I am running for office in NAJIT, the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators. The elections page has the details.

Why?

I believe in professional associations. They are our point of reference, where stakeholders and professionals come together to answer questions about the profession. They represent the profession, and answer questions about standards, continuing education, and many other issues.

As a professional, it is important to participate. NAJIT has historically had a strong presence of federal court interpreters (mostly Spanish). This tradition is strong, but there are more state, conference and medical interpreters in its ranks now. Many of its members are also providing translation services, which is common in our profession.

I am also the Administrator of the ATA Interpreters Division, and look forward to running for office for another term. Working with colleagues at ATA has been an energizing experience, and I have grown a lot through that.

I am also the current President of the Spanish Editors Association, which we founded because there was no other group that focused on the quality of Spanish text. In its short life, SEA has produced style guides for other Spanish writers and editors, free of charge.

In Oregon, I have been elected into the position of Vice Chair of the Oregon Council on Healthcare Interpreters and my term begins in May. I have been involved in the Education and Training Committee for several years, and before then I was a member of the Legislative committee.

None of this would be possible without working in teams. In each of these groups, a team works together and we listen to each other, set goals, and decide what our members need. Then we get to work and get it done. We check social media, run surveys, have town halls, invite members to our Board meetings, whatever it takes to connect. Members are the lifeblood of our groups. We are there for them. They know that.

Serving my colleagues matters to me. I look forward to continuing to serve my colleagues in whatever way I can, whether as an elected officer or contributing my experience in other ways. Every professional can make a difference. These positions just give us the opportunity to reach out with a different voice. Time to serve my colleagues in whatever way they would like me to do so. Will it be on the NAJIT Board? Time will tell. I am available.