Senior Analyst
Common Sense Advisory
May 2008 – Present

Helps clients exploit and develop language technologies and service models for global competitive advantage.
Thinks, writes, and speaks about how language technologies and services will affect global business, finance, and society, with a focus on business globalization and domestic multiculturalization, and supporting services and technology.
Advises executives at technology and service suppliers, corporations, investment management firms, start-ups, and government institutions.
Conducts research through primary interviews and secondary sources.
Delivers findings through written reports, client-specific analyses, blog entries, public presentations to a variety of audiences, and frequent one-to-one interactions with clients.

Independent Consultant
Freelance
April 2007 – April 2008

Serves as technical advisor on language services, including translation, interpreting, quality control and relevant technologies.
Assists clients with assessing quality of language services, especially for health care and government clients.
Offers expert advice and guidance to researchers, writers and members of the media. Specialized knowledge in remote interpreting via telephone and/or video; author of a book on telephone interpreting.
Develops training curricula, support materials, white papers, issue briefs and other written documents on topics related to language services and cultural competence.
Provides trainings, presentations and workshops on language services to educate consumers of services.
Supports researchers and clients by providing information on linguistically and culturally competent services in emergency settings, public safety and other areas of government.
Consults with various academic and non-profit organizations for projects in the areas of cultural competence, community outreach and minority populations.

Director, Product Development
Small to Mid-Size Telephone Interpreting Provider
September 2006 – March 2007

Managed development through all stages of the product development process (idea generation, screening, concept, evaluation, business analysis, development, testing, implementation, launch and post-launch).
Led cross-functional teams in delivering product initiatives. Cross-functional business groups include, Marketing, Finance, IT, Operations, Client Services, and Sales.
Managed overall product development timeline, to include portfolio of all new and proposed initiatives.
Participated in strategic planning to identify and define product opportunities and defined associated strategies.
Supported executive management in executing vision in conjunction with identified business objectives and strategies.
Identified, defined, and recommended product development initiatives and enhancements.
Responsible for developing the product roadmap and product vision.
Provided senior leadership representation for company in business meetings, customer visits, industry events, and other customer-facing environments.
Developed business requirements for product development initiatives.
Negotiated initial contracts with outside third party providers as required.
Assisted Marketing in preparing timely and effective collateral materials, sales brochures, web pages and press releases.
Worked with Marketing to develop timeline and time product launches around key industry events.
Hired and trained product managers for new product lines.
Supported Sales with product demonstrations, training and sales support to help achieve revenue and profit goals.
Developed business cases and prepared ROI analysis for new product initiatives.
Managed division budget.

Senior Product Development Manager
Small to Mid-Size Telephone Interpreting Provider
May 2005 – August 2005

Led development efforts for multiple new product initiatives.
Oversaw development of multilingual quality assurance solutions product set (monitoring, transcription, language proficiency testing and multimedia adaptation).
Spearheaded four major partnership initiatives across various product lines and industries, enhancing brand visibility, awareness and credibility.
Led development efforts of flagship cultural competence training program for health care.
Provided representation for company in business meetings, customer visits, industry events, and other customer-facing environments.
Negotiated initial contracts with outside third party providers as required.
Assisted Marketing in preparing collateral materials, sales brochures, web pages and press releases.
Supported Sales with product demonstrations, training and sales support to help achieve revenue and profit goals.
Acted as a speaker at key industry events.

Co-Founder; Director, Research & Training
LogiLing, Inc.
2004 – April 2005

Managed various research projects related to interpreter certification, training and quality.
Provided consulting services on topics of language services, terminology management, interpretation and translation quality.
Presented to client organizations regarding numerous topics within the language services industry.
Conducted market research and presented detailed reports for client organizations.
Developed programs to ensure high-quality language services for clients in various fields.
Defined company business strategy and built a consulting practice regarding language services.

Translator/Editor/Proofreader/Interpreter
Freelance
2002 – 2004

Provided freelance interpreting services for local courts, hospitals and businesses.
Provided editing and proofreading services in Spanish for numerous clients and projects, primarily, legal, medical, business and technical translations.
Provided English<>Spanish translation for software localization projects, legal documents, clinical trial reports, and numerous other documents.
Acted as lead linguist and editor for large-scale English>Spanish translation projects of academic materials and textbooks for K-12 and GED purposes for Reading, Science, Mathematics and Social Studies.

Senior Language Specialist
Language Line Services
1998 – 2001

Carried out a variety of operations and training functions for the largest provider of telephone interpreting services in the world.
As the project manager for the company’s medical certification project, assumed sole responsibility for researching test development, recruiting team members, overseeing development of various test forms, creating testing processes, establishing rater and test administrator guidelines, developing and delivering rater and test administrator training programs, authoring candidate manual and materials, coordinating development of test in more than a dozen languages, working with a psychometrician for process and content review, and supporting implementation through initial testing rounds.
As the project manager for the company’s court certification project, conducted all of the above with a separate team. Supported development of a new “scoring unit density” concept in test development for interpreter certification exams.
Acted as mentor to the insurance certification team members, provided ongoing development support.
Speaker on certification program development, including test design and “scoring unit density” concept at interpretation and translation conferences (Critical Link, American Translators Association).
Acted as lead trainer and mentor for all newly-hired interpreters. Provided performance development recommendations to managers.
Co-authored more than 100 specialized glossaries for Spanish interpreters.
Editor-in-Chief of Spanish-language interpreter newsletter.
Frequent contributor of educational/training articles for English-language interpreter newsletter.
Provided service observation, feedback and ongoing performance management of a team of 30+ telephone interpreters.

Interpreter and Trainer
Language Line Services
1996 – 1998

Provided professional telephone interpreting services for clients from an array of industries.
Was selected as interpreter trainer for Financial, Medical, Insurance, Legal and Technical trainings.
Received numerous customer commendations and professional achievement awards for outstanding performance.

Conference and Court Interpreter
Freelance
1994 – 1996

Provided freelance community interpreting services for various events, as well as escort interpreting for international visitors.
Provided court interpretation services throughout Bremer and Blackhawk Counties (Iowa).
While in Ecuador, served as interpreter for the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana for a variety of international scientific conferences, including petroleum, mining and gemological industry events.