Meet Our Family

Owners

Brad Leon, VP of Operations / Vice President

I grew up in Northern Virginia, in Vienna, VA. I am one of the managing partners and have been with the organization since its inception. One of the things I oversee is the organizations operations.

We opened the business in November of 2007. I have always wanted to start my own business and thought that the interpreting industry would be a good fit. I saw a need in the community for premier interpreting services for both interpreters and consumers.

I worked as a staff interpreter for seven years for an academic institution prior to opening Access Interpreting. I started out the first few years of my career as a freelance interpreter. I have experience in the trenches as well as in other areas of interpreting.

I enjoy being outdoors and spending time with my family. I am married to Megan Adams and we have a daughter, Irelynn, and a son, Paxton, who take up all of our time outside of work. We recently (2011) got a new dog, Kenya, as a anniversary present to ourselves.  She is a miniature english bulldog.  I enjoy playing sports as well as watching and supporting my local sporting teams.

I think the most fun thing I’ve done is to travel. I traveled out of the country for the first and only time for my honeymoon. I traveled to Kenya and it was a humbling but enriching experience. I would like to continue to travel and see the world.

Ryan Leon, VP of Marketing and Sales / President

I am one of the partners who started Access Interpreting. We opened this business in November of 2007. We operated out of a tiny basement in Brad’s home. We would work 14 hours a day for 6 days a week for a year or so. It has been great watching our "baby" grow into something so big and beautiful.

I mainly focus on the Marketing, Sales, as well as other things. It takes a lot of time and effort to establish a company, and I am fortunate to share this effort with my two partners.

I worked as a Deaf Interpreter for a number of years before I established a moving company. I understand what it takes to make a business successful. Lyle, Brad, and I had plenty of great ideas as to how to best serve the Interpreting Industry as well as our Deaf peers. We decided to pool our experience and ideas to establish AI.

I was a stay at home dad for couple of years before I went back to school. While I was attending college, I was one of few tutors as well as supplemental instructor specializing in all Business Department classes. During my senior year at college, I set up the moving company I just mentioned. Few months after I had graduated, I sold my moving company to direct my focus and energy on AI. There is no other place than where I am right now, working closely with each and every one of you.

I enjoy many different things. To name a few, I really enjoy golfing, swimming, and other outdoor activities.  I also enjoy spending time with my wife, Michelle, as well as my three children, Rachel, Jordan, and Lillian. I have a female Rhodesian Ridgeback dog, Zuma. While I was growing up, I would play on the Football, Basketball, Baseball, Swimming, and Soccer teams. That would be one of the most fun and purest time I ever had time in my life although I could do without 9 broken bones, 4 dislocated bones, and a torn tendon, each of which occurred at different times.

Now that you’ve heard few things about me, I hope you enjoy your visit to our website. If you have questions about our services, please give us a shout.

Lyle Vold, VP of Corporate Administration / Treasurer

I grew up in University Park, Maryland- just a 15-minute walk from the University of Maryland College Park. Not surprisingly, I eventually attended UMD and earned a BA in Finance.

I started interpreting in 2000, and almost instantly began thinking about how the system of interpreting services could be improved. Starting an interpreting agency was a natural combination of my work experience and academic background. Since then, I've gotten more than what I bargained for! I feel that AI has had & will continue to have positive impacts on the field of interpreting.

When I'm not working, I enjoy traveling (Guatemala & Spain are my more recent conquests) and spending time with my girlfriend (who's also an interpreter!) and my beautiful German Shepherd, Classy.

Being a local, I have the luxury of remaining close to my childhood friends and my family. My father retired from MSD-Frederick where he taught Math for over 25 years. My mother is still working (I don't know if she'll ever retire!) at Gallaudet University where she has taught Math and future Math educators for over 30 years.

Lacrosse & Golf were my sports of choice growing up, but these days I can be found working out in a boxing gym. I do still try to find time to hit the links, though. I can also be found in football or baseball stadiums cheering on my DC teams, particularly the Redskins. You may also spot me wheeling around on a motorcycle!

