Speakers

Tony Rosado is an interpreter with a U.S. Department of State conference-level; a court interpreter certified by the U.S. government, and several States.

An attorney from Escuela Libre de Derecho in Mexico City, he has worked internationally as a conference interpreter, and interpreted for dead penalty trials, Olympic Games, and TV broadcasts.

He has worked with many top level politicians, celebrities, athletes, and entrepreneurs, including presidents and popes.

The author of two books on court interpreting. He is a visiting professor at various universities in the U.S. and overseas, a well-known conference presenter, and the author of the popular blog “The Professional Interpreter.”

Marek Pawelec graduated in Molecular Biology at the Jagiellonian University and worked as researcher at faculties of Medicine and Chemistry.

In 2001 he began to work as a full time English to Polish freelance translator: started with literature, later added technical translations of medical, biochemical and chemical texts.

Translated 34 novels and millions words of medical texts, mainly medical equipment manuals, but also a lot of pharmacology, IVD and clinical trials-related texts, Experienced computer aided translation (CAT) software user & trainer and Certified memoQ trainer.

Presented lectures on many translation conferences and teaches on Practical Aspects of Freelance Translation, CAT Tools and Translation related software.

Obi Udeariry is a legal translator with 15 years of experience in the profession.

He holds a law degree and runs a boutique translation outfit based in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, which specialises in the translation of patents, contracts and agreements, legislation, court judgements and other legal documents.

He’s currently the head of the Nigerian chapter of the International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters (IAPTI) as well as the Nigerian Language Service Professionals Association.

Dr. Yolanda Moreno-Bello graduated from University of  Alcalá  (Spain), University of Northumbria and Université d’Orléans  (France) of English Studies.

She also studied a Postgraduate Master’s Degree in Intercultural Communication, Translation and Interpreting and holds an international Ph.D. in languages studies applied to interpreting in conflict zones.

As researcher and teaching assistant she has worked at University of Alcalá (Spain) and Université Saint Joseph-Beyrouth (Lebanon) and it is member of FITISPos and CETAPS Research Groups.

Iwona Piatkowska is a linguist, traveller and rentalpreneur.

Iwona has been working as a freelance translator for over 11 years. She holds a MA degree in Applied Linguistics and is an experienced language specialist.

As an author of “Master Your Time” book she helps other freelance professionals, digital nomads and location-independent entrepreneurs across the globe to achieve more work-life balance in their careers.

Lilliane Oloo is a freelance translator/interpreter, editor and writer and research assistant.

She holds a Masters of Arts Degree in Conference Interpreting, jointly awarded by the University of Buea, Cameroon and the Pan African University.

She is a member of The East Africa Interpreters and Translators Association.

She is also an Adjunct Lecturer of Translation Studies at St. Paul’s University, Limuru.

In his 20 years of experience as a full-time translator, Kyle Wohlmut has been known variously as “The Comma Guy”, “The Swearing Guy”, “The Harp Guy” and, most recently, “The Vampire Sex Guy”.

Apart from maintaining a thriving legal translation practice in that time, he is noted for his published translations in a number of other fields, including the translation of the 2015 literary thriller “Safari to Hell” by Bob van der Goen.

In his work he relies on the intercultural expertise he has developed through extensive travel, and since 2014 has been presenting at leading European translation conferences on topics in translation practice and theory.

This is his first appearance in Africa. Formerly a Stanford University staff member, after leaving his native California he has lived and worked in the Netherlands, Germany, and (currently) Switzerland.

Luc William Dongmo Kenfack is passionate about languages and research.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Trilingual Letters (French-English-Spanish) from the University of Dschang. During his academic pursuits in Masters of Arts in Hispanic Literature and Civilisation at the University of Yaounde I, he was awarded the African Union scholarship to study Translation and Conference Interpreting at the Institute for Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences, Pan African University (PAUGHSS).

Since 2015, he is a freelance translator and consultant in several translation agencies around the world. He has published numerous articles and books.

Presently, he is preparing to commence a Ph.D programme in Translation Studies.

Sameh Ragab is an ISO 17100 Lead Auditor and Certified Translation Provider, CAT Tools and Terminology Management Expert, UN and World Bank Registered Translation Vendor, DTP specialist, and Certified Localizer.

