ATA Government Division

Government Division

News from the Government Division

October 1, 2021 By GovDiv

ATA62 Conference Banner

ATA62 Conference Banner

The ATA Government Division invites you to spend time with us – virtually or in person – at ATA62.  We have information to share regarding government practices and career opportunities for language professionals at the local, state, and federal levels.  And we welcome your input on ways the Government Division can support the professional development of translators and interpreters who work for government agencies in staff and contract positions.  Please join us for the following sessions and networking events – but be sure to check the ATA app or website for last-minute changes.

 

Distinguished Speaker:  Saturday, October 30, 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. CDT and 3:45 p.m.- 4:45 p.m. CDT

The Government Division is pleased to feature as its Distinguished Speaker Dr. Christopher Mellinger, associate professor in the Department of Languages and Culture Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.  Dr. Mellinger is the managing editor of the journal Translation and Interpreting Studies, co-author of Quantitative Research Methods in Translation and Interpreting Studies, and co-editor of Translating Texts: An Introductory Coursebook on Translation and Text Formation, and vice president of the Society for the Study of Translation and Interpretation, the educational component of NAJIT. His two-part presentation Positionality, Role, and Translators and Interpreters in Governmental Agencies will examine factors that are unique to T&I work in government and the challenges they bring to translators and interpreters who work in these settings.


Other Sessions Linked to the Government Division

“Interpreting and Translation in Rural Communities,” Tammy Berberi and Thomas Genova, Thursday, October 28, 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. CDT – how community translation and interpreting are adapting to ensure language access in rural areas.

“Politics, Discourse Analysis, and Translation,” Nicolas Arizaga, Friday, October 29, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CDT – how to apply discourse analysis to the source language and deliver the most equivalent message in the target language.

“Interpreting Services Price Quotes for the New Normal,” Judy Jenner, Friday, October 29, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CDT – what you should include in a price quote for interpreting services in 2021 and beyond.

“How to Learn Everything about Everything Without Being a Know-It-All,” Joseph Mazza, Friday, October 29, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. CDT – lifelong learning tips from the chief of the U.S. Department of State’s Translating Division.

“COVID-19 and Language Services in Schools: The ABC’s,” Natalia Abarca, Saturday, October 30, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. CDT – efforts led by California’s Orange County Department of Education to foster language access in educational settings nation-wide by providing professional training opportunities to bilingual staff.

“Freelance Interpreters and the U.S. Department of State: Supporting Diplomacy Together,” Celine Colvin, Saturday, October 30, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CDT – overview of the Office of Language Services at the U.S. Department of State and the support freelance interpreters provide to its mission.

“How a New Standard in the Language Industry Can Help You Boost Your Practice,” Romina Marazzato Sparano and Kate Harrison-Whiteside, Saturday, October 30, 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. CDT – discussion of the new ISO standard on Plain Language and its application to translation.

“Remote Simultaneous Interpreting and Beyond: Transitioning to a Post-Pandemic Profession,” Ernesto Niño-Murcia, Aimee Benavides, and Tamber Hilton, Saturday, October 30, 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. CDT – how to promote optimal working conditions throughout the transition to a post-pandemic interpreting profession.


Networking Events

The Government Division’s Annual Meeting will be on Saturday, October 9, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  All are welcome to participate.  The link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83910052344?pwd=dkt2UHdUK1Y4SjlLTElEemtXQ0JnQT09

If you attend ATA62 in person, please join the Government Division for dinner at The News Room, 990 Nicollet Mall, at 6:45 p.m. on Friday, October 29.  No registration fee is required.  We have reserved tables in the restaurant’s dining area, and attendees will order from the menu.  However, please be aware that a 20% gratuity will be added to the final bill and tables will get one check.  If you plan to join the Government Division for dinner, please RSVP Amanda Curry (k.a.curry2@comcast.net) by Thursday, October 28.

The Government Division is proud to welcome military veterans and other conference participants affiliated with the U.S. armed forces to The ATA Veterans Circle.  Please join us to connect with fellow military veterans and defense language professionals.  The in-person meetup will be on Saturday, October 30, 7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. CDT in the continental breakfast area of the  Hyatt Regency Minneapolis.

