SESSION TITLE / Presenter / SESSION BRIEF / BIO /
Basic Immigration Law / Judge Horacio Wheelock / Judge Wheelock will discuss basic immigration law. Family and criminal issues, civil motions, and trail work are some of the topics. / Judge Wheelock was appointed to the Fourth Judicial District Court of Nebraska in September 2015. The president of Wheelock Law Offices, P.C., L.L.O., Judge Wheelock has previously served as an Administrative License Revocation Hearing Officer at the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles and as an Assistant Douglas County Public Defender. He has also worked as an Assistant State Attorney for the 11thJudicial Circuit of Florida in Dade County, Miami, Florida.
Wheelock holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance/Economics and a Masters of Business Administration from Spring Hill College as well as a Juris Doctor,cum laude, from Creighton University School of Law. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
The Court Interpreter as an Expert Witness / Ernest Niño-Murcia
State and Federally Certified Court Interpreter,
Certified Medical Interpreter
/ While court interpreters possess relevant expertise in certain areas, actually rendering an expert opinion as a witness poses ethical challenges. This session will explore different situations in which an interpreter could be offered to render an expert opinion, the ethical challenges involved (including scope of practice and conflict of interest), and the reasons certain expert work may or may not be appropriate. / Ernest Niño-Murcia is a freelance legal interpreter and translator
based in Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from Brown University
with a B.A. in Anthro-Linguistics. As a state and federally-certified
court interpreter, he has interpreted legal proceedings and prepared
translations, transcriptions and expert witness reports/testimony for
clients in the private and public sectors. Outside of court, he has
interpreted for public figures such as House Speaker Newt Gingrich,
Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Governor George Pataki and
Senator Bernie Sanders. He has presented to groups of attorneys,
judges and court reporters about court interpreter issues.
Additionally, Ernest is a member of the NAJIT Board of Directors,
chairing the Bench and Bar Committee.
Interpreting Within Mental Health Settings / Jessica Kroeker and Javier Castellote
Training Specialists at Project Harmony

/ The lack of bilingual mental health providers and the increasing demand for these services for LEP individuals requires the recruitment and training of qualified interpreters. Understanding the impact of trauma in victims of child abuse and neglect, and the treatments we have available is crucial for interpreters who are interested in providing services for this field. In this 90- minute foundational training, participants will learn the role of Project Harmony in the child welfare system, the impact of trauma in victims of child abuse, what prevention and intervention services are in place for victims. However the focus will be on how to develop a working relationship with mental health providers, specific challenges to the field of mental health, basic terminology, and secondary trauma and self-care strategies for interpreters.
Professional Ethics for Court Interpreters / Dr. Jeck-Jenard G. Navarrete Interpreter Federally Certified Court Interpreter
Office of the Federal Public Defender District of Nebraska 222 S 15th Street Suite 300N Omaha, NE 68102 (
402) 221-7896
/ This is an all-morning session. Part I and Part II will be a guided and detailed examination of the Professional Standards and Ethics for court interpreters. Experience a hands-on exercise to broaden your professional understanding of our ethics and gain the competency to lessen the arbitrariness present in your professional decisions / Jeck-Jenard G. Navarrete holds a J.D. in International Law and a Ph.D. in Linguistics. A federally certified court interpreter, he is also certified by the National Consortium for State Courts. In Court Interpretation and Digital Transcription he is a nationally recognized speaker and trainer. Jeck has served as a consultant to the Defense Language Institute and was a member of the teaching staff for the National Center for Interpretation and for the last 17 years has been the staff interpreter for the Federal Public Defender for the District of Nebraska. He is an active member of the Nebraska Supreme Court Interpreter Advisory Committee. He has served the National Association for Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) as the Chair for the Transcription & Translation Ensemble Task Force and as a member of the Nominations Committee. He is a former NATI Board member.
Simultaneous Interpretation in Context / Laura Garcia-Hein / Non-language specific simultaneous interpretation in context. This is a practical workshop for judiciary interpreters based on court hearings at different stages of criminal proceedings.
