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
Certified Deaf Interpreter Cody McEvoy Other Omaha, NE 402-201-6188 TEXT ONLY Email
American Sign Language Katrina Watton Certified Omaha, NE 402-570-8802 Email
Kisii, Mai Mai, Somali, Swahili Abukar Madimba Other Omaha, NE 402-917-2078 Email
Spanish Martha Brester Certified Omaha, NE 402-203-5413 Email
Chinese Mandarin Claudio Huang Certified Omaha, NE 402-671-9808 Email
Q'anjobal Ramirez De Ramirez-Juan Other Omaha, NE 660-233-2242 Email
American Sign Language Kathy Rocco Other Omaha, NE 402-201-7704 Email
Thai Chinnapat Wirachakul Other Omaha, NE 402-319-7610 Email
Russian Tatyana Novikov Other Omaha, NE 402-996-0802 Email
Deaf Interpreter Carol Manning Other Omaha, NE 402-216-6487 TEXT ONLY Email
Akateco, Q'anjobal Juana Diego Other Omaha, NE 402-378-0437 Email
Spanish Carmen Novoa Registered Omaha, NE 402-203-5833 Email
Tamil Premnath Singh Hukumsingh Other Omaha, NE 713-927-0070 Email
Arabic, Sudanese Arabic Tara Trindle Other Omaha, NE 402-649-1352 Email
Spanish Caden Tait Certified Omaha, NE 719-373-7862 Email
Czech Petr Hoferek Other Omaha, NE 402-203-2816 Email
Spanish Tara Jackson-Sanchez Registered Omaha, NE 402-321-9228 Email
French Bryan Watkins Other Omaha, NE 402-990-9717 Email
American Sign Language Pamela Duncan Certified Omaha, NE 402-578-2408 Email
Burmese, Karen Sunkist Judson Other Omaha, NE 531-215-3299 Email
Spanish Olivia Brockman Certified Omaha, NE 402-238-4397 Email
Spanish Frankie MacGregor Certified Omaha, NE 402-905-8535
Burmese, Karen Starbright Judson Other Omaha, NE 531-777-2066 Email
Spanish Ashley Villanueva Enriquez Certified Omaha, NE 402-917-8219 Email
Uzbek, Russian Zarina Usmanova Other Omaha, NE 402-214-9023 Email
Persian/Farsi/Dari, Russian Farzona Komilova Other Omaha, NE 402-813-8888 Email
Hindi, Gujarati Shivani Patel Other Omaha, NE 402-490-3124 Email
Spanish Lilia Bustos Certified Omaha, NE 402-218-8915 Email
Oromo, Amharic Ashenafi Ejjigu Other Omaha, NE 651-399-2230 Email
Spanish Zaida Falcon Registered Omaha, NE 402-690-1379 Email
Chinese Mandarin Leslie Shi Other Omaha, NE 402-617-4876 Email
Hmong Naima Lo Other Omaha, NE 402-208-6546 Email
Certified Deaf Interpreter Shawn Shannon Certified Omaha, NE 402-999-6440 TEXT ONLY Email
Korean Lee Pankowski Other Omaha, NE 402-250-2652 Email
German, Portuguese, Russian Andrej Schergin Other Omaha, NE 402-469-7100 Email
Nepali Yadu Sapkota Other Omaha, NE 402-301-4782 Email
Vietnamese Myhanh Che Registered Omaha, NE 402-350-3799 Email
CART Mydge Heaney Omaha, NE 402-889-2950 Email
Chinese Mandarin Wei Whitbeck Registered Omaha, NE 402-556-3661 Email
Burmese, Karen Morics Moo Other Omaha, NE 402-871-9991 Email