Ellen Schein

Ellen Schein has been at Gallaudet since 1992 in various capacities.  She began interpreting professionally in 1995, then joined Gallaudet Interpreting Service as a staff interpreter from 1997-2002 and again from 2009 to the present.  

Ms. Schein has the distinction of being the visionary behind the ASL and Deaf Studies Department at the University of Rochester, as the creation of the department was based on the interdisciplinary discipline she created entitled "Language, Communication, and Culture in the Deaf Community." 

Ms. Schein also envisioned and developed the website for GIS internal communications.  

Ms. Schein values social justice and has long time been an activist.  She envisioned and created the ASL High Holidays with, by, and for the Jewish Deaf community to have services in ASL, rather than interpreted through a third party.  She also envisioned and established an equitable environment for Jewish Deaf Families at a Jewish Family Camp.  

Ms. Schein is proud to have worked at The Bicultural Center (TBC), and to have studied under master teachers MJ Bienvenu for ASL, Betty Colonomos for interpreting, and Carla Mathers for legal interpreting.  Ms. Schein's areas of expertise include legal interpreting, administrative interpreting, conference interpreting, and other high-profile interpreting work.