My Expertise
- Language Access
- Operations and Program Development & Management
- Partnership Development, Relationship Management, and Community Engagement
- Facilitation, Training, and Teaching
- Research
My Experience
- 10+ years interpreting, translating, and working in Spanish and Portuguese
- 10+ years in operations and program development and management
- 10+ years in partnership development, relationship management, and community engagement
- 5+ years as a Spanish, French, and English tutor and teacher in U.S. and Latin America
Languages
- English (native)
- Spanish (fluent)
- Brazilian Portuguese (fluent)
- French (advanced)
About Me
I have more than a decade of experience interpreting, translating, and working in Spanish and Portuguese in a variety of circumstances: I interpreted for families in emergency rooms in South Carolina; for international journalists covering the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro; for stakeholders in meetings with Kansas City officials; and more. I’ve also worked for nonprofits, done research, and attended universities in three languages and in four countries.
I also have experience engaging impacted communities in South Carolina, Venezuela, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and, right here in Kansas City. I led community engagement that reached more than 750 Kansas Citians speaking 39 different languages about their priorities for Kansas City’s language access program.
I excel at research, making meaning for diverse audiences, and analyzing data for decision making. I compiled research on language access policies across the country, led the creation of recommendations for City Council, and presented these findings both to impacted communities and to City Council. I also gathered data and applied research lessons to determine the top non-English languages in Kansas City.
I have managed and built operational systems and budgets and facilitated transformations in organizational practice in various roles. At KC Tenants, I’m building language access infrastructure across a sprawling 10,000+ member organization, creating systems for collaboration between groups with different expertise, such as translators and graphic designers; interpreters and meeting facilitators; and English-speaking canvassers and multilingual tenants. At Trinity United Methodist Church, I manage a $250k budget and have facilitated major transitions in communications technology, training and providing support for leadership and stakeholders.
Having worn many hats in diverse nonprofits and universities, in addition to engaging in multiple international research projects, I have a wide, diverse skill set.
Any questions? Email me!