Registration for Summer classes is open now, private lessons and Fun ASL groups for kids of all ages. Email for more information. Teachers keep us in mind for back to school in the fall!
Kellie Gillespie
Visually Speaking Instructor
Kellie Gillespie was born Deaf from an unknown cause. With the encouragement of professionals, Kellie’s parents decided to raise her in the hearing world. She was fitted with hearing aids at 18 months. It took a lot of work and patience to mold her life as a normal hearing person; she acquired an incredible skill of lip reading. Kellie lip read her way through her childhood, high school and college years. She attended the University of Colorado in Boulder and it was there that she realized that she was not a normal hearing person.
Growing up Kellie met a few Deaf individuals but never really got to know them. She didn’t know sign language and not being able to communicate with them was intimidating. Denial of her deafness got in the way of many potential good friendships. At the age of 23, Kellie realized that she needed to learn sign language to be a part of this community; like a foreigner going back to their own country. All the years of lip reading and body language deciphering was just practice for the actual language. Being in an environment with ASL was liberating, it felt natural, and it was a relief. It was a world opening up and Kellie wanted to take more classes. She had so much fun! After two semesters at San Francisco City College she started taking classes at Vista Community College in Berkeley, California. Learning ASL was an amazing, positive, life-changing experience for Kellie. ASL is the language of the culture that makes up who Kellie is, an integral part of her that was denied growing up. It allowed Kellie to acknowledge her true self. ASL opened yet another door. Kellie continues to find a balance with her hearing aid world and her Deaf world, she calls it selective hearing. *smile*
In the last 5 years Kellie has lived in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Williamsburg, Virginia and she enjoys exploring new neighborhoods and creating friendships all over the place. Kellie relocated to Seattle in October 2010 and she likes it here, she’ll be staying a while. She enjoys teaching sign language to her friends and social circles; it’s amazing how many people actually know some ASL. When communicating gets tough, she is patient and visually expressive. Learning ASL is not as difficult as it seems, it’s fun!
Kellie enjoys long walks with her dog, exploring different yoga classes, hula hooping in the sunshine, traveling with a GPS, good food and wine, gardening and of course getting to know Seattle and its wonderful offerings!
Melissa “echo” Greenlee
Certified Sign2Me® & Visually Speaking Instructor
Melissa “echo” Greenlee began losing her hearing when she was eight years old. Growing up, she was constantly involved in speech therapy to maintain her vocal skills and learn to speech-read. Signing only with her sister and interpreter, echo worked hard to live among her hearing peers. She dreamed of one day being able to bridge the gap between her Deaf and hearing worlds.
Over the years, echo poured forth effort to fit in with the hearing life around her. She remained in public schools and continued in the only way she knew how. She loved her life, but understandably she never quite fit in. Leaving her home in Lake Tahoe, California, echo moved to Seattle, Washington. It was here she discovered a thriving culture among the Deaf community. It was the first real chance she had to spend time with Deaf people her age. Making friends fast and sharing many experiences, echo knew she could thrive in both worlds.
After graduating college with a degree in Administrative Office Systems, echo set forth to gain work experience in the field of office management. She held numerous positions such as “booking agent”, “desktop publisher” and “office manager”. Dissatisfied with her inability to move up the ladder, she decided to take control of her future and pursue self-employment. In early 2002, she single handedly established Visually Speaking, a small business dedicated towards teaching hearing children and their families American Sign Language. Her program catered to families wanting to learn sign language with their pre-verbal hearing babies and later expanded to include toddlers, pre-school, elementary and middle-school children. Visually Speaking has grown from a one-woman operation to a small network of contracted Instructors. Visually Speaking has been echo’s primary focus for the last eight years and she continues to put time and energy into its growth. Her involvement in the Deaf community and life long passion of exposing children to sign language has encouraged her to continue onward.
Melissa “echo” Greenlee founded Visually Speaking in June 2002 as a means to bring her two worlds together. Teaching people to connect despite any obstacles, echo is making her dream a reality.
Jill Toft
Certified Sign2Me® & Visually Speaking Instructor
Jill Toft is a native Washingtonian and graduated from Interpreter Training Program at Seattle Central Community College (SCCC) in 1997. Since enrolling into the program, she developed an immediate love of the language and the Deaf Community.
Immediately following graduation, she began work as a freelance interpreter with jobs placing her all over the Puget Sound region. It is here she has gained hands on experience and valuable relationships within the Deaf Community. An area of particular interest is Christian ministry settings like Sunday worship, dramatic performances, conferences and retreats.
Jill teaches ASL to multiple ages, her first students being her own two children. She was inspired to see her son develop a sign vocabulary of more than 100 words by the age of 13 months and quickly expanded her teaching to Elementary and High school students.
She enjoys hiking and bike riding with her husband and two children around her hometown of Snoqualmie.
Dov Wills
Visually Speaking Instructor
Dov Wills was born and raised near Charlotte, N.C. Her first exposure to the Deaf community was when she picked up the book, "In This Sign" by Joanne Greenberg. She was immediately intrigued by the Deaf Community, whom lived in the same world as she, but had a completely different experience. She was drawn to their struggles, their beautiful language and culture, and their strength. She began learning Sign Language at her church. Then, she took her first American Sign Language (ASL) class in college and made her first Deaf friend, who would later become her best friend.
These early experiences inspired Dov to focus her college studies on Deaf Education and counseling. In 1997, she received her Bachelor's Degree in Deaf Education and taught for a year at the N.C. School for the Deaf. She later when on to receive her Master's Degree in counseling therapy at Gallaudet University. She has worked as a licensed therapist in the Deaf community since January 2000. She also has been a certified ASL interpreter for two years with experience of 10+ years. In 2008, she received her interpreting certification and has taught ASL to a large number of children, adults and families.
Her personal interests include Zumba (Latin dance aerobics), traveling, discussions with friends around justice and anti-discrimination, karaoke (and the Sign-aoke she and her Deaf friends created), and pursuing her spiritual journey as a Christian.
"These classes have such a warm feeling. Very casual and hands on."
~ Mom to signing baby
