2022 ALL CANDIDATE STATEMENTS

ANALIA BOGDAN – Candidate for President

As a holder of an MA in T&I, who has been providing T&I services for the past 14 years I´m very familiar with the professional challenges faced by members. I have participated in the Buenos Aires Translators Association during 10 years supporting professional initiatives. I was a speaker at the ATA Conferences in 2019 and 2021, and have written articles for ATA´s Legal and Spanish divisions. I have served as Treasurer for ATIF, and have given presentations for professional associations, including ATIF and NCTA. I am convinced that I can offer experience, enthusiasm, and hard work to ATIF. My purpose as President is:

Putting our members´ interests first, targeting their needs;
Offering high quality professional training (ensuring minimum CIEs required to members);
Helping members adapt to technological challenges, improving their productivity and quality;
Placing ATIF as an exemplary Association, raising the bar of our profession;
Making good use of the Association’s funds for the benefit of members setting aside a reserve to guarantee the Association´s operations.

CELINA ROMERO – Candidate for President

I joined ATIF in 2017 and shortly after decided I wanted to contribute up close with ATIF’s goals. Board members were always open and receptive and, best of all, they were getting things done. First, I started learning and accepted preparing CE courses and was, later, voted Vice president, right before the world health crisis we are still experiencing hit us.

The last two years have been about keeping it together and adapting to get things done. Today, efforts to restore “normal” are on! As health safety conditions improved, in person monthly gatherings made a comeback and we have yet to restore quarterly in person CE courses and our Spring into Action event, as well as implementing other initiatives that may further fulfill ATIF’s objectives of professional awareness and representing translators and interpreters at their best to colleagues, businesses, industries, and users.

I would like to be the next ATIF president that can get these things done. Thanks in advance for your vote of confidence.

JOAQUIN FERMOSELLE – Candidate for Vice-President

Dear Fellow ATIF Members: I am Joaquín Fermoselle, former director and facilities coordinator for ATIF a few years back. I ask for your vote to serve you as Vice President of ATIF.

I will honor and respect our By-Laws, in addition with media contacts developed with over 54 years of volunteering with Special Populations, that includes Special Olympics coaching. These media contacts will be available for us all to use to publicize the necessary leading-edge resource that Interpreters and translators offer to the world. Whether we are community interpreters or Federally or State Certified, ATA translators as well. those who work in this important field of enabling linguistically challenged people are the bridge builders of understanding and communication among all peoples. Our mission is important, and I stand ready to serve in the vice presidential spot to support our aims and objectives, support all members and our president in a variety of roles. Our success is to guarantee yours.

ANISOARA TUTOR – Candidate for Treasurer

My name is Anisoara Tutor, I am a Texas Licensed Court Interpreter, currently serving as ATIF Secretary, and I am honored to be nominated for this position. Having been an ATIF member since 2018. I’ve had the opportunity to see this organization growing and coping with difficult challenges caused by the pandemic.

As a Treasurer, I would like to help our organization find various resources that will allow financial capacity to offer quality services to our members and secure valuable professional development courses.

I will maintain accurate financial records and create the necessary reports, such as balance sheets, profit and loss statement, etc, to be presented to the Board and other interested parties.

Thank you for your confidence that I will accomplish the tasks with the utmost professionalism.

ANISOARA TUTOR – Candidate for Secretary

It is a great honor to be nominated as Secretary of ATIF and continue bringing together members of our organization.

I am a Texas Licensed Court Interpreter and member of ATA and NAJIT. I love helping T&I professionals connect with each other, therefore it was only natural to start hosting ATIF Monthly Gathering for Tampa/St. Petersburg area right after becoming a member in 2018. I have served as ATIF Secretary since December 2019, supporting the Board to navigate the organization through pandemic and difficult times.

As a Secretary, I will focus on encouraging more professionals to join ATIF and on creating more opportunities for in-person monthly gatherings, enabling our members to share experiences, gain access to a variety of resources, and expand their network.

I believe these objectives can be better accomplished while holding the Secretary position and I appreciate your vote of confidence for another term.

MINERVA SAMAYOA – Candidate for Director

My name is Minerva Samayoa. I have been a Certified Spanish interpreter in Florida since 2015. During that time, I have had the good fortune of working close to home at my headquarters in Daytona Beach for the Seventh Judicial Circuit covering a four county region of North-Central Florida. However, I have been involved in the translation and interpreting field much longer since I lived in Guatemala and New Jersey. I enjoy my daily duties as well as being a part of the overall interpreting profession. I strongly believe in going the extra mile to represent it ethically and holding high professional standards. Therefore, that is why I accepted the nomination to participate as a volunteer on the Board of Directors.

I have been a member of ATIF for a little more than a year. During such time, I have taken advantage of the variety of trainings offered. Additionally, I am currently completing the Translation and Interpreting program at FIU and in my free time, am learning Portuguese. I have enjoyed the discussions on our chat group, mainly when difficult and challenging terms are being debated. Live and learn is my motto! Even better when learning from colleagues who share my same values and principles. I look forward to participating at in-person meetings and continuing to leam from each other. I hope to be able to contribute to the Board of Directors in a positive way and to assist in advancing the interpreter profession for current and future colleagues. Thank you for your consideration.

MARIA VERONICA SERRANO LIZARZABURU – Candidate for Director

I have worked as a translator and interpreter for around two decades, hold a Translation and Intercultural Mediation MA, and had the privilege to contribute to a book where outstanding T&I faculty and professionals came together.

Being aware of constantly evolving professional standards, I firmly believe that we all have an important role in the recognition of our profession. I see ATIF as a key player for a brighter future for both experienced professionals and newcomers.

My limited contribution during this first period in the board was important to understand how ATIF works. I have plenty of professional and personal goals for the next couple of years but after careful consideration, I have decided to run again and help make the following goals possible:

Guarantee that ATIF continues to provide the current most valued benefits to its members
Research and implement best practices of other associations to free time and other board resources for new projects, planning and public relations activities to take us to the next level