Rocky De Buano
Rocky is the founder and director of AZTI, establishing the Arizona’s first Total Immersion program in June of 2003.
Rocky was born and raised in Colorado, where he took his first sign language class. Rocky attributes his fluency in ASL to interaction, instruction and influence by Deaf friends.
Formal education includes:
- B.S.E. Special Education, Rehabilitation & Deaf Culture, University of Arizona
- A.A.S. in Interpreting and completion of the IPP from Phoenix College
- 4 year diploma- Ministerial Studies, Berean University
- National Certified ASL interpreter- RID CI, CT, Arizona Legal A
- QMHI- Qualified Mental Health Interpreter
Rocky serves as a free lance interpreter and is the owner of Arizona Sign Language Interpreting for the Deaf LLC (ASLID).
If you are an interpreter and would like to obtain work, click here.
Additionally, Rocky is an accomplished public speaker and has presented many workshops on interpreting and Deaf topics. During 2006 Rocky presented two workshops at RID’s region 5 conference in Anchorage Alaska, was the keynote speaker for the Kansas State Interpreters Conference, in addition to many other local, state and national speaking engagements.
To see a listing of Rocky’s current topics click here.
Robin O’Brien
Robin received her B.A. degree from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. She is currently a full-time American Sign Language Lecturer at Arizona State University. She has taught ASL and Deaf Culture for the past 21 years at local community colleges and universities in both Arizona and Massachusetts. She also works for the Distance Opportunities Interpreter Training Center in Denver, Colorado as a Mentor. She has been a mentor for interpreting students, working to improve and upgrade their skills for the past 8 years. She provides workshops for educational interpreters, has been a consultant for parents of Deaf children, and has spoken to various companies and organizations about ASL and Deaf Culture.
Robin has two beautiful daughters. Nicolette is 9 years old and is hearing and Kay-Lin is 6 years old, from China, and deaf.
Rand Rom
I was born in Bemidji, Minnesota where I spent my early years. I studied at Minneapolis Design & Art College and St. Paul TVI, now named St. Paul College. My professional career in Minnesota began as a Media Artist designing and implementing cartoon animation, storyboard and illustration at Deaf Media Project. As a Commercial Artist for Wendell’s Inc. I designed commemorative coins. Later, at Crosfield Dicomed Inc. I began my work as a Computer Graphics Artist with responsibilities of meeting with clients, assessing their needs, creating and managing computer graphics projects, and presenting concepts and artwork. Upon coming to Phoenix, where I now live, I furthered my education at Glendale Community College studying in-depth technical processes, computer graphic art, photography and 3D animation. While in school here, I began tutoring students in English as a second language and ASL I and II classes. For three years now I have been teaching at Restoration School of Ministry where currently I teach ASL Levels I, II and III classes. In 1980, I had a goal of starting my own business as a professional Computer Graphics, 3D Artist and Designer, hence the beginning of Rom’s Creative Studio. I invite you to visit my newly created website: www.romscreativestudio.net .
Robert DeMayo
Robert DeMayo is a professional actor and is well known for his contributions to Deaf theater throughout the United States. Robert is a native of Connecticut but currently resides in Philadelphia (the city of Brotherly Love). Currently, Robert works at the Amaryllis Theatre Co. as an ASL production artistic associate. Robert has traveled thought out the United States and has performed on numerous stages in a variety of settings. His professional resume of Deaf theatre includes:
- NTID’s Sunshine too
- Cleveland Sign Stage Theatre
- New York Deaf Theatre
- NTD National Theatre of the Deaf
- Robert was instrumental in the founding of a community theatre called “Sound Off” and was a performer in the hit production of “Murder by Pager; Who did it?” and “Jim and Judy’s Deaf Wedding.”
Robert is also known for his work as a freelance performer, ASL consultant, Translator of English based scripts into ASL, and an HIV/ AIDS educator.
Robert has many years’ experience as a total immersion staff member and is known for his unique style of teaching. Robert believes “learning should be fun” and had mastered the art of teaching classifiers, facial expression, mouth morphemes and characterization. This will be Robert’s third year on AZTI staff.
Corey “Cy” Washington
Cy has lived in Sunny Arizona since 2002. He is currently working in the field of Behavioral Health Tech. Previously he worked as an ASL instructor to young students in elementarty schools. He truly enjoys helping people find a better life before it’s too late! He is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Tech (2001) in Rochester, NY and Gallaudet University (2007) in Washington, DC. His major was not what he thought would find job in Arizona, but he is working with people doing what he really enjoys every single day.
Jason Gervase
I was born in Scottsdale, AZ. I graduated from Arizona State University with a BS degree in Tourism Development and Management and currently pursuing my Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I’m an ASL instructor at PVCC and MCC. I enjoy international travel, cooking, dining out and foreign movies.
Sandi Bye
Sandi is a certified dog trainer here in Arizona where she is a proud housewife of Russ Bye for 20 years. Sandi came from hearing family where she became deaf at age of two in Ohio but grew up in Riverside and graduated from California School for the Riverside. At very young age, Sandi experienced very interesting life because she always felt abandoned with hearing family and friend due to lack of communication. But it didn’t stop her from what she was supposed to do until she met a wonderful husband, Russ Bye she is still happy with the communication method of ASL to use every day to communicate every day. Sandi has three hearing children, one son and twin daughters from previous marriage with 6 grandchildren. During their recess time, Sandi likes to train dogs in the valley with sign language and play poker with Deaf people.
Russ Bye
Russ is a certified dog trainer here in Arizona where he is currently working as a behavioral health technician in the valley for few years. He came from Deaf family with deaf parents, 4 Deaf siblings and one hearing. However, when he was very young, he was oral for the entire time of his life until his graduation from high school. Then he learned ASL from there where he is very a fluent signer. He is a proudly married to his wife, Sandi Bye, for 20 years with two wonderful dogs. Also, Russ has a Deaf son living in California from previous marriage. He and his wife went to Europe six times and are familiar with BSL (British Sign Language). During his recess time, he likes to share his extensive experience of travel and foreign language to people where he enjoys playing the poker with Deaf people.
Tasha Goodrich
Tasha is a proud Deaf native West Virginian. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, New York. She performed at National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), in a play called, “Antigone.” She has taught history for the past six years in Colorado and Pennsylvania. She is currently teaching history at Phoenix Day School for the Deaf, Phoenix, AZ and works part-time as an Adjunct Instructor at Mesa Community College teaching American Sign Language (ASL). She currently resides with her partner and enjoys living in sunny Arizona.
Lori Zyats
Lori recently moved to Phoenix, Arizona from Scranton, Pennsylvania. In 1987, she received her Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Data Processing. She currently works at Phoenix Day School for the Deaf (PDSD) as a Para-educator and she loves to do story telling with younger children. She often volunteers to work with ASL instructors to make the classroom more informative and entertaining. She hopes to make children storytelling DVDs in the near future.
And also David Bailey, Pamela Boucher (Registrar and Office Manager), and 3 2011 instructors TBA.