Posted On Feb 06, 2015
Hello, ATI members!
The ATI Board got together in January during the ATI Annual Strategic Planning annual meeting and we are excited about the activities that we have planned for our members during 2015! During the meeting, there were some changes as to what benefits are available to you with a paid membership. This year, we will offer three workshops; one in the spring, one in the summer and one in the winter.
On Saturday, April 11, 2015, Pima Community College Downtown Campus will host its third annual bilingual career fair. Tucson Speaks is free and open to the public. There will be language agencies and employers present who will present information regarding requirement to work as an interpreter or translator as well as the benefits of working in the language services industry. There will also be sessions dedicated to training interpreters in different settings. Immediately following Tucson Speaks, ATI will be offering its Spring Workshop . The workshop is free for all of our members. There will be vendors and professional development sessions available. We will post more information as soon as we finalize the agenda.
We will also hold the ATI Annual Conference on Saturday, September 26, 2015, at the beautiful Pima Community College Downtown Campus. If you are not a member and would like to become one, register online and gain access to all of the benefits that ATI offers.
Another brand new benefit for our members is the ATI Member Directory. Language services providers will be able to search by several categories such as working languages, location, areas of specialization, etc. This tool will provide access to potential employers looking for translators and interpreters in Arizona. We hope to facilitate communication between LSP’s and freelancers/independent contractors.
In addition, the ATI Board has decided to change the workshops’ format to a more training/on hands approach that will offer a more in-depth experience to our audience, members and non-members alike.
I would like to welcome Arizona Translators & Interpreters, Inc.’s newest Board members. Carmen King was recently elected as member at large. Millie Donaldson, former ATI treasurer, was elected vice president, and Monica Ferreira, past member-at-large, was elected treasurer. Dr. Jeff Gabbitas is now the ATI’s immediate past president. Rosemary Dann, former chair of the board of the National Assoc. of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators, is ATI’s interim secretary until the 2015 election. Dr. Holly Silvestri, Ricardo Talavera and Tram Bui remain on the board as members-at-large. Thank you to all of you for your commitment and dedication on behalf of our members.
Perhaps the most notable change will take place during the annual conference in September. Elections will no longer take place via email by way of filling out a survey. To ensure member participation, this year elections will be held in person during the ATI Annual Conference on September 26, 2015.
As if this was not enough, ATI has entered into an agreement with Arizona State University to provide a series of bootcamp training sessions throughout the year. We hope that this will provide a higher level of professional development and a more in-depth training experience to our members. More information will follow regarding this new endeavor!
Thanks again for your continuous support of ATI. See you soon!
Sincerely,
Francesca Samuel, ATI President
