Dr. Aileen Aldalur is a Deaf clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center where she provides psychotherapy in the Deaf Wellness Center and conducts clinical research on Deaf mental health and evidence-based interventions for Deaf individuals. Dr. Aldalur has used ASL interpreters throughout her graduate education and professional career and has written about and presented on the unique relationship between hearing interpreters and Deaf professionals.

Since 2009, Alana has been empowering and guiding people in reaching their true designations using powerful, transformative coaching techniques gained from Certified Coaches Federation from which she received her certifications in executive, professional and life coaching. Her area of expertise is guiding individuals who are searching for their purpose and meaning in life to a place of actualization and contentment. In her coaching work, she draws from personal and professional experiences in working in corporations such as Purple Communications, NexTalk, Inc.,MCI/Verzion, and currently, with T-Mobile. As the founder and principal of Creative Consultations, Inc., she has been privileged to work with individuals and teams across the country to help them move past obstacles, uncover their potential, to gain clarity and moving forward with their goals. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from Gallaudet University and her Master’s Degree in Organizational Development from University of Phoenix.

Anthony Maginity, PE, is a dedicated licensed civil engineer who is also passionate about giving back to and empowering the Deaf and ASL community. One of his key interests lies in improving the quality and standards of interpreting services for Deaf professionals which will enable them to have access to accurate and effective communication support, thereby fostering greater inclusion and advancement in their respective fields.

Britnee Hursin, CMP, a Rochester Institute of Technology graduate, a Corporate Events Director at Sorenson with over 10 years of international planning experience. Britnee has hosted conferences, galas, and a variety of different events around the world including Istanbul, Beirut, Ghana, London, and United States. Britnee is passionate about inclusivity for all at events and supporting the deaf community. Outside of work, you will find Britnee working on her Airbnb, hiking, camping, rock climbing, and exploring restaurants.

Chris is a seasoned executive and influential leader whose journey with the ZP (ZVRS and Purple Communications) Executive team began in 2007. With a robust background in management spanning over 25 years, Chris has been at the forefront of steering various teams at ZP. His purview includes overseeing crucial aspects such as marketing, operations, sales, Enterprise Solutions, field operations, training, quality assurance, service delivery, and customer experience. Chris is widely recognized nationally as a stalwart in organizational management and board development. His commitment to advocacy is evident through his tenure as the president of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), a prominent civil rights organization for Deaf and hard of hearing Americans, where he served from 2012 to 2016. Furthermore, Chris has contributed significantly as the chair of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind Board of Trustees and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) Foundation Board. He currently serves on the boards of the Sho Sum Luv Foundation, TDI Board of Associates, and Bridges Oregon.

Corey Axelrod, MBA, is the founder and CEO of 2axend, a Deaf-owned strategic consulting and training firm working with organizations to provide user-centric experiences to Deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Prior to founding 2axend, Axelrod served in several business development roles for Communication Service for the Deaf, as well as principal and digital marketing consultant for Synergetic Business Solutions, digital marketing coordinator for Purple Communications and director of marketing and business development for Hager Productions. Axelrod earned his master of business administration (MBA) with a concentration in marketing and sales management and his bachelor of science in business administration from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Darian B. Gambrell is currently the Executive Director for DEAF, Inc. in the Greater Boston area of Massachusetts where she oversees 5 regional offices. She has been in this role since September 2021. Prior to arriving at DEAF, Inc., Gambrell was a manager at the Raleigh regional center of the North Carolina Division of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, which has seven regional centers across the state. She was employed at Gallaudet University for over 15 years and was known for her student-centered management; she oversaw the Office of Student Success and had a leadership role in the university’s JumpStart and Peer Mentoring programs for incoming students. She is a current member on the Board of Trustees at Gallaudet University and a former board member for Arts Access, Inc. Gambrell hosts community conversations and workshops and has since cultivated a reputation as an engaging facilitator on diversity and inclusion dialogues. She received her certificate from Institute for Nonprofit Practice in May 2023 and she is currently a member of 2024 YW LEADBOSTON Cohort. In April 2024, she was announced as 1 of the 6 movement leaders from The Boston Foundation where the agency received a 625k grant for three years to address social justice.

