The LotuSIGN Core Team
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the Live Music Capital of the World, LotuSIGN leads the industry in integrating music and performance into American Sign Language.
Our experienced team understands the artistic nature of the work, and ensures that the Deaf and Hard of Hearing audience has access to the content, message, spirit, and artistic quality of concerts, festivals, conferences, and plays.
Originally founded as Alive Performance Interpreting (API), LotuSIGN has grown into a service offered nationwide.
Performance & Live Music Interpreting
LotuSIGN is unique because of its ability to provide Performance and Live Music Interpreting.
The artistic interpretations of language, sound, and rhythm, performed by LotuSIGN interpreters, give a true visual representation of what the music sounds like. We are very popular with venues and general hearing audiences who typically enjoy watching them as much as the deaf and hard of hearing attendees.
LotuSIGN’s long term success is due to our dedication to providing accurate, conceptual meaning to the deaf audience. LotuSIGN, through years of interpreting in these settings, has developed a methodology for interpreting and working as a team for the best possible visual representation of an artist’s work.
Meet the Core Team
Barbie Parker, Executive Director
LotuSIGN was founded by Barbie Parker, veteran performance interpreter and music lover. Barbie is a Texas native, resides in Austin, holds a degree in Interpreting for the Deaf, holds BEI Advanced Certification, has 16 years experience in all aspects of interpreting, 26 years in business, and to date has interpreted for more than 550 performances, including concerts, festivals, theater, children’s theater, musicals, professional sporting events, spiritual retreats, and national conferences.
She is Executive Director of North American Association of Performance Interpreters (www.NAAPI.org) which establishes nationwide standards for music and performance interpreting. She is devoted to the deaf culture which lends itself to her work. She is grateful for Deaf/Hard of Hearing mentors and peers which lead her on her path. Barbie is embroiled in a love affair with language and music. She delves into music and the research of lyrics. She advises businesses, events, and venues and works pre-festivals to assure access and ADA compliance. Barbie leads the industry in performance interpreting.
Amber Galloway
Amber Galloway, Houston, Texas, holds a degree in Interpreting for the Deaf, as well as Psychology, is a current graduate school student and is adjunct faculty for Cy-fair Community College where she teaches interpreting. She has interpreted well over 300 performances, and coordinated the music interpreters for the San Antonio Livestock Show & Rodeo for years before her move to Houston.
Along with concert interpreting, she also interprets musicals and operas, presents workshops, and teaches music interpreting throughout the country. She is passionate about music and prides herself in interpreting music into conceptual ASL in a lyrically fluid manner maintaining the beauty, integrity and meaning that the artist is conveying. Currently, she is Texas B.E.I. Level V, Texas B.E.I. Oral Certified: Comp, National R.I.D. CI and CT, R.I.D. and N.A.D NIC.
Tresa holds a degree in Interpreting from Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf in Big Spring Texas. She became involved in interpreting after seeing music interpreting and falling in love with the beauty of it. She has been interpreting professionally for 21 years in various settings with her emphasis in performance.
Tresa is nationally certified with RID and has NIC and CIC certification. She also holds Level IV and Masters Certification in the State of Texas. Tresa has experience with more than 300 interpreted musical performances and shows. She has deep roots in the deaf community and is a strong advocate for access. Along with her knack for scheduling and administration, Tresa is most widely known and valued for her beautiful performance work. She is also devoted to legal interpreting.
Lucy Brotherton
Lucy began her current career as a teacher for the deaf with a long history at Texas School for the Deaf, before becoming a certified Level III interpreter in Texas. She has a deep respect for the Deaf community and it’s language. She has interpreted in the festival circuit for two years and has interpreted over 130 performances.
Lucy’s transition to performance interpreting was the perfect next step in her journey. She has a BA in Art, a deeply ingrained love of music, and a vinyl collection of close to 1, 000 LPs. She also houses a staggering library of CDs and an unparalleled online music catalog. Lucy grew up in a house that breathed music and can cite almost any artist and lyric.
… and our peeps
Marquette Laquey, Lead Understudy/Lead Assistant
Marquette Laquey was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She obtained her associates degree in Austin and she is an intern in pursuit of her Bachelors’ degree in Interpreting at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. She has had the pleasure of being with the team for over four years and is now both the Lead assistant and Lead Understudy for the team. She fell in love with music interpreting for the first time when she saw a grand performance of a pristine musical interpretation. She loves to eat chocolate, watch movies, and go dancing. Aside from those hobbies, she is passionate about her work which has lead her to various interpreting opportunities. Now she is continuing to better herself by learning from the best interpreters and learning the business with dreams of being at the top of this field.
Jordan William-Aurelius Parker, Production Chief
Devin Parker, Production Chief
Lauren Kinast, Deaf Community Liaison
Leisha Barnette, Production Assistant
Scott Mosley, Acting Volunteer Liaison