Nigel Howard is an instructor at the University of Victoria in the Department of Linguistics. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia in the Department of Linguistics. At Douglas College, he had worked in the Program of Sign Language Interpretation (INTR), and Child, Family and Community Studies (CFCS) for 25 years.
Nigel has been an interpreter for nearly 30 years in various settings such as medical, mental health, legal, theatre, community, and conference/workshops locally, nationally, and internationally. He is an Accredited International Sign Interpreter by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI), and is also part of the United Nations team of International Sign interpreters and interprets media. Broadcasting and translating are his forte.
Nigel advocates for Deaf communities locally in British Columbia, nationally across Canada and globally around the world in human rights, accessibility, signed languages, and Deaf culture. Such examples are being a board member of the BC Deaf Children’s Society (DCS) and an executive board member of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI). He provides consultations, educational workshops/training and presentations to various governments and organisations/associations to enhance better understanding, appreciation and awareness of Deaf culture and its signed language. It is a big part of his role as advocate, educator, and motivator. Such examples are “Global Diversity in Deaf Culture”, and “Enculturation and Acculturation: Deaf and Hearing Worlds/Spaces”. Nigel is also part of the Editorial board for the International Journal of Interpreter Editor (for over 10 years).
Bridging two cultures and two languages has always been a significant part of his advocacy and to promote a society in which every person has access to be truly themselves as a human person.