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CORE: Initiative Program

Shana Gibbs presents information about the CORE: Initiative Program in American Sign Language.

The Connections, Opportunities, Resources, and Education (CORE): Initiative was the IRIS Project’s free 9-month, 300-hour hybrid (online and in-person) individualized mentorship and facilitated interpreting knowledge & skills training designed specifically for rural interpreters.

Throughout the CORE: Initiative, participants experienced the following:

CORE participants during summer onsite

  1. Direct connections with a diverse cohort of colleagues, facilitators, and mentors;
  2. Exploration of interpreting frameworks via facilitated communities of learning;
  3. Individualized review and detailed analysis of their interpreting work, including areas of strength and opportunities for growth; and
  4. Individualized and small group mentoring.

Upon completion of this program, participants were able to:  

  1. Build a network of support with other rural interpreters;
  2. Demonstrate fundamental best practices in the interpreting profession:
  3. Employ context-dependent and culturally competent ethical decision-making strategies;
  4. Analyze interpretations following a practice profession framework; and
  5. Deconstruct the interpreting product apart from the person via an Integrated Model of Interpreting framework.

CORE: Initiative Curriculum

" "  Feel free to review and use this Canvas course and curriculum materials!

Curriculum materials are in a read-only format. Do you want to use this content in a Learning Management System (LMS)? Learn how to import it! Should you download the cartridge, you will need to create assignments and quizzes manually.

The University of Northern Colorado and the IRIS Project are not offering Continuing Education Units (CEU) processing for the content presented here. Should you be interested in RID CEUs, please contact any RID CMP Sponsor to inquire about a participant-initiated learning activity.


Please note that these resources are being made available to you as they were presented during the 2021-2026 grant cycle. Permission is granted to copy and disseminate this product for noncommercial educational purposes provided ÌðÐÄÊÓÆµapp-IRIS is credited as the source and referenced appropriately on any such copies. .

Suggested citation: ÌðÐÄÊÓÆµapp-IRIS. (2024). Name of Resource. URL (if applicable). 


" "  Disclaimer 

Neither endorsement nor verification is intended or made of any hypertext link, product, service, or information, either by its inclusion or exclusion from this page or site. Some links may become outdated or expired over time. Users are encouraged to verify the information independently and exercise discretion when relying on external or online resources.

CORE: Initiative Cohorts

Participants in IRIS's CORE Inititative during the summer of 2023.

The IRIS Project recognizes the hard work and dedication of the participants who have successfully completed* the CORE: Initiative program. To search for qualified interpreters, visit the . 

*Successful completion of this training does not provide endorsement of the participant's language fluency or skills as an interpreter.

Cohort One (2022-2023)

By first name; NOTE: 1st column is first names starting with A-D, 2nd column is G-K, 3rd column is L-P, & 4th column is R-T.

  • Amy Richardson
  • Byron Oakes
  • Christina Holifield
  • Darren Reed
  • Dawn Tomlinson
  • Glenna Cooper
  • Jamie Olson
  • Jordon Oswald
  • Kayla Perez
  • Kris Courson
  • Lakesha Trotter
  • Laurie Walcott
  • Monique' McCrary
  • Paige King
  • Pamela Bailey
  • Robin Brenner
  • Romelle Hoon
  • Sophia Molitor
  • Terri J. Brown

Cohort Two (2023-2024)

By first name; NOTE: 1st column is first names starting with A-E, 2nd column is G-J, 3rd column is K-L, & 4th column is M-S.

  • Akeya Peoples
  • Carrie Tweedie
  • Daniel Gough
  • Don Petit Homme
  • Emma Wood
  • Erin O'Shaughnessy
  • Gale DeArmin
  • Hilda Costello
  • Jeanice Davis
  • Joan Pellerin
  • Kataya Urquhart
  • Khadayilah Garza
  • Lasheria Murphy
  • LaTonya Smith
  • Mary Rodriguez
  • Megan Joseph
  • Shannon Wheeler
  • Shannon Blachly

Cohort Three (2024-2025)

By first name; NOTE: 1st column is first names starting with A-C, 2nd column is E-J, 3rd column is K-P, & 4th column is R-T.

  • Aaron Johnson
  • Alexis Radford
  • Alicia Booth
  • Autumn Talbot
  • Bonnie Aernie
  • Chelsea Elertson
  • Cheryl Witters
  • Colleen Frantz
  • Erica Ables
  • Erika Manzanarez
  • Felicia Reed
  • Islande Robart
  • Janet Dickinson
  • Jen Benjamin
  • Julie Seawright
  • Kelley Osborne
  • Lynn Kohler
  • Mando Garza
  • Meli Stamp
  • Naomi Pittman Hardy
  • Patrick Harris
  • Paula Bazinet
  • Rochelle Davis
  • Ronda Bryan
  • Shamika Dorsey
  • Tammy Derrick
  • Tanya Brown
  • Theresa Muschiatti
  • Tina Linke

Grant Recognition

The contents of this website were developed under a grant (H160D210006) from the Department of Education. HD160D210006 (University of Northern Colorado) IRIS Project - Improving Rural Interpreter Skills was one of several interpreter training projects to receive funding under Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.160D: 2021-2026. IRIS was awarded under Specialty Area 5, field initiated, in the topic area of improving rural interpreting skills.

The contents of the IRIS Project website do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3 and 3474).

As of September 30, 2025, this grant project is no longer active.

This website will remain available as a resource.

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