From the President
Veronika Demichelis
president@atanet.org
Twitter: @vero_demi
When I attended my very first ATA Annual Conference in 2016, I realized I’d finally found where I belong. I’ve felt that sense of belonging ever since, and this has inspired me to get involved, volunteer for ATA, and take on various leadership roles—from a member of the Leadership Council of ATA’s Slavic Languages Division to chair of ATA’s Professional Development Committee to serving as ATA director, president-elect, conference organizer, and chair of the Governance and Communications Committee. Now I’m excited and honored to begin my term as ATA president. I look forward to serving ATA members and strengthening our Association.
This summer, ATA’s Board had its annual Strategy Day—a day reserved for conversations about our professional landscape, big-picture factors affecting the translation and interpreting (T&I) professions, the needs of our members, and ATA’s strategic direction. The Board doesn’t make any formal decisions on Strategy Day, but the outcomes of these discussions and brainstorming exercises are shared with various ATA committees, divisions, special interest groups, and ATA Headquarters. The result is often new initiatives, projects, and member resources. I would like to use this opportunity to share a recap of the latest Strategy Day to highlight some of our priorities for the next few years.
Empowering Members to Face the Challenges Presented by AI: Although the subject of technology is always on the agenda, it was clearly one of the most important topics for the Board this year. Generative artificial intelligence and large language models have disrupted many sectors and professions and are transforming the future of T&I. We believe ATA should play an active role in defining the parameters for the responsible use of AI in the language services industry. This includes sharing resources and providing guidance to the public, authorities, buyers of language services, and T&I professionals. ATA should be empowering our members with the skills and expertise necessary to allow them to use these new tools in their work and to speak confidently with their clients about the pros and cons of this new technology. We should be the voice of the experts, informing buyers of language services about the real risks of not including humans in the loop and advocating for using professional translators and interpreters. (See ATA’s statement on AI later in this issue.)
Providing High-Quality Training: As the T&I professions evolve and adapt, so should our Association. We want ATA to be the Association of the future, a professional home for translators and interpreters, and a center of excellence regarding all things related to T&I. ATA should be a welcoming community for translators and interpreters at various stages of their careers—from experienced professionals to graduates of T&I programs or those just getting started. ATA should provide high-quality training on both the hard and soft skills needed to succeed, as well as business skills that will help our freelance members stand out as true professionals and build and grow sustainable businesses. We should promote the value of ATA certification and empower our members with information and resources that will help them prepare for ATA’s certification exam. We should promote possible career paths for translators and interpreters, offer training on topics that you don’t learn in T&I programs, and, as mentioned previously, create a welcoming environment for graduates and those new to translation and interpreting so they feel that the first natural step in starting their career is to join ATA.
Promoting Collaboration: Finally, we should maintain and promote collaboration with our “sister” associations, those membership organizations that share common interests and the goal of advancing the T&I professions. Such dialogue and joint initiatives will be more important than ever in the future.
How Can Members Help?
As we head into the new year, I invite you to reflect on what these strategic goals mean for you as an ATA member. If you’re actively involved in an ATA committee, division, or special interest group, how can you help support ATA’s strategic direction? What synergies and opportunities for collaboration do you see with other ATA committees and groups? How can you help?
Our Association is strong because of our dedicated corps of active volunteers. We have a wealth of opportunities for you to make a difference, shape the future of the T&I professions, and develop your interpersonal, professional, and leadership skills. Whether you’re a newcomer to ATA or have been with us for many years, there’s a role for you in ATA!
Thank you for being an ATA member. Let’s make our Association stronger together!