LEO's 13th International Virtual Conference
June 25 & 26, 2026
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS
Bruce Adelson, Esq.
Federal Compliance Consultant
Bruce Adelson is a highly-regarded expert in the areas of language access, disability access, and compliance.
With his extensive experience and expertise, he serves as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Consultant to both the Idaho Supreme Court and New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts.
Prior to his current role, Bruce was a Senior Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, where he worked to ensure compliance with federal laws protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities.
In addition to his consulting work, Bruce is also a respected member of the academic community. He currently serves on the faculty of Georgetown University School of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he teaches Implicit Bias in Health Care. Bruce has also taught at a number of other prestigious institutions, including Harvard University, Cornell University, Auburn University, The Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, and the University of Baltimore School of Law.
Bill Rivers
Principal at WP Rivers and Associates
Dr. Bill Rivers is the immediate past and founding Chair of ASTM Technical Committee F43, Language Services and Products, and chairs the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO Technical Committee 232, Education and Learning Services. He serves as a member of the America’s Languages Working Group of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is an honorary member of the Association of Language Companies, and recipient of the ALC Bill Graeper Award in 2019.
Before establishing WP Rivers & Associates, Dr. Rivers served for eight years as the Executive Director of the Joint National Committee for Languages – National Council for Languages and International Studies, leaving a legacy of significant legislative and policy accomplishments, including the establishment of the Congressional Caucus on America’s Languages, and the passage of the World Languages Advancement and Readiness Program, among many others.
Caitilin Walsh
ATA-Certified French-English Translator Specializing in Software and Gastronomy, Past ATA and NOTIS President
Caitilin Walsh is an ATA-Certified French-English translator specializing in software and gastronomy and a translator educator. A past president of the American Translators Association and the Northwest Translators and Interpreters Society, she is driven to bring organizations and institutions together on a local and national scale to create and illuminate educational pathways for emerging bilinguals seeking to use their skills in rewarding careers. She currently serves as President of AFTI, the American Foundation for Translation and Interpretation. She brings her strong opinions on professionalism as an instructor in the Master’s T&I program at New York University. When not at her computer, she can be found pursuing creative endeavors from orchestra to the kitchen.
Dale Lundstrom
Certified Healthcare Interpreter and Interpreter Trainer
Dale Lundstrom is a Certified Healthcare Interpreter and interpreter trainer based in Salt Lake City, UT.
His work spans freelance interpretation and translation along the Wasatch Front in Utah, training new interpreters within the community and at Intermountain Health, and educating bilingual staff on the importance of qualified interpretation. With a deep passion for language, his primary goal is to create as many opportunities as possible for qualified language professionals to deliver quality services.
Dolores Rojo Guiñazú
Certified Sworn Translator Specializing in Quality Assurance, ISO Standards, and Audio-based Communication, Host of the Attitudable Podcast
Dolores Rojo Guiñazú is a certified sworn translator specializing in quality assurance, ISO standards, and audio-based communication. She holds an MBA in Marketing Management (USAL & Albany University) and is a Certified International Copyeditor.
She also holds TAUS certifications in post-editing and transcreation. An academic postgraduate professor at UCA, a local private university in Argentina.
A committed advocate for quality and security in language services, Dolores is an active member of IRAM (Argentina’s ISO member body), where she contributes to national and international discussions on translation, technology, and security standards. She also serves on the ATA Standards Committee, Advocacy Committee, Mentorship Committee, and Professional Development Committee.
Dolores is an ISO 27001:2013 Internal Auditor and has been lecturing internationally since 2017 on quality assurance, industry standards, best practices, and the evolving role of audio and podcasting in professional communication.
As the creator of a podcast, called Attitudable, that brings together language, culture, and professional development, she champions authentic storytelling and meaningful connection. Her work fosters a space where expertise meets creativity, empowering professionals to amplify their voices and communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact.
Gabriela Serrambana-Espinoza (Gabriela E. Siebach)
Adjunct Instructor at UMass-Amherst and Spanish Interpreter
Gabriela E. Siebach is a Spanish interpreter and adjunct instructor at UMass-Amherst, has over 20 years of professional experience.
