Delia Mott Merritt
Owner and Sign Language Interpreter
Delia is a UT Austin graduate and has been a certified freelance interpreter since 1989. She is Texas Board of Evaluators of Interpreters (BEI) certified at Level III, and has her Court Interpreter Certification (CIC). Working for Texas School for the Deaf, Travis County Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin Community College, and the Central Texas community has given her extensive knowledge of interpreter ethics, protocol, Deaf culture and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Delia’s passion for working with the Deaf community began at the age of 5, when a Deaf classmate befriended her. At 16yrs, she was interpreting for the Director of the El Paso Center for the Deaf. Little did she know then that the seed for Communication by Hand had been planted.
Today, she works tirelessly to ensure the Deaf community has access to great interpreters 24 hours a day. She supports Deaf businesses and advocates for equal access for the Deaf community. Through her Connecting Workshops, she enjoys educating the hearing community about Deaf culture and interpreting services. Her open-door philosophy, dedication to serving others and kindness has earned her the appreciation and trust of interpreters, businesses, and Deaf community.
Josh Webb
Billing Coordinator
Josh is a native Texan who spent 30 of his 32 years in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area before making the move to Austin. Graduating from his interpreter training program with an Associate Degree in Applied Sciences and 630 practicum hours, Josh found a home in his love of American Sign Language (and a use for the bookkeeping skills he picked up to pay for said program!) at Communication by Hand, LLC.
Samantha “Sam” Leos
Interpreter Coordinator
Samantha is a native Texan who has ventured to the West Coast, and the East Coast but always finds her way back home to greatest coast, the third coast! She is a beach bum who loves to head to coast when she can with her beautiful family of Five. She has three children ranging from 12 to 5 with her high school sweetheart of 20 years. She graduated from ACC ITPP minoring in Deaf Studies. She then went on to graduate from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in art and sciences. Eat Em Up Cats! In her spare time, you can find her outdoors on the baseball diamond cheering on her son playing ball or road trippin’ with her family making memories. Fun Fact: Sam can rub her head and pat her stomach at the same time.
Daniel Keesling
Interpreter Coordinator
Daniel has lived in numerous states, including Hawaii, while growing up within a military family. He has been enrolled in both schools for the Deaf and in mainstream programs in public education systems. He attained a lifelong dream by graduating from the University of Texas A&M San Antonio with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Communication. Daniel aims to enhance his connection with his community of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people through helping them gain access to the fullest communication services available. Outside of his work, Daniel and his wife have two beautiful daughters and one dog. Daniel loves doing spontaneous, imaginative things and enjoys adventurous activities, such as high mountain snowboarding. He and his family also enjoy traveling to new destinations and he considers opportunities to expand his experiences as life’s blessing.
Kelly Haxton
Interpreter Coordinator
Photographs by Michael Samaripa and Elijah Dow Merritt (EDMphotography)
Kelly is our weekend/holiday coordinator!
She has spent over two decades as a coordinator facilitating communication between individuals and communities. After graduating from an Interpreter Preparation Program (IPP) in 1999, Kelly began her career in the field, working with various organizations, including Communication by Hand (CbH) and VRI (Video Remote Interpreting). She had to leave us a short time and we are so grateful she’s back. Her dedication to her work and her passion for making a difference in the lives of others continue to drive her and CbH forward. Kelly has developed a passion for ensuring equitable access to communication services throughout her journey, and her commitment to this mission has only grown stronger. In recent years, she took the next step in her education, earning a Bachelor’s Degree and further solidifying her goals. Her story is a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and the importance of continuous learning. She resides in San Antonio and, when not working, Kelly is often surrounded by the joy and love of her furry family: two amazing dogs and a mischievous feral chihuahua.