Hello! Thank you for contacting me. I'm excited to be serving Nevada in this capacity and look forward to working with you. I was born and raised in Carson City, and so was my husband. We do not have any children. My hobbies include reading, cooking, and exercising.

Can you share with our members about your professional background?

My professional background is in interpreting in the educational setting and teaching English as a second language. My

Julie Balderson Social Services Program Specialist II Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services & Relay Aging and Disability Services Division

educational background includes an Associate's degree in Deaf Studies from Western Nevada College, a Bachelor's degree in French with a minor in journalism and a Master's degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, both from the University of Nevada, Reno. My professional interests include applied linguistics, coalition building, and public policy.

What goals and/or challenges have you identified, since taking on this position?

I am in the process of reviewing history and determining what has been going on.  Comments on where people think things should go are welcome. It is for the community to decide for itself what choices it will make, and I will be happy to support as much as I can within the capacity of this position.  I am encouraged and inspired by the community I serve and appreciate the patience everyone has shown me as I learn to do this job. My personal goal for myself is to give this job my very best effort every day. 

Your office coordinates the Nevada State Interpreter/CART Registry.   Are there any changes to how that Registry will be coordinated?   Any plans to update or modify the registry in the near future?  

Interpreters can look forward to a more efficient registry in the near future. This is something that my predecessor worked on and I am looking forward to seeing it through. Everyone who is currently registered will be notified in advance of any changes involving coordination of the registry.

Nevada is a large state divided into smaller interpreting communities within the Northern and Southern parts of the state.  This creates challenges for interpreters who seek certification and experience advancement.  How can your office assist with those interpreter practitioners who are facing limited resources?

I've noticed that there seem to be lots of great resources out there and great organizations doing great things, but they are so busy working to serve their community that they sometimes don't realize there are other groups out there with similar goals. That's where I think my office can serve the community best: by getting people connected and working together.

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