Attention all Interpreters and anyone interested in the field of Court interpreting!

Are you puzzled, confused or just wondering what to study for the Court Interpreter Exams? Join the Interpreter Special Interest Group (ISIG) this Saturday August 14, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon when Licensed Court Interpreter, Joseph Bretell, will provide guidelines and practical sample exercises. Meetings take place at the AATIA headquarters in the International Center of Austin on 2nd street between Brazos and San Jacinto. Parking is available at the Convention Center parking garage on the west side of the building. Enter from Brazos Street. See you there!

The preliminary program for the American Translators Association's 51st Annual Conference has designated twelve ATA members as Division Distinguished Speakers, including two AATIA members: Michael Blumenthal (Spanish Division) and Marian Schwartz (Literary Division). The conference will be held in Denver, Colorado, on October 27-30.

Interested in becoming certified as a Medical Interpreter and/or learn about the proposed requirements? Or, maybe your interests are in Literary Translation and you would like to hear about exciting upcoming events? Interested in translation/interpreting in general and looking for information/workshops to increase your productivity?

Well… just join us on July 10th, from 1-4 pm, for all the latest news in our field while networking with our distinguished members and enjoying delicious snacks and refreshments.

The meeting will be held at AATIA Headquarters, 201 East 2nd Street. Free parking is available at the Convention Center parking garage, which is on the west side of the building that houses our offices. Enter from Brazos Street, inform the attendant that you are attending an AATIA event, and sign a garage parking record sheet. There is no charge.

Look forward to seeing you all there!

Carolina Modesto
Director of Professional Development

At the May membership meeting, Adriana Bardin-Prestwood’s presentation focused on project management. According to Adriana, for every project, the following 5 steps must be taken:

1. Initiation – which consists of the SCOPE — what type of assignment it is; TIME — when it is due and to whom; COST — compensation per word; and the overall QUALITY which is based on these elements.
  

2. Planning — developing a schedule and estimating the length of the project and the time you will commit to it per day and per week. She cautioned to be conservative because ‘everything takes longer than you think.’
  

3. Executing — the step where you actually start to work = translate. Set up a file structure that includes adding the date every time you edit it and creating several folders in the client’s folder including a 1st, 2nd and final pass folder. Stick to your time commitment!
  

4. Monitoring and Controlling — your review time to confirm the translation is done properly, measure progress, and identify variances from plan/schedule and take corrective action if needed.
  

5. Closing — formalizing acceptance of project. Work on lessons learned, what you could have done differently, what worked and what didn’t, etc., and sending your invoice with a 10-day net.

Adriana is an experienced project manager and consultant and offers free consulting classes at the North Workforce Solutions location.

Board members met on April 24 for their second meeting of the year. Below are key highlights from the meeting.

AATIA 25th Anniversary Party: Preliminary planning has begun to commemorate the association’s 25th anniversary later this year. Details are still being discussed to celebrate this significant milestone.

Professional development: Initial communication has been made with Xosé Castro to bring him to Austin this year. The board is currently working out the logistics for this special guest. Stay tuned for more details.

The Pro-bono project was established as a way to utilize AATIA’s members’ translation skills for the community. AATIA members will donate 100 pages of Spanish translation. Only nonprofit organizations that employ less than 50 employees and provide health, education, social services, or legal services to the Spanish speaking community are eligible. The Board will determine the winning nonprofit. Volunteers are needed to assist with translation for this project, a project coordinator to lead these efforts and editors. If interested, contact any board member.

Office status: Esther Diaz met with City of Austin representatives to discuss the status of our office space. We have been offered a lease for another year at the same rate; however, the association needs to report and show how we are helping the community, show that the space is being utilized by meetings and share our wireless account with other tenants. Our office space might be moved to another spot within the building.
  

Membership: Our overall membership numbers as of April are 230. We had 23 new members as of January 1st.

If you would like to view a complete record of this board meeting, contact Marcela Ramos, Secretary, at secretary@aatia.org.

The American Translators Association (ATA) will host its 51st Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado, on October 27-30. This three-day event will showcase diverse panel discussions, expert presentations, training workshops, and scholarly papers. Both general and language-specific sessions will be offered. The conference will also offer language professionals one of the best opportunities to network with colleagues. Additional activities will include a Job Marketplace, vendor exhibit hall, and ATA certification testing. 

Are you overwhelmed with multiple projects? Do you want more control in your day? Come to Adriana Bardin-Prestwood's presentation on techniques of Project Management and get organized!

Adriana's presentation will take place at the AATIA Membership Meeting this Saturday from 1:00 to 4:00 at the International Center of Austin (see address and directions in column at right).

The Spanish Special Interest Group will also meet this Saturday from 10:00 to 12:00 at the same location. Marta Blumenthal and Joan Tuttle-Vargas, from the Language Services unit at the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, will talk about proofreading your Spanish translations.

Both meetings are open to the public. Free parking is available at the Convention Center parking garage, which is on the east side of the building that houses our offices.  Enter from Brazos Street, inform the attendant that you are attending an AATIA event, and sign a garage parking record sheet.  There is no charge.

The Interpreter’s Special Interest Group will meet on Saturday April 10 from 10 AM to 12 noon at the AATIA headquarters in the International Center of Austin on 2nd street between Brazos and San Jacinto. Joseph Brettell, a Licensed Court Interpreter, will continue his presentation on training materials available to aspiring court interpreters, and the realities and practice of court interpretation. This session will focus on practicing with real texts which are commonly seen in the courts. All interpreters or other interested parties are welcome. See you then!