David Spiecker is a Deaf Ph.D. candidate in the Institute of Optics at University of Rochester, researching polarization effects of mechanically stressed optical elements and its applications. David has contributed to the development of technical ASL vocabulary through multiple projects like ASLcore, Quantum ASL, and other projects.

Farah, a skilled structural engineer and architect, brings years of expertise to her profession. As a project architect in Chicagoland, she designed mixed-use residential and commercial buildings, ensuring permit approvals for construction. Farah’s structural engineering experience spans precast, post-tension, and her current focus on steel/concrete/masonry/wood analysis and design for water reclamation district. A graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering with Emphasis in Structural Engineering, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) with a Master’s degree in Structural Engineering, Farah aspires to attain a structural engineer license.

Josh, born profoundly deaf, is a technical program manager at Microsoft, tackling complex challenges. With a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering and 18 years at Boeing, he merges practical aerospace expertise with deep theoretical knowledge. Outside work, he cherishes family time with his son, focusing on parenting and advancing Datacenter Engineering education.

Katherine Lees is the dynamic and visionary CEO of a leading marketing company, dozanü innovations, known for their expertise in accessibility and inclusive marketing practices. With a background deeply rooted in marketing, Katherine inspires and empowers companies and organizations to create a more inclusive world starting with their marketing strategies. dozanü innovations, the parent company, is nationwide with team members across the country and satellite offices in Los Angeles and the DC metro area. As a Deaf, Queer, and disabled woman, Katherine faces daily and lifelong challenges from not seeing the authentic representation of herself in marketing and struggles with accessibility in many different settings. These obstacles have profoundly shaped her, enabling her to bring a unique perspective to dozanü innovations, an innovative marketing company with an accessibility-focused division, access zanü.

With over 20 years of experience in K-12, higher education and non-profit organizations, I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience from a human resources perspective. A member of Society for Human Resources Manager (SHRM) since 2016 as well as a credentialed SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). I received my bachelor’s in Government from Gallaudet University and my Master in Public Administration (MPA) with an emphasis in HR Management from National University. Currently, I serve as the Human Resources Director at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont. I also run my own HR consulting business, Canfield HR Consulting. Fun fact about me, I’m a third generation small business owner following in the footsteps of my mother and grandfather.

Kristina, a Ball State University graduate with degrees in French and TESOL/Linguistics, is a dedicated advocate for Deaf professionals. She has developed workshops, and taught in ASL programs and ITPs. Kristina has a penchant for international interpreting and "quiet advocacy," supporting the Deaf community behind the scenes.

Lauren Berger is a user experience (UX) strategist at Dell Technologies in the Services Sales Global Data Science and Business Intelligence organization. Before joining Dell, she earned a PhD in educational neuroscience and completed a federally funded postdoctoral fellowship researching language acquisition in Deaf children of hearing parents. Lauren transitioned to the tech industry by providing independent consulting services to large tech corporations on accessibility and product inclusion, eventually diving headfirst into her role at Dell. Over her career, she has become adept at corporate speak, allowing her to navigate and influence complex organizational structures effectively while managing the interpreter-consumer dynamic as a Deaf individual in the hearing workforce. Outside of work, you'll often find Lauren hanging out with her dog, Duke, rollerblading, playing beach volleyball, or tending to her garden.

Liliana (Lili) Zolt is a brand strategist and corporate diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B) advocate. Currently, Lili is the Head of Influencer Strategy for SAP SuccessFactors and serves as Global Co-Lead for SAP HEAR & Friends: SAP’s employee network group for people with hearing loss and their allies. Lili received her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from DePaul University in 2019. Profoundly Deaf and fluent in both English and American Sign Language (ASL), Lili is a cochlear implant recipient committed to building tight-knit Deaf communities within corporations around the world. A Chicago native, Lili is a bonafide foodie well-versed in the city’s wide repertoire of Michelin-star restaurants and hole-in-the-wall eateries. Lili enjoys writing, traveling, and spending quality time at home with her partner and mini zoo.

