Meaghan Vehlies

Oregon – NIC

My name is Meaghan Vehlies and I have been a professional interpreter for 10 years. I attended RIT/NTID where I received my Bachelors in interpreting. My heart has always been in the community, and I have been working as a freelance interpreter my entire career.

I’ve worked in a number of environments to meet my clients needs including outdoor adventures, conferences, medical appointments, technical trainings, business meetings, post secondary, festivals, and for the US Navy. I specialize in DeafBlind Protactile interpreting and have volunteered as an SSP at Seabeck DeafBlind camp for 7 years.

In my community, I’m known for my love of the outdoors, and am regularly referred for specialized work. I have provided interpreting services for the Forestry Service, rock climbing festivals, REI camp outs, ice climbing clinics, mountaineering training, and snowshoe hikes. I have the gear, knowledge, and physicality to take on challenging assignments while providing excellent interpreting services.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with the Forestry Service multiple times including staff meetings, yearly reviews, tree felling trainings, cost estimate meetings, and logging surveillance.

As a freelance interpreter you have to be ready for anything, quick on your feet, and able to adapt. My years working as a freelancer have given me the tools to handle dynamically challenging situations.

I’m a strong advocate for partnering with Deaf and hearing clients to solidify sign/vocab choices, conceptual accuracy, and ensure smooth communication for all parties.