A renowned international speaker and trainer focusing on the technical side of translation, Sam has over 26 years of expertise in the translation and localisation industry and sets the benchmarks for quality work, with a focus on Arabic and Middle Eastern translation, localisation and DTP services.

Moreover, Sam has an outstanding history in training translators and localizers to excel using latest CAT and Terminology Management tools.

Sam has given workshops and conference talks in 14 countries and his hobbies include fishing, angling, snorkelling, scuba diving and swimming.

Ellen Singer has been a technical translator for more than twenty years at AzTech Solutions, a small translation agency that provides a wide range of services.

Although she specialises in technical translation and has used CAT tools since the nineties, Ellen’s interests and skills are far-ranging.

She relishes the challenge of projects requiring creativity and rhyming skills, as well as transcreation projects, and she has spoken at translation conferences on a wide range of topics.

Ellen and Enrico manage their business and three children together.

Gandu Sabastien is a Translator/Interpreter and Head of Interpretation Department in the Advanced School oh Translators and Interpreters (ASTI), of the University of Buea-Cameroon with 9 years’ experience in teaching and conference interpreting/translation.

Holder of a LLB, M.A in Conference interpreting and PhD. student in Applied Linguistic in The University of Buea, Cameroon since 2010.

His research interests are Translation/interpretation teaching with special focus on community interpreting and translation.

Born in 1976 in Balikumbat, North West Region of Cameroon and holder of a Cameroonian passport, Gandu is married and a father of six.

Fredrick Otiato is the CEO and founder of Global Translation Centre, a translation agency specializing in the translation, interpretation and localization of various local and international languages.

Based in Nairobi, Fredrick Started freelance translation 10 years ago with a strong background in transcription, translation and editing.

Together with his team of translators, Fredrick has worked hard to build up a team of extremely reliable and professional translators, localizers and terminologists to meet the demand of his local and international clients.

Fredrick likes to keep abreast of international trends and technologies by regularly attending international conferences in the translation and localization industry.

Fredrick Otiato is a member of East Africa Interpreters and Translators Association. Fred is passionate about Africa and African languages.

Teuma Joselyne Gertrude is a freelance English A, French A and Spanish C translator/ interpreter with over 6 years of experience in subtitling, translation, proofreading and interpreting.

She holds an M.A in Translation from the Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters (ASTI) and an M.A in Conference Interpreting from the Pan African University – Institute for Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences (PAUGHSS).

Joelle Ntoutoume is a Freelance Translator who started as a Freelancer while she was doing a Master program(Translation courses).

Actually, she got opportunities to translate documents for some clients in Dakar such as “Air Liquide Senegal”,” Institute for security studies also known as ISS”,” Direction de la jeunesse et des sports”.

She is a permanent Interpreter-Translator and Transcriber in her church in Dakar known as Christ Embassy, she helps in the translation and interpretation of messages and programs for both English and French speakers and she is a member of the Translators Network of her church.

Joelle enjoys watching news and learning about other people’s culture.

Ken Walibora is the director of the Global Studies and Languages Centre at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at the Riara University.

Author of the critically acclaimed Swahili novel Siku Njema, Walibora obtained his PhD in Comparative Cultural Studies at The Ohio State University, in the United States. His research interests include translation, globalization, world literature, and African continental and diasporic cultures and literatures, with a focus on Anglophone and Swahiliphone fiction and nonfiction.

He is a prolific Kiswahili fiction writer and poet with a literary oeuvre exceeding fifty titles and has won several awards.

His literary works including Siku Njema and Kufa Kuzikana have been or are being translated into English, French, Spanish and Arabic. His recent scholarly works include the book Narrating Prison Experience: Human Rights, Self, Society and Political Incarceration in Africa (2014).

He has also published a number book of chapters and articles in academic journals including PMLA, Research in African Literatures (RAL), and Journal of the Association of African Literature (JALA), East African Literary and Cultural Studies, and Journal of African Language Teachers Association (JALTA).

In addition, Ken Walibora has a wealth of journalistic experience as TV and radio news editor and anchor as well as columnist.

Marcelo Neves is a translator, interpreter and interpreter trainer based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

He has a degree in Journalism and an MA in Language Studies. He also studied acting and has a certificate as life coach and personal development trainer.

