

ADVANCED SKILLS & TRAINING DAY
New this year: Advanced Skills & Training (AST) Day takes place Wednesday, November 2. This “conference-before-the-conference,” will provide specialized education and networking opportunities. Choose from sight translation and note-taking clinics, business growth and productivity workshops, courses that focus on financial, technical, and new media translation, and tool training.
Continuing Education Credit: ATA-certified translators can earn 3 CEPs for each AST course attended. Certified interpreters may earn continuing education credit as indicated. Learn more
Intensive & Interactive
AST Day offers three-hour courses, chosen to provide intensive, interactive instruction from highly-acclaimed speakers. See course descriptions and speaker bios below.
Space is Limited
AST courses will have limited seating to ensure the individual attention needed for an optimal learning experience. For this reason, separate registration will be required.
Networking Opportunity
Each AST course includes an individual break exclusively for the attendees and speakers of that course. Attendees will enjoy focused and intimate networking.
AST-1 (THIS COURSE IS FULL!)
Long Consecutive Bootcamp: An Applied Skills Workshop for Interpreters
Get the skills you need to competently and comfortably provide consecutive interpreting of longer segments. This intensive workshop—for interpreters of all levels—explores the challenges and strategies for providing “long consec” with confidence. Take part in guided exercises to improve your active listening, visualization, memory and recall, integrated note-taking, public speaking, self-monitoring, and more.
- Limited to 25 participants
- Language-Neutral; All Levels
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- To be submitted for Court-Certified Interpreter CEs
- Wednesday, November 2, 8:30am-12:00pm
- Networking Break, 10:00am-10:30am
- Course fee: $150
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Laura Burian,
professor at MIIS since 2000, shares her interpreting expertise gained in conference and diplomatic settings.

Jacolyn Harmer, professor at MIIS since 1985, actively contributes to interpreting training programs worldwide.
AST-2 (THIS COURSE IS FULL!)
Sight Translation Skills for Translators and Interpreters
Translators can increase their productivity and interpreters can enhance their simultaneous skills by taking part in practical exercises to improve sight translation. Intermediate and advanced translators and interpreters will practice skills such as macro-reading, chunking, and paraphrasing, before taking part in guided demonstrations of sight translation. Different approaches, applications, and text preparation will also be discussed.
- Limited to 25 participants
- Language-Neutral; Intermediate/Advanced
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- To be submitted for Court-Certified Interpreter CEs
- Wednesday, November 2, 8:30am-12:00pm
- Networking Break, 10:00am-10:30am
- Course fee: $150; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Holly Mikkelson, CT, author of the acclaimed Acebo training manuals for court and medical interpreters, is a federally certified court interpreter, MIIS associate professor, and ATA-certified translator with four decades of professional experience.
AST-3
Mastering PDFs using OCR and Advanced Formatting Features in Word
What do you do when your client sends you a scanned PDF to translate and recreate using the original formatting? Through hands-on activities, you will learn how to stop wasting your time and start impressing your clients. By learning OCR technology, advanced formatting techniques in Word, and other tricks for easily manipulating PDFs and other non-editable documents, you can become a formatting guru.
- Limited to 30 participants
- Language-Neutral; All Levels
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- It is required that attendees bring laptop with Word
- It is recommended to have ABBYY FineReader and Acrobat Pro
- Wednesday, November 2, 8:30am-12:00pm
- Networking Break, 10:00am-10:30am
- Course fee: $150; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Allison Bryant has advanced training in desktop publishing for multiple software and print formats.

