Upcoming events

Switch to Calendar View

• ARCHIVE - Technology Basics for Those Who Have Always Been Curious

  • When
    01/23/2025
  •  
    7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  When it comes to technology, we are almost always quick to adopt but slow to adapt. This tendency to gravitate to the newest thing can expose us and make us vulnerable. If we do adapt to technology, we often find ourselves doing things out of habit because someone told us to, not because we know why.

  
  

  In the first half of this webinar, we will go over the basics of data storage, why large name cloud server providers might not be your best option for storing your data, the difference between a bit and a byte, and best practices for storing your own data including hosting your own cloud server.

  In the second half of the webinar, we will discuss encryption, hacking and password best practices

  Learn how information is encrypted, learn how encrypted information is decrypted, hacked, and how to select a truly secure password. Also learn what the most common passwords are and how to avoid them.

  
  

  Presenter:  Joseph Wojowski

  
  

  Joseph Wojowski is the administrator of the ATA Language Technology Division. He is the former vice president of MATI, and former assistant administrator of the language technology and Korean language divisions. He has twelve years of experience as a translator as well as seven years as a project manager. Joseph is a MemoQ Trainer having given trainings for private corporations as well as professional organizations, and has proficiency in other popular CAT tools. His professional writings address issues of Internet Security and Technology as they relate to the translation Industry.

  Show details
• ARCHIVE - RSI Risk Analysis: Suggestions for Interpreters and Trainers

  • When
    01/23/2025
  •  
    7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  On-Demand
  

  Webinar Description 

  Remote simultaneous interpreting (RSI) – describing a conference convened at one location while interpreters are at home or at a hub office – is a new trend that has seen increased application in the past few years.

  Built on previous research on this topic and the presenter’s first-hand experience as a conference interpreter on many RSI projects, the presenter explains the unique challenges and risks that RSI poses to conference interpreters from five perspectives: assignment preparation, effective communication, technology, teamwork, and remuneration. Additionally, the presentation provides suggestions to new interpreters and interpreter trainers on how to be better prepared for this trend and how to tackle these challenges.  

  This presentation aims at providing new interpreters and interpreter trainers with useful information from the field at the early stages of the inevitable and irreversible trend of RSI.

  Learning Objectives
  We hope that audience will learn:

  • to prepare for remote assignments effectively,
    
  • work smoothly with partners, speakers, and audience during interpreting projects,
  • avoid potential risks in remote interpreting settings after this webinar.

  Presenter:  Miao (Maggie) Hong

  Miao (Maggie) Hong is a professionally trained conference interpreter, certified court interpreter, certified medical interpreter, and published translator. She provides interpreting and translation services for clients in all sectors and specializes in over 20 subject matter areas. She graduated from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey with a MA in Conference Interpretation and is currently living in Chicago.
  
  
  
  

   

  Show details
• ARCHIVE - Interpreting in the World of Dermatology

  • When
    12/31/2025
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  Dermatology is a field of study that is more than just skin infections or rashes. Did you know that according to MDedge Dermatology, one out of 172 Hispanics are at a lifetime risk of developing melanoma versus one out of 38 non-Hispanics? Moreover, the overall median age of melanoma diagnosis for male Hispanics is 61 years of age in contrast to female Hispanics at the median age of 52.
                 This webinar is intended to teach Spanish-English interpreters about the procedures, terms and definitions important to dermatology to aid them in interpreting encounters related to the skin. In this session, participants will first learn important information about the most common skin ailments that one may encounter during a dermatology session. To get a closer look at common skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis and different types of skin cancers we will first examine pictures that may require dermatological consultation, trying to guess at what ailment or disease we are observing. Once identified, we will further discuss the causes, potential treatments and common questions that come up in regular dermatology appointments.
                 Pamphlets will be provided to attendees in advance and will be referenced throughout the session with the objective of building vocabulary. In addition, we will look at a basic glossary of common dermatology terms and talk about ways to expand upon that resource. The overall objective of this informative and interactive webinar is to help interpreters become more familiar with the fascinating and intricate world of dermatology.
  

  
  

  Presented by: Maria Barajas

  
  

  Maria Barajas earned an Associates of Science in the Medical Assistant Program at Broadview University in 2017. She currently works as a Certified Medical Assistant in the Dermatology Department at Gundersen Health System, since May, 2019, with two years of previous experience in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. Maria is currently a student of the Community Interpreting Certificate at Viterbo University, with an expected graduation date of May, 2020. In her free time, she enjoys collecting notebooks, cookbooks, calendars and enjoys being able to communicate in both English and Spanish.

