Jean Plant, 
President

A graduate of Maryville College 's Interpreter Training Program in 1983, Jean went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Adult Education from the University of Georgia .  Jean has been teaching for Georgia Perimeter College’s Sign Language Interpreting Program since 1988, becoming a full-time instructor in 1993.  

Jean has been an active and valued member of Georgia 's Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf since 1987, having served in various leadership roles over the years.  Jean is also involved in numerous other professional and deafness organizations.  Jean is a sought-after workshop presenter around the country, and has worked as a freelance interpreter in a variety of settings. 

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Stephanie Boyd, 
Vice President

Stephanie grew up in a small town outside of Birmingham , Alabama .  Stephanie’s post-secondary education includes a brief run at the University of Montevallo , but ultimately she received a BSED in Physical Education and Health from the University of Georgia (UGA) in 1996.  Upon graduation from UGA, Stephanie began teaching in the metro Atlanta area and also enjoyed coaching several different sports throughout her teaching career.

Desiring a change, in 2001 Stephanie enrolled in the Sign Language Interpreting Program (SLIP) at Georgia Perimeter College (GPC).  During her time at GPC, Stephanie was actively involved in the Interpreter Training Society (ITS), serving as Secretary during her first year and as President during the second.  One of the fondest memories she has of that time period is attending Deaf Way II in Washington , DC in 2002.  Stephanie completed the SLIP in 2003 having already obtained state interpreting credentials, and followed that accomplishment in 2004 by achieving her CT.    Stephanie currently lives in Conyers with her husband and 3 children and works in various settings as a freelance interpreter. 

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Ginny Bowling, 
Secretary

Ginny was born and raised in Tennessee , and received her BS degree in Child Development from the University of Tennessee .  In addition to her BS, Ginny also attended the Interpreter Training Program (a.k.a., Sign Language Interpreting Program) at Dekalb College (now known as Georgia Perimeter College).

In the field of interpreting, Ginny has pretty much done it all (“That's what happens when you have been around this long,” she jokes).  Currently, in addition to working as an interpreter in private practice, Ginny interprets for a major video relay service provider in the metro Atlanta area.  Ginny is a Parent Advisor and liaison for the Deaf Mentor Program for Georgia Parent Infant Network for Educational Services (Georgia PINES).  In addition to all this, Ginny works for the Department of Labor with the Georgia Quality Assurance Screening (G-QAS).

In what little free time she has, Ginny enjoys her pet Greyhound (and promoting Greyhound adoption), as well as improving her green thumb in the garden.  Ginny says she has been “married a reeeeaally long time to Tom,” and is the proud MODA (mom of two Deaf young men) to Matt and Andrew.

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Mandy Stone, 
Treasurer

Mandy is a graduate of the Sign Language Interpreting Program (SLIP) at Georgia Perimeter College. She was actively involved in the Interpreter Training Society (ITS) where she served as secretary. During the program she also served as the Student Represenitive for the Conference of Interpreter Trainers (CIT) in Minnesota.  After completing the Interpreter Training Program in 2003 Mandy obtained state credentials and went on to receive her National Certification in 2004. Since that time she has worked as a freelance interpreter in various settings around Georgia.

Mandy currently resides in McDonough with her Husband Reed and three children. Her favorite pass time is riding her motorcycle with her husband in the North Georgia Mountains.

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Bruce Finkbone, 
Professional 
Development 
Coordinator

Bruce has been nationally certified through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID) since 1981 when he earned and received his Comprehensive Skills Certificate (CSC). He worked as an Educational Interpreter both at the high school and college levels for fifteen years. He was the Coordinator for Interpreter Services at the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia for five years before taking a position the Georgia Perimeter College's Sign Language Interpreting Program. In May 2005, he resigned his position to become a full-time freelance interpreter.

Bruce has presented numerous workshops on the local, state, regional, national and international levels. He is a member of Georgia Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Puerto Rico Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, the national Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc, the National Association of the Deaf, American Sign Language Teacher's Association, Atlanta Black Deaf Advocates and the Intertribal Deaf Council.

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Keith is a graduate of the Interpreter Training Program at Georgia Perimeter College. Since completed the program in 2001, he has worked as a full-time freelance interpreter in and around the state of Georgia. He was a member of the GRID Professional Development Committee several years ago, and is now happy to be taking up the role of GaRID Editor. Keith is also the GaRID Webmaster.  His other interests include home remodeling, traveling, and web design.  Keith and his family live in Conyers, GA.

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Nayshunda O. Burke, 
Member at large

Nayshunda O. Burke was born and raised in Atlanta.  She is married to Curtis Burke, Jr. and is the mother and step-mother of three daughters and a son.  Nayshunda graduated from Georgia Perimeter College's Sign Language Interpreting Program in 2005 and has experience as both an educational and freelance interpreter.  Prior to her career in interpreting, Nayshunda was a both a graphic designer and a web designer.  She is now an active member in the National Association of Black Interpreters (NAOBI), GaRID, Atlanta Black Deaf Advocates (ABDA), and the Georgia chapter of the American Sign Language Teachers Association (GA-ASLTA).  Nayshunda and her family reside in Southwest Atlanta.

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Jon, a native from North Carolina , graduated from East Carolina University in 1993 with a Bachelors Degree in Special Education and an Associate Degree in Interpreting for the Deaf. In his seventeen years of professional interpreting his experience has included educational, freelance, platform, medical/mental health and Video Relay interpreting. He holds CI and CT certifications from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and is a professor at Georgia Perimeter College 's Sign Language Interpreting Program.

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Christia Williams, 
Member at large

Christia Williams works for Valdosta State University, where one of the many hats she wears is Coordinator for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services. She also serves as lead interpreter, volunteers with the ASL Club, and acts as Site Coordinator for the Georgia Quality Assurance Screening for Interpreters. Born and raised in south Georgia, Christia has lived in the Valdosta area since 1997. She received her Bachelor's Degree in ASL/Interpreting in 2003 from VSU, and transitioned easily into her current position soon after graduation. She has worked primarily in educational interpreting, including secondary and post-secondary settings, and recently received her CI. Christia currently resides in Hahira with Jeremy, her husband of nearly ten years and the most recent addition to their family, Zachary, who is two. Christia is honored to have been selected to serve on the GaRID Board during such an exciting time.

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