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Faculty and Staff

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Sharon Hill, Ph.D., Program Director

Sharon Hill is the Director of the ASLI program and an Instructional Associate Professor. She has been interpreting professionally for over 20 years and is a Master Level interpreter, which is the highest level of interpreting certification awarded by Board for Evaluators of Interpreters (BEI). She also holds Level IV and Medical Interpreter certification.   She has completed doctoral courses in the Interpretation and Translation Studies from Gallaudet University but finalized her thesis in Applied Linguistics at the University of Birmingham-England supervised by Prof. Adam Schembri.  Her thesis is ground-breaking as it is the first mixed methods study to explore the impact of African American Vernacular English on the work of ASL/English interpreters.

CV is available for viewing here. | Welcome Video 



Robyn Brittain

Robyn Brittain, M.A., Adjunct Faculty

Robyn Brittain received her master’s degree in deaf studies and deaf education from Lamar University. She has been teaching deaf education and ASL in high school since 2007 as well as teaching at UH since 2012. Plus, she is the ASLI coach for UH national anthem for the past several years.



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Terrell Brittain, Instructional Assistant Professor

Terrell Brittain is a graduate of the master’s degree program in deaf studies and deaf education at Lamar University. He is an accomplished teacher at both the secondary and higher education levels. His expertise is in American Sign Language and deaf culture. He is known for incorporating humor into his teaching, putting his students at ease as they learn the complicated task of communicating in a visual modality. Terrell’s major focus is deaf studies.

Welcome Video


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Merrilee Gietz, Instructional Associate Professor

Merrilee “Mizzy” Gietz was raised and educated in Alberta, Canada. She has been teaching students in American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting programs in higher post-secondary education for nearly 20 years. Gietz has made several conference and workshop presentations on topics such as ASL haikus, ASL depictions and various topics related to ASL teaching and interpreting. She earned her Ed.D. degree in deaf studies and deaf education, 2013 at Lamar University in Beaumont, TX. View her full bio here.

Welcome Video


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Robert Todd, Lab supervisor/program assistant

Robert Todd is the lab supervisor / program assistant (part-time) for the American Sign Language Interpreting Program and is primarily responsible for providing administrative support for the program director and the program’s faculty. Todd graduated from Gallaudet University in 2015 with a B.A. in sociology and received the Wright’s Mills Award in Sociology. He previously worked as a high school ASL teacher for Fort Bend Independent School District with additional experience in deaf education support. He is currently pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree in philosophy at the University of Houston.  


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Scot Pott, Instructional Associate Professor

Remembering Dr. Scot Pott (1964-2022)

Dr. Pott worked at University of Houston for almost a decade. He was an associate professor in our American Sign Language Interpreting program. Dr. Pott was passionate about American Sign Language (ASL) and training people to become interpreters. He earned his bachelor's degree from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., master's degree of Public Health from the School of Public Health at The University of Texas Health Science Center - Houston, and educational doctorate's degree in Deaf Studies and Deaf Education from Lamar University in Beamont, TX.  Dr. Pott taught ASL courses throughout Texas, Nevada, and Michigan for 25 years. His students appreciated patience, his willingness to explain things in multiple ways, and his larger-than-life energy in the classroom. His colleagues and students were inspired by his dedication to teaching, his commitment to expanding acceptance and accessibility, and his willingness to always fight for what is right. He was also active in a variety of Deaf organizations, including the Texas Association of the Deaf. In 2021, the organization honored him with an outstanding achievement award. He was also a member of as a Texas Board of Evaluator of Interpreters (BEI) rater for both Michigan and Texas. We miss him dearly, and we move our best to continue his legacy through our ASLI program at University of Houston.


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Chris Warmack, M.A., Adjunct Faculty

Chris Warmack is a third-generation member of the deaf community and is a fluent American Sign Language (ASL) user. He discovered his current career by teaching his hearing best friend how to sign ASL in high school. He received his Bachelor's degree in American Sign Language (ASL) and Minor in ASL linguistics in 2017, and Master's degree in Sign Language Education (MASLED) in 2019 from Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. His philosophy is that students of ASL should immerse themselves within the Deaf community, having regular communication with Deaf people, and practice using ASL everyday to enhance learning. 


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Aylin Castro, B.A., ASLI Academic Advisor

Aylin Castro received a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability Studies and in History from The University of Texas at Austin. She is the Academic Advisor for the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Undergraduate, Post-Baccalaureate Leveling, and American Sign Language Interpreting Programs. Aylin is passionate about helping students achieve their academic goals.