Introducing our newest faculty members

In addition to Dr. Joseph C. Hill of the Center for Black Deaf Studies and Dr. Carla García-Fernández of Nuestra Casa, Gallaudet is pleased to welcome seven additional faculty members this year. Meet them here:

Patrick Boudreault

Associate Professor, American Sign Language

You might see Boudreault anywhere around campus because his collaborative research focus means he often teams up with scholars from an array of fields to study the Deaf community and sign language. But you can always find him - at least, on screen - at the Kellogg Hotel, where he is featured in the interactive world map (pictured above) demonstrating signs from his native language, Langue des Signes Québécoise. He is director of the Gesture Literacy Knowledge Studio, which developed that map and has other cool innovations in the pipeline.

He also serves as Executive Editor of Deaf Studies Digital Journal, a multilingual and multimodal academic publication. Earlier this year, he won the Edward Allen Fay Award from the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf for his tireless efforts to create a new platform for DSDJ that keeps up with the latest technology.

Boudreault's career began in Canada, where he earned a B.A. degree in Linguistics from Université du Québec à Montréal, a M.Sc. degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from McGill University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Manitoba at Winnipeg. In the two decades since, he has taught extensively in California and here at Gallaudet. His primary areas of interest include sign language translation, gestures, Deaf Interpreters, communication strategies for linguistically deprived and marginalized deaf populations, genetic counseling, and mental health. One of his most notable works is the Deaf Studies Encyclopedia, co-edited with Dr. Genie Gertz.

Ritchie Bryant

Lecturer II, Interpretation and Translation

Bryant made history in 2021 when he was elected president of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. He weighed in on what it means to be the first Deaf person - and first Black Deaf person - in this role in an interview with the Daily Moth: "The experience I bring to the platform is unique, because I bring both the 'user' experience as someone who uses RID's services, plus the 'provider' experience, as someone who provides interpreting services. I have this duality I can bring to the table."

He graduated from Gallaudet in 1993 with a degree in American Sign Language, and earned an MS in Deaf Education from McDaniel College in 1999. Bryant was working at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf as an ASL specialist when he saw a flyer promoting deaf interpreting training. That led to him becoming a CDI in 2007, which helped him launch a new career. As he explains in this NAD video, "I admit, I never expected to be an interpreter growing up, much less realize interpreting could be a paying job!"

Bryant's projects include "Gesture THAT! Visual/Gestural Communication e-Workbook" and "TRUE+WAY ASL Digital e-Workbook." He has been featured as the sign talent in numerous videos, and has presented on a wide range of topics, including Deaf-hearing interpreting teams and the Black Deaf community.

Ashley Greene

Assistant Professor, Education

In Greene's decade of teaching, she has taught students of all ages, from babies to adults pursing PhDs. "What's really struck me is how much I've learned from my students in return," says Greene, whose current research focuses on how deaf children are exposed to language, what factors influence these choices, what impact they have on children's development, and how to assess the efficacy of various strategies. "What works for one student might not work for another, so being open to evolving my approach is crucial in helping students succeed. Education is about more than just facts and figures. It's about building confidence, sparking curiosity, and nurturing a love for learning that lasts a lifetime."

Prior to serving as the EdD Program Director and Assistant Chair of the Department of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education at Lamar University - where Greene also earned her doctorate - she was a deaf education teacher at a high school in Humble, Texas. Greene became known for her dedication for her students, and even drove several of them for eight hours to their first day of college. Her passion caught the attention of actress Kristen Bell, who included Greene in her #10FeaturedTeachers campaign on Instagram in 2018.

Greene is currently president of the Association of College Educators - Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ACE-DHH), which she credits with opening up opportunities for her throughout her career. It was the first professional conference where she presented her work. "Since that year, I've stayed involved with ACE-DHH, witnessing its transformation into an organization mainly led by Deaf individuals," says Greene, who is busy planning the group's next conference, which will be in Washington, D.C., in January 2025. "The call for proposals is already out, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone from Gallaudet University there!"

From her previous experience teaching part-time at Gallaudet, Greene already feels at home on campus. "It's a place that sparks curiosity and encourages everyone to aim for greatness. The positive atmosphere and dynamic surroundings have been incredibly inspiring," she says. If you don't see her around, she is probably off in the wilderness. As of this summer, Greene has camped at 62 state parks in Texas. "Some students affectionately call me 'Dr. Backpack' because of my sign name, which closely resembles the sign for backpack, and the fact that I disappear for a weekend every now and then to go camping," Greene says.

Nia Lazarus

Instructor, Deaf Studies

No wonder Lazarus is getting her PhD in Linguistics from the University of Cologne this year. She knows nine languages: ASL, English, Italian, German Sign Language, German, Spanish, Swedish Sign Language, Swedish, and British Sign Language. (Her dissertation is titled, "Why rain and water don't go together, but friends and elasticity do: An exploratory study of colexification in two sign languages.")

She received her BA in Linguistics and Italian in 2016 from Georgetown University, where she co-founded GU Signs, an ASL and Deaf culture club. Then she went to Boston University for her Ed.M in Deaf Education. Lazarus taught fourth graders at the California School for the Deaf before heading abroad to pursue her research.

Lazarus has presented on a variety of topics, including experiences as a Black Deaf woman and learning different sign languages. While in Germany, she collaborated with a team to create a BIPOC focus group for a German Deaf youth organization.

