Zimmerman, Dr. Heather Grace
About
Dr. Zimmerman is a global citizen who enjoys an interdisciplinary career in sign language interpreting, education, and international development, focusing on research/evaluation. She engages in deaf studies projects locally and abroad as a consultant and specialist.
Interpreting. Zimmerman’s journey into the deaf world started young when she was a child as she has family members and friends who are deaf. However, she formally started learning American Sign Language (ASL) when she was a teenager. Zimmerman has extensive experience working in various settings such as international, post-secondary, government, platform, political, medical, mental health, legal, and religious. She has worked with many high-profile clients, including spiritual leaders like the 14th Dalai Lama; government officials like prime minister Angela Merkel, 47th Vice President Joe Biden, Former President George W. Bush Jr.; and Ivy League Institutions.
Research. Zimmerman is published in discipline-relevant journals and has conducted internal/external rapid and longitudinal qualitative/mixed methods research/evaluation projects. Her recent work focuses on resilience, education, and culture among marginalized population groups, including people who are deaf.
Teaching. Before coming to Carolina University, Zimmerman was an adjunct instructor at Gallaudet University and mainly taught a bilingual (ASL/English) introductory research course to graduate students. She has served as a volunteer instructor in the Philippines at the Bible Institute for the Deaf. Additionally, Zimmerman has presented discipline-specific workshops and training worldwide, including Guam, Tinian, Russia, Nigeria, and the USA. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes relevant, experiential, and culturally responsive pedagogy.
Service. Dr. Zimmerman founded and directed the Månha Project, a sign language immersion camp and community-based development project in the Pacific islands. She is an external member of the Institutional Review Board of the College of the Marshal Islands. Zimmerman is passionate about being a servant-hearted leader and seeks opportunities to work with the deaf community as an interpreter and ally.