  
  

  Show details
• ARCHIVE - Los Marielitos: Interpreting the Voices of Cuban Refugees

  • When
    12/31/2025
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  MATI 2020 Webinar Series - Los Marielitos: Interpreting the Voices of Cuban Refugees | recorded Thursday, August 20 | 7:30pm CT - 8:30pm CT
  

  In 1980, approximately 125,000 refugees fled Fidel Castro’s oppressive regime in Cuba from the Port of Mariel to seek political asylum in the United States. Fleeing from extreme economic strife as well as political and social unrest, this wave of Cuban immigrants would later become known as ‘los Marielitos’. Of the four military bases where these men, women, and children were placed until they were sponsored by local community members, over 14,000 were placed at Fort McCoy, near Sparta, Wisconsin.

  
  

  Forty years later, in October 2019, a joint initiative between the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and the La Crosse Public Library provided these former refugees with a platform to tell their stories as part of a traveling photo exhibit. In the effort to make the exhibit more accessible to Spanish speakers who are Limited English Proficient, this project incorporates oral histories which required transcription, translation, and several aspects of interpreting. The first objective of this webinar is to explore where the line between translation and interpreting blurs.

  
  

  Secondly, this presentation will examine the pros and cons of collaborating both as partners and within a larger web of project contributors. Furthermore, we will articulate the difficulties encountered in determining how to translate, while maintaining the linguistic style of several Mariel refugees' voices. Finally, this webinar will tackle the challenges of deciphering code-switching by examining real examples from the source material, and explore producing target materials in a specific dialect (in this case, Cuban Spanish).

  
  

  
  

  Presented by: Ashley Rowin and Jade Baumgartner

  
  

  Ashley Rowin is currently a Medical Interpreter at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, WI. She earned her B.A. in Spanish and German Studies, with a certificate in Russian Studies from the UW – La Crosse in 2017. In earning a Certificate in Community Interpreting from Viterbo University, Ashley has presented research   on language access services in local dental clinics at the Ramp Up the Conversation Interpreter and ISP Conference in April 2019. Most recently, she has enrolled in a Masters in Translation through Kent State University with an expected graduation date of May 2021. Ashley has spent time abroad in Mexico, Germany and most recently the Dominican Republic, where she volunteered as a medical interpreter in a project dedicated to increasing locals’ accessibility to ongoing health care.

  
  

  Jade Baumgartner is currently a Bilingual Patient Advocate at MedData based out of Mayo Clinic in La Crosse, Wisconsin and has recently earned a Certificate in Community Interpreting from Viterbo University. As a researcher, Jade has presented on language access in public libraries in Wisconsin at the Ramp Up the Conversation Interpreter and ISP Conference in April 2019. With an expected graduation date of December 2020, Jade is also earning her B.A. in Spanish at the UW – La Crosse, with a minor in Chinese Studies. Apart from her work and studies in language, she has worked and studied abroad in countries including Spain, Chile and China.

  
  

  Show details
• ARCHIVE - 'Reduced Nerve Conduction Velocity': Decoding Lead Exposure Language for Interpreters

  • When
    12/31/2025
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  Lead exposure remains a large public health issue despite policies and protocols to reduce this environmental contaminant. Children and families affected by lead exposure are more likely to be from low-income families and from racial, ethnic, and linguistic minority groups. However, no group is free from the risk of lead exposure. To better serve clients in community, medical, and legal environments, an introduction to lead exposure terminology and history will help interpreters provide superior services. In this webinar, we will decode lead language found in medical and legal interpreting, while also looking at terminology that appears in housing applications as it pertains to this environmental exposure. First, participants will develop a foundational glossary for interpreters of all language pairs based on mind mapping methodology. Terminology will be pulled from working documents such as housing applications, medical education handouts, and court records, which will be provided before the webinar. Participants will have the opportunity to contribute to this glossary as we examine the documents. Additionally, we will discuss lead exposure resources and effective ways to advocate for Limited English Proficient clients residing in housing with the potential for lead exposure.
  
  

  
  

  Presented by: Bryce Dorff

  
  

  Bryce Dorff earned a B.A. in Environmental Science and a Certificate of Spanish Language and Culture from Drake University in 2017. Focusing on the social determinants of health in racially and ethnically diverse populations, he returned to higher education to earn a Community Interpreting Certificate at Viterbo University in December 2019. Bryce currently works as the Clinic Manager of St. Clare Health Mission, a free health clinic in Southwestern Wisconsin, advocating for the underserved and interpreting for LEP clients.

