Keystone Interpreting Solutions

What Keystone Interpreting Solutions does

Keystone Interpreting Solutions (KIS) is a Deaf-owned, woman-owned interpreting services partnership founded by Jimmy Beldon (a Deaf interpreter serving as COO) and Patty McCutcheon (a hearing interpreter serving as CEO), with over 30 years of combined community-based interpreting experience. The company delivers American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting across legal, medical, team, and video remote settings, supplemented by Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) services, Pro-Tactile interpreting for DeafBlind consumers, and spoken language interpretation covering more than 40 languages. It is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota and operates regional offices in Henrietta, New York and Frederick, Maryland, supported by state-specific websites.

The firm's service portfolio is broader than pure interpretation. It includes ASL Translation, which converts English documents into ASL video; a Media Studio offering end-to-end production (scripting, filming, editing, captioning, voiceovers, animation); and a Learning Zone providing workshops, online courses, and mentoring for interpreters and other professionals. Its core technology is the KIS Platform, an encrypted online scheduling and service request system (hosted at kis.usked.com) that lets clients request specific interpreters, upload materials, and manage appointments, paired with a VRI Connect offering that delivers pre-scheduled video remote interpreting through portable computer devices. Interpreters are certified through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) and the firm holds state vendor certifications with the Minnesota and Maryland Departments of Administration, with HIPAA, FERPA, and HITECH compliance for healthcare and education work.

KIS generates revenue primarily through professional services billed on a quote basis, with rates varying by assignment location, length, on-site vs. VRI delivery, and required specialization (legal, medical, etc.); pricing is not publicly disclosed. Its go-to-market mixes direct service requests from individuals and organizations with enterprise/government account relationships across healthcare systems, court systems, educational institutions, and state agencies. Named customers and partners include the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the Office of Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan, ECMC, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and the Rochester Institute of Technology, alongside media exposure via NBC's TODAY Show. Notable operational shifts include the 2025 temporary pause of the Deaf Community Support Center (DCSC) after the federal government ended the COVID-19 Community Coordinator Grant, while core interpreting, translation, and media services remain operational.

Name

Keystone Interpreting Solutions

Legal name

Keystone Interpreting Solutions

Website

https://kisasl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Keystone Interpreting Solutions is a Deaf-owned, woman-owned partnership providing ASL, VRI, spoken language (40+ languages), and DeafBlind interpreting, plus ASL translation and media production, to healthcare, legal, education, and government clients across Minnesota, Maryland, and New York.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sign Language Interpreting Services

NAICS

Translation and Interpretation Services (541930), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services (EDALAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility) (EDAJAKAI), Interpretation, Translation & Language Access Training (Community Interpreting) (EDAAADAJ), Accessibility for Live Instruction (Live Captions, Transcription, Translation) (EDAFABAL)

Keywords

• ASL interpreting services
• Video remote interpreting
• Sign language translation
• Deaf interpreting services
• Spoken language interpretation

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. ASL/Sign Language Interpreting Services: On-site and remote American Sign Language interpreting services provided to healthcare, legal, educational, and business settings. Charged per assignment/hour based on location, length, and specialization requirements.
2. Video Remote Interpreting (VRI): Pre-scheduled VRI services delivered via portable computer devices, offering remote interpreting access with flexible scheduling.
3. ASL Translation & Media Production: Translation of written English documents into ASL videos, including full media production services (script development, filming, editing, captioning, animation, voiceovers).
4. Learning Zone - Training & Workshops: Educational programs including workshops, online courses, and mentoring for interpreters, teachers, providers, and other professionals. Also includes WIN programs for interpreters and cultural sensitivity training.
5. Spoken Language Interpreting: Interpretation services for non-English speaking clients in over 40 languages including Somali, Spanish, Hmong, and various others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Keystone Interpreting Solutions (KIS) is a Deaf-owned, woman-owned partnership providing American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting, Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) services, spoken language interpretation, and Pro-Tactile/DeafBlind interpreting across healthcare, legal, educational, government, and corporate settings. Services are delivered through on-site, VRI, telephone, and sight translation modes in Minnesota, Maryland, and New York, supplemented by ASL translation/media production and professional training programs (Learning Zone).

