Board of Directors
Moses is a practicing interpreter in Northeastern Ohio. Graduating with bachelor’s degrees in interpreting and ASL, and his master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Kent State University, he has worked as an instructor, interpreter, mentor, and manager. He is currently completing his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction Studies, with a current research emphasis on the intersection of language learning and ideology. NIC certified, he has interpreted in k-12, post-secondary, community, medical, VRS, and VRI. Moses currently serves as the National Manager of Community Operations at Purple Communications. He is also an ordained Pastor and Elder and serves in both of those capacities in his local church body. Moses has been married for 14 years and has five beautiful children.
Image Description: President, Moses McIntosh, a white man with short brown hair and hazel eyes with large black glasses and a medium length beard is directly facing (portrait style) the camera wearing a warm toothy smile and a light blue plaid shirt with a collar. He stands in front of a blurred natural background with the sun shining through branches and leaves of green trees.
My name is John Lestina Jr., and I have been very lucky! I am the President and Founder of Heritage Interpreting. I have a Master’s degree in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University. I have been a nationally certified interpreter through RID since 2014, and I am a legally qualified interpreter in Ohio and Indiana.
My parents are Deaf, and I am a native user of ASL and English. I was born in Joliet, IL, outside of Chicago, and I grew up in Fishers, IN, a suburb of Indianapolis. I’ve also lived in Orlando, Washington DC, and Boston for several years before settling in Columbus, OH. My family is spread out, and I am a frequent traveler between New England, Washington DC, Florida, Chicago, and most places in between.
I am lucky to have a beautiful family – my lovely wife Kristy and our daughter Juniper. Kristy’s parents are also Deaf making Juniper a full-fledged “Goda” or Grandchild of Deaf Adults. We are a bilingual household, using ASL and English daily. We also have three cats – Newman, Oscar, and Leo. When I’m not working, you can find me playing music, getting outdoors, biking, or playing video games.
Image Description: Director of Programming, John Lestina, Jr, a clean shaven white man with short brown hair and blue eyes with large black glasses, is directly facing (portrait style) the camera wearing a warm toothy smile, black blazer, and white collard shirt with small light blue plaid stripes. He stands in front of a blurred natural background with the sun shining through branches and leaves of green trees.
Director of Finance
VACANT
Interested in serving on the board? Email Moses at president@ocrid.org.
Image description: Director of Finance, VACANT, white background with red "VACANT" in all caps.
Director of Meetings
Vicky Emerson, RID-CT, Trauma Informed Qualified Interpreter - 2016
Vicky Emerson is a hearing military brat (USAF-retired), Military Spouse (USN-retired), married 26 years to her High School sweetheart, mother to 4 hearing children (17, 15, 13, 12) and a South East Ohio transplant (Lebanon, OH) from the New Orleans, Lousiana & Mississippi GulfCoast areas. Vicky’s interpreting education began formally at Delgado Community College in New Orleans, LA and considers herself a life-long learner & heartfelt partner with the d/Deaf, DB, ITP students & interpreter communities. She has been a freelance/private practice interpreter since 1999 whose focus has been in many places throughout the past 20+ years including: Deaf/Hearing teams, DeafBlind/SSP, Medical/Trauma, Mental Health/Trauma/Addiction, Military/Gov’t, Religious, Technical/STEM, VRI, Mentor, Intern, Conferences/performance work, Voc. Rehab and Educational interpreting. Her door is always open to those who need guidance, mentorship or a sounding-board. Call/text 504-289-5007 or email!
Image Description: Vicky is a caucasian cis-gen woman who is directly facing the camera with a full smile, wearing glasses & long dangly silver swirl earrings with her long brown hair hanging down and with a streak of silver (glitter) in her half pulled up curly hair in from of a stone stairway in front of a castle in Sydney, Ohio. Snow is on the ground.
Director of Communications
Kate Giet
Kate is a 2021 graduate from Kent State University's ASL/ENG Interpreting program, where she also minored in Psychology. She has volunteered with OCRID for a few years, primarily with the Silent Auction during conferences, and is excited to serve on the Board. Kate is a community interpreter in Northeast Ohio. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, tending to her 20+ houseplants, traveling and reading.
Image Description: Director of Communications, Kate Giet, a white women with shoulder length blond highlighted hair and brown eyes directly faces the camera (portrait style) with a a warm, toothy smile wearing a brown sweater. She stands in front of a plain light gray background.
Member at Large
Susan Harvey
Susan began her interpreting training at CSCC and completed it at Wright State University in the first cohort of the bachelors program. She has worked in a wide range of interpreting arenas and most notably works full time at DFAS. Originally from Columbus, she now resides in rural eastern Ohio on her farm. She has volunteered with OCRID on and off for years in different capacities and is excited to serve on the board this term.
Image Description: Member at Large, Susan Harvey a white women with shoulder length wavy blond and brown hair with brown eyes looks directly at the camera (portrait style) with a warm, toothy smile that reaches to her eyes. She stands in front of a dark brown wooden door wearing a black blouse.
Deaf Member at Large
Dawn Watts
Dawn K. Watts was born Deaf to Deaf parents in Cleveland, Ohio. She holds a B.A. in psychology from Gallaudet University, some courses M.A. in School Counselor and Interpreting Program from Gallaudet University, and ASL Linguistics from the Ohio State University. She worked for the Gallaudet Interpreting Service in 1989 to 1998 as CDI-P (Certified Deaf Interpreter Provisional). In 2000, Dawn moved and worked for Outreach Service as Interpreter Educator, a substitute educational interpreter licensed from the State of Ohio at Ohio School for the Deaf for 5 years. She has also been an ASL instructor since 1987 and teaches High Vision Language at Columbus Community State College. She was President for OCRID Columbus Local and representative for RID Regional III as SIG:Deaf/Blind, Regional III for Deaf Caucus and was Vice Chairperson for Deaf Caucus. She has been a member of RID for the past 32 years and is officially retired. In addition, she was a Large-at-Consultant and SSP/Interpreter Coordinator for Ohio Association for the Deaf/Blind for the past 5 years. Dawn and David Simmons, Authors, created a movie “Stop Audism in Ohio” and it is in the Library of Congress. Numbers of volunteer services for nonprofit organizations including horse therapy for mental health.