  
  

  Show details
• Archive - An Interpreter's Survival Guide: A Proactive Approach to Navigating Work as a Subcontractor

  • When
    12/31/2025
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  Interpreters receive training on skills and ethics, but can be left bewildered as they navigate the market as subcontracted interpreters. Some simple tips from a voice of experience can go a long way in creating a more comfortable, confident work life for subcontracted interpreters. In this webinar, the presenter will guide participants in: identifying questions to ask before accepting an assignment, understanding how to prepare for an assignment when there's no information, identifying possible surprises and how to prepare for them, and recognize the importance of creating a community of self-care among colleagues. This webinar is appropriate for interpreters of any level of experience working in any setting. Interpreters who are new to working with agencies, or who struggle to navigate difficult situations will especially benefit from the content.
  
  

  
  

  Presented by: Liz Essary, MCI, CHI™

  
  

  Liz Essary began working as a subcontracted Spanish interpreter in hospitals in 2002. In 2015, after over a decade of staff positions in language services in healthcare, she left the comfort of her stable job to finish graduate work in conference interpreting before jumping with both feet into the

  freelance market. Liz is certified by the Indiana State Supreme Court, the Certification Commission

  for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI), and holds a Master’s in Conference Interpreting (MCI) from

  Glendon College in Toronto. She is a founder and partner of Seven Sisters Interpreter Training &

  Consulting, an interpreter training project that focuses on interpreting practice intensives and

  supporting interpreters who take it personally. She is an interpreter and interpreter trainer based in

  Indianapolis, where she gets by with the help of her colleagues.

  
  

  Show details
• ARCHIVE - The Study of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions: Another Tool for the Interpreter's Communicative Toolbox

  • When
    12/31/2025
  •  
    7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  Understanding cultural context is an essential part of an interpreter’s job. Indeed, the backdrop of a person's experience will affect his/her behavior, syntax choices and expectations in a communicative encounter. How, then, might interpreters deal with situations wherein they are not entirely familiar with the cultural background of all parties involved?

  
  

  One way may be by comparing the cultural dimensions of cultures by using Dr. Geert Hofstede’s 6D framework. While Hofstede's extensive study focuses on finding connections between cultural values and their effects on behaviors and beliefs in the workplace, these values can also be used to uncover the basis for behaviors, reactions, and speech patterns in countless situations. The six dimensions of this model include: power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long term orientation, and indulgence. Since cultural context plays into nearly every interpretation scenario, this framework can be a starting point from which an interpreter can begin to understand the nuances of different cultures and how large underlying cultural themes can play into everyday life. 

  
  

  This webinar will touch on each of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and introduce Hofstede Insights website. Participants will engage in interpreting scenario case-studies through the 6D framework, to see how communication by be linked to an individual’s cultural background. In essence, this webinar aims to mitigate some of the context issues that arise for interpreters as they navigate not only the cultural underpinnings of those they work for, but also the cultural communicative behaviors of interpreters themselves. The overall objective is that interpreters gain better skills for facilitating conversation in their daily work.

  
  

  Presenters:  Lexi Budden and Michelle Pinzl

  
  

  Lexi Budden is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse expecting to graduate with a BA in French with a business concentration and a minor international business by May 2020. In addition, she is currently working to earn a certificate in Community Interpreting from Viterbo University. Due to her vested interest in language learning, she volunteers regularly at the Language Resource Center at UW-La Crosse and interns at Onalaska High School, where she facilitates conversations with beginner-level French students to aid them in their grammar, vocabulary, conversational skills and abilities. She spent a semester abroad in Montpellier, France, where she studied French at the Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3. Lexi looks forward to working toward better language access within business contexts in the Midwest.

  
  

  Michelle Pinzl is the Coordinator of the Community Interpreting Certificate and Assistant Professor at Viterbo University where she teaches Spanish, French and Interpreting Studies. She earned her Master’s degree in Foreign Languages and Intercultural Management from the Université de Limoges in France and is currently a PhD candidate at the Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, in Spain. She is a certified Spanish<>English Court Interpreter for the State of Wisconsin and a certified Medical Interpreter through the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI). Michelle also interprets for social service agencies, schools, businesses, as well as various sectors of the farming industry in Wisconsin since 2006.
   

  Show details
• ARCHIVE - Preparing for Psychoeducational and Speech Pathology Interpretation Assignments in the Educational Setting: What Medical Interpreters Need to Know

  • When
    12/31/2025
  •  
    7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  According to The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), during an evaluation to determine whether a student has a disability, the school must use procedures that “are provided and administered in the child’s native language or other mode of communication and in the form most likely to yield accurate information on what the child knows and can do academically, developmentally, and functionally…” [CFR 300.304 (c) (ii)] It is imperative and ethical that interpreters working in the educational setting and collaborating with special education eligibility teams, take the steps necessary to prepare and understand the assessment process since interpretation and cultural factors may influence or possibly invalidate standard scores. This presentation will provide interpreters with an overview of common psychoeducational and speech pathology assessments used in the educational setting, the implications of working with an untrained interpreter, and questions that the interpreter must ask during a pre-consultation meeting. We will conclude our presentation with resources to prepare for this type of interpretation
  assignment and a glossary of terms commonly used in the special education evaluation process.

