Keri Brooks, M.Ed., CDI, was born Deaf to hearing parents and she has a Deaf brother. Together the family used sign language as Keri was growing up. Since 2004, Keri has been teaching ASL and Interpreting courses at various universities and colleges, in addition to providing workshops at the regional and national level. Currently, she teaches at St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, Florida. She also works on the side as a freelance Certified Deaf Interpreter, specializing in DeafBlind interpreting and for ASL Diagnostic and Evaluation Services as an interviewer and rater for the ASL Proficiency Interviews. When it comes to teaching ASL and Interpreting courses, Keri believes in Total Immersion and keeping students engaged by doing hands-on activities. After all, learning should be fun!
Sam Harris, M.A., CDI, is a native user of ASL and is one of the small percentages of Deaf people born into a Deaf family. He is originally from Massachusetts where he grew with a strong Deaf community and Deaf services. Sam received his master’s degree in Deaf Studies from Gallaudet University. Since 2006, he has been teaching at the college level and currently teaches ASL and Interpreting courses at St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, Florida. Sam is one of the very few ASL users with a rating of 5 on the ASL Proficiency Interview. He enjoys exploring new developments in ASL/Interpreting education and fostering the professional development of sign language interpreters.
Both Keri and Sam own and operate an online ASL/Interpreter education business, TRUE-BIZ ASL, LLC, which also provides interpreting services. The main component of their business is the Deaf Interpreter Training Online (DITO) program, the first and ONLY program that provides a comprehensive training online to Deaf Interpreters from all over North America. On a personal note, they reside in Palm Harbor, Florida where they are raising three young boys.