What I will do for ATA CLD 2021-2022

If you are a member of the Chinese Language Division (CLD) of the American Translators Association (ATA), you would have received an email from ATA Headquarters this morning about the 2020 CLD officers election.

I am running for the position of division administrator.* CLD members can find my candidate statement in that email. But I would also like to share my statement here, as a way of "keep[ing] the word [I] gave regarding the created future in existence." (Being a Leader and the Effective Exercise of Leadership: An Ontological / Phenomenological Model, by Werner Erhard and Michael Jensen)

The quote comes from the class material of a 44-hour leadership training course I completed earlier this year, which I hope to share more on LinkedIn later. If it sounds convoluted, it's because it's meant to be. In any case, this can also be simply put as, "I mean what I say in my candidate statement, and I will hold myself accountable."

So, here it is:

It is an honor to be nominated for the position of Administrator of ATA's Chinese Language Division. I have volunteered as CLD's Assistant Administrator since 2018 and as the layout editor of CLD's Newsletter from 2015 to 2018. I am committed to serving CLD's membership, and I enjoy working with other members of the Leadership Council.

If elected, I plan to focus on the following areas:

• Facilitating communication between CLD members and ATA;
• Strengthening professional and personal ties among CLD members; 
• Sustaining and expanding CLD membership; 
• Facilitating discussions in person and online on topics relevant to our members and potential members; 
• Creating a hub of resources for language reference and professional development for Chinese translators and interpreters working in the North American market; 
• Connecting with conference attendees to prepare them for the best possible experience at ATA conferences; and 
• Cultivating leadership among Leadership Council members.

I have been an ATA member since 2014. I am an ATA-certified translator (English to Chinese) and court-certified Mandarin interpreter. I most frequently work in legal, business, and conference settings. I grew up in Guangdong, China, moved to the United States after college, and currently live in Houston, Texas. 

I hope to continue to serve you over the next two years.

* Unless ATA receives nominations of additional candidates by August 2, this will be an uncontested election.