Staff

Marvin Herbold, Principal Technology Engineer

In June of 2010, I started working for Access Interpreting. I developed the Access Interpreting Portal, which is the scheduling software that we are using today. Before that, I worked for several video and computer game companies including Rainbow Studios, Hoopla Entertainment, and Bethesda Softworks. You may have played with some of my work - I was lead programmer on Cars the Videogame, and also was lead member of a small team that invented the uDraw tablet for the Wii, which is being sold by THQ. Other games I've worked on include X-Cars: Experimental Racing, Hot Rod Burnout, Redguard, Battlespire, Cars 2: Maternational, Dood's Big Adventure, PBA Bowling 2, and Deadly Creatures.

In addition to being a certified grade-A nerd, I am also a budding gear-head. I have built and raced classic muscle cars in the past few years. One of my current cars is a 1973 Plymouth Duster with a 675 hp / 580 tq engine that is my strip car. I participate in bracket racing in the Arizona Drag Racing Association. I placed 7th out of 54 racers in the 2009 season. My other car is a baby blue 1965 Dodge Dart GT. I am currently bulding a 450 hp / 500 tq stroker motor for it. I do everything - engine, transmission, body, chassis, suspension, electrical, etc. My dream is to own and race an E body (70-74) Challenger or Barracuda.

I have 3 kids (Xavier, Zander, & Willow) and currently reside in Phoenix, Arizona with my wife, Shelley.

John Hodgson, Digital Media Specialist

As a Digital Media Specialist, I started part-time with AI in October 2008, then full-time in March 2009.

I’ve always wanted to work for a new company that had a specific set of goals. Through AI, I was able to contribute, learn new things, and more importantly… Watch it grow into a successful company and actually be part of that process.

When I’m not working, I enjoy watching/playing sports, photography and being with my wife. I hope to run a marathon within five years from now! The most fun I had was when I spent two and half weeks in Japan a few years ago.

Aaron Kubey, Lead Scheduler

I was the first Deaf and youngest Executive Director/President of the National Theatre of the Deaf. During my tenure, I directed the show scheduling, selection and casting of the theatre as well as performed the day to day operations of the organization while managing staff, money flow, board of directors and investors. Prior to becoming the Executive Director/President of NTD, I had worked at several prestigious law firms in Chicago and New York City.

I had the opportunity of working on numerous television, film, and theatrical productions over the course of my professional career. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to interpret Jersey Boys two times (Hartford 2009 and Boston 2011) and am thankful for those memorable experiences! Oh! What a night! I also recently interpreted HandSpeak at the Kennedy Center, as well as the GWU production of Merchant of Venice.

I am a 1994 graduate of the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD) at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. In 2006, I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A) degree in Theatre Studies from the Theatre School, DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. A proud native of Chicago and avid Cubs fan, I was the first Deaf admitted student and graduate from this prestigious institution.

Jenny Nygaard, Lead Scheduler

I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin, with big aspirations to head out to Gallaudet University. Sure enough, I went and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology. After a while, I realized that psychology wasn’t my calling, thus I started my journey into the world of interpreting.

I became a freelance interpreter, working primarily in the Metro area of Washington, D.C. After 12 years of interpreting, I felt it was time to settle down into a 9-5 job, so I joined the ranks of Access Interpreting, Inc. in 2009. Access Interpreting holds true to my philosophy of interpreting. I work as one of the schedulers at Access Interpreting, Inc. When I am not working, I keep myself busy juggling a family and pursuing my Master's degree online.

Shanna Winesburg, Operations Manager

I am from Simi Valley, California, a place I miss! I graduated from Gallaudet in 2007 with a Masters in Deaf Education. I started with Access Interpreting as an ASL Specialist in June 2009. Before becoming full-time, I contracted with AI as an ASL Model and worked at Northern Virginia Community College as an ASL teacher. Since joining AI, I have been the ASL Specialist and am now the Interpreter Manager. My work is varied. I screen and supervise interpreters, develop plans for mentoring interpreters, translate from English to ASL for our studio, handle workshops for AI’s Continuing Education program, give deaf culture presentations and support the scheduling team when necessary.

When I’m not working, I’m either out with my Vizslas, watching movies, cooking, shopping or gardening! My boyfriend, David, and I are also constantly working on our house and finding new places to go on weekends.

