Laurel Apodaca

Laurel Apodaca, BA, ISBE Licensed Educational Interpreter, is a school interpreter working in rural Illinois. She earned her bachelor’s degree in American Sign Language–English Interpretation, with a minor in ASL and an emphasis in K-12 educational interpreting, from the University of Northern Colorado. Originally from San Diego, she grew up bilingual in ASL and English through personal connections within the Deaf community. After graduating, completing her EIPA: Written and Performance, and meeting state credentialing requirements, Laurel began interpreting virtually during the emergency remote learning period of the pandemic, supporting continued access to communication for deaf and hard of hearing students during a critical time. In 2021, she transitioned to in-person work at an elementary school, where she serves as an integral member of the educational team. Laurel is passionate about facilitating communication in the classroom and ensuring that deaf and hard of hearing students have equitable access to both academic content and social engagement. In addition to her classroom work, she has collaborated with the Deaf Education program lead to advance practices that center on student access / participation. She remains committed to ongoing professional growth through engagement with current research in school interpreting, active membership in the National Association of Interpreters in Education and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, continuing education, collaboration with educational staff, and participation as a member of the IEP team.