Sachiko Flores was born profoundly Deaf in New Mexico and grew up in Texas with her Japanese-Mexican family. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Science at TexasA &M University in 2011. When she went on study abroad in Fiji and Australia, she was inspired to study more about natural resources and conservation, so she decided to joined AmeriCorps and worked in various conservation corps programs.

Working with local communities and in conservation field influenced her decision to graduate with a Masters in International Development from Gallaudet University in 2014. From there, she worked for Asia Pacific Development Center on Disability in Thailand for almost 2 years. She assisted to initiate a project, 60+ Bakery and Cafe, that promote an accessible and barrier-free, inclusive bakery and cafe for all people in society. She also facilitated a regional training of women with disabilities in South Asia to take part in the discussion process of the Beijing+20 Review at the Asian and Pacific Conference on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment.

After coming back to the U.S., she saw the chance to create a new opportunity in expanding Deaf representatives in the outdoor community. This led her co-founding an non-profit organization, CorpsTHAT, in 2016. Not only she is dedicated to community involvement, she also promotes Deaf ecosystem.

Other than engaging with international community, she enjoys doing some hobbies including hiking, running, crafting, sewing, woodworking and repairing bicycles.

Caroline K. Koo, originally from New York City, has multiple roles in Austin, Texas, her hometown. She is an Adjunct Professor of the Strategies for College Success course and a Tutoring Specialist at Austin Community College. She also assists the Deans with registration during each session. Moreover, she is a doctorate student in Deaf Studies Deaf Education at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Her research interests include mental health, language deprivation, and intersectionality. She enjoys giving back to her community through volunteer work with different projects. She also loves spending quality time with family and good friends, reading, and pursuing creative arts. She dotes on her nephew, a toddler, in Hong Kong.

Travis Zornoza is originally from the bluegrass state, Kentucky. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Gallaudet University in year 2013. He currently lives in Los Angeles. He worked as an accountant for Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc. While he worked there, he returned to school and got Master’s Degree in Financial & Accounting Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in year 2016. Shortly after, He transferred and worked for Space & Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base as a Budget Analyst. He is now owning his own accounting business with TZORNOZA, LLC by providing accounting, consulting, and educating small businesses nationwide. During his time at TZORNOZA, LLC, he also currently studying and pursuing to become Certified Public Accountant.

His passion is to help small businesses with an understanding of the financial measurements that indicate the health of their businesses and empower the businesses their ways toward profitability included to increase their cash flow, bottom line, and overall business value through advanced financial analysis using the QuickBooks Online platform.

During his free time, he loves to spending time with his wife, hiking, doing CrossFit, and reading books.

Dr. Franklin C. Torres is a native of Peru and came to the United States when he was 17 years old. He obtained a Ph.D. in Post-Secondary and Adult Education from Capella University in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2011. He earned an MA in Deaf Education from Gallaudet in 2002, and was the recipient of the Daniel T. Cloud Award. In 2004, he received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from the Gallaudet University Alumni Association. His 2011 doctoral dissertation was entitled, "An Examination of Literacy Experiences in First Generation Deaf Latino College Students.

Dr. Torres has worked at Gallaudet since 2002. He is involved in teaching a variety of developmental non-credit and credit courses in the English Department. He has also taught interdisciplinary courses within the GSR Program. He especially enjoys teaching deaf Latino topics/issues. He has served on departmental and university faculty committees including the University Senate. He was a Gallaudet Office of Diversity and Inclusion's Faculty Fellow. He is a key member of the Leadership Council of the Faculty of Color Coalition.

In addition, Dr. Torres is actively involved in various organizations at the local, national, and international level. He is one of the founders and served two terms as the President of the Latino Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association of the Metropolitan DC Area. He is also the current Treasurer of LDHHAMDC. In the past, he was Treasurer and served on the Board of Trustees for the National Council of Hispano Deaf and Hard of Hearing (now known as Manos de Council). He is fluent in Peruvian Sign Language (LSP), and Spanish. During his free time, he enjoys cooking, woodworking, filming, and spending time with his family.

Searls, a Deaf person and native American Sign Language user, hails from Rochester, NY, from a culturally Deaf family. Searls joined DDW in 2008 after spending nearly a year teaching at a deaf university in Changchun, China, and was the catalyst behind DDW’s move to non-profit status. He served as a full-time volunteer from 2008 until 2013, at which point he became a paid employee of DDW as Executive Director.

Under direction of DDW’s Board of Directors, Searls was responsible for leading DDW toward the realization of its vision and consistent achievement of its organizational mission, strategic goals and financial objectives. Searls has managed two federal grants with a cumulative budget of over $600,000.

Searls has given presentations on human rights, advocacy, and diversity within the global Deaf community to audiences from around the world. He has also conducted leadership, teambuilding, and organizational development training with Deaf community leaders in several regions of the Philippines and throughout five cities in India, including over 400 representatives at the National Association of the Deaf Grassroots Leadership Conference.

