Interpreting services impact Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing people who use American Sign Language in all walks of life. An increasing shortage of qualified interpreters and concerns about the quality of interpreting services has led to Interpreting Forward 2030. For two years, Interpreting Forward has engaged Deaf, DeafBlind, hard of hearing, and interpreting community members to explore the issues and come up with potential solutions to increase the quality and availability of interpreting services. The Commission invites you to learn more about the results of this initiative and how you can get involved.
Diego Ozuna-Clark is a Deaf, Chicane Transmasc, adventurous historian from southern Texas. They’re a proud alumni of University of Texas at Austin, and currently loving the communities and seasons of Minnesota.
Diego is a dynamic leader and advocate with extensive experience in community engagement, equity training, and consulting. Since 2016, Diego has worked with the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes in various roles. They have experience leading year-long programs focused on equity training for state agencies across the United States. They have also worked with entities on addressing gaps within the Deaf and marginalized communities, emphasizing trust-building and relationship development.
Diego is a sought-after presenter and trainer at numerous conferences, workshops, and webinars. Their favorite thing to do is to hold space for conversations while learning, they believe that the best learning and growth happens in a reciprocative space.
Diego also works as a Deaf Interpreter, and is an adept tech support person for online training platforms. Outside of the many hats and skills Diego holds, they enjoy traveling, reading, and having in-depth conversations about a broad range of topics. Politics to the latest episode of an awesome series, they’re always up for a lively conversation.
Darlene Zangara, Ph.D., LPC believes in servant leadership. A person of great empathy and foresight, Darlene started out as a teacher of deaf and hard of hearing students in a self-contained classroom. Next, Darlene became a clinical therapist, providing mental health, vocational, and educational assessments and counseling services. She was also an adjunct instructor for psychology, and later, interpreting and transliterating training courses.
Feeling a gravitational pull towards stewardship, Darlene moved on to key leadership roles. To date, she has served as a director or executive director for several organizations including,
Darlene has a Bachelor of Sciences in Deaf Education from Bowling Green State University, a Master of Arts in Counseling with the Deaf from Gallaudet University, and a Doctor of Philosophy, Leadership and Change from Antioch University.
Working collaboratively is important to Darlene. She works side-by-side with her team members because she believes more is accomplished when people work together, sharing the same vision and desired outcomes
