I am a native US English speaker with over 20 years of experience as a French to English (FR/CA>US/CA) translator and translation tools expert. My particular translation specialties are in software, IT, technology, medicine, industry, energy, government/public works, and science. As a consultant, I have worked for both companies and individuals, providing training and implementing customized translation tool systems.
I have been an instructor in the
Bellevue College Translation and Interpretation Professional Certificate Program outside Seattle, Washington, for over 10 years and was the program manager for more than five of those years.
I spent two years in Québec City, Canada, working as an in-house translation tools administrator and French to English translator at
LAT Multilingual Translation & Marketing (2002–2004) where I developed, implemented, and administered a company translation-memory and terminology system around Trados; trained employees in the system and wrote documentation for it; assisted in developing and launching French to English translation service; and translated, among others, government reports, academic essays, industrial documents, computer hardware and appliance descriptions, and complaint letters.
I am a graduate of the
Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California, where I earned a master's degree in French to English translation (1998–2001). My thesis translation, for which I was awarded the grade "outstanding," was of two French science fiction short stories. Coursework at the Monterey Institute includes practical and intensive translation courses led by practicing professionals, who offer extensive critiques and feedback on students' work. Topics covered in the courses included science and technology, law and politics, economics and finance, and medicine, along with localization, computer-assisted translation, project management, and business aspects of translation.
While studying at the Monterey Institute, I participated in two different internships—at Omega International (now
Medialocate) in Monterey, California, and at Lingo Systems (now part of LanguageLine) in Portland, Oregon—and I spent a school year in Paris, France, where I worked as an English teaching assistant in three public grade schools.
As an undergraduate at
Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, I earned a bachelor's degree in modern languages, with an emphasis in French (1993–1998). My studies included one year at the
Sorbonne in Paris, where I received a
diplôme (advanced level A) in French language and civilization.