Faculty
David Davenport
Associate Professor
David Davenport is an Associate Professor under the ASL/Interpreting Program at Salt Lake Community College. He joined full-time Fall 2013 after serving 11 years as Adjunct faculty member. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Brigham Young University and a Master of Arts degree in Sign Language Education from Gallaudet University. He has been teaching ASL for over fifteen years and has mentored many interpreters in various programs. David is a versatile individual with a wide range of talents such as teaching, storytelling, coordinating, training, remodeling, video editing, and other technology-related skills. David has developed ASL curriculum and assessment tools incorporating a new modern style of teaching and technology for his classes to enrich the learning experience for students. His interests are the modeling of language processing, linguistics, bilingualism, and early intervention and language development in Deaf and Hard-of-hearing.
Course Coordinator
- ASL 1010 Beginning Level 1
- ASL 1020 Beginning Level 2
- ASL 1300 Conversation 1
- ASL 2010 Intermediate Level 1
- ASL 2020 Intermediate Level 1
- ASL 2100 Proficiency Development
- ASL 2300 Conversation 2
- ASL 2700 ASL Literature
- ASL 2900 Special Topics
Duane Kinner
Assistant Professor
Duane Kinner is an Assistant Professor of the American Sign Langauge & Interpreting Department at Salt Lake Community College. He joined full-time Fall 2002 after serving one year as an Adjunct faculty member. Before joining SLCC as an ASL faculty, he served as a Sign Language Consultant at the Sign Language Studio.
After months of taking the Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) training sessions with the Interpreter Certification Advancement Network, he passed his CDI Certification in 2012. His certification is under the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) organization.
Outside of SLCC, Duane served as a Language Mentor and ASL Trainer for the Utah Interpreter Program at the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Utah School for the Deaf, Video Relay Service Interpreting Institute Pathway and Compass Program at Sorenson Communications, Inc., and Interpreter Certification Advancement Network at the Utah Interpreter Program.
Since 2001, Duane has served on the Utah Association of the Deaf, Utah Interpreter Certification Advisory Board, Utah-American Sign Language Teacher Association.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., 1999
- Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) from the Registry of Interpreter for the Deaf
- Utah Certified Deaf Interpreter
Expertise
- ASL Language Instruction
- Deaf Studies
- Deaf History & Culture
Courses
- ASL 1010 - Beginning ASL I
- ASL 2010 - Intermediate ASL I
- ASL 2020 - Beginning ASL II
- ASL 1300 - Conversation
- ASL 2300 - Conversation II
- ASL 2900 - Special Topics
Connie Spanton-Jex
Professor
Connie Spanton-Jex is a Professor and Coordinator for the American Sign Language/English Interpreting Program. Connie began her tenure at Salt Lake Community College as a full-time interpreter in the Disability Resource Center during Fall 2001. In 2002, after completing her master's degree in Deaf Education from Western Maryland College, she joined the ASL/I program as a full-time faculty member. She lived and worked in the Metro Washington D.C. area from 1989-1999 interpreting at a variety of theater performances, government meetings, medical appointments and in 1993, President Clinton's inauguration ball at the Kennedy Center. She has held national ASL/English interpreting certification (CI/CT) from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) since 1991 and continues to work part-time as an interpreter where she freelances in the local community and provides video relay service interpreting for Sorenson Communications (SVRS). In 2016, she was awarded the Kim Maibaum Lifetime Achievement Award by the Utah Chapter of RID. Since 2017, she has served on the board of SLCC's Utah Women in Higher Education Network as an event coordinator. Connie is passionate about interpreting and ensuring that those who do not know ASL can communicate with those who do.
Education
- Master of Science (MS) in Deaf Education, Western Maryland College (McDaniel College), 2002
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Broadcast Journalism, Utah State University 1988
- Associate of Science (AS) in Theater, College of Eastern Utah (USU Eastern) 1984
- Certificate of Interpretation and Certificate of Transliteration from the Registry of Interpreter for the Deaf
ASL/English Program Coordinator
- INTR 1000 Introduction to Interpreting
- INTR 1100 Connections to the Community I
- INTR 1110 Connections to the Community II
- INTR 1200 Interpreting I
- INTR 1300 Ethics/Professional Standards
- INTR 1400 Interpreting II
- INTR 1500 Comparative Linguistics
- INTR 1600 Internship I
- INTR 2100 Connections to the Community III
- INTR 2200 Interpreting III
- INTR 2600 Internship II
- ASL 1010 Beginning American Sign Language I
Campus:
Taylorsville
Building:
AAB
Room:
237 AU
Phone:
Email:
Adjunct Faculty
Emily Beech
Instructor
Credentials:
- M.Ed Utah State University, 2008
- B.S. Utah State University, 1999
- A.A. Salt Lake Community College, 2005
- National Interpreter Certification from the Registry of Interpreter for the Deaf (NIC RID)
- EIPA Secondary ASL
Amber Sidwell
Instructor
Credentials:
- M.Ed Utah Valley University, 2016
- B.A. Utah Valley University, 2011
- A.A.S. Columbus State Community College, 2007
- Utah Professional Interpreter Certification
Chanté Wilson
Instructor
Credentials:
- M.Ed University of Utah, 2016
- B.A. Brigham Young University, 2007
- A.A./A.S. Salt Lake Community College, 2004
- Certificate of Interpretation and Certificate of Transliteration from the Registry of Interpreter for the Deaf
Sarah Johnson
Instructor
Credentials:
- MS in ASL / English Interpreting; Interpreting Pedagogy from the University of North Florida
- BA in Deaf Studies; Interpreting Emphasis from Utah Valley University
- National Interpreter Certification from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (NIC RID)
- Utah Professional Interpreter Certification
Derrick Lopez
Instructor
Credentials:
- B.S. University of Utah
- A.S. LDS Business College 2014
- Utah Certified Deaf Interpreter
Michelle Heathington
Instructor
Credentials:
- M.A. Gallaudet, 2016
- B.A. California State University, 2015
- A.A. Long Beach City College, 2001
Donovan Heathington
Instructor
Credentials:
- M.A. University of Northern Colorado 2022
- B.A. California State University 2016
Amanda Rupke
Instructor
Credentials:
- BA in English from Calvin College, 2000
- AA from Salt Lake Community College, 2007
- National Interpreter Certification from the Registry of Interpreter for the Deaf (NIC RID)