Product overview

Keystone Interpreting Solutions (KIS) is a Deaf-owned, woman-owned interpreting services company offering a comprehensive suite of communication access solutions. The core offering centers on ASL Interpreting Services (Legal, Medical, Team, and VRI), supplemented by Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) Services, Spoken Language Interpreting, and Pro-Tactile interpreting for DeafBlind consumers. The portfolio also includes ASL Translation (document-to-video conversion), Media Studio (full production services), and Learning Zone (professional development for interpreters). The KIS Platform provides internal scheduling and billing management. Related programs include the COVID-19 ASL Videos microsite and the temporarily paused Deaf Community Support Center (DCSC).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASL Interpreting Services Provides English-to-ASL interpretation across Legal, Medical, Team, and Video Remote Interpreting settings. Includes Pro-Tactile interpreting for DeafBlind consumers using tactile American Sign Language.
• VRI Connect Pre-scheduled Video Remote Interpreting service using portable computer devices, providing on-demand access to high-quality interpreting services through video technology anywhere, anytime with minimal training required.
• Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) Services Trained and certified Deaf individuals with native knowledge of American Sign Language who provide specialized cultural, visual, tactual, and linguistic translations, often working alongside hearing interpreters.
• Spoken Language Interpreting Provides spoken language interpretation for non-English-speaking clients in over 40 languages including Somali, Spanish, Hmong, and others to English and vice versa.
• DeafBlind Interpreting Interpreters trained in Pro-Tactile interpreting, incorporating tactile American Sign Language for DeafBlind consumers.
• ASL Translation Translates written English documents into American Sign Language (ASL) videos. KIS's team of ASL experts converts various English materials including legal documents, medical forms, educational materials, and personal letters into ASL video format.
• Media Studio Full-stack media production services including photography, directing, editing, script development, pre-production, production, post-production (editing, captioning, animation, voiceovers), and distribution management.
• Learning Zone Professional development programs including workshops, online courses, and mentoring programs designed for interpreters, teachers, providers, and other professionals, including WIN programs and cultural sensitivity training.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30+ years of community-based interpreting experience between founding partners
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKIS produces COVID-19 ASL videos through a special diversity grant from MDH. Videos include messages from Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans representing the community served. This partnership supports public health outreach to underserved Deaf communities.
• Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)coreTechnology or IntegrationKIS interpreters are certified through RID and abide by the RID Code of Professional Conduct. RID certification is required for interpreters working in healthcare settings.
• Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation shown on KIS of NY website; RIT is a major educational institution serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.
• Minnesota Department of AdministrationcoreOthersKIS is certified by the Minnesota Department of Administration as a business vendor.
• Maryland Department of AdministrationcoreOthersKIS of Maryland is certified by the Maryland Department of Administration as a business vendor.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ZVRS (Z Video Relay Service): Major provider of video relay and VRI services for Deaf consumers. Competes with KIS in remote ASL interpreting delivery and shares overlap in healthcare and government verticals.
• Convo: ASL interpreting and VRI provider serving Deaf consumers and enterprise clients. Overlaps with KIS in VRI Connect-style on-demand and scheduled remote interpreting offerings.
• Interpreters Unlimited: Provider of on-site, video remote, and telephonic interpretation services in 200+ languages, including ASL. Comparable mid-sized competitor serving healthcare, legal, and government with similar pricing-per-assignment model.
• Sorenson Communications: Largest U.S. provider of ASL interpreting, Video Relay Service (VRS), and Video Remote Interpreting (VRI). Direct competitor in ASL and VRI services to healthcare, government, and enterprise clients with national scale that dwarfs KIS's three-state footprint.
• CyraCom: Language services provider offering interpretation across spoken languages and ASL for healthcare, government, and business. Overlaps with KIS's spoken language and ASL services with similar healthcare vertical focus.
• Purple Communications: National ASL interpreting and VRS/VRI provider serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. Directly competes with KIS on VRI delivery and on-site interpreting for enterprise and government clients.
• Certified Languages International (CLI): Over-the-phone, video remote, and onsite interpretation services in 200+ languages with national coverage. Comparable to KIS's Spoken Language Interpreting stream with broader geographic reach.

Regional players

• Deaf Action Center: Community-based nonprofit providing interpreting, advocacy, and services for the Deaf community. Comparable mission-aligned positioning to KIS's Deaf-owned model but with regional/community focus rather than commercial scale.

Broad incumbents

• LanguageLine Solutions: Largest U.S. spoken-language interpretation provider (40+ languages including ASL via video). Competes with KIS's Spoken Language Interpreting stream and is a broad incumbent across healthcare, legal, and government verticals.
• AMN Healthcare Language Services (formerly Stratus Video): Healthcare-focused language services provider offering video, phone, and onsite interpreting including ASL. Competes with KIS in healthcare interpreting and has significantly larger scale across all 50 states.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kisasl
• Facebookfacebook.com/KeystoneInterpretingSolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keystone-interpreting-solutions
• Instagraminstagram.com/keystoneinterpretingsolutions

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Keystone Interpreting Solutions