Staff Bios

DBSC Staff Bios

Jackie Engler-Morris

Jackie is the Program Director at DBSC. She manages the Senior Citizens Project, the Deaf-Blind Interpreting Mentorship Project, and the day-to-day agency business. Jackie grew up in a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois. She and her family moved to Minnesota and then to Maryland. She attended various schools in a variety of oral, deaf, and mainstream programs. She graduated from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Accounting in 1985.

In 1987 Jackie moved to Seattle due to the wonderful support services for deaf-blind people. Before joining DBSC, she was employed in Accounting at the City of Seattle Parks & Recreation for 7 1/2 years. She became self-employed as an educator and presented on deaf-blind culture to various groups, such as ASL students at middle and high schools, nursing students, Vocational Rehabilitation counselors in Kentucky, and staff at group homes for deaf-blind developmental disabled people. In the summer of 2000, Jackie worked as a Deaf-Blind Community Class Assistant and co-director for Seabeck Deaf-Blind Retreat at Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind. She joined DBSC in August of 2003.

Kelly Laubenheimer

Kelly has always been a Northwest local. She was born in Bremerton, Washington, and grew up in Edmonds. She attended Meadowdale High School where she took her first ASL class. After graduation she continued her ASL training at Seattle Central Community College and went on to graduate from their Interpreter Training Program. Uncertain with what the next step would be after graduation, Kelly happily accepted the position at the Deaf-Blind Service Center as an Administrative Assistant as a way to stay involved with the deaf-blind community. In addition to her love for the deaf-blind community, Kelly also has a strong interest in the arts and enjoys everything from drawing to photography.

Waylon Mathern

Waylon was hired in January of 2008 as the bookkeeper for DBSC. He was born in Wyoming and spent the first twelve years of his life mostly in Gillette, before moving to Great Falls, Montana where he graduated from high school. After high school, he went to Rochester Institute of Technology in upper state New York where he graduated with BS in Business Management with focus on Finance. Through college, Waylon had the privilege of visiting most of the fantastic land and cities that the United States has to offer, and Seattle had always remained his favorite city. As a bonus, he had some family members within the region so he knew that once he graduated from college, he had to move here. After spending time in odd jobs, the opportunity to work for DBSC came up. He grabbed the opportunity because it was the type of experience he was looking for. So, here he is, and he is definitely looking forward to working with you and the individuals within the deaf and the deaf-blind communities!

Ray Swicker

Ray relocated to Seattle from Dallas, Texas in February of 2006. He is a native Californian but during his teens years he lived in Oklahoma, and graduated from the Oklahoma School for the Deaf in 1996. He has grown fond of Northwest weather, people and communities. Yes! The deaf and deaf-blind communities here are.... CHAMP! Since November of 2006 Ray has been working as an SSP, and most recently as a deaf interpreter. For leisure, Ray loves to socialize. His hobbies include fabric work, woodwork, photography, and collecting Lego sets. He is excited to work with such a wonderful team at DSBC and to provide excellent services to the deaf-blind community.

DBSC Contractor Bios

Jackie Matthews, CI/CT

Jackie is a freelance interpreter and scheduler. She attended the interpreter training program at Seattle Central Community College (SCCC) under the tutelage of Theresa Smith and graduated in 1987. She volunteered for the first time in the deaf-blind community in 1986 at the Deaf-Blind Community Classes and at the Seabeck Deaf-Blind Retreat. She has been involved in the deaf-blind community ever since. After graduating from the ITP she became a staff interpreter at SCCC and over the next 10 years there she went from a staff interpreter to the lead interpreter, and then to interpreter coordinator. She then went on to become the interpreter coordinator for the University of Washington Seattle, Tacoma and Bothell campuses for 10 years. In that time she also graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Women's Studies from the University of Washington. Jackie then spent two wonderful years as Interpreter Supervisor at the Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind. She has served on both the board of the Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (ADWAS) and the Washington Chapter of RID (WSRID). She continues to work as an interpreter, mentor, and as an involved community member of the interpreting community as well as deaf and deaf-bind communities.

Jackie has two grown daughters, Josie and Cory, and lives in Ballard with her wonderful husband, Kurt. When she's not working you will find her out in the sun, sharing a good laugh, and traveling to sunny beaches across the globe.

Jelica Nuccio

Jelica, originally from Croatia, lives in Seattle and has been very active in the deaf-blind community since she moved from Atlanta, GA in 1997. Jelica was the former President of WSDBC, and a Board member of AADB. She is also a volunteer development officer for ASLIS. Jelica has an MA in Public Health from Emory and a BA in Biology from NTID/RIT. She has been employed as an employment placement specialist for DVR and HKNC in WA State. She has also worked for the University of Washington in fiscal management and research. Jelica says she is enthusiastic about working for DBSC and will do her best for the deaf-blind community.