  
  

  Presenter: Ana Soler

  
  

  Ana Soler is the Founder & CEO of SeSo, Inc., a source of professional development opportunities for interpreters, and for organizations seeking customized cultural humility trainings to strengthen cultural bridges with English Learner families. Ana has authored interpreter training and train-the-trainer curricula nationally including the Intercultural Parent and Youth Leadership Program, the Interpretation Academy for Bilingual High School Students, the Arkansas Interpreter in Education Credential Training, and a 40-hour course to prepare medical interpreters for the national certification exam. Ana is also a professor at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education where she teaches two online courses that she authored: The Professional Interpreter in Education Certificate course and the Professional Interpreter in Special Education
  

  Certificate course. She remains an active medical and educational interpreter and translator.
  

  Show details
• ARCHIVE - Translation Proofreading: The Importance of an Accurate Revision

  • When
    12/31/2025
  •  
    7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  Once the translation is finished, there is another important step: the proofreading. This step is unavoidable, whether it is our own translation or that of a colleague. Proofreading is an art, and it has to be practiced.

  
  

  There are different levels in the proofreading of a text. Grammar is to be considered at a first level. The consecutio temporum, the use of gerund, concordance, prepositions, the sentence structure, all these aspects have to be revised after the translation. The second level refers to Orthotypography, the visual aspect of the text. Punctuation marks, the use of capital letters, acronyms, the paragraph structure, and other features will be taken into account in this level. A third revision will lead us to check Coherence and Cohesion to sound natural and fluid. The use of pronouns, deictic elements, repetitions, conjunctions, are necessary to contribute to the coherence of a text. Fourth level deals with the use of proper words: sociolinguistics is a discipline that translators sometimes do not take into account; and how important it is to adequate our words to the specific situation!

  
  

  Translators need to rethink the final work after translating. This webinar will illustrate with different real examples and theory will appear with the practice applying the academic rules governing the orthographic, morpho-syntactic and lexico-semantic conventions.

  
  

  *This webinar will be lectured in Spanish with some references to English.*

  
  

  Presenter: María Ester Capurro

  
  

  María Ester Capurro is a Sworn English-Spanish Translator by the Argentine Catholic University, and International Spanish Proofreader by Fundación Litterae. She has over three decades of experience translating for many domestic and international companies and government institutions. She trains professionals on proofreading translations into Spanish at the Association of Sworn Translators of the City of Buenos Aires and is professor of Spanish Language at the University. She is a frequent speaker in domestic and international conferences. Apart from her work as translator, she works as editor and proofreader for many publishing houses and collaborates in some language researches.

  
  

  Show details
• ARCHIVE - Interpreting Gear 101

  • When
    12/31/2025
  •  
    7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  Expand your knowledge of interpreting equipment through this overview of essential gear including tools for paperless note-taking, unobtrusive simultaneous interpretation, transcription/translation and basic remote interpreting. We will also discuss relative advantages and disadvantages of different equipment based on criteria such as ease of use, budget and return on investment.

  
  

  Presented by: Ernest Niño-Murcia

  
  

  Ernest Niño-Murcia is a freelance legal interpreter and translator based in Des Moines, Iowa. He received a B.A. in Anthro-Linguistics from Brown University. As a state and federally certified court interpreter, he has interpreted legal proceedings and prepared translations, transcriptions and expert witness reports/testimony for clients in the private and public sectors.

  
  Outside of court, he has interpreted for public figures such as House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. He is currently working with Iowa PBS providing live interpretation for broadcasts of Governor Kim Reynolds’ daily press briefings on the COVID-19 crisis.

  
  Additionally, Ernest is a Jeopardy! Champion (2012), whose greatest achievement on the show was beating an attorney to the buzzer to answer "co-defendant" in the "11 letter words" category.

