ARID 2011-2013 Board Member Bios
Nikki Cherry
President
president@arkansasrid.org
Nikki is a graduate of UALR with a BA in Interpretation: ASL/English and a minor in Educational Interpreting. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Interpreting at the University of North Florida. She is employed part-time in the Interpreting Department at UALR and is a freelance interpreter as well. She is a very active member of ARID, RID, and ADBC. She is honored to be serving as the President of ARID and is excited about what is to come.
Elaine "Laney" Yates
vicepres@arkansasrid.org
Laney formerly served as Secretary, 2007-2009. Since 2008, she is the court interpreter for the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). Since 2006, she is a part-time video relay interpreter and adjunct faculty at the UALR IEP since 2007. She graduated the UALR-IEP in 1997 and earned a MS degree from the UA-F in 1999 in Rehabilitation Counseling for Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She worked in the outpatient mental health system in ME and AZ doing therapy, counseling, case management, mentorship and substance abuse counseling for D/deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing consumers. She was involved in programs for D/deaf trauma survivors and emergency first responders for D/deaf victims/survivors and their families. She also spent time lobbying the legislature for services for traditionally underserved populations and testifying before judiciary committees. She provided supervision for the State of Maine Office of Substance Abuse Services for “Deaf PAH,” the state’s only Deaf recovery support group; served as a rehabilitation counselor for the D/deaf and Hard of Hearing in OR and was responsible for setting up the first Deaf Job Club in her office and a College and Career Club at a local high school. Elaine has been signing for about 20 years getting her start as a church interpreter. She’s been working as a professional interpreter for about 15 years, and prior to that, she worked for 9 years in the legal field as a paralegal before to returning to college to become a professional interpreter.
Katelyn Wilson
Secretary
secretary@arkansasrid.org
Katelyn is a native of Louisiana who relocated to Arkansas to attend the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She graduated from the Interpreter Education Program with her B.A. degree in 2008. In 2011 she graduated with her M.Ed in Interpreting from the University of North Florida. Katelyn is a member of RID, ARID, and ADBC. She is excited and honored to have the opportunity to serve as the ARID secretary.
Alvin Haas
Treasurer
treasurer@arkansasrid.org
Alvin-Bailon "Alvin" Zafe Haas Alvin is an Arkansas native. He graduated from the UALR Interpreter Education Program in 2009; and after graduation, he joined the team of staff interpreters in the university’s Disability Resource Center. Alvin has interpreted in a variety of community settings. In the future, he would like to pursue specialization in educational and medical interpreting. He is currently developing and piloting a real-time transcription method for the classroom using voice-recognition technology, and he hopes to formally introduce the system by the end of 2012. Alvin is a member of RID, ARID, AADB, and ??. He enjoys reading, playing the violin, and hiking with his dogs. His future academic goals include completing the Second Language Acquisition and Pedagogy graduate program at UALR. Alvin is currently awaiting his national certificate results.
Akeya Peoples
Member-at-Large
memberatlarge1@arkansasrid.org
I am the newly elected Member-at-Large serving for the 2009-2011 term. This is my first time serving on a Board and I’m extremely excited and eager to face the challenges ahead. In May 2008, I earned my A.A. in the Interpretation and I’m currently pursuing the B.A. degree at UALR. I am a people person, always ready to learn as much as I can, but also willing and able to help others along in the process. I believe that we must all work together in order for this organization to be a success for the interpreters, as well as the Deaf Community. I look forward to working with all of you!
Jamie Lane-Ross
Member-at-Large
memberatlarge2@arkansasrid.org
Jamie Lane-Ross was born and raised in Oklahoma, the youngest of nine children. Her oldest brother is deaf, and through their connection, she developed a deep respect for Deaf Culture and the preservation of American Sign Language. In 2010, Jamie obtained a BA Degree in Interpretation: ASL/English with a minor in educational interpreting from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Currently, she is employed with Cabot Public Schools as an educational interpreter. Jamie also enjoys interpreting in the community and at church. She is deeply involved in the Deaf and Deaf-blind Communities, and currently serves as Secretary on the ADBC Board. She is also an active member of RID, NAD, ARID, and AAD. Mrs. Ross has lived in various states within the continental United States and also Glasgow, Scotland, in the United Kingdom. She currently resides in Cabot, Arkansas with her husband, four sons, and daughter. Jamie is blessed by the full support of her family as she faces the challenges of balancing her professional career with her private life.
Sebrena Westcott
Member-at-Large
memberatlarge3@arkansasrid.org
Sebrena Westcott began learning Sign Language in 1991. Being a N.E.R.D.A. (Not Even Related to a Deaf Adult), she became interested in Sign at the age of 7, thanks to Sesame Street and a kind Deaf lady at the Zoo. She is now a QA 5/4 Interpreter with many years of experience in the Educational and Private Practice settings. Sebrena is currently contracted with S.L.I.N (Sign Language Interpreting Network) in Northwest Arkansas, and she is a member of ARID, AAD, and RID. Sebrena has been married to Eric for 20 years, and they have 2 teenage boys, Tiger and Jerry. After living in Harrison for 15 years, they have moved to Russellville, where she is heavily involved in Deaf Ministry at her church. She is looking forward to serving as your new Member-at-Large.