Leslie Janda Decker

Leslie has been a full-time lecturer at the University of Arizona since 2010, where she teaches American Sign Language (from introductory to advanced levels), Deaf Studies, and Interpreting courses. With a strong commitment to education and community, she has been actively involved with the Deaf community in Tucson for many years and continues to stay engaged through outreach and service.

She maintains strong connections with Deaf individuals in Tucson and beyond, inviting them to serve as mentors for University of Arizona students each semester—helping to create meaningful, real-world learning experiences.

Mentoring students in Deaf Studies and Interpreting programs has been one of the most rewarding aspects of her work, and she takes pride in supporting the next generation of professionals in the field.

She holds a Master-level certification from the American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) and is a certified Deaf Interpreter with Arizona D Legal licensure. She was honored to receive the “Best Teacher of Deaf Studies” award at the University of Arizona.

Her professional involvement includes serving two years on the board of the National Deaf Interpreters, as well as a one-year term as President of the Gallaudet University Alumni Association – Tucson Chapter. She is currently in her second year on the Professional Development Committee for the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), where she helps review and approve CEU opportunities for certified interpreters. Additionally, she has served for six years on the Awards Committee for the Conference of Interpreter Trainers (CIT).