Some of the best times of my life include living in Thailand for three months in 2003 and backpacking in Europe with my two good friends in 2007. Obviously, traveling is another passion of mine!

Ismail Youngblood, Lead Scheduler

I'm one of the Schedulers for Access Interpreting. I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. After I graduated from high school, I moved to New Orleans, LA to go to Xavier University where I studied Finance.

Before working for AI I was a Customer Service Options Trader for Fidelity Investments. Basically, I took phone calls from Fidelity customers and placed trades for them.

When I'm not working I love to travel. Many of my old school friends live in New York, so I like to travel there often. I also enjoy reading, music, and video games.

I think the most fun I have ever had was a trip to Mexican cities: Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido. I was able to see a good friend get married and then spend four days in a beach house with a group. Good times.

Core Interpreters

Krystin Balzarini

I was born and raised in Long Island, NY, about 20 miles east of NYC. After taking a few ASL classes in high school, I started volunteering at Mill Neck School for the Deaf as a camp counselor, working with Deaf children from ages 5-15. To learn ASL by interacting with Deaf children was truly an honor and a privilege.

While spending summers volunteering at Mill Neck, I earned my BA degree in Deaf Studies at Boston University. During my time in Boston, I started working at the interpreters' office. A perfect marriage then began, I offered my organizational skills and my love of running to Staples for office supplies, and they offered to help me become the best interpreter I can be. This mentee/mentor relationship still continues to this day. It was through this relationship that my love for theatrical interpreting truly flourished as well.

After being accepted to Gallaudet's Masters in Interpretation program, I moved from Beantown to Washington DC. After graduating, I started freelancing in the area, working within government, business, and educational settings, while trying to do as much theatrical work as I could during nights and weekends.

Aside from interpreting, I enjoy traveling, yoga, zumba, watching movies (especially the previews), trying new restaurants in the area, and basically trying anything that I have not done before. I am currently attempting to learn how to cook, which has been a rollercoaster ride in itself!

I am so excited to join the Access Interpreting team, and I look forward to many more years of growth and development in the AI and DC interpreting community.

Sherrette Estes

I was born and raised in a small town in southern Alabama.

I started my career here at Access as a Core Interpreter in the fall of 2008. When I am not flapping my hands you can usually find me in front of my laptop doing homework or getting dirty in my tiny urban vegetable garden.

I’ve done a lot of fun things in my time here on Earth, but some of the most fun are camping in the desert, interpreting in other countries, renovating a barn, and going to Rehoboth Beach with my partner as often as possible.

Elle Langevin

Bio coming soon...

Jerel Meadows

I grew up in Frederick, MD. I am a graduate of University of Maryland University College (UMUC) and I have worked as a full time Sign Language Interpreter in and around the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area since 1999. In 2003 I passed RID’s Certificate of Interpretation (CI) and Certificate of Transliteration(CT) tests. I started working with AI as a freelance interpreter in January of 2008 and became a core staff member in August 2009.

I became a staff Member because I felt something in AI that I haven’t experienced with other interpreting agencies. I also like how  AI management makes their decisions based on the Interpreter/Consumer perspective, instead of the bottom line. With AI there is a camaraderie that no other agency can compete with. In addition to being a core Interpreter with AI, I also work within the marketing department and manage a contract between AI and the National Institutes of Health.

My wife Nerissa and I have two sons and currently live in Silver Spring, MD. When I am not working I really enjoy taking my family to the beach, playing golf, snowboarding, and rooting for the Redskins! I would have to say the most exciting thing I have ever done is living in the Caribbean Island of St. Maarten for a month.

Dana Mittelman

I was born and raised in a small town outside of Boston, Massachusetts. (Go Red Sox!)

I graduated from the University of Rochester in 2005 with a BA in ASL and a minor in Psychology. After graduation, I worked as a college admissions counselor at my alma mater for a few years before making the decision to go back to graduate school.

I entered Gallaudet University's Masters of Arts in Interpretation program in 2007, and graduated in 2009. I started working with AI as a full-time core interpreter in August of 2009, and have enjoyed being a part of this family ever since!

