Julia Silvestri is the ASL Program Coordinator. She holds a Ph.D. in Physical Disabilities: Deaf and Hard of Hearing from Columbia University and an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration from George Washington University. Her work focuses on ASL pedagogy, service learning, and awareness programming, integrating academic learning with real-world community engagement. At Yale, she has expanded the ASL program to offer a full sequence of courses and has established partnerships with organizations such as the American School for the Deaf and ASL Slam, providing students with opportunities to engage directly with the Deaf community.
Before joining Yale, she was actively involved in the Deaf Music Project at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she led initiatives exploring the intersection of Deaf education and music, advocating for inclusive and accessible music-making. Her research centers on literacy, cognitive strategies, and the impact of service learning on language acquisition. She has also developed and produced community-based media projects, including ASL television shows and public service announcements, to increase Deaf visibility and accessibility in the arts and education sectors.
At Yale, her media work includes producing and directing ASL-accessible content for campus media, such as the Yale ASL News, instructional videos, and student public service announcements. As a 2023 recipient of the Rosenkranz Grant for Instructional Innovation, she has overseen the development of the Yale ASL Archives, a collection of instructional videos and ASL translations of Yale’s Deaf history documents. In recognition of her contributions to fostering an inclusive environment, she, along with her colleagues, received the 2024 FAS Dean’s Award for Inclusion and Belonging.
In addition to her academic and media work, she serves on the board of the Connecticut Association of the Deaf and is an active performer and organizer with ASL Slam.