Dr. Julia Silvestri

Biography

Julia Silvestri is the ASL Program Director and a Senior Lector 1 at Yale University. She holds a Ph.D. in Physical Disabilities: Deaf and Hard of Hearing from Columbia University and an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership Administration from George Washington University. Her work centers on American Sign Language (ASL) pedagogy, service learning, and awareness programming, with a strong emphasis on integrating academic learning with real-world community engagement. At Yale, she has successfully 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. Prior to 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 focuses on literacy, cognitive strategies, and the impact of service learning on language acquisition. Additionally, she has developed and produced community-based media projects, including ASL television shows and public service announcements aimed at increasing the visibility of the Deaf community in the arts and education sectors. At Yale, her media work includes producing and directing ASL-accessible content for campus media and instructional videos. In 2023, she received the Rosenkranz Grant for Instructional Innovation and has overseen the development of the Yale ASL Archives, a collection of instructional videos and ASL translations that document Yale’s Deaf history. For her efforts to foster an inclusive environment, she received the 2024 FAS Dean’s Award for Inclusion and Belonging. Julia also serves on the board of the Connecticut Association of the Deaf and is an active performer and organizer for ASL Slam.

Research Interests