She has spearheaded the development of multiple training and assessment programs throughout her career. Gabriela is a certified healthcare interpreter (CHI-Spanish), a certified Spanish court interpreter in California and North Carolina, and holds a graduate degree in Spanish translation and interpretation from the world-renowned Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Gabriela served on the American Association of Interpreters and Translators in Education Job Task Analysis Committee from 2020-2025, and currently sits on the American Translators Association Government Division Leadership Council and the Interpretation Profession Advisory Committee as well as the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care Policy, Education & Research Committee. Gabriela is also a member of the Carolina Association of Translators and Interpreters and the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators.
Jay Marciano
President of the Association for Machine Translation in the Americas (AMTA), President of the International Association for Machine Translation (IAMT)
Jay Marciano has spent more than 26 years at the forefront of developing, applying, and explaining machine translation (MT). He has held senior positions at SDL (2001-2010) and Lionbridge (2010-2020), where he was responsible for the global strategy of using MT to increase translation efficiency, and at Lengoo, where he was deeply involved in the creation of an AI product strategy. Jay is president of the Association for Machine Translation in the Americas (AMTA) and presents widely on MT, AI, and the future of the translation industry.
Jessica Yaacoub
Director of Operations & Development – MBA, CPACC at Bromberg & Associates
Jessica Yaacoub is Bromberg’s Director of Operations and Development and Chief Accessibility Officer. Jessica’s role encompasses a diverse array of responsibilities, where she not only supervises and facilitates communication across all departments but also plays a pivotal role in steering the company toward its development and accessibility goals. Jessica’s expertise extends to client relations and language access services. She actively engages with clients to comprehensively assess their language and accessibility needs, offering insightful guidance and solutions. Jessica’s linguistic talents further enhance her capabilities, as she is a native Arabic speaker with fluency in French. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics with a double major in Computer Science, earned at Wayne State University. Committed to continuous growth, she earned her MBA at the University of Illinois – Gies College of Business with a focus on digital marketing and Universal design. Jessica is an avid accessibility advocate and has earned her CPACC (Certificate of Proficiency in Accessibility Core Competencies) certificate through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals.
Jorge Mejia
Director of Language Access and Interpreter Services, and Certified Interpreter
Jorge Mejia is a Certified Healthcare Interpreter (CHITM) with nearly 20 years of experience advancing language access in healthcare, particularly for underserved and Indigenous language-speaking communities.
In 2024, he became Director of Language Access and Inclusive Services at Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC), where he is building the department from the ground up. Since joining VCMC, Jorge has expanded equitable access by hiring the hospital’s first trilingual staff interpreter (English, Spanish, Mixteco), securing contracts with local language service providers, and establishing dedicated trilingual interpreter coverage in the Emergency Department during critical evening hours. Previously, Jorge spent nine years at Natividad Medical Center as a Healthcare Interpreter and later Interpreter Services Supervisor, where he mentored interpreters, developed training programs, and improved communication for Indigenous language speakers from Mexico. A licensed trainer through Cross-Cultural Communications, Jorge is a sought-after speaker on supporting trilingual interpreters, advocating for Indigenous language needs, and promoting culturally responsive healthcare communication. Based on California’s Central Coast, he continues to collaborate with providers, administrators, and communities to bridge communication gaps and advance health equity across Ventura County.
Josh Pennise
President of The Association of Language Companies (ALC), Chair of the Audit Committee for Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and Principal of The Smithson Company,
Joshua Pennise, MBA, MA, CI and CT, NIC Advanced, has over 25 years of experience in the field, with a focus on corporate, post-secondary, and conference settings. He brings a unique combination of interpreting expertise and business strategy, holding a master’s in linguistics from Old Dominion University and MBAs from both Columbia Business School and London Business School.
Josh founded and scaled Sorenson Interpreting in the U.S. and Canada as VP and General Manager, served as CEO of TCS Interpreting in Washington, D.C., and currently provides consulting services through The Smithson Company, GLG, and Third Bridge Group. A long-time educator, he has taught as full-time faculty at Tidewater Community College and has led hundreds of hours of highly rated professional workshops across the globe.