Join us at the ATA Government Division’s Second Annual Networking Event

October 15, 2018 By GovDiv

Frenchmen Street Tour – New Orleans Jazz and Cocktails!

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Everyone knows of Bourbon Street. But the locals will tell you that Frenchmen Street is the street to discover. Find all the restaurants, quaint little bars and fantastic music on Frenchmen Street!

Learn more at frenchmenstreetlive.com

Please come and join the ATA Government Division for a unique networking event on Thursday night, October 25, 2018, when we will tour some of the famous Jazz clubs on Frenchmen Street—one of the top nightspots in New Orleans. You will be treated to live Jazz and learn how to mix a mean cocktail.  A professional tour guide will accompany our group, and you will have ample opportunities to purchase drinks and Creole food at our stops along the way.

Time/Date: 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 25 (please arrive a few minutes early)

Age Limit: 21 years or older

Meeting place: The Dragon’s Den, 435 Esplanade Avenue (about a 12-minute cab ride from the Conference hotel)

Cost: $38 per person (this fee will cover the club entries and the tour guide—food and drink sold separately)

PURCHASE TICKETS

Tickets are available until COB October 24, 2018.  Sign up today – space is limited!

 

Government Division Quarterly Report

October 5, 2018 By GovDiv

SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE GOVERNMENT DIVISION AT NEW ORLEANS
VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME AND TALENT, CONTRIBUTE IDEAS, STAY INFORMED

The ATA Government Division invites you to spend some time getting to know how government at all levels—Federal, state, and local—works with language professionals.  Find out about recruiting needs and career opportunities in the government.  Hear government experts share their expertise, as you share yours!  So many events to choose from – but please check the Final Program, App, and ATA Website for locations and last-minute time changes.  If you are interested in volunteering to help the Division grow, there are several opportunities listed below where you can offer your time and talent. 

Government Division Meeting:  Friday, October 26, 4:45 to 5:45 pm

All are welcome to attend and to contribute ideas.  The Government Division is actively seeking experienced volunteers to start a newsletter and/or blog and to develop a stronger social media presence—make your interest heard!  Our meeting will also feature a brief presentation from Rusty Shughart, who is working hard to launch an outreach effort to language professionals in the defense community—the pilot phase will focus on convincing servicemen and servicewomen with language training who are separating from duty to consider careers in T&I by getting to know the ATA.  Rusty is also looking for volunteers—this is the place to be if you are interested.

Welcome Celebration:  Wednesday, October 24, 5:30 to 7 pm

Visit the Government Division table at the Welcome Reception, where you can meet colleagues and ask questions in an informal, relaxed setting—the perfect place to make decisions about what activities you will attend during the rest of the Conference.

Networking Event:  Thursday, October 25, 8 pm

Join us for a singularly un-stodgy evening of live music, as we take a guided tour of some of the famous jazz clubs along Frenchmen Street, networking amidst the revelry.  Sign up today for this paid event:  space is limited.

Distinguished Speaker:  Friday, October 26, 2-3 pm and 3:30-4:30 pm

The Government Division is proud to feature its Distinguished Speaker, Dr. Amy Firestone, whose career spans government and academia.  Her two-part talk, Championing Translation to Incite Change Around the World, will offer unique insight into how government agencies draft major documents in English, translate them into other languages, then deliver the results to the intended audience.  Dr. Firestone’s expertise lies in the field of labor issues, specifically occupational health and safety, and combatting abuses in child labor.

Other Sessions linked to the Government Division

Clearing Your Way to Success, Janet Quiroz, Thursday, October 25, 3:30 to 4:30 pm – demystify the security clearance process!

The Joy and Challenges of Translating for the United Nations from the Perspective of a Chinese Translator/Manager, Zhongliang Chen, Friday, October 26, 11:15 am to 12:15 pm – a rare peek inside a pinnacle of the language profession!

