The Representative Council members serve an important role in providing a link between state branches and the ASLIA Executive Committee. They are elected by state branches to represent their home state at the national level and to act as liaison for ASLIA at state level. They disseminate information and provide bi-monthly state reports and feedback from their state that is then shared with our members nationally.

Based on feedback received from the ASLIA membership, it was felt that practitioners with NAATI Paraprofessional accreditation should be represented at the national level. Given that the vast majority of practitioners currently working in Australia are accredited at this level, they may be aware of issues and points of view which should be considered in decision-making at the national level.

As such, the ASLIA Representative Council serves as a body of review, a reference group and a pool of additional personnel who may be able to assist ASLIA in achieving its goals. Furthermore, the Representative Council members are able to represent the views of their state associations and gain feedback and insight from their local communities.

These are our Representative Council Members:

 

New South Wales

 

Sharon Hilsop gained her paraprofessional accreditation in 2007 after completing the Diploma Interpreting at Petersham TAFE in Sydney. She works in Western Sydney for TAFE NSW as a Teacher Consultant for students who are Deaf/Hearing Impaired and enjoys seeing students take on challenges and succeed in their chosen vocational courses. Sharon is currently studying the Post Graduate Diploma in Auslan/English Interpreting at Macquarie University and has found the course invaluable in understanding the complexities of interpreting and applying this knowledge in an educational setting.

 

 

 

Queensland

 

Ruth Sullivan gained her Para-professional accreditation in 2010 after studying the diploma of interpreting at TAFE in Queensland. She worked as an interpreter at Griffith University during 2011 and now works as a full time interpreter for Deaf Services Queensland. Ruth is a New Zealander and has a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary), speaks French, and has plans to study Maori when she returns to New Zealand one day. She loves all areas of interpreting but has a special love for theatrical and comedy interpreting. Ruth is on the committee for Woodford Folk Festival Interpreted and loves volunteering during festival week.

 

 

 

 

 

South Australia

 

Amy Blaylock gained her Paraprofessional NAATI accreditation in 2008 through the Diploma course at Adelaide TAFE. She works two days a week for Sign Language Communications SA; is a member of the ASLIA SA Committee; and enjoys all areas of interpreting. Amy is lucky enough to have another job that she loves, working as an NRM Education Officer to support school communities to become sustainable. She has a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Zoology, a Graduate Diploma in Scientific Communication and is currently doing a Diploma of Sustainability. She also runs a volunteer group that maintains and promotes a local Park, and spends her spare time cooking, hiking, going to the theatre and travelling.

 

 

 

Tasmania

 

Debbie Draeger is a paraprofessional interpreter working K-12 school environment. She also interprets for her local church.

When not interpreting Debbie and her husband run a web design business and are raising a 7 year old, which keeps them busy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Victoria

 

Cara Due has been an educational interpreter in the primary sector from onset of her interpreting career in 2008. While she is still passionate about Deaf education and access in the early years, she redirected her focus in 2012 to freelance interpreting and completing her tertiary studies. Cara is enjoying the variety that freelance interpreting brings and hopes in the future to be more involved in theatre interpreting. When not interpreting you can find her at her local park hula hooping, getting her study on or chilling out with a good book.

She is looking forward to being part of the ASLIA Vic team and representative council for ASLIA in 2012 and beyond.

 

 

 

 

 

Western Australia

 

Anne Burrough lives in Perth, WA. She is a CODA and has been signing her whole life. She gained her Paraprofessional NAATI accreditation in 2006. She has been working as an educational interpreter for 6 years. She particularly enjoys working in junior primary. At the moment she works in a primary school with four other interpreters. She has really enjoyed being part of an interpreting team. In 2011, she joined the local ASLIA committee and is enjoying her role there. In her spare time Anne enjoys TV, movies, catching up with friends and cross stitch. She also has a keen interest in ancient Egypt since. She hopes to visit there one day soon.