Level – some experience interpreting in the simultaneous mode
Limited to 12 participants / A federally certified Spanish interpreter, and state certified Spanish interpreter in Nebraska, Kentucky and Indiana, Laura García-Hein has been the staff interpreter for the U.S. District of Nebraska since March 2007. She received her juris doctor degree from the University of Costa Rica and double-majored in English and French. She is a member of the Bar Association in Costa Rica. Laura served as a certified Spanish language examiner for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Laura served as a Costa Rican diplomat in Sweden for six years. A guest presenter and panelist at various interpreter and translator conferences, Laura accumulates over 25 years of experience in teaching, designing an providing training courses in law, conflict management, intercultural matters, communication and interpreting skills. Laura has been a rater for the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination since 2009.
Trial Interpretation – Skill Building / Lilia Bustos and Laura Garcia Hein / An interactive session designed to build in-court consecutive interpretation skills using actual trial transcripts. Participants are expected to fully participate and provide constructive feedback to colleagues.
Ethics, Ethics, Wherefore art Thou, Ethics?
(Parts 1 & 2) / Janet Bonet
NE & IA State Certified Court Interpreter,
National Board Certified Medical Interpreter,
Owner of Protrans,
NATI Board Member
/ The choices we make in the course of our work matter. Where and when do we make decisions about professional ethics in our careers? Do our standards and expectations change over time? In a challenging lecture/discussion session, we will seek to reconcile the worlds of personal morals and professional ethics by understanding the interpreter/translator’s role in any setting from the jury trial to PDI, from IME to community event, and on to translation of legal documents and event flyers. We will look at the complexities and impact of ethical relationships between language professionals and those who utilize our services or influence our profession from the employer, agency, clients, law makers, and LEP persons. / Janet Bonet is one of the founders of NATI and served on its board for 16 years, coordinating conferences and advocating for the profession. She has been striving for continued professionalization and recognition of translators and interpreters in Nebraska and the US for over 25 years. She continues as an independent contractor focusing now on judicial interpreting in court, work comp, family and juvenile sectors. She lives in South Omaha and is an enthusiastic community activist.
Language Access Case Law Update / Jenifer Verhein
Statewide Language Access Coordinator
/ Jennifer will provide a review of recent court and administrative agency decisions regarding language access in Nebraska and nationwide. / Jennifer Verhein holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Minnesota Law School. After practicing law with Iowa Legal Aid and with the Office of the Des Moines County Attorney, Jennifer worked in higher education for nearly 15 years. She came to the Administrative Office of the Courts in October 2015 with the extensive legal and administrative experience necessary for her to return to her true passion: advocating for access to justice. It is now her privilege to use her legal and administrative skills to foster language access to Nebraska courts and probation services. Because she devotes her attention to the challenges of language access, Jennifer recognizes that the NATI Board plays an important role recruiting, developing and retaining Nebraska interpreters. She sees serving on the Board as a way to enhance communication and collaboration between this professional organization and the Nebraska Judicial Branch; inviting, educating and advocating for qualified interpreters to serve as essential conduits for limited English proficient participants in Nebraska courts and probation services offices.
Professional Interpreters: Vicarious Trauma and Fatigue / Sharon Jackson, LHMP, CPC / The purpose of this session is to define, recognize and validate the signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma and fatigue as experienced by the professional interpreter. Vicarious trauma has been recognized since 1987; at that time Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) was introduced and legislated by the state of Nebraska as a tool to enable first responders to realistically and fully deal with trauma and reduce the effects of post trauma stressors. A professionally organized CISM debriefing helps the responders understand and deal with their normal reactions to an abnormal event.
Participants will be expected to engage in small group discussion and subsequent sharing with the class.
Participants will explore coping strategies and techniques designed to mitigate the accumulative effects of stress associated with professional interpretation. / Sharon Jackson is a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LHMP) and Certified Professional Counselor (CPC), State of Nebraska for over 30 years; currently in private practice. Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team member for the State of Nebraska since 1988
New Horizons for Translators and Interpreters: Calm Seas or Storm Fronts for the Language Professions? / Cynthia Roat, MPH Roat,
(tel) 206-546-1194

www.cindyroat.com
www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiaroat / In this presentation, we’ll examine the current pressures impacting the language professions, take the measure of our future and attempt to chart a course to clear water for community linguists. By the close of this presentation, participants will be able to:
·  Identify three reasons why linguists will be in high demand in community settings over the next ten years.