Since 2012, Searls has chaired the International Experts Group of the National Association of the Deaf, the premier civil rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the USA.

A lifelong advocate, perpetual traveler, and visionary, Searls holds a BA in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College.

Native to Rochester NY, Justice is a co-founder of DDW and dedicated over 12,000 volunteer hours to the start up of this organization since its inception in 2006. He is currently serving a Staff Support position, is an active member of DDW’s Executive, Strategic Planning, Fund Development, and Governance Committees, and has had in-depth involvement with DDW’s management and operations.

Under grants funded by the US Department of State and US Agency for International Development, Justice has served as DDW's Program Coordinator to provide capacity building and organizational development training to the Philippine Federation of the Deaf. He also coordinated DDW Journeys to Costa Rica, Thailand, and Cambodia. In addition, Justice has networked with approximately 300 Deaf schools and associations in fifty countries on behalf of DDW.

Justice first learned American Sign Language in 2000 and quickly became involved with the Deaf community. He formerly served as a counselor for the Aspen Camp School for the Deaf, worked on language development research for the Colorado Home Intervention Program, and as an ASL/English interpreter. Justice also established a supportive employment service center for the Southwest Washington Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and worked part time as a job developer for D&T Services and the Rochester School for the Deaf. He earned a B.A. in Sociology from Ithaca College with concentrations in Clinical Sociology and the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System and studied abroad in London, England and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He holds an A.A.S. in ASL/English Interpreter Preparation from Front Range Community College.

Justice believes the power of education is an essential tool to eliminating ignorance and strives to be an intermediary of cultural understanding between Deaf and hearing worlds. When not on the go with DDW, he is running, skiing, or seeking new adventures.

Christy Smith is a co-founder of Discovering Deaf Worlds. During DDW's 2007-2008 World Tour, she connected with over 100 deaf associations, schools and non-profit organizations and interviewed community leaders in eight countries. Smith co-directed DDW’s first documentary, Discovering: Shuktara and has served as a volunteer coordinator for Shuktara.

Originally from Basalt, CO, Smith graduated from Gallaudet University with a B.A. in Criminology and Sociology. After surviving 33 out of 39 days as a contestant on CBS's Survivor: The Amazon (2003), she became a well known role model to the deaf community. Smith directed and co-produced a children's television show called Christy's Kids: Challenge Yourself, and has visited over 100 schools and organizations across North America as a motivational speaker. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science degree in Secondary Education at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Sachiko Flores was born profoundly Deaf in New Mexico and grew up in Texas with her Japanese-Mexican family. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Texas A&M University in 2011. When she went on study abroad in Fiji and Australia, she was inspired to study more about natural resources and conservation, so she decided to joined AmeriCorps and worked in various conservation corps programs.

Working with local communities and in conservation field influenced her decision to graduate with a Masters in International Development from Gallaudet University in 2014. From there, she worked for Asia Pacific Development Center on Disability in Thailand for almost 2 years. She assisted to initiate a project, 60+ Bakery and Cafe, that promote an accessible and barrier-free, inclusive bakery and cafe for all people in society. She also facilitated a regional training of women with disabilities in South Asia to take part in the discussion process of the Beijing+20 Review at the Asian and Pacific Conference on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment.

After coming back to the U.S., she saw the chance to create a new opportunity in expanding Deaf representatives in the outdoor community. This led her co-founding an non-profit organization, CorpsTHAT, in 2016. Not only she is dedicated to community involvement, she also promotes Deaf ecosystem.

Other than engaging with international community, she enjoys doing some hobbies including hiking, running, crafting, sewing, woodworking and repairing bicycles.

Caroline K. Koo, originally from New York City, has multiple roles in Austin, Texas, her hometown. She is an Adjunct Professor of the Strategies for College Success course and a Tutoring Specialist at Austin Community College. She also assists the Deans with registration during each session. Moreover, she is a doctorate student in Deaf Studies Deaf Education at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Her research interests include mental health, language deprivation, and intersectionality. She enjoys giving back to her community through volunteer work with different projects. She also loves spending quality time with family and good friends, reading, and pursuing creative arts. She dotes on her nephew, a toddler, in Hong Kong.

Travis Zornoza is originally from the bluegrass state, Kentucky. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Gallaudet University in year 2013. He currently lives in Los Angeles. He worked as an accountant for Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc. While he worked there, he returned to school and got Master’s Degree in Financial & Accounting Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in year 2016. Shortly after, He transferred and worked for Space & Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base as a Budget Analyst. He is now owning his own accounting business with TZORNOZA, LLC by providing accounting, consulting, and educating small businesses nationwide. During his time at TZORNOZA, LLC, he also currently studying and pursuing to become Certified Public Accountant.

His passion is to help small businesses with an understanding of the financial measurements that indicate the health of their businesses and empower the businesses their ways toward profitability included to increase their cash flow, bottom line, and overall business value through advanced financial analysis using the QuickBooks Online platform.

