ATISDA Elections 2023: Meet the Candidates
Please check your inboxes for a separate communication with additional information on how to cast your vote electronically.
The candidates have written short bios and prepared candidate statements for your consideration. Read on to learn about your candidates for the ATISDA election this month.
Nominee for President: Marco Díaz
Marco Díaz is an ATA-Certified English-to-Spanish translator specializing in legal & business, health care, and technical translations. He is originally from Guatemala City and has lived in México and the United States for most of his life. He obtained a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Electrical Engineering from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México, and the Specialized Certificate in Translation from the University of California San Diego Extension Program. In addition, Marco has pursued several specialized workshops in legal and general, argumentative texts. When Marco is not translating or managing the business, he enjoys reading books, playing guitar, and hiking.
I am honored and pleased to be nominated to serve as President of ATISDA for a second term. If elected, I will strive toward the following goals:
Collaborate closely with Board members to help ATISDA stay on track with its mission by continuing to be a resource for translators and interpreters in southern California and supporting its members in achieving their professional goals, whether it is through networking, continuing education, or developing their leadership skills as volunteers in professional associations.
Represent the Association at regional, national, and international events where possible.
Work with transparency, objectivity, and equity.
Among my volunteer work and involvement in professional associations are the following:
I served as president of ATISDA in the 2021-2023 term and collaborated with board members and other volunteers in maintaining a line of communication through email, newsletters, and social media; revamping ATISDA’s website and directory; offering professional development opportunities based on member’s responses to surveys; streamlining the membership renewal process, and organizing the hospitality table at the American Translators Association 63rd Annual Conference in Los Angeles, California, among other projects.
I served as a member of ATISDA’s Nominating Committee in the 2016-2017 transition and was Vice-President of the association in the 2019-2021 term. In addition, I organized the Pensadores meetings (professional development for translators and interpreters working in English<>Spanish) from 2017 to 2019 and managed ATISDA’s website from 2020 to 2021.
In 2020, I actively advocated for our profession by contacting and visiting legislators representing local districts within the San Diego area to educate them about the consequences of not providing an exemption for translators and interpreters in California’s AB5.
I have closely collaborated with the ATISDA leadership in planning and organizing events for the Association.
I have served as webmaster of the Spanish Language Division of the American Translators Association since 2017 and was the Acting Assistant Administrator of said division in the 2019-2020 term.
I am also an active member of the American Translators Association (ATA) and the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT).
I believe in communication, teamwork, and maintaining ethical standards. I look forward to working with the ATISDA leadership, and it would be a great honor and privilege to represent and serve all ATISDA members. Thank you for your support and consideration.
Nominee for Vice-President: Rafa Lombardino
RAFA LOMBARDINO is a Brazilian translator and journalist who has been living in California since 2002. She is the author of “Tools and Technology in Translation ― The Profile of Beginning Language Professionals in the Digital Age,” published in 2004 and based on her class by the same name. She started working as a translator in 1997, is certified by the American Translators Association (English > Portuguese & Portuguese > English),and has a Professional Certificate in Translation (Spanish > English) from University of California San Diego Extended Studies, where she subsequently started to teach translation classes in 2010. Her additional combinations are Spanish > Portuguese, Italian > Portuguese, and Italian > English. She is the President and CEO of Word Awareness, a network of professional translators established in 2004 and incorporated in 2009. Rafa also hosts the Translation Confessional and Cantinho para tradutores podcasts the Tools and Technology in Translation YouTube channel. She has also acted as the Blog Editor of ATA’s Portuguese Language Division (PLD) and served as the Division Administrator in 2017-2019. She has an Associate’s Degree in Computer Sciences, with emphasis on Data Processing, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Communications, majoring in Journalism. She specializes in Technology, Corporate Communications, Human Resources, Education, EH&S (Environment, Health, and Safety), Health and Well-Being, Tourism, Audiovisual, and Literature.
I accept the nomination for Vice President of ATISDA and look forward to continuing the work that the current administration initiated in 2021. I am one of the founding members of ATISDA and fondly remember those days when a group of us first got together in 2008 with an idea in our minds and a lot of inspiration in our hearts to organize at the local level. It will be my mission to provide continuous improvement to our translators and interpreters in southern California, so that we can help our members achieve their professional goals through learning opportunities, networking sessions, or certification and accreditation through other organizations. Thank you once again for your consideration. I am looking forward to continuing to help ATISDA thrive in the next few years.
Nominee for Treasurer: Dionicio Baca
Dionicio Baca is an experienced professional translator and interpreter in areas ranging from education to government-related work. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the California State University San Marcos and a Professional Certificate in Translation and Interpretation from UCSD Extension. He started his translation and interpretation journey volunteering as a medical interpreter while working as a translator for the San Diego Registrar of Voters. Currently, he is the sole district translator for the Escondido Union High School District, where he has amassed almost 5 years of experience. He is also an on-call translator and interpreter for the Vista Unified School District. He has been an ATISDA member since 2017. He has been the Pensadores organizer since 2019 and has also managed the ATISDA Instagram account since it was created. In his spare time, he likes to spend time with his friends, and he volunteers for some local and international organizations like Translators without Borders.
Your vote for Dionicio will bring new and young minds to the organization. His knowledge and relationship with some of the current board remembers will provide a smooth transition into the new era of ATISDA. He is ready to create an environment where our members feel welcome and supported; a place where they can grow personally but most importantly professionally. With the help of colleagues, he would like to assist our next president and vice president with any ideas they have in mind.
Nominee for Secretary: Úrsula Carver
I am honored to be nominated to run for the position of Secretary and look forward to the opportunity to serve our association. I have wanted to facilitate communication ever since I was introduced to French and English culture through language instruction in school in my home country of Bolivia. After working in Human Resources for 20 years, honing my passion to help others communicate, I obtained the Professional Certificate of Translation and Interpretation at UCSD Extension, and later became a Spanish Certified Healthcare Interpreter™.
I have been a member of our association since 2014 and have served as a Member at Large for the past four years. I believe I have valuable qualities I would bring to the position of Secretary. I thrive being part of a team and working towards a common goal. I value continuity so that I will follow in the footsteps of those who served before ensuring the association has the resources to carry out its mission to advance the translation and interpretation professions in Southern California.