His service to the profession includes prior roles on the RID Board and as President of Virginia RID. He now serves as RID Audit Committee Chair and President of the Association of Language Companies, continuing his work to support the profession of interpreting and the Deaf community it serves.
Katharine Allen
Director of Language Industry Learning at Boostlingo and Principal at Words Across Borders.
Katharine Allen, MA is Director of Language Industry Learning at Boostlingo and Principal at Words Across Borders.
A founding member of the SAFE AI in Interpreting Task Force, she has led the development of evaluation frameworks helping organizations make informed decisions about AI language technology. Katharine co-founded InterpretAmerica (recipient of ATA’s Alexander Gode Medal, 2021) and has authored multiple interpreter training textbooks. She was named a MultiLingual Magazine Power Woman Influencer in 2024 and holds an MA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. She is a Long-time observer of technology in language services, especially interpreting and is currently part of the development of AI interpreting tools with her role at Boostlingo.
Lermit R. Diaz Salazar
Trilingual Author, Interpreter, and Entrepreneur
Lermit R. Diaz Salazar is a trilingual author, interpreter, and entrepreneur whose work bridges cultures and gives voice to the silences of migration, memory, and resilience.
Born in Venezuela and now a citizen of both the United States and Italy, he writes from a lived transnational perspective, with stories rooted in real experiences and emotional truth.
He is the author of Echoes of Pia, a lyrical novel set in Tuscany that explores identity and longing, and Legal Interpretation in the U.S. Courts, a practical guide for interpreters navigating the complexities of language and justice. His forthcoming novel, Immigrants, portrays the perilous journey of Latin American families toward the U.S. border. He is currently working on The Years I Never Had, a coming-of-age novel that confronts the emotional cost of abandonment and displacement.
Outside the literary world, Lermit serves as a court and medical interpreter across Michigan. He is also the founder of FM Carbide, an e-commerce platform that supplies high-precision cutting tools to the metalworking industry. His professional journey reflects the same commitment present in his writing: to build bridges where others see borders.
Mireya Pérez
Language Access Strategist, Interpreter Trainer, and the Creator of Brand the Interpreter Platform and Podcast
Mireya Pérez is a language access strategist, interpreter trainer, and the creator of Brand the Interpreter, a podcast and professional platform dedicated to amplifying the voices and expertise behind the language profession.
She works closely with educational agencies to design and strengthen language access plans and services that support multilingual families and ensure meaningful participation in public education. Mireya also collaborates with language service providers, associations, and organizations to develop training programs and professional learning content for interpreters. Through speaking engagements, consulting, and social media content creation, she brings visibility to the cognitive, ethical, and human dimensions of interpreting and helps a broader audience understand the impact of language access. Her work is driven by a passion for elevating language professionals and highlighting their essential role in human connection and understanding.
Natalya Mytareva
Executive Director of CCHI, and Vice Chair of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies
Natalya Mytareva, M.A., is Executive Director of CCHI, and Vice Chair of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
In 2000-2013, Natalya was Communications Director at the International Institute of Akron, a refugee resettlement agency in Ohio. She developed and taught several courses for healthcare and court interpreters, with the focus on languages of
lesser diffusion. She is a recipient of the 2025 Alexander Gode Medal from the American Translators Association, and the 2023 Language Access Champion award from the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care. Natalya is a Russian interpreter/translator and started her career as instructor of interpretation/translation courses at Volgograd State University (Russia) in 1991. She holds a combined BA/MA degree from VSU in Philology & Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Nisrine El-Hashem
Speech and Language Pathologist, and E-learning Content Developer for Bromberg & Associates, and Linguist Education Online
Nisrine El-Hashem, M.S., is a speech and language pathologist and e-learning content developer specializing in language access and interpreter training. She earned her master’s degree in Boston, Massachusetts, and develops courses on specialized interpreting, accent modification, and cross-cultural communication. Born in Lebanon, Nisrine is especially interested in how language and culture shape communication across different communities.