Jesse Saunders

Lecturer I, Physical Education and Recreation

Saunders is always up for an adventure, whether it is hiking to Everest Base Camp, climbing mountains, or taking on a new role at work. This fall, he will be teaching a full course load as well as directing both the Personal Discovery Program and Rock Climbing Gym. "I'm thrilled to start a new career path at Gallaudet and am excited to spread my love for the outdoors to a new generation of college students," Saunders says.

For the Personal Discovery Program, which just celebrated its 45th anniversary, Saunders is committed to collaborating with campus groups, outside organizations, and summer camps at Gallaudet to provide various activities that promote team building and learning through experiential and outdoor activities. He encourages anyone interested to reach out to him at [email protected].

The father of three - one of whom is a current Gallaudet student - is a familiar face on campus. "I have been a part of the Gallaudet community since I first enrolled in 1998," says Saunders, who graduated in 2002 with a B.A. in History. After a few years of teaching in New Mexico and earning a master's degree in Educational Leadership, he returned to Gallaudet to serve as Coordinator of Residence Education, and then became Manager of Youth Programs in 2012. "I had the privilege of working with numerous Gallaudet students and summer camp attendees, taking great pride in witnessing their personal growth and development through our programs," he says. Saunders also managed Academic Bowl, Battle of the Books, and other youth competitions that provide K-12 deaf and hard of hearing students with opportunities to expand their knowledge and interact with peers.

He has been busy this past summer, climbing several of Colorado's 14ers (mountains over 14,000 feet) with his son. "We enjoyed being off the grid for a week or so. Sometimes, all we need is to unplug and be in the outdoors to recharge," says Saunders, who has plans to conquer more mountains all around the world. He also looks forward to watching his kids play high school sports over the next few years.

Windell Wink Smith Jr.

Instructor, Interpretation and Translation

Being a comedian and a teacher have more in common than you might think, says Smith, who goes by the nickname "Wink." He has traveled far and wide presenting comedy shows as well as interpreting training presentations called "Winkshops." "Funny thoughts are always kicking around in my head and ready to come out," says Smith, who sees how humor gives students a boost. "It reinforces a concept, and can help them to understand and remember info and make connections." He finds he often relies on his improv training, which emphasizes engaging and interacting with people, in the classroom.

Of course, Smith also draws on his wide-ranging academic background, which includes an RID NIC Master certification, an MBA, and a master's degree from Gallaudet in Linguistics. (Smith is now pursuing a PhD from Gallaudet in Linguistics.)

His two current scholarly areas are in Cognitive Linguistics and Interpretation Studies, specifically looking at depiction. "I can tell you about something and describe it, or I can show you. That's depiction," he explains. Depiction is complex: it requires a signer to make a lot of choices about how much action and detail to include, and how to linguistically do so. "That decision making is quick and seemingly spontaneous, but very impactful," he adds. As for how Cognitive Linguistics informs his work in interpretation, Smith sums up its value like this: "We can compare the source material with the interpretation. They may have differences, and that is fine, but does that result in different meanings?"

These kinds of questions are critical to Smith, a CODA with a lifetime of experiences going to appointments with his parents. "This means I see all sorts of interpreting skills - the good, the bad, and, from time to time, the 'fake interpreter,'" he says. Smith has done a lot of interpreting work, including the ASL video tour of the U.S. Capitol along with Sesame Street star Linda Bove. He believes he can make an even bigger impact teaching, especially here at Gallaudet.

"When I have taught at community colleges they tend to draw local students, but Gallaudet draws students from not only our country but others as well. To come to campus and see the cultural diversity and be able to engage with students who proudly share their identities is stimulating," he says.

Morgane Vincent

Assistant Professor, Psychology

It was at a DAWN presentation during Vincent's freshman year at Gallaudet that she first learned about the term "domestic violence." "From that moment on, I did all I could to educate myself," says Vincent, who did an internship with the Supreme Court of Brooklyn to learn more about people's stories of intimate violence. One case involved a woman discussing her experience with female genital mutilation, which inspired Vincent's Honors Capstone project. "With the support of phenomenal faculty members, I was able to research and understand what was available to the Deaf community, what was not, what it meant for Deaf individuals, and what the Deaf community knew," she says.

The experience made Vincent want to stay in the field, so after graduating in 2017, she continued on at Gallaudet to earn an M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, researching the effects of gender-based violence in European asylum reception facilities. She also worked for Gallaudet's Counseling and Psychological Services, and offered trauma-based therapy to families and children through several externships. For the past two years, she has been based in Salt Lake City, Utah, caring for patients in a range of environments. Vincent's contacts with these various groups has emphasized to her how much there still is to learn. "Many of the theories we rely on to understand human development and behaviors don't capture all that makes human beings. They are often biased in terms of gender, sex, race, and socioeconomic status," she says. "While I knew that, there is a difference between knowing and seeing. And those experiences showed me all I thought I knew and did not."

These are lessons she is looking forward to emphasizing in her classes now that she is back at Gallaudet. Vincent, who was born and raised in France, felt like she was drowning until she arrived on the Gallaudet campus as a freshman. "Gallaudet is where I found myself, so returning means being someone else's life vest, and being part of a village supporting students in finding themselves," she says.