Biographical Information

Professional Background:

Melissa began learning American Sign Language (ASL) in 1982 from friends in the Deaf community and studied interpreting at Mesa Community College. She holds a BA degree in Spanish with a minor in American Indian Studies from San Diego State University. She received an MA degree in Teaching and Learning with an Emphasis in Curriculum Design from the University of California at San Diego, where she focused on the development of activities designed to enhance metacognitive skills for ASL/English interpreting students. She is currently a doctoral student in education at University of California, San Diego.

Melissa has been teaching at Palomar College since 1995 and received a full-time faculty position in 1997. In 2004, she received the Interpreter Educator of the Year award from Region V of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. In the years 2004 and 2002, she received recognition in Who's Who of America's Teachers. In 2000, she was a finalist for the Distinguished Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching at Palomar College. She has served on the board of the San Diego chapter of the American Sign Language Teachers Association since 2000.

Interpreting Certifications:

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (Certificate of Interpretation/Certificate of Transliteration)

National Association of the Deaf (Level Five-Master)

  Email:  mbsmith@palomar.edu

Personal Information:

Melissa was born in a small town in Ohio and moved with her family to San Diego, California at the age of nine months.  She loves country/western dancing, snow skiing, boogie boarding, and traveling.

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