Gallaudet University. His teaching and research interests include Deaf culture studies and literature, ASL pedagogy, and the intersection of technology and accessibility. Beyond academia, Frank owns and operates 10 Digit Learning Innovations, a company specializing in instructional design, Deaf-centered curriculum development, and media production.
As a Deaf professional, husband, and father in a Deaf family, Frank brings both personal and professional investment to his work—raising the stakes for Deaf education and ensuring that future generations of Deaf learners have the access, representation, and opportunities they deserve.
Dr. Keith M. Cagle
Dr. Keith M. Cagle currently is retired. He was the chair of ASL and Interpreting Education (ASLIE) Department at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) / Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). He received his Ph.D. in Educational Linguistics from the University of New Mexico, M.A. in Educational Administration from California State University at Northridge, and B.A. in Social Work from Rochester Institute of Technology. He has been teaching the undergraduate and graduate ASL and interpreting courses at some colleges and universities for 38 years from 1986 to 2024. He was the chair of Interpretation and Translation Department at Gallaudet University for two years and the Interpreter Education program at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) in Charlotte, North Carolina for five years. He led the curriculum development and revisions on several ASL and interpreting courses and program for four interpreting training programs in North Carolina. He developed some undergraduate courses at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina and CPCC, and some graduate courses for the University of Northern Colorado. He was the chairperson of American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) Certification and Evaluation for 15 years from 2000 to 2015. He was ASLTA president, vice-president and secretary-treasurer, North Carolina ASLTA vice-president, and the founder of Lilac Chapter of ASLTA in Rochester, NY. He has served on State of North Carolina interpreter licensing board, and on the national and state committees for ASL bill, standards, outcomes and screening. He was the external consultant for several textbooks and a couple of ASL and Interpreting Training programs on their program reviews. He has produced some CD-Roms and videos for ASL teachers and interpreters through Signs of Development and Dawn Sign Press. He has been giving training and workshops on non-manual signals, registers, Deaf and hearing cultures, ASL teaching including methodology, curriculum development and assessment, proficiency testing, linguistics and semantics across the country and in several other countries. He has the three CODA children.
Sharon Lott
Sharon Lott, M.S., M.A, ASLTA certification: Professional, SLPI: Superior Plus, retired from ASL Training and Evaluation Coordinator at NTID/RIT. She is on Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf Board of Trustees. She does contract works with several places- NTID, Bridge Oregon, and several places. She is a National SLPI: ASL Trainer for rater and trainer for the SLPI with experience in providing training as far as Ghana and Kenya, Africa. Locally she has taught at Central Piedmont Community College, Lenior-Rhyne College, Western Piedmont Community College, Gardner Webb University and Appalachian University, Eastern Kentucky University. She was a Staff Development specialist at North Carolina School for the Deaf (NCSD) and Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf (ENCSD). She coordinated and taught ASL, Deaf Culture, Linguistics and a variety of other sign related topics at both schools. She possesses Professional Level ASL certification from the American Sign Language Teacher Association (ASLTA). She continues serving as ASLTA evaluator.
She has 3 children, Leslie, Kristina, and James. She’s a proud grandmother to Lathan.
Dr. S. Jordan Wright
Dr. S. Jordan Wright is a Deaf researcher, educator, and national presenter with over 20 years of experience in Deaf Studies, interpreting, and accessibility innovation. He currently serves as Dean of Education at the North Carolina School for the Deaf and previously directed national research on the state of the interpreting industry. Dr. Wright brings a critical lens to how technology intersects with language, equity, and culture—helping audiences demystify AI and explore its potential to strengthen rather than replace human connection in Deaf spaces.
James M. Wilson
James M. Wilson, Sr. has dedicated decades of service to the
Deaf and interpreting communities through leadership and mentorship across
multiple organizations. He has served in numerous capacities with the North
Carolina Association of the Deaf (NCAD)for eight years, the North Carolina
American Sign Language Teachers Association (NCASLTA) for twenty years and
the North Carolina Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (NCRID) for ten years,
including as an interviewer and rater for the state’s Quality Interpreter
Assessment Program and the NCASLTA’s National Sign Language Proficiency Interview
Program. On the
national level, he has held both vice president and president positions for two
terms with the American Sign Language Teachers Association advancing the quality of American Sign
Language Education and Instruction as well as professional excellence. Now retired, James enjoys the freedom to travel with his wife and
cherish more time with his family—especially his five granddaughters, who keep
life joyful and full of laughter.
