The Invisible Profession | A podcast by Linguava

In this episode of On Call: Life as a Healthcare Interpreter, David Brackett, our CEO and host, sits down with Spanish interpreter Priscilla Moreno, and you’re going to love this conversation.From her love of painting and gummy bears to her unexpected path into healthcare interpreting, Priscilla shares how this work has become part of her heart and identity. What began as a leap into the unknown grew into a calling that fills her days with meaning and purpose.In this heartfelt conversation, Priscilla opens up about:-How creativity and interpreting go hand in hand-Why she calls interpreting “love in the shape of service”-What she does when a word doesn’t quite translate-The “fluffy heart” moments that keep her inspired-Her advice for anyone considering the interpreter journeyAnd did we mention she’s also an incredible artist? 🎨 You can explore Priscilla’s paintings here: ishaniart.comWhether you’re an interpreter, work alongside one, or simply want to understand the impact they make, this episode offers a genuine, behind-the-scenes look at the people making healthcare more accessible, one appointment at a time.#OnCallSeries #InterpreterVoices #LanguageAccessMatters #Linguava #HealthcareInterpreter

In this episode of On Call: Life as a Healthcare Interpreter, we sit down with Spanish interpreter Nando Magallanes, who shares how a college break, a family friend, and a passion for patient care all set him on the path to becoming a medical interpreter.From working at Costco to interpreting high-stakes oncology appointments, Nando’s journey is a reminder that purpose can show up in unexpected ways, and that language access plays a critical role in health outcomes.In this full interview, Nando opens up about:✨ Why being called a "translator" misses the mark✨ What it's like to interpret in emotional, high-pressure moments✨ How AI tools help him prepare for complex medical topics✨ The reward of giving patients a voice in their care✨ His advice for anyone considering becoming an interpreterWhether you're new to interpreting or simply curious about the profession, this conversation offers a powerful look into what drives interpreters to show up, stay sharp, and support patients, one encounter at a time.#OnCallSeries #InterpreterVoices #LanguageAccessMatters #Linguava #MedicalInterpreting #SpanishInterpreter #HealthcareInterpreter #AIinInterpreting

In this episode of On Call: Life as a Healthcare Interpreter, Sonia reflects on the personal and professional experiences that shaped her, and how interpreting has become both a way to give back and to echar raíces, put down roots in a new community.💬 In this heartfelt conversation, Sonia talks about:-What surprised her most when she entered the interpreting field-How her experience as a cancer survivor informs her work with patients-The deep importance of empathy, cultural understanding, and neutrality-Her message to anyone considering a career in interpretingWhether you're a fellow interpreter, healthcare provider, or simply curious about the people behind the profession, Sonia’s story is a powerful reminder of the humanity and heart behind language access.🟢 Watch more interviews in the On Call series:   • On Call: Life as a Healthcare Interpreter  🔔 Subscribe to our channel for more real-life stories from interpreters and language access advocates.#OnCallSeries #Linguava #InterpreterVoices #LanguageAccessMatters #MedicalInterpreting #SpanishInterpreter

What does it take to be a skilled medical interpreter, and what do providers often misunderstand about the role?

In this episode of On Call, Linguava CEO David Brackett sits down with Spanish interpreter Ryan Popma for a real-world look into the everyday challenges and insights of healthcare interpreting.

Ryan shares:

• What he wishes providers understood about the interpreting profession

• How he prepares for unfamiliar or high-emotion appointments

• Tips for staying neutral while still supporting patients

• When advocacy is appropriate — and what it actually means

• His own go-to resources for staying sharp in the field

Whether you're an interpreter, provider, or language access advocate, this episode offers practical tools and thoughtful reflections to help improve the way we serve patients.

🔔 Follow the On Call podcast for more interviews and stories from the front lines of language access.

Welcome to the latest episode of The Invisible Profession Podcast! In this episode, we have a very special guest, Roman Zelenka, who is a coach, mentor, and founder of Wingman LLC. He shares his wealth of knowledge and experience in the Translation, Localization, and Interpretation industry and what medical providers can be thinking about in the new year of 2023. He also shares tips for clients on how to work with translation providers and understand how to include machine translation in their projects. 

