E16 - Black Squirrel Translator Collective

In this episode, we talk to the members of Black Squirrel Translator Collective (BSTC)! In 2016, Victoria Chavez-Kruse, Mary McKee, Jamie Hartz, and Elizabeth Nelsen established Black Squirrel Translator Collective, a working group that provides many tangible and intangible benefits. Tune in to learn how they did it, what working together means to them, and how you can partner up with your colleagues to take your business to the next level! Article in The ATA Chronicle: https://www.ata-chronicle.org/featured/the-benefits-of-a-translator-collective-staying-sane-as-a-freelance-translator About our guests: Victoria Chavez-Kruse is an ATA-certified Spanish-into-English translator specializing in the life sciences and medical fields. She holds an M.A. in Translation in 2013 from Kent State University’s Institute for Applied Linguistics and a B.A. in Spanish from Malone University. Victoria is a member of the Northeast Ohio Translators Association and currently serves as the interim PR chair, as well as the social media coordinator and newsletter editor. Visit her website: https://www.vcktranslation.com Elizabeth Nelsen is a Spanish-into-English translator specializing in the life sciences and medical fields, with a focus on clinical trials. She received an M.A. in Translation from Kent State University and a B.S. in both Spanish and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Elizabeth is a member of the American Translators Association and the Upper Midwest Translators and Interpreters Association. Visit her website: https://entranslations-llc.com Jamie Hartz is an ATA-certified Spanish>English legal and commercial translator. She completed an MA in Spanish translation at Kent State University in 2015. In 2013, she was one of three ATA volunteers who established The Savvy Newcomer blog, and she is a frequent contributor and editor. Now living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she is also a member of the Delaware Valley Translators Association (an ATA chapter) and is an active volunteer with ATA. Visit her website: https://tildelanguage.com Mary McKee is an ATA-Certified Spanish-into-English translator working in the life sciences, marketing, and commercial fields, with occasional forays into “fun” topics such as graphic novels and the environment. She earned her MA in Spanish translation from Kent State University in 2014 and is currently the secretary of the Northwest Translators and Interpreters Society, the northwest chapter of the ATA. Mary lives and works in Seattle, WA with her husband and daughter and is hoping to resume international travel as soon as the toddler is ready for long-haul flights! Visit her website: http://www.mckeetranslation.com