During his free time, he loves to spending time with his wife, hiking, doing CrossFit, and reading books.

Dr. Franklin C. Torres is a native of Peru and came to the United States when he was 17 years old. He obtained a Ph.D. in Post-Secondary and Adult Education from Capella University in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2011. He earned an MA in Deaf Education from Gallaudet in 2002, and was the recipient of the Daniel T. Cloud Award. In 2004, he received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from the Gallaudet University Alumni Association. His 2011 doctoral dissertation was entitled, "An Examination of Literacy Experiences in First Generation Deaf Latino College Students.

Dr. Torres has worked at Gallaudet since 2002. He is involved in teaching a variety of developmental non-credit and credit courses in the English Department. He has also taught interdisciplinary courses within the GSR Program. He especially enjoys teaching deaf Latino topics/issues. He has served on departmental and university faculty committees including the University Senate. He was a Gallaudet Office of Diversity and Inclusion's Faculty Fellow. He is a key member of the Leadership Council of the Faculty of Color Coalition.

In addition, Dr. Torres is actively involved in various organizations at the local, national, and international level. He is one of the founders and served two terms as the President of the Latino Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association of the Metropolitan DC Area. He is also the current Treasurer of LDHHAMDC. In the past, he was Treasurer and served on the Board of Trustees for the National Council of Hispano Deaf and Hard of Hearing (now known as Manos de Council). He is fluent in Peruvian Sign Language (LSP), and Spanish. During his free time, he enjoys cooking, woodworking, filming, and spending time with his family.

Searls, a Deaf person and native American Sign Language user, hails from Rochester, NY, from a culturally Deaf family. Searls joined DDW in 2008 after spending nearly a year teaching at a deaf university in Changchun, China, and was the catalyst behind DDW’s move to non-profit status. He served as a full-time volunteer from 2008 until 2013, at which point he became a paid employee of DDW as Executive Director.

Under direction of DDW’s Board of Directors, Searls was responsible for leading DDW toward the realization of its vision and consistent achievement of its organizational mission, strategic goals and financial objectives. Searls has managed two federal grants with a cumulative budget of over $600,000.

Searls has given presentations on human rights, advocacy, and diversity within the global Deaf community to audiences from around the world. He has also conducted leadership, teambuilding, and organizational development training with Deaf community leaders in several regions of the Philippines and throughout five cities in India, including over 400 representatives at the National Association of the Deaf Grassroots Leadership Conference.

Since 2012, Searls has chaired the International Experts Group of the National Association of the Deaf, the premier civil rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the USA.

A lifelong advocate, perpetual traveler, and visionary, Searls holds a BA in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College.

Native to Rochester NY, Justice is a co-founder of DDW and dedicated over 12,000 volunteer hours to the start up of this organization since its inception in 2006. He is currently serving a Staff Support position, is an active member of DDW’s Executive, Strategic Planning, Fund Development, and Governance Committees, and has had in-depth involvement with DDW’s management and operations.

Under grants funded by the US Department of State and US Agency for International Development, Justice has served as DDW's Program Coordinator to provide capacity building and organizational development training to the Philippine Federation of the Deaf. He also coordinated DDW Journeys to Costa Rica, Thailand, and Cambodia. In addition, Justice has networked with approximately 300 Deaf schools and associations in fifty countries on behalf of DDW.

Justice first learned American Sign Language in 2000 and quickly became involved with the Deaf community. He formerly served as a counselor for the Aspen Camp School for the Deaf, worked on language development research for the Colorado Home Intervention Program, and as an ASL/English interpreter. Justice also established a supportive employment service center for the Southwest Washington Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and worked part time as a job developer for D&T Services and the Rochester School for the Deaf. He earned a B.A. in Sociology from Ithaca College with concentrations in Clinical Sociology and the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System and studied abroad in London, England and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He holds an A.A.S. in ASL/English Interpreter Preparation from Front Range Community College.

Justice believes the power of education is an essential tool to eliminating ignorance and strives to be an intermediary of cultural understanding between Deaf and hearing worlds. When not on the go with DDW, he is running, skiing, or seeking new adventures.

Christy Smith is a co-founder of Discovering Deaf Worlds. During DDW's 2007-2008 World Tour, she connected with over 100 deaf associations, schools and non-profit organizations and interviewed community leaders in eight countries. Smith co-directed DDW’s first documentary, Discovering: Shuktara and has served as a volunteer coordinator for Shuktara.

Originally from Basalt, CO, Smith graduated from Gallaudet University with a B.A. in Criminology and Sociology. After surviving 33 out of 39 days as a contestant on CBS's Survivor: The Amazon (2003), she became a well known role model to the deaf community. Smith directed and co-produced a children's television show called Christy's Kids: Challenge Yourself, and has visited over 100 schools and organizations across North America as a motivational speaker. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science degree in Secondary Education at the Rochester Institute of Technology.