Jill R. Sommer holds an MA in German translation from Kent State University and specializes in IT and medical translation.
Follow Jill @bonnjill
AST-4
Seven Ways to Actively Market to Direct Clients
Working with direct translation clients can be financially and professionally rewarding, but where do you start? Take on the challenge of acquiring direct clients, by attending this interactive and motivating workshop. You will create a strategy for how to find these elusive clients and keep them happy. No experience with direct clients is needed, but you should possess basic marketing tools, including a website.
- Limited to 25 participants
- Language-Neutral; Intermediate
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- Wednesday, November 2, 8:30am-12:00pm
- Networking Break, 10:00am-10:30am
- Course fee: $150; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Judy Jenner holds an MBA in marketing and is co-author of The Entrepreneurial Linguist: The Business-School Approach to Freelance Translation. Past attendees say she’s an engaging, dynamic speaker with relevant and valuable information.
Follow Judy @language_news
AST-5
Mastering Technical Writing
Technical translators with excellent technical writing skills stand out from the crowd, in the quality of their work and in their income potential. This hands-on editing workshop for advanced technical translators working into English will teach you how to produce clear and concise English scientific and technical texts. If registered by October 14, you will receive sample passages that you may edit in preparation for the workshop (optional).
- Limited to 25 participants
- Language-Neutral; Advanced
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- Wednesday, November 2, 8:30am-12:00pm
- Networking Break, 10:00am-10:30am
- Course fee: $150; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Karen Tkaczyk, CT, is a highly-specialized translator with an MChem in Chemistry and a PhD in Organic Chemistry. Past attendees say she provides practical and eye-opening instruction in a clear, concise, and humorous way.
Follow Karen @ChemXlator
AST-6
Putting the Zing Back into Marketing Materials
When translating marketing materials, you’ve got to be both translator and copywriter in order to deliver compelling and persuasive content. Using English translations from various languages that sound stilted and awkward, we’ll work together to identify what doesn’t work and how to transform it to create effective copy. Along the way, you’ll pick up tips and strategies for putting the zing back into your marketing translations.
- Limited to 25 participants
- Language-Neutral; All Levels
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- Wednesday, November 2, 8:30am-12:00pm
- Networking Break, 10:00am-10:30am
- Course fee: $150; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Grant Hamilton owns and manages an agency that works with advertising agencies, leading retailers, publishers, and the tourism industry. Past attendees say he offers interactive and thought-provoking sessions that always provide inspiration to become better writers.
Follow Grant @anglais
AST-7 (THIS COURSE IS FULL!)
Trados Studio Workshop
Intended for intermediate/advanced Trados Studio users who fully grasp the basics, this workshop will provide hands-on exercises for advanced features so you can work smarter and faster. Topics include translation memory management, quality assurance, file type settings, advanced editor features, and more. Once registered, you will be invited to send questions to the speaker by October 14 so he may tailor this workshop to your needs.
- Limited to 20 participants
- Language-Neutral; Intermediate/Advanced
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- It is recommended that attendees bring their laptop with Trados Studio (version 2015 preferred)
- Wednesday, November 2, 8:30am-12:00pm
- Networking Break, 10:00am-10:30am
- Course fee: $150
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Tuomas Kostiainen, CT, is an independent Trados trainer, providing training sessions in the U.S. and internationally. Past attendees say he’s an engaging, top-notch expert whose sessions are worth the cost of the entire conference.
AST-8 (THIS COURSE IS FULL!)
Preparing for the ATA English>Spanish Certification Exam
ATA-certified translators stand out in their profession. With a 20% pass rate, the ATA Certification Exam can be challenging even for those with experience. This workshop will prepare you for that challenge! Once registered, you will receive an ATA Practice Test ($80-$120 value) to translate and return by September 23. If received by the deadline, the speakers will review your test so they may target the errors to analyze during this workshop. Errors used will remain anonymous.
- Limited to 25 participants
- Spanish Required; All Levels
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- Wednesday, November 2, 8:30am-12:00pm
- Networking Break, 10:00am-10:30am
- Course fee: $200; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued once Practice Test is sent

Mercedes De la Rosa Sherman, CT, holds a Masters in medical translation and has been an English>Spanish exam grader for ten years.

Diego Mansilla, CT, is an ATA-certified translator English>Spanish and an English>Spanish exam grader.
Follow Diego
@TodoTranslation
AST-9 (THIS COURSE IS FULL!)
Improve Your Consecutive Note-taking for Dialog Interpreting
To fully master consecutive interpreting, consecutive note-taking is essential. This fast-paced and highly interactive workshop adapts Rozan’s classic note-taking method for long consecutive to meet the needs of dialog interpreting required in legal, medical, and other non-conference settings. You will improve your note-taking and symbols development skills, and have fun doing it! Most importantly, you will walk away with straightforward, concrete strategies for continuing to improve your skills.
- Limited to 25 participants
- Language-Neutral; All Levels
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- To be submitted for Court-Certified Interpreter CEs
- Wednesday, November 2, 1:00pm-4:30pm
- Networking Break, 2:30pm-3:00pm
- Course fee: $150
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Katharine Allen,
co-founder of InterpretAmerica, is a healthcare and community interpreter and trainer with over 30 years of experience. Past attendees say she’s an encouraging and inspiring speaker who offers dynamic, practical, and interactive training.
AST-10 (THIS COURSE IS FULL!)
Rethinking Your Simultaneous Interpreting Delivery
Simultaneous interpreting is a complex and challenging skill. Even after we’ve mastered listening, processing, speaking, and monitoring output, the skill we most often neglect is arguably one of the most important—our delivery. While you might achieve 100% accuracy, you might be driving your listeners crazy with your monotone, choppy, or hesitant delivery. Join us for this practice-intensive workshop full of practical tips and eye-opening exercises. Portable FM equipment will be used.
- Limited to 20 participants
- Language-Neutral; All Levels
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- To be submitted for Court-Certified Interpreter CEs
- Wednesday, November 2, 1:00pm-4:30pm
- Networking Break, 2:30pm-3:00pm
- Course fee: $150
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Barry Olsen, co-founder of InterpretAmerica and associate professor at MIIS, is a veteran conference interpreter with over two decades of experience. Past attendees say he’s a fountain of cutting edge information, and an effective and positive instructor.
Follow Barry @ProfessorOlsen
AST-11
Finding the Voice in Literary Translation
Just as we must hear the music before we can play it, we must hear the voice before we can transpose it. Intended for advanced literary translators, participants of this workshop will rehearse ways of hearing and transposing to preserve the voice and musicality. Come with open ears and be ready to engage! Once registered, you will receive a text specific to your language to translate by October 14. Translations received by the deadline will be reviewed by the speaker.
- Limited to 15 participants
- Language-Neutral; Advanced
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- Wednesday, November 2, 1:00pm-4:30pm
- Networking Break, 2:30pm-3:00pm
- Course fee: $150; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Philip Boehm is an award-winning translator of over 30 novels and plays, stage director, playwright, and founding artistic director of Upstream Theater. He is also this year’s German Language Division Guest Speaker.
AST-12
Use Your Super Powers to Get Clients Now!
If you’re ready to start getting new clients from an easier perspective, this hands-on workshop is for you! By discovering your strengths (aka Super Powers), you can develop a marketing strategy that’s uniquely suited to you. You’ll take home actionable items to put into place right away, as well as homework to keep the momentum going. You will receive a copy of Get Clients Now! by C.J. Hayden to use during this workshop.
- Limited to 25 participants
- Language-Neutral; All Levels
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- Wednesday, November 2, 1:00pm-4:30pm
- Networking Break, 2:30pm-3:00pm
- Course fee: $150; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued October 14

