Lisa Holton is a licensed Minnesota special educator with certifications in Deaf Education, Secondary Education, English-Composition, and a master’s degree in Literacy from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities.

Fluent in ASL and a proud community-raised signer, she began her career at a residential School for the Deaf in 2004. Over the years, she has taught English and a range of electives, managed state assessments, served as a high school team leader, supported extracurricular programs, and contributed to triennial evaluations. In her current TDHH role, she supports students in a variety of traditional school settings by empowering them through self-advocacy, collaborating with families for success, and sharing best practices for communication access and equity in classrooms and communities.

In 2015, Lisa achieved RID National Interpreter Certification (NIC) and now works both as a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and as a nationally certified interpreter. Her work is grounded in access, equity, and creativity—helping each student and family find strategies that foster growth and prioritize language and communication.

Mentoring the next generation of interpreters and educators is something she loves. She is passionate about collaboration, individualized education, and designing systems that make language and learning truly accessible.

Outside of work, Lisa lives in Minnesota with her husband, homeschools their children, and stays connected to the Deaf community through advocacy, NPO board membership, mentorship, and lifelong learning.