The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2021 - 5

NEW
SITE!

The pandemic has
not only changed
how committees work
(e.g., online video
meetings), but driven
some committees to
take on new tasks.
Advocacy: The Advocacy
Committee has worked
diligently, often under very
tight deadlines, to advocate
for safe working conditions
for in-person interpreters
during the pandemic and for
early access to vaccinations.
It has also continued to
advocate for the proper
classification of professional
practitioners of translation
and interpretation as
independent contractors
where appropriate.
Business Practices: The
Business Practices Education
Committee was recently
restructured by bringing the
former Mentoring Committee
and the Savvy Newcomers
initiative under its umbrella.
It has also started a
Mastermind program to
provide in-depth business

Speaking of the new website...
I would like to thank the members of the Ad Hoc
Website Committee, who put in countless hours
working on the site's redesign, a task that was
made even more difficult by the abrupt departure
of the original website redesign company. The new
website is visually appealing, much more userfriendly, and has been exceptionally well received
by the membership. So, special thanks to Karen
Tkaczyk (chair), Jamie Hartz, Madalena Sánchez
Zampaulo, Catherine Christaki, and Michèle
Hansen, as well as the unheralded committee and
division members who had to review thousands of
pages of content (literally!). And my extra special
thanks to Teresa Kelly, our website manager and
graphic designer at ATA Headquarters, who was
the central point of contact (and the recipient of all
the complaints) during this long project.

education to ATA members.
The committee held its
first virtual Brainstorm

new website. The committee

Membership: The

Networking meeting on

has worked closely with the

Membership Committee

March 31, which attracted

Membership Committee on

has also been very active

over 200 registrants and

many of these initiatives,

in fulfilling its mission of

100 live participants. The

which is just one example

recruiting and retaining

committee is also working

of the increased cooperation

members. The committee

to meet the needs of more

and communication between

recently completed a new

experienced members by

committees that has resulted

e-book, the ATA Guide to

launching a new blog for

in increased mission

Starting Out as a Translator,

advanced practitioners called

accomplishment, better

and planning has begun on

Next Level: The ATA Business

communication of offerings,

a companion volume for

Practices Blog, which is ready

and more valuable benefits

interpreters. The committee

to be launched on ATA's

to members.

is continuing its work on a

www.ata-chronicle.online

membership survey, which
will also include questions
to obtain diversity data that
will allow us to better serve
the entire membership.
Other new " products " from
the committee include a
new video on the reasons
for joining ATA aimed at
recruiting new members.
Those new members are
now being offered member
orientation sessions and
instructional videos on
member benefits, both
of which should increase
member satisfaction during
their first few years in ATA.
These initiatives should
also help improve our
retention rate.
I don't have sufficient
space to report on all the
activities of every
committee carried out by all
the volunteers who work so
hard on behalf of the
Association. The majority of
members may not even be
aware of some committees
like the Chapters Committee
or the Interpretation Policy
Advisory Committee, as the
nature of their missions is
not member-focused. But I
can assure you that these
unheralded committees also
play a vital role in ATA's
mission of being " The Voice
of Interpreters and
Translators. " Visit the
committee page on the
website (www.atanet.org/
about-us/committees) to
learn more about the work
of our various committees.
And consider volunteering
for a committee as part of
your contribution back to
your community and your
fellow translators and
interpreters.

American Translators Association

http://www.atanet.org/about-us/committees http://www.atanet.org/about-us/committees http://www.ata-chronicle.online

The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2021