Marcus is a seasoned NIC Certified ASL-ENG interpreter with over a decade of experience in advanced engineering, manufacturing, and technology fields. He provides services to Deaf professionals at several top-tier tech companies across various disciplines. Marcus enjoys snowboarding, exploring the outdoors, and foraging for mushrooms in his leisure time.

Rhonda is an adjunct faculty member at the Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf in the ASL and Interpreting Education Department. Specifically, she teaches undergraduate students the necessary skills to work effectively with DeafBlind people. Rhonda also has expertise in Protactile communication strategies and collaborates with many DeafBlind folks from all backgrounds and in different environments/platforms, such as retreats, through direct trainings and on listservs. Rhonda believes in the full inclusion of DeafBlind people by fostering fuller access to information through the sense of touch.

Sara Blick-Nitko, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral associate in the laboratory of Dr. Isaac Harris in the Department of Biomedical Genetics at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She utilizes the Multifunctional Approach to Pharmacologic Screening (MAPS) to study novel vulnerabilities in cancer cells. Blick-Nitko earned her Ph.D. in the Department of Pathology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Her doctoral research focused on the role of platelet Ido1 in Plasmodium yoelii uncomplicated malaria infection. Beyond the laboratory, Blick-Nitko’s passion is in advocacy towards enhancing the environment for the deaf community, advocating for language equity, and ensuring accessibility for all. She is committed to breaking barriers and fostering an inclusive society where the deaf can thrive without limitations, where their language is respected, and where accessibility is not an afterthought but a fundamental right.

Tiffany Ruffa, with over 15 years of HR experience, is the founder of HRBloom Co. and Deaf HR Professionals (DHRP). She supports small Deaf-owned businesses with less than 50 employees by providing tailored HR services, including but not limited to; onboarding, offboarding, handbook development, compliance, succession planning, strategic planning, and equitable hiring practices. Tiffany also works with nonprofit agencies serving the Deaf community and collaborates with boards of directors on governance, strategic roadmaps, and provides training. She holds a SHRM-CP certification and keeps up with rapidly changing employment laws across states. Mentorship is central to her mission; DHRP started with three members in 2019 and has grown to 21 HR professionals across various industries. Tiffany enjoys nature and hiking with her husband Val and their rescue pug, Eva.

TJay’s family is primarily Deaf and hard of hearing – he is the 5th generation in his family to be born with Hearing Loss. TJay grew up navigating the Deaf/HoH and hearing worlds, both which were entangled in racism and ableism. TJay has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science – Human Rights from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in International Business from Saint Mary University of Minnesota. TJay currently works at the Minnesota Department of Human Services as a Program Manager. When he is not working, he loves spending time with his wife, Genna, and two daughters, hiking around the state, and getting involved in local community advocacy and work.

Dr. Wyatte C. Hall is an Assistant Professor of Public Health Sciences at the University of Rochester. He directs the Visual Language Access and Acquisition Lab researching the social epidemic of language deprivation and associated consequences in deaf communities. He is co-director of the Future Deaf Scientists program, a STEM internship for Deaf high school students, and routinely supports and mentors deaf professionals and students in the University of Rochester and around the world. Dr. Hall also publishes and presents on various aspects of ASL interpreting with a focus on examining theory, approach, and ethics particularly as it pertains to the emerging interpreting specialization of working with Deaf professionals.

Yashaira “Yash” Romilus’ identifies herself as DeafBlind Latine Queer. Yash’s ethnic roots came from her parents who were born and raised in Puerto Rico. She brings to this world knowledge and experience that cannot be duplicated. Yash specializes in training and instruction in Protactile (PT) language. She has studied Social Work and Spanish at Gallaudet University. She has worked as a PT Education Specialist since 2016 on both national and international levels. Her work in various leadership and mentorship roles has allowed her to share her many accomplishments with others through education and outreach connections. She has experienced mentoring, advocating, educating, consulting and training DeafBlind youth/adults, families, professionals and interpreters. Her work has also been recognized as a PT trainer under DBII (DeafBlind Interpreting Institute) located at Western Oregon University. In addition, her work in PT theatre is a testament to her creativity and passion to work with the DeafBlind community.