ATA: American Translators Association The Voice of Interpreters and Translators American Translators Association Board of Directors

OFFICERS

Secretary

Karen M. Tkaczyk
Lone Tree, CO


(Term 2019-2021)

Karen Tkaczyk is a chemist-turned freelance translator, specializing in scientific translation. She is an ATA-certified French>English translator and a Fellow of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. Karen earned a Master of Chemistry with French degree from the University of Manchester and a Diploma in French and a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Cambridge. She established McMillan Translation in 2005. Earlier in her career she worked as a research and development chemist in Europe and as a Quality Assurance Manager in a cosmetic and medical device manufacturer in the U.S. Since joining ATA, Karen has served as Co-Founder and Administrator, Science and Technology Division (2010-2015); Chair, Divisions Committee (2011-2015); Member, Nominating and Leadership Development Committee (2011-2015); and Coordinator, ATA Professional Development Webinar Subcommittee (2016-2018). She currently runs ATA’s webinar program. She is also the Past President of the Nevada Interpreters and Translators Association (2009-2011) and a current member of the Colorado Translators Association.

Treasurer

John M. Milan
Chapel Hill, NC


(Term 2019-2021)

John M. Milan is a Portuguese>English (ATA certified), Spanish>English freelance translator, economist, and consultant, specializing in finance, trade, legal, business, and academic works. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he has lived and worked in multiple cities in three countries, including more than 10 years in Brazil where he was an adjunct professor of economics at a university in São Paulo. John has lectured on the economics of language services, microeconomic theory, game theory, pricing, and strategy in addition to publishing articles on these subjects in Brazil and the United States. While earning a Master of Science degree in applied microeconomics from Ohio State University, he was a foreign language fellow, specializing in Portuguese translation. He also holds Bachelor degrees in Spanish and international political economy from Indiana University. John completed his senior year abroad in Madrid, Spain. He has been on the board of several organizations, including the Carolina Association of Translators and Interpreters (2009-2016) where he served as a director, vice president, and president. He has been on the ATA Finance and Audit Committee since 2015. 

Eve Bodeux
Lafayette, CO


(Term 2018-2021)

Eve Lindemuth Bodeux is an ATA-certified French>English translator who has been active in the translation industry for more than two decades. She specializes in corporate communications, technical marketing, and international development. She is also an independent project manager for a diverse global client base. In addition to co-hosting the podcast Speaking of Translation, Eve is a prolific author and a well-known presenter at industry and business events. Eve has an MA in International Relations from the University of Virginia, a graduate degree in European Civilization from the Université de Lorraine in France, and a BA in French and Political Science from Lebanon Valley College. Eve’s past service to ATA includes Administrator, French Language Division (2014-2018); Editor, French Language Division newsletter À Propos (1998-2001); and Member, Divisions Committee (2016-2019). She is the current Chair of the ATA Public Relations Committee (2018-present). She is also a member of the Colorado Translators Association where she served two terms as Vice President (2008-2012).

Veronika Demichelis
Katy, TX

(Term 2020-2023)

Alaina is a Spanish>English translator with an MA in Language, Literature and Translation from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Her professional experience includes roles in terminology, vendor, quality, and localization project management. Alaina is currently an assistant professor of professional practices in the Translation and Localization Management program at the MIIS at Monterey as well as a localization project management expert with Culture Flipper, a transcreative agency based in South Korea and California. In 2017, she launched her own company Afterwards Translations to offer localization consulting and training services. Alaina is membership secretary of ASTM International Committee F43 on Language Services and Products and serves as an expert in Technical Committee 37 on Language and Terminology of the International Organization for Standardization. She has been the Assistant Administrator of ATA's Translation Company Division since 2018.

Melinda Gonzalez-Hibner
Albuquerque, NM


(Term 2018-2021)

Melinda González-Hibner is a state and federally certified court interpreter (English<> Spanish). Her interpreting career has been diverse, covering conference, court, and community assignments at all levels. In 2004, she became the first full-time Court Interpreter Program Administrator for the Colorado Judicial Department. Currently, she is the staff interpreter for the U.S. Court for the Eastern District of Texas. In addition to her state and federal certifications, Melinda is qualified by the U.S. Department of State. She is the Chair of ATA's Interpretation Policy Advisory Committee. She also serves on the Board of the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators and the ASTM F-43 Language Interpreting Subcommittee. She is a founding member and past co-chair of the Colorado Association of Professional Interpreters and a current member of the Texas Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators. Melinda earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas and a Master of Science degree from the London School of Economics.

Jamie L. Hartz
Lancaster, PA


(Term 2019-2022)

Jamie Hartz is an ATA-certified Spanish>English freelance translator and transcriber, specializing in legal and commercial translations. She holds a B.A. in Spanish and Sociology from Grove City College and an M.A. in Translation from Kent State University. Jamie joined ATA in 2012 and began volunteering on ATA's Spanish Language Division’s Student Involvement Committee in 2013. Later that year, she co-founded The Savvy Newcomer blog; she regularly contributes to the blog as an author and editor. Also in 2013, she helped develop and organize the first Buddies Welcome Newbies event at ATA's 54th Annual Conference. She has continued to participate in the Buddies Welcome Newbies program, serving as a session facilitator and co-creating an accompanying Conference Newcomers blog in 2017. Currently, Jamie is a member of ATA’s Ad Hoc Website Committee (2017-present) and Membership Committee (2018-present). Since 2018, she has spearheaded the Association’s International Translation Day outreach effort, a special project of ATA's Public Relations Committee. Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Jamie previously served as Secretary of her local ATA Chapter, the Delaware Valley Translators Association (2016-2018).

Cristina Helmerichs has more than 25 years of interpreting and translation experience as an English>Spanish conference and judicial interpreter. She is certified by the Administrative Office for the U.S. Courts and the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT). She has served on the boards of ATA, NAJIT, and the Texas Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators. Within ATA, she has served as chair of the Interpretation Policy Advisory Committee, of which she is still a member. Additionally, she is a voting member of the ASTM Language Interpreters Standards Committee (F 43.001) and the International Standards Organization Interpreting Standards Committee.