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
Dinka, Juba Arabic, Nuer, Sudanese Arabic Joseph Jok Other San Diego, CA 858-877-1436 Email
Lao, Thai Joseph Tasma Other Livonia, MI 419-973-4995 Email
Portuguese Joshua Pryor Other Lincoln, NE 402-290-9835 Email
Akateco, Chuj, Q'anjobal Juan de Juan Mateo Other Los Angeles, CA 213-247-4247 Email
Spanish Juan Perez Registered Lincoln, NE 402-540-4738 Email
Akateco, Q'anjobal Juana Diego Other Omaha, NE 402-378-0437 Email
Spanish Julie Sellers Certified Atchison, KS 913-370-5022 Email
American Sign Language Kathy Rocco Other Omaha, NE 402-201-7704 Email
American Sign Language Katrina Watton Certified Omaha, NE 402-570-8802 Email
Hmong Kazoua Yang Certified White Bear Township, MN 651-707-3928 Email
Nuer Keak Kierkok Other Bellevue, NE 402-706-6086 Email
American Sign Language Kelly Brakenhoff Certified Lincoln, NE 402-440-5237 Email
Spanish Kelly Varguez Certified Omaha, NE 402-504-8170 Email
Vietnamese Kenneth Hoang Certified Thorton, CO 720-987-5824 Email
Spanish Kevin Lunt Certified Omaha, NE 402-706-2117 Email
Arabic, Kurdish Khalaf Hesso Other Lincoln, NE 402-310-3703 Email
Burmese Kham Noam Nang Other Lincoln, NE 402-770-7256 Email
Karen Khu Say Other Lincoln, NE 402-405-2290 Email
Deaf Interpreter Kim Davis Other Lincoln, NE 402-405-8786 Email
Hindi, Nepali Kumar Gurung Other Omaha, NE 402-812-5616 Email
Vietnamese Lana Nguyen Certified Prior Lake, MN 612-501-8072 Email
Spanish Laura Garcia-Hein Certified Bennington, NE 402-661-7307 Email
Vietnamese Lauren Tran Certified Aravada, CO 720-360-9747 Email
Korean Lee Pankowski Other Omaha, NE 402-250-2652 Email
Spanish Lesley Walker Certified Birmingham, AL 205-617-3726 Email
Chinese Mandarin Leslie Shi Other Omaha, NE 402-617-4876 Email
Spanish Lilia Bustos Certified Omaha, NE 402-218-8915 Email
Spanish Lissette Gilster Registered Lincoln, NE 402-326-3956 Email
Liberian, Krio, Bassa Lois Akumeh Other Lincoln, NE 402-560-1124 Email
Tagalog Loraine Perez Other Lincoln, NE 402-802-8110 Email
Chinese Cantonese, Chinese Mandarin Luna Tsang-Sahs Other Cook, NE 402-304-0033 Email
Vietnamese Maizuyen Nguyen Other Lincoln, NE 402-304-5327 Email
Azerbaijani (Northern & Southern), Persian/Farsi/Dari, Tajik, Turkish Manouchehr Mahmoudzadeh Other Fair Oaks, CA 916-969-0889 Email
Spanish Marcela Chudomelka Registered Ralston, NE 402-905-8630 Email
Chuukese Marcus Dipwek Other Beaverton, OR 503-593-0156 Email
American Sign Language Margaret Propp Certified Lincoln, NE 402-314-3182 Email
Spanish Maria Easterday Certified Eustis, NE 308-320-4037 Email
Spanish Maria Izabel Chavez Certified Dallas, TX 402-992-2911 Email
Spanish Maria Reutlinger Registered Lexington, NE 308-325-6195 Email
Spanish Marilyn Morales-Toppi Registered Papillion, NE 402-660-1014 Email