Hello, I'm Akilah Z. Richardson, and I'm thrilled to be a part of the NIH team as the new NIH Lead Interpreter on the Access Interpreting Services contract providing support to the ORS Interpreting Program Manager/ COR in the Events Management Branch.
I joined the NIH family in August after relocating from Cincinnati, Ohio. It's been an incredible journey of growth and discovery so far serving the diverse Deaf community at NIH and I am excited about establishing roots in the DMV area. With over seven years of experience in the field, I bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this role, complemented by my national certification.
If you or your colleagues need interpreting services, please reach out to me and the scheduling team at nih@ainterpreting.com. I'm here to support the program to ensure effective communication for the NIH community. Looking forward to collaborating with you!
For over 20 years, the ORS Interpreting Services program has been serving the NIH Deaf and Hard of Hearing community by providing centrally-funded American Sign Language (ASL) and real-time transcription (CART) services, under contract with a professional service provider. The ORS program is the 2nd largest in the Federal Government delivering over 62,000 service hours in FY23 and has become a role model for other agencies.
Services are available to anyone requesting a reasonable accommodation to participate in an NIH event, activity, or to perform the duties of their job, whether administrative or scientific. Services are easy to request in the Access Interpreting (usked.com) portal or mobile app. Patients and their families receive 24/7 priority scheduling including weekends, holidays and government closures.
This contract provides reasonable accommodation services upon request for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals at NIH, per Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and 2206 - Sign Language Interpreter Policy.
