Statewide Register of Interpreters

Statewide Register of Interpreters

Court Staff, Probation Staff and Court-Ordered Mediation

If an interpreter is needed during business hours, court and probation personnel need to email all interpreter requests to the Operations Team with the county name in the subject line.  Court and probation personnel should not be contacting the interpreters directly and scheduling interpreter services. The only exception is for unplanned probation needs outside of normal business hours.

The initial request needs to contain all the following information:

  • Language
  • Date
  • Start time of all court ordered meetings/hearings or probation activities
  • Name
  • Case Number
  • Charges
  • Courtroom #
  • Hearing Type
  • Judge's Name
  • Attorney's Name and/or PO's Name
  • Meeting Type (PSI, PDI, FTM…)
  • Expected Duration
  • Address where the interpreter needs to go
  • Contact person info

Court personnel should follow this formal request process even if the judge or clerk magistrate asked the interpreter on the record if they are available for the next court date.  This will ensure the Language Access Program can confirm an interpreter has been scheduled and ensure they are paid for their services. ​

Attorneys

The Language Access Program does not pay interpreters used to facilitate communication between an attorney and client outside of the hearing.  Interpreters can assist with brief conversations if time allows.  As a rule, attorneys should contract with interpreters when they need to meet with their clients to discuss their case, court processes, and strategy.  Use the Statewide Register of Interpreters to reach out to the interpreters for their current rates and availability. 

“To address these needs, the Nebraska Legislature, under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 and LB1014, set aside $500,000 in federal funds for Fiscal Years 2022-23 and 2023-24 to reimburse expenses incurred in the provision of qualified, licensed sign language interpreters (whether on-site or remote) throughout the state (including Lincoln and Omaha) to provide effective communication access services between attorneys and deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing individuals outside of the courtroom.”  Click here for more information or contact the Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  

Mental Health Board Hearings, Non-Court Ordered Mediation and State agencies

The Language Access Program does not pay for the interpreter when they are needed for Mental Health Board hearings, non-court ordered mediation or by other state agencies.  Use the Statewide Register of Interpreters to reach out to the interpreters for their current rates and availability.  

Workers Compensation Court

The Language Access Program will pay for the interpreter, but it is the employer’s obligation to schedule the interpreter.  Use the Statewide Register of Interpreters to find and secure an interpreter.  Please note that the Nebraska Supreme Court rule on interpreter payment rate must be adhered to, otherwise payment may be denied.    

Language(s) Name Type City Phone Email
Spanish Kelly Varguez Certified Omaha, NE 402-504-8170 Email
Spanish Ashley Villanueva Enriquez Certified Omaha, NE 402-917-8219 Email
Spanish Al Villarreal Certified Omaha, NE 402-660-4493 Email
Spanish Lesley Walker Certified Birmingham, AL 205-617-3726 Email
Spanish Irma Watt Certified Grand Island, NE 402-459-0058 Email
Spanish Barbara Yuruvich Arias Certified Lakewood, CO 970-361-0595 Email
Fur (Dar Fur), Juba Arabic, Sudanese Arabic, Nuba Moro Estella Abuelsheikh Other Grand Island, NE 308-379-8823 Email
Dinka, Sudanese Arabic Elizabeth Ajongo Other Omaha, NE 402-301-0904 Email
Dinka, Juba Arabic, Nuer, Sudanese Arabic Joseph Jok Other San Diego, CA 858-877-1436 Email
Dinka, Sudanese Arabic Dhalbeng Malual Other Bellevue, NE 402-315-8549 Email
Arabic, Kurdish, Sudanese Arabic Salim Merza Other Lincoln, NE 402-321-3361 Email
Arabic, Sudanese Arabic Tara Trindle Other Omaha, NE 402-649-1352 Email
Sudanese Arabic, Juba Arabic Sawsan Abugosseia Certified Prospect, KY 502-553-1521 Email
Swahili Godlove Lekule Other Lincoln, NE 402-580-7303 Email
Kisii, Mai Mai, Somali, Swahili Abukar Madimba Other Omaha, NE 402-917-2078 Email
French, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Swahili Jacques Mucapa Other Lincoln, NE 402-805-3674 Email
Ilocano, Tagalog Angelo Abella Other Seattle, WA 206-391-7942 Email
Tagalog Anabelle Paghiligan-Wall Other Papillion, NE 402-594-9438 Email
Tagalog Loraine Perez Other Lincoln, NE 402-802-8110 Email
Tamil Premnath Singh Hukumsingh Other Omaha, NE 713-927-0070 Email
Portuguese, Tarahumara Dale Taylor Other Detroit, MI 402-841-0887 Email
Telugu Subbanna Varanasi Other Des Moines, IA 515-450-7052 Email
Lao, Thai Tamni Sundling Other Alda, NE 308-382-0887 Email
Lao, Thai Joseph Tasma Other Livonia, MI 419-973-4995 Email
Thai Chinnapat Wirachakul Other Omaha, NE 402-319-7610 Email
Turkish Jale Bryan Other Bellevue, NE 402-616-9919 Email
Azerbaijani (Northern & Southern), Persian/Farsi/Dari, Tajik, Turkish Manouchehr Mahmoudzadeh Other Fair Oaks, CA 916-969-0889 Email
Ukrainian, Russian Serhiy Horokhovskyy Other Lincoln, NE 402-853-6083 Email
Russian, Ukrainian Oleg Stepanyuk Other Lincoln, NE 402-610-2618 Email
Ukrainian Iouri Surnik Other Minneapolis, MN 612-203-0908 Email
Russian, Ukrainian Nick Nersesian Registered Lincoln, NE 402-314-4441 Email
Persian/Farsi/Dari, Pashto, Urdu Baktash Babagul Other Lincoln, NE 402-480-4181 Email
Persian/Farsi/Dari, Urdu Saira Babagul Other Lincoln, NE 402-470-7642 Email
Persian/Farsi/Dari, Tajik, Urdu Nadia Bessembinders Other Gretna, NE 402-320-0536 Email
Pashto, Persian/Farsi/Dari, Urdu Feriedoon Ghulamhassan Other Lincoln, NE 402-318-4024 Email
Pashto, Persian/Farsi/Dari, Urdu Mirwais Shinwari Other Omaha, NE 402-218-6656 Email
Arabic, Hindi, Persian/Farsi/Dari, Punjabi, Urdu Sajjad Hamandi Registered Washington, DC 717-253-7632 Email
Uzbek, Russian Zarina Usmanova Other Omaha, NE 402-214-9023 Email
Vietnamese Sa Fielder Other Omaha, NE 402-281-8307 Email
Vietnamese Maizuyen Nguyen Other Lincoln, NE 402-304-5327 Email