Paula Kay Clark

Paula is a recently returned Minnesotan native, she has lived in Charlotte, DC, San Diego, Seattle, Austin, and now Minneapolis. While she is new to mentoring interpreters, she is not new to connecting with people in many different ways. She graduated from Gallaudet with a degree in Mental Health Counseling, and her career has involved counseling, advocacy, trauma-informed advocacy and supervision, and interpreting. She currently works as a manager in the Disability Resource Center at University of Minnesota Twin Cities.

Paula is a child and sibling of Deaf and DeafBlind folks, and this has given her a fair share of interpreting stories, from both sides of the table. When Paula began her journey as an interpreter, she gained new perspective on what it means to be an interpreter and a consumer, and the power dynamics at play within the interpreter/consumer roles. In any human service role, there is a powerful dynamic between the consumer and provider, and it is our responsibility to examine ourselves within that dynamic.

Paula enjoys spending time with her loved ones and her dogs. She enjoys being out in nature just as much as she enjoys cuddling up with a good movie or book. Paula tries to stay curious, learning from others and examining herself with the belief that our potential for growth and love is infinite.

As a mentor, Paula aims to offer space for conversations about roles and responsibility in interpreting, as well as offer support and feedback with ASL structure, English to ASL interpretation and cultural mediation. Her goal is to connect with mentees to develop confidence, humility, compassion and skills. She will test your receptive skills!