Judith Custodio is the IMIA Minnesota Chapter Chair
Ms. Judith Custodio have served as volunteer interpreter since 1985, in her country of origin Panama, Germany and the USA. Ms. Custodio has served as a volunteer interpreter with organizations such as the Youth Community Center in Fort Carson, the Colorado Springs Police Department, the AMWAY Corporation in Germany, Doctor’s for Global Health, Schwan’s USA CUP International Youth Soccer Tournament in Minnesota, and other organizations.
Ms. Custodio earned the Certificate in Interpreting at the Program for Translating and Interpreting at the University of Minnesota (2009), the Certificate in Medical Interpreting from the National Center for Interpretation at the University of Arizona (2011) and became a National Certified Medical interpreter (CMI) in 2012. Ms. Custodio earned her Associate in Applied Science in Interpreting and Translation degree from Century College in December 2016.
Ms. Custodio has served in the Education Committee Chair of the Minnesota Interpreting Stakeholder Group (ISG). In addition, she is a volunteer founder of the Century College Translators and Interpreters Walk and Share in Minneapolis. Ms. Custodio is committed to networking with interpreters to share professional experiences and knowledge in the interpreting field, and to contribute to the enrichment of physical, emotional and intellectual care of interpreters while providing the opportunity to build a network within the professional field.
Nataliya Holen is the IMIA Minnesota Vice Chair
Nataliya Holen, BA, CMI, was born in Ukraine, where she received her BA in English and German and started her interpreting career working on a joint project of the Ukrainian and US governments. When Ms.Holen moved to the United States, she started working as a medical interpreter for Allina Health, one of the largest healthcare systems in Minnesota. Very quickly Nataliya realized the importance of formal professional training for medical interpreters and joined the Program for Translating and Interpreting at the University of Minnesota. She has been interpreting for Allina Health Russian and Ukrainian speaking patients for over ten years now and has become a lead interpreter.
Nataliya has been very active in the interpreting community; she currently serves as a Membership Committee Chair of the Minnesota Interpreting Stakeholder Group (ISG), the organization that works on improving access to spoken language interpreter services.
As one of the first certified medical interpreters in Minnesota, Nataliya is committed to the advancement of professional medical interpreters as the best practice to provide high quality interpreter services to LEP patients.
| MINNESOTA CHAPTER ACTIVITIES 2017-2020 Minnesota Chapter of the IMIA have promoted Medical Interpreter Certification, educated local Interpreters about how to become a nationally Certified Medical Interpreter through NBCMI, promoted continued professional growth through IMIA webinars, promoted professionalism through membership initiative. 2017.2018. and 2019 along with a CHI colleague, the MN Chapter presented several workshops titled "Become Certified and Stay Certified" at UMMC-Fairview. With over 60 staff interpreters, the main goal was to encourage peers to become certified. We explained side-by-side how each certifying entity works. The presentation included instructions on how to earn CEUs through the IMIA and with our local Upper Midwest Translators and Interpreters Association (UMTIA). Throughout 2019 IMIA Chapters actively participated in the shaping of a MN Interpreter Registry which we hope will replace the present Roster by meeting with different stakeholders. November 2, 2019 at the 2019 UMTIA Annual Membership Meeting. Minnesota and Twin Cities Chapter participated on Presentations on Medical and Legal Certification and Panel Discussion. This was a Collaboration with speakers Idolly Fajardo Oliva from CCHI, NBCMI Director Gulnara Akbarova, Judith Custodio and Nataliya Holen from IMIA, representing NBCMI, and Polly Ryan from the Minnesota Judicial Branch. We presented to over 50 Interpreters who were interested in becoming nationally certified. June 2019 Weaving Cultures, LLC a local agency hosted the 1st Minnesota Conference on Meaningful Language Access (MNCMLA). The Minnesota and Twin Cities Chapter promoted the IMIA by hosting a table. National certification was also promoted.with the collaboration of Ingrid Oseguera, Jazmin Manjarrez and Xiomara Armas from NBCMI. November 2018 Nataliya Holen, our Twin Cities Chapter Chair, participated at the Interpreter Agency Intelligere staff meeting to promote National Certification and the IMIA. November 2018 CCHI and UMTIA hosted a workshop and the IMIA MN Chapters were invited to host a table. We were able to clarify the 2018 changes about CEUs acceptance to attendees December 9th, 2017 Promoted Medical Interpreter Certification through NBCMI during a local event - Infection Control Workshop presented by CCHI, UMTIA and Allina Health (over 150 Interpreters registered). November 11th, 2017 hosted an informational table during the local UMTIA Conference, where we promoted Medical Interpreter Certification through NBCMI, we reached out to over 150 Conference participants providing handouts and answering interpreters' questions. |