  
  

  
  

  Show details
• ARCHIVE - Circumlocution in Educational Settings: Finding Meaning-for-Meaning Equivalents

  • When
    12/31/2025
  •  
    7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  Imagine interpreting for parent-teacher conferences at a local elementary school, having prepared what you thought to be helpful vocabulary, only to be bombarded with terms like “chill chair”, “chatterbox”, “benchmark”, and “word walls”. As a trained interpreter, using circumlocution, or a roundabout way to describe a concept, is a great tool for words as these.  However, is it possible to maintain the original register in addition to transmitting the intended message? The use of alliteration, assonance, consonance, repetition and rhymes is a common grammatical tool used in the English language when working with children. Not only does it make the subject matter more appealing, but the use of these ‘speech sounds’ is important to the learning process.  However, these educational tools are often lost in interpretation, allowing only part of the intended message to be delivered. Equally as important, the vocabulary encountered in paperwork and conferences involving Individualized Education Plans (IEP) or Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP) can throw even a seasoned interpreter off-course. To continue lexicon-building and improve the skill set of sight translation, participants will work with quasi-legal terminology encountered in documents from school districts in Wisconsin. This webinar aims to explore the use of circumlocution in educational contexts, and provide participants with opportunities to expand both vocabulary and circumlocution skills. Finally, participants will attempt to create phrases in the target language that maintain the use of speech sounds.
  

  
  

  Presented by: Faustina Zertler and Lisa Anderson

  
  

  Faustina Zertler graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a B.A. in Spanish in 2019. In December of 2019, she earned a 13-credit Community Interpreting Certificate from Viterbo University. As a researcher, Faustina has presented research in both language access within the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and patient compliance to breast cancer follow-up. Faustina now works as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Gundersen Health System and a Spanish-English Community Interpreter for school districts in Southwest Wisconsin.

   

  Lisa Anderson earned a Master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Curriculum & Instruction/German & English as a Second Language (ESL) in 2004. She has been an educator in ESL, German, and College Success courses for 15 years in higher education. Prior to her Master’s, she completed a BA in German Education from Concordia University in Moorhead, MN and taught at the International School of Düsseldorf in Germany. In addition, she taught in Micronesia as an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher in the Peace Corps. From 2016 to 2018 Lisa lived in Central America and educated elementary and middle school students in ESL. Most recently, Lisa completed a 13-credit Community Interpreting Certificate program at Viterbo University where she has had the opportunity to work on Spanish-English language access in agriculture, rural heath and K-12 education. 

  
  

  Show details
• ARCHIVE - Test Your English Fluency

  • When
    12/31/2025
  •  
    7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  In this workshop, you'll be challenged to complete phrases and idioms familiar to any native English speaker, such as catch _____ winks;  caught _____-handed;  you snooze, you _____;  every Tom, Dick, and _____;  mum's the _____.  Can you interpret/translate sample sentences into your working languages?  If English is your second language, can you incorporate these idioms into your work?  Join us for a fun hour of idiomatic vocabulary-building.
  
  
  

  
  

  Presented by: Colleen Keating

  
  

  Colleen Keating is a freelance American Sign Language-English interpreter. She was previously a Staff Interpreter at the Wisconsin School for the Deaf and a Sorenson Communications Video Relay Interpreter. She has supervised and mentored many student-interpreter interns and early-career professionals, rated tests for the state of Wisconsin, consulted with interpreting agencies, served on multiple committees for the Wisconsin Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, and  developed her own interpreter-training workshops.

  
  

  Prior to interpreting, Colleen taught English as a Second Language at the Wisconsin English Second Language Institute in Madison to young adults from all over the world.  She also taught in Germany. She holds degrees from UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee.

  
  

  At home in Sharon, Wisconsin, Colleen is mom to third-grader Declan and wife to Bobby Beyer, proud 1983 graduate of The Wisconsin School for the Deaf.

  
  

  Show details
• ARCHIVE - Multiple Meanings and Misused Cognates: Pitfalls of Spanish Financial and Legal Translation

  • When
    12/31/2025
  •  
    7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    On Demand

  Register

  Spanish financial and legal documents can be terminology minefields, rife with traps like "otorgar" and "gestión": words that every translator understands, provided no one is asking. Some have no direct English equivalents, while others have many. Some have different meanings depending on the country of origin. Some, like "participación," have cognates that may be appropriate in general usage, but not for these verticals. In this webinar, I will provide examples across a variety of texts to help attendees think contextually when navigating these tricky words and phrases.
  

  
  

  Presented by: Abigail Wright

  
  

  Abigail Wright is Spanish to English financial and legal translator for Iverson Language Associates. She holds an MA in Translation and Interpreting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has been ATA-certified since 2016. Before joining the Iverson Spanish team, she worked freelance as Wright Translations, LLC. In addition to translation, her professional experience includes proofreading, quality review, and terminology research. She lives in Milwaukee with her orange tabby CAT tool.

  
  

  Show details