Testimonials

"It was a wonderful experience to have had the opportunity to work with such a creative and talented deaf mentor.  I was able to look at my work from a completely different perspective.  It was a great opportunity that I recommend every student or pre-certified Interpreter to take advantage of."

-NIC Certified Interpreter

"I didn't mentor with Mateo as often as I would have liked but the few times I did, I felt the time spent was beneficial. He didn’t just throw busy work at me; his first main priority was to get to know me and why I wanted to be an interpreter.  I feel like he wanted to know that, not to pry but then once he knew me he was able to help me.  He would know my flaws then to be able to build them up.

If you are wanting to find a Deaf mentor and a little nervous to start, just TRY! I know you will be proud that you did!!"

-Recent ITP graduate

"Mateo has been a great teacher! He is patient and encouraging.  We have learned a lot of ASL just by conversing with him."

-Brianna

"Mateo is an energetic, friendly and patient ASL teacher.  My wife and I enjoy learning from him.  He is quite flexible, too.  The best way to learn ASL is from Deaf people themselves - Mateo is a great choice for a mentor!"

–Steven

"Mateo is a great mentor who will match your needs. He is flexible and creative, willing to work with you to create exercises to help you improve your skills. If you want someone who will encourage your growth, contact Mateo!"

-Interpreter

"Having never experienced a mentorship before, I entered into this relationship nervous and unsure of what to expect.  I started working with Mateo to become more proficient in ASL so I could pass an evaluation I needed.  What I got was much more!  Mateo helped me build vocabulary, sentence structure, correct bad habits, and increase confidence.  Like a gold miner, he saw past my dirt (mistakes) and found the true vein of gold (ASL skills, heart for the Deaf community, and belief in myself).  He showed me how to set my goals higher instead of settling for just "getting by".  All who see me interpret now (compared to how I interpreted in the past) agree that I have greatly improved.  Thanks to Mateo, I am more relaxed and confident as I perform the task of conveying communication through interpretation.  When I take my NIC performance test, I know I will pass and do well!"

-Pre-certified interpreter

I had the opportunity to have Mateo Bonn as my mentor prior to taking the interview portion of the NIC exam. Mateo made sure his schedule was flexible to meet my needs and he was always on time for mentoring sessions.  He encouraged me to ask many questions and he gave clear, complete answers. Mateo not only helped me with the logistics of signing, but more importantly he also taught me how to feel confidence in my skills – as many of you know we can be our own worst critics. Mateo taught me to move past the negative speak and focus on the skills I could bring forth. With his help, I was able to pass my NIC exams and become certified! 

-NIC Certified Interpreter

"Mateo's energy and enthusiasm along with his knowledge of both ASL and English made mentoring with him a pleasure. I especially enjoyed our conversations about the meaning of certain words and signs and how to execute the signs correctly to convey the appropriate meaning within a specific context."

-Interpreter

"Mateo has been great to work with and has drastically helped me developed more sign language proficiency. He fits his time for what works for you and is professional, but a fun guy to be with. I would recommend anyone who is interested in furthering their signing to consider mentoring with Mateo."

-ASL student

"Mentoring with Mateo has been helpful for me.  He's a great source on ASL, and meeting with him has challenged me to improve my signing skills."

-ASL Student