Joshua Pennise

About Joshua Pennise

Over two decades in language services, I\'ve dedicated my career to bridging communication gaps at scale and building systems that create meaningful access while delivering strong business outcomes.I started as a freelance sign language interpreter and worked through academia and nonprofit leadership before founding and scaling Sorenson Interpreting from zero to $65M in revenue as VP and General Manager. Under my leadership, we achieved market dominance in B2B sign language interpreting, built partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, exceeded industry profitability benchmarks, and managed a team of over 3,500 staff across the U.S. and Canada.Most recently, I served as CEO of TCS Teams, a 42-year-old Deaf-founded business, leading a turnaround that improved revenue and profitability while enhancing service quality for both customers and the Deaf community we serve. I held Top Secret facility clearance as Facility Security Officer.Beyond my operating roles, I\'m passionate about governance and industry leadership. I\'ve served on the boards of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, academic advisory councils, and state committees. Today, I\'m President of the Association of Language Companies, where I lead strategy and advocacy to develop, deliver for, and defend the $20B U.S. language services industry.Through The Smithson Company, I advise language service companies and private equity firms on scaling, go-to-market strategy, and operational transformation in interpreting, accessibility, and adjacent sectors.I hold an MA in Applied Linguistics from Old Dominion University and executive MBAs from Columbia Business School and London Business School. I\'m a nationally certified ASL-English interpreter with 26 years of practice. My leadership philosophy centers on empathy, trust, and impact—helping teams and organizations align purpose with performance.

Experience

1. Expert

   GLG

   Jun 2023 — Present · NY, US

   Member of Expert Network providing advice to potential investors on in-person interpreting, video remote interpreting, and video relay services.

Education

• Harvard Business School Online

  Certificate, "Core: Credential of Readiness"

• Columbia University

  Executive MBA

• London Business School

  Executive MBA

• Old Dominion University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Communication, General

• Old Dominion University

  Master of Arts (M.A.), Applied Linguistics (concentration in sociolinguistics)

• University of Colorado Boulder

  Certificate, Teaching Interpreting and ASL

  2002

Skills

• Teaching
• American Sign Language
• Training
• Translation
• Public Speaking
• Customer Service
• Higher Education
• Management
• Community Outreach
• Social Media
• Microsoft Word
• Adult Education
• Interpreting
• Leadership
• Research
• English
• Editing
• Microsoft Excel
• Mentoring
• Social Networking
• Non-Profits
• Microsoft Office
• Linguistics
• Event Planning
• Outlook
• Staff Development
• Powerpoint
• Nonprofits