FOUNDER/INSTRUCTOR
P Lanette Pinkard, BBS, DD, NIC Master
The founder, Lanette Pinkard, is a nationally certified Sign-language Interpreter (SLI) who has been in the profession for 42 years. Lanette started My Hands Your Heart, Inc. (MHYH) in 2007 and changed it to an LLC in 2010. Under the umbrella of MHYH, Lanette developed the Cruise Interpreter Academy™.
Lanette is a creative visionary and leader who loves people and unity! She is an innovative and decisive leader who develops training to enhance professional and interpersonal skills that unite Communities and organizations. Through her strong leadership and instruction, she inspires, motivates, and empowers others to overcome obstacles and attain goals in the interpreting profession that creates successful stories in their careers. Lanette has recently been featured in Forbes magazine under the article:
"Ten Leadership Lessons to Get a Jumpstart on 2022"! She has also been published in several online articles regarding her Cruise Interpreter Academy in the California News Observer, Today in Travel, Tourism Industry News, and Entrepreneurship Reporter.
Lanette loves to travel and serve Deaf guests working with a team of interpreters. She has completed over 100 cruise interpreting assignments in only ten years. She developed the Cruise Interpreter
Academy™ in 2015 after being constantly pursued by Deaf guests to lead on their cruise vacations because of complaints of unethical ASL interpreters they experienced on other sailings. This was due to inconsistencies, lack of organization, no cruise interpreting industry standards, or cohesiveness among sign-language interpreters. Under Lanette's leadership, Deaf guests and interpreters work fluently together to make their cruise experience memorable.
Administrative Assistant
M. Lisa Lockley, MA
Lisa Lockley attended the first Cruise Interpreter Academy out of New York in August 2018. Lisa earned her Master's degree in Liberal Arts studies. Her strength in research, organization and attention to detail has improved the viability of My Hands Your Heart, LLC and the Cruise Interpreter Academy. Lisa travels with Lanette as passengers with Deaf groups to various destinations to increase her knowledge of the needs of Deaf travelers.
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