			SEATTLE DEAF-BLIND SERVICE CENTER
Home Page DBSC Services Curriculum About DBSC DBSC Board Donate Staff Bios Staff Contacts Photo Gallery Visual Version			STAFF AND CONTRACTOR BIOS DBSC Staff Bios Jackie Engler-Morris Jackie is the Program Director at DBSC. She manages the Senior Citizens Project, the Deaf-Blind Interpreting Mentorship Project, and the day-to-day agency business. Jackie grew up in a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois. She and her family moved to Minnesota and then to Maryland. She attended various schools in a variety of oral, deaf, and mainstream programs. She graduated from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Accounting in 1985. In 1987 Jackie moved to Seattle due to the wonderful support services for deaf-blind people. Before joining DBSC, she was employed in Accounting at the City of Seattle Parks & Recreation for 7 1/2 years. She became self-employed as an educator and presented on deaf-blind culture to various groups, such as ASL students at middle and high schools, nursing students, Vocational Rehabilitation counselors in Kentucky, and staff at group homes for deaf-blind developmental disabled people. In the summer of 2000, Jackie worked as a Deaf-Blind Community Class Assistant and co-director for Seabeck Deaf-Blind Retreat at Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind. She joined DBSC in August of 2003. Kelly Laubenheimer Kelly has always been a Northwest local. She was born in Bremerton, Washington, and grew up in Edmonds. She attended Meadowdale High School where she took her first ASL class. After graduation she continued her ASL training at Seattle Central Community College and went on to graduate from their Interpreter Training Program. Uncertain with what the next step would be after graduation, Kelly happily accepted the position at the Deaf-Blind Service Center as an Administrative Assistant as a way to stay involved with the deaf-blind community. In addition to her love for the deaf-blind community, Kelly also has a strong interest in the arts and enjoys everything from drawing to photography. Waylon Mathern Waylon was hired in January of 2008 as the bookkeeper for DBSC. He was born in Wyoming and spent the first twelve years of his life mostly in Gillette, before moving to Great Falls, Montana where he graduated from high school. After high school, he went to Rochester Institute of Technology in upper state New York where he graduated with BS in Business Management with focus on Finance. Through college, Waylon had the privilege of visiting most of the fantastic land and cities that the United States has to offer, and Seattle had always remained his favorite city. As a bonus, he had some family members within the region so he knew that once he graduated from college, he had to move here. After spending time in odd jobs, the opportunity to work for DBSC came up. He grabbed the opportunity because it was the type of experience he was looking for. So, here he is, and he is definitely looking forward to working with you and the individuals within the deaf and the deaf-blind communities! Ray Swicker Ray relocated to Seattle from Dallas, Texas in February of 2006. He is a native Californian but during his teens years he lived in Oklahoma, and graduated from the Oklahoma School for the Deaf in 1996. He has grown fond of Northwest weather, people and communities. Yes! The deaf and deaf-blind communities here are.... CHAMP! Since November of 2006 Ray has been working as an SSP, and most recently as a deaf interpreter. For leisure, Ray loves to socialize. His hobbies include fabric work, woodwork, photography, and collecting Lego sets. He is excited to work with such a wonderful team at DSBC and to provide excellent services to the deaf-blind community. DBSC Contractor Bios Jackie Matthews, CI/CT Jackie is a freelance interpreter and scheduler. She attended the interpreter training program at Seattle Central Community College (SCCC) under the tutelage of Theresa Smith and graduated in 1987. She volunteered for the first time in the deaf-blind community in 1986 at the Deaf-Blind Community Classes and at the Seabeck Deaf-Blind Retreat. She has been involved in the deaf-blind community ever since. After graduating from the ITP she became a staff interpreter at SCCC and over the next 10 years there she went from a staff interpreter to the lead interpreter, and then to interpreter coordinator. She then went on to become the interpreter coordinator for the University of Washington Seattle, Tacoma and Bothell campuses for 10 years. In that time she also graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Women's Studies from the University of Washington. Jackie then spent two wonderful years as Interpreter Supervisor at the Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind. She has served on both the board of the Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (ADWAS) and the Washington Chapter of RID (WSRID). She continues to work as an interpreter, mentor, and as an involved community member of the interpreting community as well as deaf and deaf-bind communities. Jackie has two grown daughters, Josie and Cory, and lives in Ballard with her wonderful husband, Kurt. When she's not working you will find her out in the sun, sharing a good laugh, and traveling to sunny beaches across the globe. Jelica Nuccio Jelica, originally from Croatia, lives in Seattle and has been very active in the deaf-blind community since she moved from Atlanta, GA in 1997. Jelica was the former President of WSDBC, and a Board member of AADB. She is also a volunteer development officer for ASLIS. Jelica has an MA in Public Health from Emory and a BA in Biology from NTID/RIT. She has been employed as an employment placement specialist for DVR and HKNC in WA State. She has also worked for the University of Washington in fiscal management and research. Jelica says she is enthusiastic about working for DBSC and will do her best for the deaf-blind community.

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STAFF AND CONTRACTOR BIOS