
The Invisible Profession | A podcast by Linguava
By David Brackett

The Invisible Profession | A podcast by LinguavaFeb 07, 2023

Ep. 024: Translating the Future: A Look into the Impact of AI on Translation | Guest: Roman Zelenka
Welcome to the latest episode of The Invisible Profession Podcast! In this episode, we have a very special guest, Roman Zelenka, who is a coach, mentor, and founder of Wingman LLC. He shares his wealth of knowledge and experience in the Translation, Localization, and Interpretation industry and what medical providers can be thinking about in the new year of 2023. He also shares tips for clients on how to work with translation providers and understand how to include machine translation in their projects.
The translation industry is undergoing a significant shift with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine translation (MT). The advancements in technology are revolutionizing the way translations are performed and improving the speed, quality, and productivity of translation services. With the use of AI, translators have access to previously translated content, approved terminologies, and style guides, allowing them to work more efficiently and effectively.
If you are in the industry or interested in learning more, this episode is a must-watch. So hit the subscribe button, hit the like button, and leave a comment with your thoughts. Let's continue the conversation and grow together. Don't miss out on this insightful episode!
At Linguava, we are here to support you as your partner in language access. We are both ISO 9001 and 17100 certified. If you are looking for high-quality Translation and Localization services and exceptional customer service, connect with us to learn more.

Ep. 023: Translation and Localization Services: Why Expertise Matters | Guest: Cecilia Maldonado
David Brackett sits down with Ceci Maldonado, a Translation and Localization expert to discuss a variety of topics, trends, and challenges in this industry.
They answer questions like, Can cheap translation services work effectively? Can I have a staff member translate our company documents? The upward trend of having more control over the quality and cost of translations joins the growing relationship between the translation and localization vendor with the client. "Everything comes down to how good the communication is with a client, and that communication is what makes a good partnership." ~ Ceci Maldonado
Cecilia Maldonado has 20+ years of experience in the translation and localization industry which includes co-founding, managing and merging language service companies as well as co-founding the first language industry association in Argentina. She also volunteers with different international organizations and has organized more than 30 training events such as the Language & Technology Conference, Think Latin America, and the Vendor Management Seminar in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Ireland, Peru, and the United States.
Cecilia is the President of Women in Localization, a member of the Association of Certified Translators of the Province of Cordoba, the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA), the Association of Language Companies (ALC), and co-founder of Translated in Argentina (TinA).
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Ep. 022: Oregon's HB 2359 - Expanding on what this means for providers and interpreters. | Guest: Bill Rivers
In this episode of The Invisible Profession podcast, we are discussing Oregon's House Bill 2359 with Bill Rivers, an expert who has worked on language policy for over 2 decades. HB 2359 states that medical providers must first request healthcare interpreters from the OHA healthcare registry for on-site appointments before requesting someone not registered.
The OHA healthcare registry is a list of interpreters who have been tested and have achieved qualification/ certification. During this podcast, we're going to look at what the bill means for medical providers, and for interpreters. We ask, what is the purpose of this legislation and what are the unintended consequences? The purpose of this bill is to improve language access to patients in Oregon, but can this be achieved within the constraints of the bill?
Dr. Bill Rivers is the Principal at WP Rivers Associates. A former Russian-English translator and interpreter, Russian teacher, academic researcher and administrator, and for-profit and nonprofit executive, he has more than 30 years of experience in language advocacy and capacity at the national level, with significant experience in culture and language for economic development and national security in the Intelligence Community, private and academic sectors, and publications in second and third language acquisition research, proficiency assessment, program evaluation, and language policy development and advocacy. His company is contracted by the ALC for advocacy support.

