Interpreter Spotlight
Kam Clark
- Interpreting Since: 2013
- Fun Fact: Her dad, Ken Clark, was featured in early Signing Naturally publications
Kam has interpreted for RISE for over ten years. As a CODA, she was raised on the campus of the California School for the Deaf in Riverside (CSDR), where both of her parents worked. Her first opportunity to interpret professionally came while working in an optometry office, where she took on various roles and eventually began interpreting for Deaf patients; an experience that sparked her passion for the field.
Interpreting is deeply woven into Kam’s family story. All three of her siblings also work in Deaf-related professions, either as interpreters or at Deaf schools. Her family’s longstanding commitment to the Deaf community has played a powerful role in shaping who she is today—someone dedicated to fostering access, connection, and understanding between the Deaf and hearing worlds. A fun fact: her father, Ken Clark, was featured in early publications of Signing Naturally.
Kam has interpreted in a wide range of settings, including children’s theater, video relay services, education, and stage presentations. She has also had the privilege of mentoring new interpreters, a role she takes to heart. Her passion for interpreting comes from a desire to ensure every interaction is clearly understood, to uplift others, to stand alongside the Deaf community, and to make sure people feel truly seen and heard.
In her spare time, Kam enjoys supporting the women’s sports movement and cherishes her role as an Auntie to her nieces and nephews.
Signing Aide Spotlight
Savannah Cogswell
- With RISE Since: October 2024
- Fun Fact: Has 11 pets – 5 dogs, 5 cats, and 1 fish
Savannah Cogswell has been a RISE Signing Aide since October 2024, she is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and has grown up signing her whole life. She started working with RISE to have more involvement with the Deaf community and to help grow her knowledge even more. Her goal is to become an Elementary School Teacher! Savannah likes to go on road trips and camping, and fun fact, she has ELEVEN animals (5 dogs, 5 cats, and 1 fish)
Critter Corner
Georgie
Meet Georgie! She loves to play fetch! She purrs like a motorboat and will sit down watching movies with a laser focus. Not only that, but she is energetic, curious, and affectionate and enjoys walking across keyboards any chance she has. She hopes to one day become an adventure cat once she has completed the necessary kitten shots/ vaccinations. – Sophia Iocolano (Office Staff)
Office News
Mental Health Interpreting Training
Kristeena (ASL Specialist) & Rebecca (Interpreter S) recently attended the Mental Health Interpreting Training conference. Check out their video on the experience below!
For more info about the Mental Health Interpreting Training project, visit http://www.mhit.org/
On a sidenote, the program Director is a Deaf woman named Amanda Somdal, DSW, LCSW, LICSW-S who just happens to have grown up in Hemet!
Seeking K-12 Interpreters for the ’25/26 school year
Join us for an ongoing K–12 classroom interpreting assignment and earn a $1,000 bonus ($500 per semester)!
Offer valid for Interpreter-A’s
Email HR for Additional Information
Events
Sports Interpreter Workshop!
Join us for the RISE Interpreting Workshop: Sports Terminology on Saturday, September 27 from 9 AM – 4 PM in Riverside, CA. Presented by Deaf coaches and teachers from CSDR, the workshop will cover terminology from football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, and track.
Providing 0.6 CEU’s!
Take advantage of the Employee Discount Code sent to your emails if you’re an active employee!
Early Bird Registration Discount ends on 8/31/25!
View Flyer Register
RISE Baseball Outing!
Join us for a fun-filled night at the ballpark! 🎉 RISE will be attending the 66ers vs. Lake Elsinore Storm game on September 5th at 6:35 PM. This is a great opportunity to connect, relax, and enjoy the game with your fellow team members.
Save the Date: Miranda Rights Workshop!
Date: Saturday, October 18th, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Held remotely via Zoom
0.3 CEU’s Provided!
Congratulations to
Korbyn Pounds
for passing his EIPA exam!
Community News
DeafFestival – September 20, 2025 & DHH Resource Fair – September 27, 2025
RISE will be attending two events in September, DeafFestival on 9/20/25 and the DHH Resource Fair in Santa Ana on 9/27/25. Be on the lookout for more details, we hope to see you there!
HR
Retirement meeting
A retirement meeting will be scheduled in office for September 3rd, 2025 and via a webinar on September 3rd, 2025.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to HR.
AUGUST Birthday Club!
Rachel Armstrong
Derek Johnson
Angelina Engelman
Emily Forsberg
Rhiannon Aragues
Korrina Hurley
Vanessa Casillas
Bilqis Rashidi
Magali Castaneda
Andrea Hernandez-Lopez
Sabrina Padilla
Amy Hart
Melissa Frias
Lauren Greenberg
July Statistics
665
Deaf Consumers Served
37
Professional Development Meetings
3
RID & EIPA
Tests Proctored
Vocabulary Builder
Hubris
noun
Excessive pride or self-confidence.
“the self-assured hubris among economists was shaken in the late 1980s”
Monthly Tidbits:
Angeline Fuller Fischer (August 11, 1841):
A pioneering Deaf poet and feminist advocate, Fischer championed equal education for Deaf women and was celebrated as one of America’s great Deaf poets.
Alice Cogswell (August 31, 1805):
Recognized as the first Deaf student formally educated in the U.S., Cogswell’s education inspired the establishment of the American School for the Deaf.
Learn More
National Dog Day, August 26th
Colleen Paige, a pet lifestyle expert and animal advocate, founded National Dog Day in 2004 with the aim of celebrating dogs and encouraging adoption. Over the years, National Dog Day has grown into a global movement, recognized by animal lovers and organizations worldwide. It’s even been adopted by several states in the US as an official holiday
Why don’t skeletons fight each other?
They don’t have the guts.
Peer Props
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