·  Identify three trends that are threatening language access programs in community settings right now.
·  Name three actions that they can take to help support the healthy growth of the interpreting and translations fields. / Cindy Roat is an International Consultant on Language Access in Health Care and Patient Navigation. She provides consulting, training and research services to healthcare organizations and educational institutions needing support related to language access, interpreter services and patient navigation. A past supervisor for the Bilingual Patient Navigator Program at Seattle Hospital’s Center for Diversity and Health Equity, Cindy has acted as program manager for Cross Cultural Health Care Program in Seattle and has been a QA specialist with Pacific Interpreters in Portland.
The Specialized Skills of a Telephonic Interpreter / Cynthia Roat, MPH
(tel) 206-546-1194

www.cindyroat.com
www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiaroat / This workshop, designed for experienced on-site interpreters, will help participants identify and develop the specific skills needed to transition between in-person to telephonic interpreting. Depending on the length of the session, the workshop will include both theoretical learning and practice.
What Entrepreneurs and Start Up Businesses Should Know / Elizabeth Yearwood, Economic Development Specialist with the SBA and Rand Hansen, CPA with HSMC Orizon LLC and SCORE volunteer / This presentation will cover the basics of business start-up including choosing a legal structure, registering your business with the state, getting an EIN number and free resources for entrepreneurs. We will also cover various tax topics such as the self-employment tax and self-employed health insurance, using a home office, record keeping, tracking mileage and writing off meals and incidentals. / Elizabeth Yearwood joined the US Small Business Administration in March 2013 as an Economic Development Specialist. She currently helps entrepreneurs connect to the resources, services and information they need to help start and grow their small businesses throughout the state of Nebraska.
Rand Hansen is a CPA and principal with HSMC Orizon, LCC. Before HSMC, Rand was president of his own firm, G. Randall Hansen, CPA, P.C., an accounting firm providing tax, business consultation and elder care services to a wide variety of clients. A UNL graduate, Rand has over 30 years of public accounting experience. He is also a member of the Greater Omaha SCORE Chapter 40, providing free and low cost counseling, workshops and training to entrepreneurs and small business owners.
National Certification for Medical Interpreters / Alicia Roeth, CMI

(402) 616-9129 / This is a 90 minute session giving an overview of the two certifications available nationally for Medical Interpreters, including how to prepare for the exams. Two separate national certification exams are available for medical interpreters: Certified Medical Interpreter (CMI) and Certified Healthcare InterpreterTM (CHI). This session will give an overview of the two different exams. We will look at the differences and similarities of the two certification processes, as well as the certification options available for medical interpreters who speak languages other than Spanish. The session will be lecture style with open Q&A. / Ms. Roeth worked as a Spanish Medical Interpreter for 16 years at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. In 2010, she was among the first in the nation to become certified as a medical interpreter and currently holds both CMI & CHITM certifications. She teaches in the Interpreting certificate program at Metropolitan Community College, Omaha.
Demystifying State Court Certification Exams / Kelly Varguez
www.minimalpair.com
/ As a trained educator and dedicated professional, Kelly has spent the last 7 years working closely with prospective interpreters hoping to gain court certification. Recently, Kelly hit upon an in-depth explanation of how certification tests are designed and scored. She’s transformed this explanation into a collection of test preparation strategies and exercises and is excited to share it with participants. In this session, you will identify the types of words and renditions evaluated on the written and oral exams; perform and score practice exercises to reveal your areas of strength and weakness; and develop a personal study plan for test preparation. Session given in English. Interpreters of all languages welcome! / Kelly Varguez (Nebraska, Iowa and U.S. Court Certified Interpreter) holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish and ESL Education from the University of Nebraska - Kearney (2001) and a Master of Education Degree from Doane College (2007). She is an active college instructor and professional Spanish interpreter in the Omaha area. In addition to her freelance work translating and interpreting, she coaches interpreters via her program at www.myinterpretingcoach.com and develops online educational resources for interpreters with her friend and business partner, Karen Bahr, for www.minimalpair.com. A happy survivor of the U.S. federal court interpreter certification process, Kelly looks forward to sharing her tips and tricks with others seeking to improve their interpreting technique and testing-taking skills