Ep. 021: Patient's Culture... Why the patient knows it best | Guest: Victor Sosa
Did you know that in Mexico alone, there are 11 language families? Within those language families there are 68 indigenous languages and within those languages 364 different language variants. The difference between variants can be so great, that people speaking a different variant cannot understand each other even though they are speaking the same language!
In this podcast episode, we sit down with Victor Sosa, the Interpreter Services Manager at Natividad Hospital in Salinas, CA, to discuss the challenges around interpreting indigenous languages, and how providers can best work with indigenous-speaking patients in healthcare settings.
#healthequity #IndigenousHealth #languageaccess #RefugeeAwarenessMonth

Ep. 020: Our Communities Are Strong | Guest: Izzy Ventura Meda
"The pandemic has either unveiled or highlighted a lot of the racial disparities that exist within our health system and language access is one of them... Let's not just fill in a gap, let's go back to the source. Let's look at when things were being built and created and that's where language access needs to be in the forefront of the conversation."
Join us as we talk with Izzy Meda, the Executive Director at Familias en Acción, about the importance of community health workers and community-based organizations in the fight for health equity for Latinos. This Thursday, the 13th Annual Latino Health Equity Conference will celebrate The Power of Community while addressing the gaps and changes needed in the healthcare system.
Sign up for the Conference (deadline 6/9 9:00 am)
Familias en Accion podcast: Abuelas en Acción
Linguava is proud to be a Madrina de Oro sponsor and provide interpretation for the conference.

The Heart of Linguava | Guest: Lynda Walz
For the latest installment in the Heart of Linguava series, we wanted to get to the heart of what working in language access means for Linguava’s team members. Check out the interview below between Project Manager, Spanish Interpreter, and Training Guru Extraordinaire, Daniel Halberg, and National Account Executive, Lynda Walz.

Ep. 019: The obligation and the option to help | Guest: Elizabeth Sanchez
In this episode of "The Invisible Profession" we explore how a language access toolkit can impact a patient's experience through proactive preparation. Elizabeth Sanchez, the language access coordinator for Deschutes County Health Services, shares the language resources that her organization offers to its community members. We discuss how their "language access auxiliary kit" was created, how it has been received, and other ways they engage with limited English proficient residents of their region.
Make sure to follow Elizabeth here:
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Ep. 018: Challenging the status quo | Guest: Corey Axelrod
In an interview with Corey Axelrod, we continued our celebration of Deaf History Month with a conversation surrounding the range of experiences for the Deaf Community in healthcare settings.
“How do we optimize the patient experience and make them at the center and put their focus or their needs, at the forefront. There are a lot of disparities that the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community faces, that actually shouldn't be the case... The bottom line is really having a conversation with a patient who is Deaf and Hard of Hearing, asking them what their needs are, accommodating and meeting them where they're at.”
Corey is a passionate social justice advocate and social entrepreneur. As founder and CEO of 2axend, he helps businesses and organizations deliver user-centric experiences for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals.
#deafhistorymonth #linguava #asl #interpreting #deafcommunity
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[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/9276...)

Ep. 017: Disabilities don't discriminate | Guest: Kevin McCloskey
Did you know that 70% of disabilities are invisible or not readily noticeable?
Join us as we continue recognizing National Disability Ability Awareness Month in an interview with Kevin McCloskey. As the Senior Director of Partnership Development at Disability Solutions, Kevin works directly with employers on developing programs to actively attract, hire and retain talent with disabilities.
Kevin trains employers to educate them on the benefits of hiring talent with disabilities and provides tools to help them best engage and support potential and current employees.
Kevin also regularly contributes to blogs and hosts Disability Solutions’ podcast “Changing Minds and Changing Lives.”

