A very brief history of our interpreter development program
Connecting Cultures, Inc. opened its doors in 2000 as a language services company specializing in health care. It soon became necessary to expand the interpreter team. Lacking a workforce with ready-to-go skills, Connecting Cultures built an initial interpreter training program to develop skilled bilinguals into professional interpreters. Our trainees (a.k.a. students) are our employees, the face of our company. Upon successfully completing the initial training program, the individual moves from student status to interpreter status. At this point, the initial training period ends, and the continued professional development begins. The professional development of the Connecting Cultures interpreter is supported in a combination of ways: formal and informal training opportunities; a 3-prong skills evaluation process; and daily management and support of interpreter performance.
It is out of this model that we have built the professional development opportunities that we offer to working healthcare interpreter across the country. Our professional development programs are rooted in professional ethics and standards of practice for healthcare interpreters and set within the context of real world interpreting experience. We recognize that the training, development and professional context of each working interpreter is unique. As such, our professional development classes are designed to ensure the learning objectives are met while also incorporating the particular professional development needs of the individual interpreter.
Please visit the the Connecting Cultures interpreter services website to learn more about our language access services.
Meet our President
I don't like to talk about myself, but you're probably wondering who I am. So here it goes...
I am the founder and president of Connecting Cultures, Inc. and a proud member of our TEAM. I started specializing in healthcare interpreting more than 20 years ago, and that's all I’ve done ever since. It’s important to note that I didn’t start Connecting Cultures to be an agency.
As a struggling interpreter, I became an entrepreneur in order to give people an opportunity to stop chasing work and start focusing on their work and craft as interpreters. Since the year 2000 we’ve shown how interpreting that specializes in healthcare can be a viable professional career, not just a J.O.B. It's an all-employee TEAM. That’s it. Predictable hours, predictable pay, predictable benefits, and lots and lots of love.
My focus is on meeting healthcare's demand for language services that they like and that adds strategic value to their organization. The Connecting Cultures TEAM delivers services healthcare wants and needs, not just needs. Through a focus on operational efficiencies, I've seen how interpreting can go from an imposed obligation to an appreciated asset.
Since 2012 I have been an active blogger on InterpreterDevelopment.com and have expanded to developing videos for our new Medical Interpreter YouTube channel. We are humbled every week by our national and global viewership.
I have served on the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau. I have also served as a committee member and on the Board of Directors for the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care. I’ve been honored to have spoken around the country in places like California, Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Tennessee, Florida, Iowa, and Georgia.
I am a lucky, lucky lady. I get to combine my three passions every day: Motherhood and family (we homeschool), business, and healthcare interpreting. This allows me to live my best life! I love what I do but it does take a TEAM because Together Everyone Achieves More!
Meet our Director of Training and Development
Erin Rosales is Director of Interpreter Development for Connecting Cultures, Inc. She has a B.A. in Spanish and Ministry from Viterbo College. She holds a Certified Professional in Talent Development® designation from the Association for Talent Development (formerly the American Society for Training & Development). She is a Certified Healthcare Interpreter-Spanish professional. She is a member of the Standards and Training Committee of the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care and Chair of the Home for Trainers – Webinars Work Group. She is a Commissioner of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters. Since 2003 Erin has been dedicated to actively interpreting in the healthcare field, designing training programs for healthcare interpreters, training interpreters, and developing interpreter trainers.
She is a fan of using social media, especially Twitter (@RosalesErin), to learn from professionals across a variety of fields, to discover and share valuable professional development resources, and to enjoy a bit of whimsy on occasion.
She was honored with the Detangling the Spaghetti Ball Award for outstanding service to the LEP community and the interpreter profession at the 2016 Ramp Up the Conversation Interpreter and ISP Conference. She won in the ProZ.com 2016 Community Choice Awards interpreter-related category for best trainer.