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
Chinese Mandarin Zhaoyan Zhang Non-certified Lincoln, NE 402-617-6952 Email
Uzbek, Russian Zarina Usmanova Non-certified Omaha, NE 402-214-9023 Email
Spanish Zaida Falcon Registered Omaha, NE 402-690-1379 Email
Korean YoYo Yong Beom Kim Certified Chicago, IL 773-793-6266 Email
Korean Young Lee Certified Olympia, WA 360-789-3186 Email
Arabic Yaser Eddmeiri Non-certified Lincoln, NE 402-525-4256 Email
Nepali Yadu Sapkota Non-certified Omaha, NE 402-301-4782 Email
Polish Wojciech “Voight” Stremel Certified Chicago, IL 773-251-4416 Email
Chinese Mandarin Wei Whitbeck Registered Omaha, NE 402-556-3661 Email
Spanish Vladimir Bazan Certified Lincoln, NE 402-805-0197 Email
Sinhalese Vishaka Smith Shoreline, WA 206-790-9306 Email
Romanian Vincent Simic Non-certified Lincoln, NE 402-314-5019 Email
Hatian Creole Viking Merceron Certified Kennesaw, GA 678-557-1055 Email
Russian Victoria Welles Certified Lincoln,, NE 402-770-1176 Email
Akateco, Q'anjobal, Chuj Victor Enrique Lopez Diego Non-certified Los Angeles, CA 213-725-6567 Email
Cambodian Vannara Lim Non-certified Tacoma, WA 253-678-9270 Email
Hmong Tou Ja-Vue Yang Certified St. Paul, MN 651-253-3350 Email
Hmong Tou Houa Lee Certified Oakdale, MN 651-442-7014 Email
Samoan Tiva Aga Non-certified Fife, WA 253-993-8697 Email
Spanish Teresa Ost Certified Matlacha, FL 239-471-4900 Email
Russian Tatyana Novikov Non-certified Omaha, NE 402-996-0802 Email
Romanian Tatiana Narzarco Certified Mercer Island, WA 206-619-5655 Email
Arabic, Sudanese Arabic Tara Trindle Non-certified Omaha, NE 402-649-1352 Email
Spanish Tara Jackson-Sanchez Registered Omaha, NE 402-321-9228 Email
Lao, Thai Tamni Sundling Non-certified Alda, NE 308-382-0887 Email
Spanish Sylvia Gaylord Murray Certified Golden, CO 617-947-6218 Email
Persian/Farsi/Dari, Armenian (Eastern) Suzelle Aghamalian Non-certified Chagrin Falls, OH 440-364-0300 Email
Burmese, Karen Sunkist Judson Non-certified Omaha, NE 531-215-3299 Email
Telugu Subbanna Varanasi Non-certified Des Moines, IA 515-450-7052 Email
Burmese, Karen Starbright Judson Non-certified Omaha, NE 531-777-2066 Email
Spanish Stacey Con Certified Lexington, NE 308-746-2623 Email
K'iche Sixta Sass Non-certified Port Orchard, WA 360-876-7140 Email
Hindi, Gujarati Shivani Patel Non-certified Omaha, NE 402-490-3124 Email
Spanish Shelly Hodges Certified Beatrice, NE 712-204-4815 Email
Certified Deaf Interpreter Shawn Shannon Certified Omaha, NE 402-999-6440 TEXT ONLY Email
Ukrainian, Russian Serhiy Horokhovskyy Non-certified Lincoln, NE 402-853-6083 Email
Amharic, Tigrinya Selam Legesse Non-certified Washington, DC 202-299-4958 Email
Sudanese Arabic, Juba Arabic Sawsan Abugosseia Certified Prospect, KY 502-553-1521 Email
Arabic Sawsan Abugosseia Certified Prospect, KY 502-553-1521 Email
Japanese Satoshi Machida Non-certified Kearney, NE 402-219-3352 Email