The Heart of Linguava | Guest: Sarah Olson
There is no shortage of 💚 when Daniel Halberg sits down with Account Manager, Sarah Olson in the latest episode of The Heart of Linguava. Sarah’s passion for language access is undeniable! We love seeing her realize her passions by making an impact on her community and the world at large.
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Ep. 016: How to make medical interpreting your career | Guest: Mary Soots
Mary Soots, Oregon Health Care Interpreters Association Director of Education Programs, takes a deep dive into what it takes to make medical interpreting a lasting and rewarding career.
Mary Soots is an Anthropologist, a social researcher and policy analyst, and an Oregon Certified Health Care Interpreter (Spanish). She is an Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at Portland State University, specializing in the culture of Latin America. She has worked with the Hispanic community in Oregon for over 40 years which helps to inform her interpreting work. Until COVID, she also worked in Research and Evaluation at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI).
Mary is the Director of Education Programs for the Oregon Health Care Interpreters Association (OHCIA), developing the curriculum for the 60-hour Health Care Interpreter training program required for Qualification or Certification credentials for spoken and sign languages. She oversees the continuing education program expanding HCI skills and knowledge. Mary also provides the instruction along with various continuing education classes including Cultural Awareness for interpreters and other health care professions.
Born in Mexico and raised in the Midwest, Mary’s bicultural background provides depth to her work by interpreting both the meaning of the message and the cultural context in which it exists. Her goal is to create bridges of understanding across cultures. Mary holds a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology from Portland State University, Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Studies and Anthropology, as well as Minor Degrees in Spanish and in Geography.

Ep. 015: Language, Trauma and Social Justice. NCIHC 14th Annual Member Meeting 2021 | Invited Guest: Rosanna Balistreri
NCIHC President Rosanna Balistreri shares why this year’s event is going to be their best one ever and why you should partner with NCIHC.
The National Council on Interpreting in Health Care is a multidisciplinary organization whose mission is to promote and enhance language access in health care in the United States.
The NCIHC has been a national leader in promoting and enhancing language access in health care since the first meeting of concerned advocates took place in Seattle, Washington in 1994. While the field of medical interpreting has grown exponentially since then, the NCIHC continues to be distinguished for its leadership, quality, and integrity.

Ep. 014: How to never panic as a simultaneous interpreter | Invited Guest: Mike Lemay
French simultaneous interpreter Mike Lemay takes on his journey of how he became one of the most requested interpreters in our industry. His secret... never panic in the booth. Learn exactly how he stays calm even in the most challenging situations.

Ep. 013: Raising the Standard of Excellence in Interpretation | Invited Guest: Eliana Lobo
Expert trainer and Certified Interpreter Eliana Lobo discusses how to raise the bar for interpretation during the global pandemic.
Eliana is a CoreCHI™ Certified Healthcare Interpreter and a Washington state authorized Medical Interpreter. She’s also a certified Trainer of Trainers of medical interpreters.
Eliana holds two M.A.s from Brown University in Bilingual Education, and Portuguese & Brazilian Studies. She started out as a Spanish/Portuguese medical interpreter at Rhode Island Hospital in 1980.

Ep. 012: How to prepare for an interpretation assignment | Invited Guest: Darinka Mangino
What do you do to prepare before any interpretation appointment? Check out what conference interpreter and interpreter trainer Darinka Mangino does and how any interpreter can apply the SPEAKING method.
Darinka Mangino is a conference and court interpreter for Spanish, English, and French. Darinka has over 24 years of professional experience as a high-profile Conference Interpreter. She has served as the personal interpreter of three presidents of Mexico and is hired by several international organizations like the UN and the OAS.

Ep. 011: Culture Counts | Invited Guest: Lillian Tsai
Learn from DEI trainer and expert Lillian Tsai about how embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in your company or organization will help revolutionize your culture and your community.
An award-winning and seasoned cross-cultural competency trainer, facilitator, coach, and consultant, Lillian A. Tsai has demonstrated a unique ability to motivate and inspire executives, leaders, teams, and individuals of all ages and ethnic backgrounds.
Her work in diversity and inclusion, cross-cultural competency, team building, presentation skills, and intercultural communications on three continents (Asia, Europe, and North America) has contributed significantly to affecting change in global and local organizations in developing hundreds of employees and mid to upper-level managers into cross-culturally savvy communicators.
You can reach Lillian Tsai on LinkedIn and also her website www.tsaicomms.com

Ep. 010: My Interpreter Story | Invited Guest: Melissa Yitani
Imagine your first interpreter experience being for the president of Venezuela. That is exactly how Melissa’s interpreter career began many years ago. Since then has gained invaluable opportunities interpreting for the United Nations Office and over 40 international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland. Listen to this episode to hear her story and her take on what makes an interpreter great.
For more info about Linguava's language services, go to our website www.linguava.com