The translation industry is undergoing a significant shift with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine translation (MT). The advancements in technology are revolutionizing the way translations are performed and improving the speed, quality, and productivity of translation services. With the use of AI, translators have access to previously translated content, approved terminologies, and style guides, allowing them to work more efficiently and effectively.  

If you are in the industry or interested in learning more, this episode is a must-watch. So hit the subscribe button, hit the like button, and leave a comment with your thoughts. Let's continue the conversation and grow together. Don't miss out on this insightful episode!  

At Linguava, we are here to support you as your partner in language access. We are both ISO 9001 and 17100 certified. If you are looking for high-quality Translation and Localization services and exceptional customer service, connect with us to learn more.

David Brackett sits down with Ceci Maldonado, a Translation and Localization expert to discuss a variety of topics, trends, and challenges in this industry.   

They answer questions like, Can cheap translation services work effectively? Can I have a staff member translate our company documents? The upward trend of having more control over the quality and cost of translations joins the growing relationship between the translation and localization vendor with the client.  "Everything comes down to how good the communication is with a client, and that communication is what makes a good partnership." ~ Ceci Maldonado    

Cecilia Maldonado has 20+ years of experience in the translation and localization industry which includes co-founding, managing and merging language service companies as well as co-founding the first language industry association in Argentina. She also volunteers with different international organizations and has organized more than 30 training events such as the Language & Technology Conference, Think Latin America, and the Vendor Management Seminar in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Ireland, Peru, and the United States.    

Cecilia is the President of Women in Localization, a member of the Association of Certified Translators of the Province of Cordoba, the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA), the Association of Language Companies (ALC), and co-founder of Translated in Argentina (TinA).

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In this episode of The Invisible Profession podcast, we are discussing Oregon's House Bill 2359 with Bill Rivers, an expert who has worked on language policy for over 2 decades. HB 2359 states that medical providers must first request healthcare interpreters from the OHA healthcare registry for on-site appointments before requesting someone not registered. 

The OHA healthcare registry is a list of interpreters who have been tested and have achieved qualification/ certification.  During this podcast, we're going to look at what the bill means for medical providers, and for interpreters. We ask, what is the purpose of this legislation and what are the unintended consequences? The purpose of this bill is to improve language access to patients in Oregon, but can this be achieved within the constraints of the bill? 

Dr. Bill Rivers is the Principal at WP Rivers Associates. A former Russian-English translator and interpreter, Russian teacher, academic researcher and administrator, and for-profit and nonprofit executive, he has more than 30 years of experience in language advocacy and capacity at the national level, with significant experience in culture and language for economic development and national security in the Intelligence Community, private and academic sectors, and publications in second and third language acquisition research, proficiency assessment, program evaluation, and language policy development and advocacy. His company is contracted by the ALC for advocacy support.

Did you know that in Mexico alone, there are 11 language families? Within those language families there are 68 indigenous languages and within those languages 364 different language variants. The difference between variants can be so great, that people speaking a different variant cannot understand each other even though they are speaking the same language!

In this podcast episode, we sit down with Victor Sosa, the Interpreter Services Manager at Natividad Hospital in Salinas, CA, to discuss the challenges around interpreting indigenous languages, and how providers can best work with indigenous-speaking patients in healthcare settings.

#healthequity #IndigenousHealth #languageaccess #RefugeeAwarenessMonth

"The pandemic has either unveiled or highlighted a lot of the racial disparities that exist within our health system and language access is one of them... Let's not just fill in a gap, let's go back to the source. Let's look at when things were being built and created and that's where language access needs to be in the forefront of the conversation."

Join us as we talk with Izzy Meda, the Executive Director at Familias en Acción, about the importance of community health workers and community-based organizations in the fight for health equity for Latinos. This Thursday, the 13th Annual Latino Health Equity Conference will celebrate The Power of Community while addressing the gaps and changes needed in the healthcare system.

Sign up for the Conference (deadline 6/9 9:00 am)

Familias en Accion podcast: Abuelas en Acción

Linguava is proud to be a Madrina de Oro sponsor and provide interpretation for the conference.

For the latest installment in the Heart of Linguava series, we wanted to get to the heart of what working in language access means for Linguava’s team members. Check out the interview below between Project Manager, Spanish Interpreter, and Training Guru Extraordinaire, Daniel Halberg, and National Account Executive, Lynda Walz.