JANNA M. SWEENIE BIOGRAPHY
This is Janna M. Sweenie's narrative biography!

Janna's latest book concerning Deaf Culture and learning American Sign Language is Picture Yourself Learning American Sign Language, Level 1 written with David W. Boles and Published by Cengage Learning.

The book includes a DVD so you can "learn along" with Janna in a vibrant and interactive manner.

Every single color is power-packed with full-color images of Janna signing.

You will go wild for the "Pick and Say Rubric" that makes learning ASL fun and so simple!

Her website portal Hardcore ASL is up and running. 

Her first book on Deafnes and ASL was Hand Jive: American Sign Languagefor Real Life published by Barnes and Noble New York was also written with David W. Boles, MFA.

Another project is Bad Baby Signs: Words No Infant Should Know! -- a delightful look at the Baby Signs Movement including vocabularly and signs and phrases and it is written with David W. Boles.

Janna’s medical interpreting experience is deep and far. 

Her volunteer work in the Deaf Community is unparalleled for its dedication, love and drive to keep the language and culture of American Sign Language alive.

She works with hospital interpreting programs to help them create an Americans with Disabilities Act compliant professional grade interpreting program for patients.

 

When Janna was Senior Counselor for the New York Society for the Deaf’s Tanya Tower Housing Project in Manhattan, she would regularly interpret for her clients in a wide variety of medical situations:  Emergency Room, Doctor’s Office, Ambulance call or Fire Department first responders. 

As the Building Manager for NYSD’s Co-Op City apartment complex in the Bronx, Janna did emergency interpreting – problem pregnancies, open wounds, overdoses, fist fights, spousal abuse – for first responders and hospital emergency rooms both for the Hearing and for her Deaf residents. 

Janna’s rare gift is that of the middleman stuck, but balancing, between two worlds – the Deaf and the Hearing – and she is able to successfully facilitate meaning and understanding between a vast gap of language inadequacies in life and death situations.

Janna Sweenie has been teaching American Sign Language levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 at New York University in the Department of Applied Pyschological Studies for over 15 years. 

Other American Sign Language teaching credits include Montclair State University, CUNY-Lehman College, CUNY-LaGuardia College, The College of New Rochelle, the Hotel Macklowe and Catholic Charities of Brooklyn.

Janna also teaches American Sign Language for NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies at the Center for Foreign Languages and Translation and she teaches Baby Signs and Baby Street Signs to parents and infants everywhere!

Janna Sweenie was proud to make her Broadway debut interpreting the hit musical revival of 42ndStreet for the Theatre Development Fund's interpreted performance.

Born Deaf in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Janna attended the Iowa School for the Deaf until she graduated from High School. She was granted her B.A. in Psychology from Lehman College in New York City. 

Janna was honored to be one of Lehman's first Deaf graduates. Ms. Sweenie's M.A. in Deafness Rehabilitation is from NYU.

Janna is active in the Deaf Communities of New York and New Jersey and she has been thrilled to teach in The Juilliard School's Interpreting for the Theatre program for over four years.

(Note on some Images -- Janna and Bob LoPoro interpreting a scene together from  the Juilliard / Theatre Development Fund performance.)

She also served as an interpreter advisor for the Theatre Development Fund's performances of Hamlet and The Producers on Broadway.

Janna enjoys the Interpreting for the Theatre season where she served as Juilliard's Class Project Advisor for the Broadway production of Thoroughly Modern Millie.

She served the same role for Phantom of the Opera and she was an Interpreter Advisor for the Theatre Development Fund's interpreted performance of The Producers on Broadway.

Janna will also serve on Juilliard's Deaf Involvement Panel.

She has served as a valuable member ofthe Theater Development Fund's performances for the Deaf for many years. 

Janna Sweenie was an interpreter for the TDF's interpreted performance of 42nd Street on Broadway and the Broadway revival of Flower Drum Song. 

She was a Hands On interpreter advisor for the Broadway show Hamlet and a TDF interpreteradvisor for Wonderful Town.

Janna also interpreted the national tour of 42nd Street in Philadelphia.  She also has interpreted songs written and performed by Cyndi Lauper in New York City.

Janna is a Managing Editor for GO INSIDE Magazine for over a decade where 2.5 million monthly readers are served and she is a proud member of The United Stage andis deeply involved in the program in Dramatic Medicine.

Janna was actively involved in Project Liberty where the heavy consequences of September 11 are dealt with in an appropriate and positive way.

Janna Sweenie presently works full time for the New York State Department of Education.

Certification in American Sign Language: SPCI - Rated "Superior Plus" 9/04/02