Kristine Carey, a trained and certified coach, helps small businesses and freelancers find and develop their strengths and realign who they are with their work so they can produce the results they’re after.
Follow Kristine @KristineCarey
AST-13
IFRS Masterclass for Translators and Interpreters
Firmly established as the global “language” of financial reporting, the International Financial Reporting Standards represent both a significant challenge and a tremendous opportunity for translators and interpreters willing to learn about IFRS financial reporting. In this advanced and interactive course, you will learn essential terminology and phrasing, the structure of the standards, how they are applied in practice, and specific translation-related issues.
- Limited to 30 participants
- Language-Neutral; Advanced
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- Wednesday, November 2, 1:00pm-4:30pm
- Networking Break, 2:30pm-3:00pm
- Course fee: $150; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Robin Bonthrone, a financial translator for over 25 years, has been translating IFRS reports for most of that time. Past attendees say he’s an authority in his field, offering specific content applicable to real-life translation.
AST-14
You Want Me to Do What? Providing “Lingua-aware” Services for Global Digital Marketing
If you have a real passion for marketing, strategy, and keeping one step ahead of your customer in their globalization efforts, you will love this session. Companies that rely on search engine marketing (SEM) to drive sales are demanding “lingua-aware” services from translators to boost their digital presence in international markets. The speaker will lead you through live exercises to grasp the fundamentals of search engine marketing and the mindset required to provide these services.
- Limited to 25 participants
- Language-Neutral; All Levels
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- It is required that attendees bring their laptop and have a Google account
- Wednesday, November 2, 1:00pm-4:30pm
- Networking Break, 2:30pm-3:00pm
- Course fee: $150; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Jon Ritzdorf has been an instructor of translation technology and localization concepts for several years and is currently employed as a globalization architect. Past attendees say he’s a passionate and dynamic speaker who provides relevant and useful instruction.
AST-15
Dancing with Dragon: Voice Recognition for Productivity
Come learn how voice-to-text technology can improve your translation rate. Some translators report an increase of 50%-70%. Not only can you enter text more quickly, you can work with reduced physical strain and fatigue. This workshop will introduce you to Dragon Naturally Speaking and how it works in popular CAT environments. Participants will divide into groups to closely observe how to train the software to recognize their voice and experience its benefits and challenges.
- Limited to 25 participants
- Language-Neutral; All Levels
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- Wednesday, November 2, 1:00pm-4:30pm
- Networking Break, 2:30pm-3:00pm
- Course fee: $150; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued after October 14

Andrew Levine, CT, is an ATA-certifed translator and has translated over seven million words for the engineering, finance, software, law, and transportation fields. Past attendees say he demonstrates usage of the tool expertly, and is a clear and effective trainer.
Follow Andrew @AndrewLevine
AST-16 (THIS COURSE IS FULL!)
Preparing for the ATA Spanish>English Certification Exam
ATA-certified translators stand out in their profession. With a 20% pass rate, the ATA Certification Exam can be challenging even for those with experience. This workshop will prepare you for that challenge! Once registered, you will receive an ATA Practice Test ($80-$120 value) to translate and return by September 23. If received by the deadline, the speakers will review your test so they may target the errors to analyze during this workshop. Errors used will remain anonymous.
- Limited to 20 participants
- Spanish Required; All Levels
- Earn 3.0 ATA CEPs
- Wednesday, November 2, 1:00pm-4:30pm
- Networking Break, 2:30pm-3:00pm
- Course fee: $200; Register Today!
- Cancellation Policy: Refunds will not be issued once Practice Test is sent

Jane Maier, CT, is ATA-certified in three language pairs and a Spanish>English exam grader for 20 years.

Holly Mikkelson, CT, is an ATA-certified translator English<>Spanish and a Spanish>English exam grader for over 10 years.