Ep. 009: The Art of Simultaneous Interpretation | Invited Guest: Darinka Mangino
In this episode Darinka will unpack the secret to becoming a great simultaneous interpreter and how to be prepared for literally any interpretation assignment no matter how difficult the topic.
Darinka Mangino is a conference and court interpreter for Spanish, English, and French. Darinka has over 24 years of professional experience as a high-profile Conference Interpreter. She has served as the personal interpreter of three presidents of Mexico and is hired by several international organizations like the UN and the OAS.
For more info about Linguava's language services, go to our website www.linguava.com

Ep. 008: How To Get Translation Right | Invited guest: Veronika Gonzalez
On this podcast, we share insightful questions and information about the translation industry and what companies should be thinking about when translating or doing localization.
Our guest Veronika is a translation industry veteran, with 14 years of experience working in project management, account management, and more recently in the past 4 years in new business development. She’s worked with Fortune 500 companies, helping them expand their global footprint.
For more info about Linguava's language services, go to our website www.linguava.com

Ep.007: The Hidden Team Member... The Medical Interpreter | Invited Guest: Jennifer Alvarez
An insider’s perspective of the medical interpreter’s role from one of the nation’s largest hospitals, Providence Health and Services.
For more info about Linguava's language services, go to our website www.linguava.com

Ep. 006: It Starts With Connection | Invited guest: Fidel Ferrer
Fidel Ferrer, Executive Director at Project Ledo, talks about his story, experience with racism in the US and beyond, and what medical providers should know when seeing people of color.
Connect with Fidel Ferrer: www.projectledo.org
For more info about Linguava's language services, go to our website www.linguava.com

Ep. 005: Everything You Must Know about Mayan and Indigenous Languages
Join president/ founder of Linguava David Brackett as he interviews, Carmelina Cadena, a Maya Akateko woman from Guatemala.
Her story will inspire you. When she was 7 years old, Carmelina and her parents arrived in the States fleeing the war in Guatemala. They became migrant seasonal workers, picking fruits and vegetables in the fields. Later, Carmelina graduated from high school then in 2002 was discovered by Berlitz and became an interpreter for EOIR.
Connect with Carmelina Cadena on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmelina-cadena-aa927434/
For more info about Linguava's language services, go to our website www.linguava.com

Ep. 004: A Question About Ethics | Invited Guest: Svetlana Ruth
As a medical interpreter, when do you step out as an advocate? What is the role of a medical interpreter? How do we follow the interpreter code of ethics?
These are all essential questions for a medical provider and interpreter to know. As a medical interpreter, you find yourself in a plethora of scenarios and have to make split-second decisions on a daily basis.
For certified Russian interpreter Svetlana Ruth, my guest on this episode, she understands as good as anyone the importance of understanding how to act within the interpreter code of ethics. The class she teaches about interpreter ethics is legendary and in this episode, she shares with us how medical interpreters can best respond in the most challenging scenarios.
For more info about Linguava's language services, go to our website www.linguava.com

Ep. 003: How health equity is being negatively impacted during COVID-19
Health equity is being negatively impacted during the coronavirus pandemic. In this episode, we interview Chief Medical Officer from Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare Dr. Jeffery Eisen on what to look out for, and how to achieve health equity in the new normal.
For more info about Linguava's language services, go to our website www.linguava.com

Ep. 002: Going Remote
Join our host David Brackett and our invited guest Daniel Halberg while they discuss everything you need to know about going remote as an interpreter during COVID-19 and beyond.
For more info about Linguava's language services, go to our website www.linguava.com

Ep. 001: Power, Privilege, and Access.
Join our host David Brackett president at Linguava on our first podcast where we discuss how effective interpretation impacts power, privilege, and access to communication alongside our special guest Toc Soneoulay-Gillespie (Social Services Manager, Population Health Partnerships at CareOregon)
You can reach Toc Soneolay-Gillespie via email soneoulayt@careoregon.org
For more info about Linguava's language services, go to our website www.linguava.com