Julia Silvestri is a Lector of American Sign Language and the coordinator of the ASL program at Yale University. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor for the Program in the Education of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing at Columbia University, where she completed her PhD in Physical Disabilities: Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She holds an EdS in Educational Leadership and Administration from George Washington University and has worked as an educator and administrator. Among her research interests are inclusive arts education and language program development.