Outside of interpreting, I love theatre and the arts, trivia games, and am a self-proclaimed foodie!

Bethany Peery

I accepted a position as a Core Interpreter with Access Interpreting in June 2010 and relocated to the Washington, D.C. area. After learning sign laguage from a friend in high school, I earned a degree in ASL from Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina. Upon graduation I accepted a staff position with a community interpreting agency in Charlotte, North Carolina, and received NIC certification a year and half later. I married my husband, Larry, after a ten year friendship in 2007 and returned to my home state of Tennessee to work as a freelance interpreter.

In my free time I enjoy running, biking, traveling, and spending time with my nieces and nephews. My black lab, Jake, and I volunteered at a cancer center as a part of the University of Tennessee's therapy dog program. We are looking forward to volunteering in the DC area.

Zach Wineman

I was born and raised in the beautiful state of Oregon. I grew up acting on the stage, and as a junior in high school, I won the right to go to an international thespian festival. There, I was exposed to the play Children of a Lesser God. I was touched to the point of convincing my high school director to cast the show in my hometown and was chosen as the lead male role. I was required to learn sign language for the role, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. On my path to keep learning American Sign Language, I found out I could be in the space of that language and culture all day long if I became an interpreter. From there, it was a pretty quick logic jump that had me enrolling at Western Oregon University. I applied to and was accepted to their well-renowned interpreter education program. After graduating WOU in 2004, I moved to Portland, Oregon to start my professional interpreting career.

I had an amazing life in Portland the last seven years. I can't imagine a more perfect family and community of friends. After visiting DC in January of 2011 and seeing the Deaf community here, I knew I needed to be in DC interpreting. I asked around about which interpreting agencies I should screen with and who had the best reputation. Again and again, the name Access Interpreting came up. I heard that they worked with primo interpreters and that they had a reputation for coordinating interpreting in such a way that it really worked for all the parties involved.

I moved to DC primarily for two reasons... 1) I'm interested in creating for myself the next level of who I am personally and professionally. 2) I wanted to work more making enough money to travel, pay off my debt, and make a difference in other countries. So far, the work has been plentiful, challenging, and oh so rewarding. I have never been as enlivened to do what I do: be someone who brings worlds together.

Team Interpreters

Earl Fleetwood

Being a SODA brought me to interpreting (and eventually to meeting my wife!). My interest in the interpreting process then led me to a Master's Degree in Interpretation from Gallaudet University where I have also taught as an adjunct instructor. Since 2005, I have served as co-editor of the book series "Sudies in Interpretation" published by Gallaudet University Press.

My interests in researching language development and the phonology of visual languages persists. But how can anything top the breadth of interpreting opportunities AI (and living in the DC Metro area) brings me?!

Aaron Halleck

I was born and raised in central Indiana. I initially learned sign language in high school from a hearing teacher that had twin Deaf sons that lived at the Indiana school for the Deaf, and I am still best of friends with them today! I obtained an associates degree in ASL at Vincennes University, and then a Bachelors of Arts in Interpretation at Gallaudet University.

I am an avid biker; bicycle not motorcycle, my mom would kill me if she knew I was on a motorcycle. I love the outdoors and friendly faces!

DC is a great place for interpreters, the world is wide open and the experiences are limitless. I am proud to be on board with Access and look forward to the many challenges that lie ahead.

Lauren Hamilton

I grew up in Chicago and love the Windy City with all of my heart. After graduating from Columbia College with a B.A. degree in ASL-English Interpretation in 2006, I began my career in the freelance world of Chicago. To find new challenges and adventures, I moved to Washington, D.C. in 2007.

Since then, I've worked in a variety of settings and look forward to continuing to expand my horizons. In my free time, I like to go outside of my comfort zone by trying things like trapeze and zip lines with my partner, Laura. I am so thrilled to be a part of Access Interpreting's stellar and well respected staff!

Stephanie Harlan

I am a CODA, and active in the Deaf community where I live in Frederick, MD. I have worked as an interpreter for the past 11 years in a large variety of settings.

I love what I do because I am able to make a difference in the lives of others through my work. At this point in my life, I am enjoying the challenge of balancing full-time work and parenthood.