About Us
Communication Plus+ Interpreter Services, Inc. was established in the third quarter of 1986, almost four years prior to President George H. W. Bush signing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law on July 26, 1990. CPlus+ is the oldest and most comprehensive interpreter service agency in the state of Arkansas. We are proud to be locally owned and operated since the very beginning.
Myra Taff-Watson and her husband Dr. Douglas Watson led the company for 31 years from its founding until their retirement at the end of 2017. The Watsons were a hearing/Deaf wife/husband team with strong roots in the Deaf, Deafblind, and interpreting communities. When the Watsons retired, Will Gorum and Dwayne McFarlan assumed leadership of company as President/CEO and CFO respectively. Prior to his tenure as President/CEO of the company, Will worked with Communication Plus+ as an independent contract service provider for 17 years beginning in 2001. Like the Watsons, Will has familial ties to the Deaf community.
Communication Plus+ Interpreter Services, Inc. provides on-site, video remote, and over-the-phone (OPI) interpreting and transcribing services across the entire state of Arkansas and surrounding states including Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. We provide video remote and over-the-phone interpreting and transcribing/captioning services nationwide and are willing to travel to provide on-site services. We have experience in a wide variety of settings such as:
● Medical ● Mental Health ● Educational (K-12 and Post-secondary)
● Legal/Court ● Government ● Business/Industry
● Weddings/Funerals ● Religious ● Theater/Concerts/Artistic
● Social Services ● Conference/Platform ● And Many More
Communication Plus+ is here when you need us. We provide services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, including holidays. We can accommodate emergency requests with less than 24 hours’ notice. Our main office number, 501-224-2521 (voice/text) is monitored and answered 24/7/365 by one of the key members of our professional and courteous staff.
Meet the CPlus+ Team
Communication Plus+ is fortunate to have the following individuals as key personnel in our organization. Learn more about each of our team members below!
Will Gorum, CI and CT, OTC, NIC Master, Ed: K-12, BEI CIC
President/CEO and Interpreter/Transcriber
Will began his interpreting career in his home state of Louisiana and moved to Arkansas in 2001 to continue his education. He has over 25 years of experience as an interpreter and over 20 years of experience as a transcriber. Will graduated with a bachelor’s degree in ASL/English interpreting with a minor in K-12 educational interpreting from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Will is a nationally certified interpreter and holds multiple certifications as a sign language interpreter, certification as an oral transliterator, certification as a K-12 educational interpreter from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID) and Court Interpreter certification from the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters. Prior to working at Communication Plus+, Will worked as a freelance interpreter and transcriber, a Staff Interpreter/Transcriber at the University of Arkansas Little Rock and as a call center Manager/Trainer for a video relay service (VRS) company.
Will is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company including scheduling service providers, interfacing with customers, clients, and service providers. He also provides remote and on-site interpreting and transcribing services.
When he’s not working, Will’s free time activities include growing carnivorous plants, maintaining his aquariums, and spending time with his two miniature dachshunds, Crash and Rhody. Will is also a big-time Star Wars fan and can usually be found most Friday evenings at his favorite Mexican restaurant.
Dwayne McFarlan
CFO
Dwayne is a native Arkansan hailing from north-central Arkansas. His primary responsibility is handling both accounts receivable and accounts payable. He also works as a backup to Will and our Scheduling Team.
Dwayne graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
Dwayne spends his free time as a beekeeper, gardener, maintaining his koi pond, and spending time with his cats, Radner, Guilda, and Oreo. Two of his favorite things are Star Trek and sushi!
Sydney Morriss, QAST 4/4
Office Manager/Staff Interpreter
Sydney has over 5 years of experience as an interpreter. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in ASL/English Interpreting from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Sydney holds a QA level 4/4.
She is a Support Service Provider (SSP) and an active member in the Arkansas DeafBlind Community (ADBC).
Sydney assists the CEO and CFO with day-to-day operations, scheduling service providers, and is usually the first point of contact for customers, clients, and service providers. She is often out in the field providing interpreting services to both the Deaf and the DeafBlind communities.
Sydney typically spends her free time with her husband, Matthew, and their two dogs, Sadie and Chandler. She enjoys games, spending time in her garden, and hiking with her husband and pups.
