A Conversation with Pency Tsai

By: Fang Sheng                   Edited by: Ben Murphy

 

2022 marks the 100^th anniversary of the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO). This editor sits down with ATIO’s current president, ATA CLD’s very own Pency Tsai, for a conversation about volunteering, community service, and leadership, as well as our profession.

 

Fang: Pency, as I understand, you are the first ever non-Anglophone and non-Francophone President in ATIO’s 100-year history. Tell us something about your volunteering background, and how different it is for a non-native speaker (English or French), a visible minority and a woman to be in this position.

Pency: I was the ATIO Director for Community Interpreting until last year, around this time. At the 2021 General Meeting I was nominated and went on to become the Association’s President. I jumped at the opportunity to serve our Ontario community of translators and interpreters in such an important role at an organization with such a storied history. As far as I know, while the Association has had other female Presidents, I’m indeed the first President who does not speak French.

Fang: So, this year is your 1^st anniversary as President.

Pency: Yes, and it’s also the 100^th anniversary of ATIO. There’s much to celebrate, and plenty more to do as we move forward. I love volunteering and like to support the people around me. ATIO has provided me with the best opportunity for me to serve my own professional community. Think of the President as not the boss, but the biggest supporter, one who works with the entire membership to achieve its goals. Working with our sister associations across Canada allows me to see a perspective from other provinces that helps to guide ATIO in the direction that our board sees as the most fitting for our members and the organization as a whole.

Fang: And don’t forget you

were our ATA CLD administrator for a number of years, as well as the current President of the Taiwan Entrepreneurs Society Taipei/Toronto. So how do you handle this much work as well as your own business as a freelance interpreter?

Pency: Well, my term at the Taiwan Entrepreneurs Society Taipei/Toronto will end soon. I am grateful to have had such a wonderful and very capable team at T.E.S.T.T. But ATIO is a very different organization. It’s much larger, with about 890 certified members and over 300 candidate members, for a total of over 1200. With its long history, there’s been much that has had to be learned, tackled, and handled as the new President. I still remember the seemingly countless hours I spent on everything ATIO when I first started in the role!

Fang: That’s like a full-time job itself!

Pency: Yes! Time is always a challenge. I often had to do my own work at night. Going from CLD to ATIO, it was the sheer size that was the biggest difference for me. There are so many details and so many different voices that want to be heard – it isn’t as simple as going from point A to B. But, on the other hand, this has been a great learning experience. Presiding over the board of directors of a large organization has allowed me to learn so much, all intangible and, mind you, all nothing to do with translation or interpretation! Only by participating in-depth can you really appreciate how hard it is to achieve anything and everything. But I still encourage everyone to volunteer. What you gain is immeasurable.

Fang: As you sound so enthusiastic about volunteering, is there any frustration being president of an organization like ATIO?

Pency: There’s so much legacy one has to take into account. This might be a little like the President’s first day in the White House, full of ideas and ambitions. But then the Chief of Staff would tell him, “Mr. President, this is not allowed” or “that is not doable”, all because of some old rules or norms that you can’t change overnight. Many times, I have had to use all of my energy to tackle legacy rules and norms, and often have had to put my aspirations aside. But overall, as President, I have to balance the values of the organization, focusing on its strategic direction, while taking care of its daily operations. I launched the ATIO Café to promote the direct connection with our membership and I’m looking to put into focus the role of the interpreter. In particular, I see the important role that community interpreting (health, court, police, etc.) plays in today’s society so I want to put the spotlight on its professional status. As a certification body, ATIO is the organization that upholds the highest industry standards. That’s why team building is the biggest job I’m faced with. We need all capable and enthusiastic members to work together, to build a better future for our profession, and for our community at large.

Fang: You are working on so much, all on a volunteer basis. And there’s so much frustration during the process. Why do you still do it? What motivates you? What is the biggest rewarding moment out of all these?

Pency: To be able to connect with our members. I think I have a certain advantage in that I really listen to them and try to understand what they want to say. Such moments are the most rewarding and most precious. To put oneself forward, to take on the job as a volunteer president for a non-profit organization, it takes complete passion and dedication. It’s completely out of love – love for our profession, for our members, and love to see that what we do does have a positive impact on the world that we live in.

Fang: Congratulations to you, Pency, for your 1-year anniversary as ATIO President; and congratulations to ATIO for its 100-year anniversary! Thank you so much for talking with us!

Pency: Thank YOU so much! And as always, I’d love to call on all our members to volunteer when and where you can. It will be the most rewarding experience in your life!