Working with the General Services Administration, Rusty Shughart, Saturday, October 27, 10 to 11 am – when potential clients ask “are you on the GSA Schedule,” you’ll know exactly what they mean.

Mind Your P’s and Q’s:  Translation and Interpreting in International Development, Michèle Hansen, Corinne McKay, and Stephen Volante, Saturday, October 27, 11:15 am to 12:15 pm, – learn how language work supports the lofty goals of inter-governmental agencies.

In addition, Government Division Administrator Joe Mazza will be presenting The Vocabulary of National Life, with a focus on Peru, on Saturday, October 27, 2-3 pm, and Leadership Council Member Jason Kopp of the US Census Bureau will be joining a panel on How to Conduct a Quality Assessment on Thursday, October 26, 2-3 pm—Council Member Jennifer DeCamp (and Chair of the ATA Standards Committee) is chairing that panel.  Shamelessly risking overexposure, Joe Mazza will also relive his salad days as a Russian translator on a panel entitled Variety is the Spice of Slavic Life on Saturday, October 27, 8:30-9:30 pm.

YOU WILL ALSO FIND GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES STAFFING BOOTHS IN THE EXHIBIT HALL  AND PARTICIPATING IN THE JOB FAIR.

2018 ATA Credentialing for US Spoken Language Interpreters

October 19, 2017 By GovDiv

Take a moment to review the 2018 ATA Credentialing for US Spoken Language Interpreters (PDF) chart.

Disclaimer: This chart is intended solely as a guide to resources for exploring possible credentialing options; it has not been approved by any of the credentialing organizations.

Join us at the GovDiv Reception

September 1, 2017 By ata-hq

ATA’s Government Division is pleased to invite you to our very first Annual Networking Reception

On Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 6:00P, during ATA’s 58th Annual Conference


Please join us at a DC landmark – Mama Ayesha’s Restaurant – for fine food, drinks, and good conversation. Our Division is in its formative years, and this is a unique opportunity to shape its future growth, while making professional connections. You will enjoy a plentiful selection of small but hearty bites, drawn from Mama Ayesha’s menu, and inspired by the cuisines of the Middle East:

Falafel
(croquettes made of ground chick peas, seasoned with cilantro and garlic)

Fatayer
(a light layer of dough stuffed with spinach, seasoned with sumac)

Sfee Haa
(open faced pies, filled with ground beef and pine nuts)

Warak Inib
(a vegetarian delight – tender grape leaves stuffed with rice, chick peas, and mint)

Shish Taouk
(boneless chicken breast, seasoned with garlic, and vegetables, cooked over a charcoal grill)

Kafta Kabob
(seasoned ground prime beef, minced onions, parsley, and vegetables, cooked over a charcoal grill)

Baklava
(filo pastry filled with chopped walnuts and honey)

You will also enjoy one complementary drink (wine, beer, cocktails, or sodas).


Mama Ayesha’s is one of DC’s oldest restaurants (open since 1960).
Come and explore its storied past and meet your Government Division colleagues.

Thursday, October 26, 2017
6:00 – 8:00P

Location: 1967 Calvert Street, NW
(a delightful 10-minute walk through DC’s vibrant Adams Morgan neighborhood. Head northeast onto Columbia Road from the Washington Hilton. After about four blocks, turn left onto Adams Mills Road, and bear left as it becomes Calvert Street. Mama Ayesha’s is on the right, on Calvert Street.)

RSVP by reserving your ticket for $39 per person.

You can also purchase a ticket for $42 at the door, on the evening of the event, if tickets are still available. We will send a notice out if there are unsold tickets that can be purchased at the door.

We will have space for up to 50 guests, so please reserve your ticket soon! We look forward to seeing you at the ATA Conference and at Mama Ayesha’s for the ATA Government Division Networking Reception.

 

Joe Mazza Monique Roske
Administrator Assistant Administrator
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Recent Posts

  • News from the Government Division
  • Join us at the ATA Government Division’s Second Annual Networking Event
  • Government Division Quarterly Report
  • 2018 ATA Credentialing for US Spoken Language Interpreters
  • Join us at the GovDiv Reception

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