The ATA Board, Top Row (from left): Directors Meghan Konkol, Ben Karl, Manako Ihaya, Robert Sette, Eve Bodeux, Jamie Hartz, Cristina Helmerichs, Robin Bonthrone, and Lorena Ortiz Schneider. Bottom Row: Treasurer John Milan, President Madalena Sánchez Zampaulo, President-Elect Veronika Demichelis, and Secretary Alaina Brandt.
From the Executive Director
Walter Bacak, CAE
walter@atanet.org
The American Translators Association’s Board of Directors met October 30–31, 2021, in conjunction with the Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Here are some highlights from the meeting.
Welcome: President Madalena Sánchez Zampaulo welcomed the newly elected officers and directors—President-Elect Veronika Demichelis, Secretary Alaina Brandt, and Director Manako Ihaya—and congratulated Treasurer John Milan and Directors Eve Bodeux and Meghan Konkol on their re-election. They join Directors Jamie Hartz, Cristina Helmerichs, Lorena Ortiz Schneider, and Robert Sette. The complete election results are online: www.atanet.org/about-us/board/elections. (By the way, all five proposed Bylaws amendments passed.)
Director Vacancy: The Board approved the appointments of Robin Bonthrone and Ben Karl to fill the vacancies created by Director Demichelis being elected president-elect and Director Brandt being elected secretary. Directors Bonthrone and Karl will serve until the next election in October 2022.
Appointments: The Board approved the following committee chair appointments:
- Finance and Audit Committee: John Milan
- Governance and Communications Committee: Veronika Demichelis
- Nominating and Leadership Development Committee: Ted Wozniak
Revised Policies: The Board approved revisions to the following policies:
- Antitrust Compliance Policy
- Commercial Disputes Between Members Policy
- Governing Policy for Divisions.
ATA’s policy is to fully review all policies at least every five years.
Certification: Certification Committee Chair Michèle Hansen and Deputy Chairs Holly Mikkelson and Larry Bogoslaw briefed the Board on the Certification Program, including the new online exam platform. Deputy Chair Bogoslaw discussed with the Board a proposed study of the quality of post-editing machine translation involving ATA graders.
Support for Afghan Interpreters: President Sánchez Zampaulo shared with the Board that the Advocacy Committee will be the contact for our efforts to assist Afghan linguists. To share ideas and to offer assistance, please contact Advocacy Committee Chair Ben Karl at advocacy@atanet.org.
Membership Survey: The Board discussed the proposed membership survey. The survey results will give us a snapshot of the membership demographics and the value of ATA benefits. The survey is targeted for the spring.
Be Sure to Renew
It’s time to renew your membership! Just go to www.atanet.org/membership/renew. Thank you for being a member in 2021. Don’t miss out on the value of ATA membership, including the online directory to market your services 24/7, the full gamut of professional development opportunities, and much more. We look forward to serving you in 2022!
The Board meeting summary is posted online. The minutes will be posted once they are approved at the next Board meeting. Past meeting summaries and minutes are also posted online in the members-only section. (www.atanet.org/membership/minutes.php) The next Board meeting will be in late January/early February. As always, the meeting is open to all members, and members are encouraged to attend.