Matt Morriss
Scheduler/Executive Assistant
Matt earned his bachelor’s degree from Central Baptist College, graduating with honors from their PACE program. He has worked in several fields throughout his career spending time in IT, retail sales, corporate administration, and in the production world utilizing audio, video, and lighting equipment at the highest levels. He now comes to our team to do whatever his Jedi Master, Will Gorum, tells him to do and do it with integrity and excellence.
He spends most of his free time with his family, Sydney Morriss, and their two dogs, Sadie and Chandler. Whatever time that is left in the day is usually spent roaring down the street on his motorcycle, cleaning it, tucking her in for the night, and reading it a bedtime story
Jonathan Smith, NIC, EIPA 4.2
Staff Interpreter
Jonathan Smith worked as an independent contractor for a number of years before joining the Communication Plus+ team full-time. He became involved with the Deaf community at an early age. He learned to sign at Kirby Woods Baptist Deaf Church in Memphis and has been involved with the Deaf community ever since.
Jonathan has two bachelor’s degrees, one from the University of Alabama in journalism and the second one from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock in interpreting. He earned his RID certification just two years after graduating from IEP. He has worked in a wide variety of settings, including educational, medical, mental health, and video relay service (VRS).
Jonathan is also currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. When he isn’t working, Jonathan enjoys reading, traveling, all things Alabama football, and spending time with friends. Jonathan is also the proud owner of a rambunctious Blue Heeler named Bear.
Libby Williams, QAST 4/2, EIPA 3.9
Interpreter/Transcriber
Libby was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas. She moved to Arkansas to attend Harding University where she graduated with a degree in Communication Science and Disorders. She graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Bachelors in ASL/English Interpreting in 2021. She has also completed training to become a TypeWell transcriber.
Libby is an active member of the Arkansas DeafBlind Community (ADBC). At Communication Plus+, she provides on-site and remote interpreting and transcribing/captioning services, assisting with daily operations, taking requests for services, and providing stellar service to customers, clients, and service providers.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Kevin, and their dog, Hobbes. You can also find her on the pickleball court or cheering on her favorite teams, the Chiefs and the Jayhawks!
Nick Winchell, QAST 5/4
Staff Interpreter
Nick is originally from upstate NY and moved to Arkansas in 2012 to attend UALR’s Interpreter Education Program. He graduated with his Bachelors in ASL/English Interpreting in December of 2015.
Since moving to Arkansas, he has been very active within Arkansas Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (ARID) where he is currently serving as the President of the organization (2023-2025) and was formally the president (2021-2023) and Treasurer (2017-2021). He was also the President and Vice President of UALR’s Sign Language Club when he was in the Interpreter Education Program. Nick currently is one of the fulltime staff interpreters at Communication Plus+ Interpreting Services. He has worked in a wide variety of settings, including educational, mental health, vocational rehabilitation, and video relay service (VRS). However, he primarily enjoys working in medical settings.
Nick is so happy he took the leap of faith to come all the way down to Arkansas to make this his new home in order to pursue this profession which allowed him to meet the wonderful Deaf community and interpreters here in Arkansas. He can’t wait to see what Arkansas has in store for him next!
Crash
Head Greeter
Crash is by far the oldest member of the Communication Plus+ team (in dog years) and joined the team after he fell on hard times and was living on the streets. While he currently enjoys semi-retirement in his old age, he still comes in to the office once in a while to make sure all of our team members and any visitors feel welcome.
When he’s not actively working or trying his best to convince someone to give him a treat, he’s either following Dwayne wherever he goes or napping on the softest cushion he can find with just his head under a blanket.
Rhody
Head of Security
Rhody comes from a long line of security experts originating in Germany. He takes his job very seriously and is always on the lookout for the smallest sign of trouble. Rhody meets anyone who visits the CPlus+ office at the door to screen them thoroughly in case they pose a potential threat.
Rhody’s favorite leisure activities are digging holes, chasing balls, and pulling the stuffing out of toys. When he’s not on the lookout for troublemakers or enjoying his hobbies, he can usually be found napping in a comfortable spot.