Under ATA’s Bylaws, “The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the Association [and] arrange for an annual audit thereof by an independent agent …,” so the Treasurer’s role is pretty limited, at least in theory. As a member of the Finance & Audit Committee (FAC) before I was elected Treasurer, I had a general idea of what the Treasurer actually did in practice, as well as being reasonably well informed about ATA’s financial situation. And that’s also why, back in 2023, I said that—if elected—I would take a more active approach to being Treasurer.

I think my track record since then underscores the soundness of that decision. Together with the then-Executive Director (ED), I embarked on a program to modernize ATA’s finances: for example, aligning budget line items with our chart of accounts, and agreeing with the then-ED to institute proper project accounting to track expenditures incurred for specific projects accurately in real time. This also reformed the accounting for our Annual Conference so that ATA Headquarters overhead costs can be included in expenditures from the start, instead of being added in (sometimes months) later, as was often the case in the past. This will allow us to analyze quickly whether a particular program or event will be profitable, enabling any corrective action to be instituted at an early stage.

One thing that became quickly apparent was that our largest capital project—the new Nimble Association Management System (AMS), with the new membership directory as a subproject—was running dangerously over budget. Working together with the Interim ED, I took steps to rein in spending on this project. Ultimately, I was able to persuade the Board to call a halt to all spending on this project as an interim measure until we see a recovery in our financial position.

This brings me to another key aspect of the Treasurer’s role: They can’t actually tell anybody to do anything. Under the Bylaws, they have no executive authority. So, if the Treasurer is convinced that a certain course of action is urgently needed to safeguard ATA’s financial situation, they must—with the backing of the ED—persuade, urge, cajole, even gently pressure the Board into agreeing to do it. That can be both time-consuming and exhausting, but experience shows that it’s worth doing.

For the next two years, my goal, if re-elected, is to return ATA to profitability at an operational level, and to work together with the President, Executive Director, and Board to safeguard a sustainable financial future for ATA.

Finally, away from the Treasurer position, I would like to continue actively and vigorously supporting ATA in its efforts to stand up to what I call “bad actors wielding weaponized AI” who push the obnoxious “human-in-the-loop” mantra. We must advocate for “human-in-the-lead” as the only viable paradigm for translators and interpreters in the future.

My thanks go again to the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee for nominating me a second time. Thank you, our members, in advance for your support and vote.