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OFFICIAL BIO: 

 

Samantha began her love for Sign Language at a camp she attended around 1980. There among the many available classes was Signed Music. She signed her first song, and was immediately hooked. From there, apparently a career was born, and it all started at an elementary school camp in the Big Bear Mountains of California. 

 

After Sign Language and Drama classes throughout her High School years, she was blessed to attend Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA, and there pursue a degree in Art/Theatre. With an ongoing passion for Signing she simultaneously enrolled in a formal Interpreting degree program from Palomar College in San Marcos, CA. Samantha became a ranked Theatrical Lighting Designer, and that love spurred her integration of Performance and Interpreting.

 

Her first concert interpreting assignment was in 1990 and it only took one concert to be permanently hooked on the integration of Sign and music. Samantha has now been interpreting for 30 years, and working in the Performance Interpreting setting for 29. In the midst of her career, she moved to Nashville to continue her Performance Interpreting pursuits and in 1999, she, along with several local Deaf consumers, began Gate Communications, with the collective goal of advancing Deaf accessibility, interpreting education, Deaf Community interactions, and ministerial outreach. Over her three decades of interpreting, Samantha has interpreted concerts from coast to coast, and provided services alongside Presidents, Country/Christian/Pop Artists, and internationally known speakers. She has taught private ASL/Interpreting classes for well over 25 years and spent 10 years as a collegiate instructor in an ITP/IPP. She has taught workshops in 26 states and 2 countries.  

 

Samantha has a deep love for foreign Sign Languages. She has experience signing in 5 foreign sign languages and interpreting in 2. She regularly interacts with foreign Deaf consumers living and traveling within the U.S. and outside our borders. Samantha has been working with the Mexican Deaf Community for 19 years. Samantha is the primary ASL/Interpreting instructor in Gate's ITP, and guides Gate's education department as she travels the country presenting at workshops. Her primary position is to serve as the Executive Director of Gate Communications, located in the Nashville area... Music City U.S.A.

 

2023 PRESENTERS:​

  • Patrick Johnson - Film / TV Actor 
    [Starring with actors like Halle Berry, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Corbett, John Stamos, etc.] 

  • Shannon Freeman - Freeman Protective Services

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2020 - 2022 ON HIATUS DURING COVID

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2019 PRESENTERS:​

  • Patrick Johnson - Film / TV Actor 
    [Starring with actors like Halle Berry, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Corbett, John Stamos, etc.] 

  • Kevin Andrews - Dancing With the Stars Choreographer & Movement Coach 

  • Holly Chapman - Music Industry Hair & Makeup Artist

  • Melissa Bubela - Concert Promoter 

  • Shannon Freeman - Freeman Protective Services

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2018 PRESENTERS:​

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2017 PRESENTERS:

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2016 PRESENTERS:

  • Josh Farro - Founding Member of the Group Paramore
    Grammy Award Winning, Platinum Artist / Songwriter

  • Tenille Arts - Country Artist

  • Lena Stone - Country Artist

  • Steve Flanigan - Hollywood Actor / Acting Coach / Songwriter / Artist / and Star Search Contestant

  • Paul Mitchell Rep 

 

2015 PRESENTERS:

  • Dan Haseltine - Lead Singer of Jars of Clay
    Grammy Award Winning, Dove Award Winning Artist with 22 Songs in Feature Films

  • Richie Edwards - Artist Rep (Little Big Town, Jars of Clay, Newsong)

  • Steve Flanigan - Hollywood Actor / Acting Coach / Songwriter / Artist / and Star Search Contestant

  • Paul Mitchell Rep ... Scheduled

 

2014 PRESENTERS:

  • Jennifer O'Neill - Actress / Author / Speaker / & Covergirl Super Model

  • Debbie Boone - Aveda Rep / Make-up & Hair Artist

  • Richie Edwards - Artist Rep (Little Big Town, Jars of Clay, Newsong)

 

2013 PRESENTERS:

  • Gary Morris - Broadway Principal Actor (The original American Jean Valjean!) & Country/Pop/Christian Artist & Writer

  • Jillian Doherty - Film/TV Make-Up & Hair Artistry

  • Richie Edwards - Artist Rep (Little Big Town, Jars of Clay, Newsong)

  • Dave Shirley - Industry Stage Manager & Sound Designer

 

2012 PRESENTERS:

  • Erika Page White- Actress known for her role on One Life to Live, the Real Lives of Nashville Wives, Wife of Bryan White

  • Michael O'Brien - Dove Award Winning, Grammy Nominated Christian Artist & trained Opera Singer

  • Jo Lynn Burks - Broadway Principal Performer

  • Lee Thomas Miller - ACM, CMA, & Grammy Nominated Country Music Writer known for his work with artists such as Rascall Flatts, Brad Paisley, Tom McGraw, John Michael Montgomery, and more!

  • Candace / Salon Affinity - Make-up & Hair Artist

 

 

 

 

 

PRESENTER MEDIA

Platinum Grammy winning artist/songwriter Kristian Bush of Sugarland (BSLN Class of 2017 Guest Speaker). This video is the featured song on "Say Yes to the Dress"  

Gary Morris (BSLN Class of 2013 speaker), the original American Jean Valjean, as he recorded the Les Mis Symphonic Recording.

Josh Farro (BSLN Class of 2016) from the Grammy Award winning group Paramore performing one of his most famous Platinum selling hits, Decode, featured in the movie Twilight. 

Dan Haseltine (BSLN Class of 2015) in Jars of Clay, performing his Grammy Award winning song "Flood". 

Presenters

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