The Team
The following are the people involved with bringing Advocasey.com to the market.
Casey Davis
Casey graduated in 2004 as a Certified Physician Assistant from the Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. During his first year of graduate school, Casey was challenged by the program's professors to write his thesis on the needs of an underserved community. Their hope was to provide insight into communities that had a tremendous amount of need and instill a desire to aid these populations.
While sitting in church one Sunday, the sign language interpreter caught his eye and gave him inspiration for his underserved community--the Deaf. His research provided starling results. Casey found only 8 general practitioners in the United States that used sign language to communicate with their patients. He began to learn the vocabulary using books and the internet and spent his winter vacation with Jim & Terry Bracelin (www.silentword.org/missions/bracelin.htm) to become a better conversationalist.
During the second year of graduate school, Casey put his words into action, moving into the dormitory at Gallaudet University and working with the Student Health Services for two months to gain a better understanding and comprehension of sign language, deafness, and Deaf Culture. Following his time at Gallaudet, he was able to hone his skills even further by moving to Chicago for 2 months to work with Drs. Ebert, Lotke, and Kaufman at Mt. Sinai's Deaf Access Program ( www.sinai.org/deaf_access/index.asp) Casey's final clinical intership came in Ringgold, Georgia, where his residence was at Harvest Deaf Bible College, living in the dormitory with the Deaf students (www.harvestdeaf.org/ ).
His goal is to provide the Deaf with a better understanding of their health using American Sign Language to communicate various health related issues. He desires to break down the communication barrier and provide a trustworthy, reputable, and friendly source of medical information for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.
Jim and Terry Bracelin
Jim and Terry Bracelin have worked to help the Deaf since August of 1988. At that time they were exposed to a person that Signed and Voiced at the same time. They had never thought about the great needs, and challenges the Deaf faced in a predominantly "Hearing" world.
It was at that time that Jim determined to learn Sign Language. He had no idea about "Deaf Culture," "ASL," or any of the other very important issues that face the Deaf, he only knew that someone had to help them with things that many Hearing people just assume the Deaf know.
He got a Sign Language book and began to memorize words . words . and more words. Finally he felt "ready" to try to converse with a Deaf person. He met a teenage Deaf boy that had moved from Scotland to America , to the very town he lived. Through a series of events with that young man, he deepened his commitment to the Deaf and learning what Deaf culture was all about.
Jim and Terry then began working very closely with the Deaf that attended their local church. Jim and Terry have never had formal training, but have learned all they know about the Deaf from the Deaf they have known. Many times the Deaf ask if they are Deaf themselves; upon learning they are Hearing, the next question is, "Where did you learn to Sign?" Jim and Terry owe all they know about the Deaf and Deaf culture to the wonderful Deaf people that have taken the time to teach them. It required great patience and a very good sense of humor on the part of their Deaf friends.
Jim and Terry work full-time with the Deaf as missionaries with Silent Word Ministries (based in Trenton , GA ). They represent their mission in the northeastern states helping the Deaf to know what the Bible teaches; and helping Deaf workers learn more about Deaf culture and teaching Sign Language.
They have been associated officially with Silent Word Ministries since 1999.
Brenda Diley
Mrs. Brenda Diley has been involved in the field of interpreting for nearly 20 years. As a child of deaf adults (CODA), she has spent her life in and around the Deaf community and has a heart for the Deaf. Brenda holds both the certificate of interpretation (CI) and the certificate of transliteration (CT) from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID).
She is currently co-owner of Signs of Interpreting, LLC, a growing interpreter referral agency in northeast Florida. Brenda’s interpreting experiences include the educational settings of K-12 and post-secondary classrooms, medical, legal and religious as well as other areas of community interpreting.
She has been an interpreter educator for the past 3 years providing professional development for educational interpreters of all skill levels helping them to achieve their goals.
She considers her family as her greatest accomplishment. Brenda is married to her best friend, Larry, who is Deaf. Together they have 4 terrific kids: Rebecca, James, Jared and Jacob.
They continue to grow their family through international adoption. This year they anticipate bringing home a daughter from China who is deaf. Brenda enjoys cooking and being an active parent.
http://www.signsofinterpreting.com
William Waters
Mr. William Waters has been involved in the field of interpreting for nearly 15 years. His interest in and heart for the Deaf comes from his deaf parents.
As a child of deaf adults (CODA) and a nationally certified interpreter, he brings to each interpreting task not only native ASL skills but a life time of experience. William holds a NAD V from the National Association of the Deaf.
His professional experiences include being an educational interpreter in K-12 classrooms, a residential instructor at Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, assistant football coach for Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind varsity football program, community interpreting including religious, legal and medical situations.
He is currently providing interpreter services as an independent contractor for the state of Pennsylvania.
William is married to his beautiful wife, Trisha and has 2 great sons, Cole and Ben. They are expecting their third child later this summer. William enjoys hunting and Jacksonville Jaguars football.