Nora Díaz
English-Spanish Translator and Conference Interpreter
Nora Díaz is an English-Spanish translator and conference interpreter who enjoys using technology and finding ways to increase productivity, which combined with her love of teaching, has led her to share what she has learned through a blog, articles, webinars and workshops. Nora is the Chair of the American Translators Association Professional Development Committee. She is also a co-host of the AI in Translation Summit and AI in Interpreting Summit, and has co-authored a book called The Translator’s Tool Box. Nora was listed as one of the Top 30 Women in the Language Industry by Multilingual Magazine in 2023, was the recipient of the American Translators Association’s Innovation Award in 2024, and was named a Language Industry Influencer by Multilingual Magazine in 2025.
Robin Ayoub
Founder and CEO of N49Networks, Host of the Localization Fireside Chat Podcast
Robin Ayoub is a globally recognized leader in the language services and localization industry with more than two decades of experience driving growth, innovation, and industry transformation.
He is the Founder and CEO of N49Networks, a strategic advisory firm that helps organizations scale revenue, build partnerships, and navigate the rapidly evolving intersection of AI, language technology, and global communication.
Robin previously served as Vice President of Sales and General Manager for Canada at Lionbridge, where for more than a decade he led revenue growth and worked with global enterprises to expand internationally through localization and language technology.
Earlier in his career, he played a key role in the rapid growth of Lexi-tech International, helping scale the company from under $1 million in revenue to a successful acquisition by CLS Communication in less than five years. CLS was later acquired by Lionbridge.
Robin is also the founder and host of the Localization Fireside Chat, a widely followed podcast and video series featuring conversations with leaders shaping the future of localization, AI, and global business.
A former President of the Canadian Language Industry Association (CLIA), Robin continues to advocate for the role of language, technology, and cultural intelligence in global markets
Rosemary Ford
System Director of Interpreter Services at St Joseph Hospital, and ASL Interpreter
Rosemary Ford is a System Director of Interpreter Services, a member of Covenant Health since 2010. A nationally certified Oral Transliterator and New Hampshire advanced-screened/licensed American Sign Language interpreter since 2010. Rosemary oversees the Interpreter Services Department at St. Joseph Hospital-Nashua, NH, St. Joseph Hospital-Bangor, ME and St. Mary’s Hospital-Lewiston, ME.
She has established and implemented best practices across Covenant Health and it’s 13 post-acute locations by creating policies/procedures and providing ongoing training on working with Limited English Proficient (LEP), Deaf/hard of hearing and individuals with disabilities.
Rosemary has spearheaded the development of the Covenant Health Interpreter Services Department and has created a robust program that utilizes certified/qualified onsite interpreters, telephone and video remote interpreters, as well as professional translation services.
In compliance with the ADA and Section 1557 of the ACA, an extensive array of auxiliary aids/services for individuals who are: D/deaf, hard of hearing, blind/low-vision or have a speech disability, are readily available throughout the hospitals. In addition to her role as a System Director, Rosemary leads St Joseph Hospital’s Mobile Health Clinic’s presence in the community to serve the marginalized and homeless, collaborating with the City of Nashua, local churches, social service agencies and our own parish nurses. Rosemary also works with SJH’s Business Health to support local business and corporations with their employee wellness initiatives.
Zouheir Moussa
Linguist and English Language Specialist for Bromberg & Associates, and Linguist Education Online
Zouheir Moussa is a linguist and English language specialist with 20+ years of global experience. He helps professionals refine their English for clarity, confidence, and authentic communication through a blend of linguistic precision and cultural insight.
Host
Jinny Bromberg
Founder and President of Bromberg & Associates and the Executive Director of Linguist Education Online
Jinny Bromberg is the Founder and President of Bromberg & Associates and the Executive Director of Linguist Education Online. A lifelong advocate for meaningful language access, Jinny has dedicated her career to breaking down language barriers through her companies’ innovative efforts. She serves as Board Officer for the Association of Language Companies, where she also co-chairs the Language Access Subcommittee and is on the Advocacy Committee.