One of his goals is to use his skills learned in acting, singing and dancing classes to help interpreters enhance their own body and voice awareness to improve their delivery, and also to use his skills in life coaching and hypnosis to help translators and interpreters find and execute their personal and professional goals.

Sarah Ndanu Mwangangi Ngesu is a lecture at South Eastern Kenya University and a PhD student at the University of Dar es Salaam in the Institute of Kiswahili Studies.

Her area of research is on the Evaluation of Translation strategies in the teaching of Kiswahili as a foreign language in Ugandan secondary schools.

Sarah pursued a pre-Doctoral training at Virije University in the Netherlands.

She has a Master’s degree in Kiswahili Studies and a Master’s degree in Translation both from University of Nairobi. In addition, she has a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Kenyatta University.

Sarah is a freelancer Translator across three languages: Kiswahili, English and Kikamba. She has published a number of books as well as academic papers in referred journals.

Raul Pascalau is a Romanian Translator and Interpreter for English – French – Italian and Romanian, and also a foreign language teacher.

He is currently working in 2 universities at USAMVB Timisoara. He is an Erasmus & Institutional Coordinator, writing and implementing E+ projects, and the internationalization strategy of the university and at UVVG Arad , within the Modern Language Department, teaching Romanian to foreign students.
IAPTI Head of Romania, sworn translator and interpreter with 13 years of experience.

He has translated and interpreted for NASA, US Navy, DoE, European Council, national and international Police departments, private and public companies.

Both translation and interpretation have become a passion and I enjoy doing it every time I have the chance to, now more than ever, connecting people through it, across the globe, within E+ mobility projects.

He is involved in several NGOs providing help and assistance to the poor and homeless people. I like swimming, riding motorcycles, travelling, dancing , reading and discovering new cultures

Dr Stéphanie Engola is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Bilingual Studies of the University of Yaounde, Cameroon.

She is holder of a Master’s degree in translation obtained at the Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters (University of Buea) and a PhD in Linguistics.

Her research interests are translation studies, language policies and intercultural communication. She is the author of six articles and a book review.

She also has many paper presentations at various national and international conferences. Moreover, she translates for many agencies and clients.

Vincent Njeru Magugu is a Kenyan Translation Scholar and practitioner based in Eldoret town.

He currently teaches translation Studies at Moi University in the Department of Kiswahili and Other African Languages. He has a passion for languages; Native Kenyan Languages and is fascinated by the cultural diversity in Kenya.

He has consulted for various Kenyan institutions and agencies and has worked on international translation projects as part of a team as well as a lead translator.

His academic interests gravitate towards Postcolonial translation studies as well as Translation Localization & Development. He is currently a PhD Candidate at Moi University.

Rachael Ndichu-Ngugi is the lead Swahili linguist at Vitatec, a global localization company, and a founding member of EAITA. She is also the founder of Ukalimani Africa, a budding localization research company.

Currently based in Nairobi, she is a passionate Swahili translator, proofreader and interpreter with years of experience from working with clients like AMPATH, CAFOD and Tamarind Translations among others. She speaks 4 languages, English, French, Kiswahili and Kikuyu and has learning 3 mores languages in her bucket list – wish her luck!

In 2011, she co-authored and presented an academic paper on the Challenges in Information Communication Technological and Multiple Functions of Translation: Computer Methods and Tools at the Chama cha Kiswahili cha Kitaifa (CHAKITA) conference.

During her free time, she enjoys farming, catching up with friends and reading [by the way, she is in the process of starting a reading initiative for kids called Natusome Initiative]

Reach her at: rayndichu@gmail.com;
Cell: 0721515904
Linkedin: Rachael Ndichu-Ngugi

Hezekiel Gikambi is a Consultant Translator, Swahili Localization Reviewer with Uber/Moravia and a seasoned translations Expert of Swahili/English and English/Swahili for many years.

He holds B.Ed (Arts) Swahili and History and MA in Swahili Studies from University of Nairobi, Digital Media Management certificate from Rhodes University’s Sol Plaatje Media Leadership Institute, Grahams Town South Africa, Post Graduate Diploma in Sales Management and marketing, Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication-Kenyatta University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Swahili, Media and Technology at Kenyatta University in Kenya.

As a linguist and language technologist specializing in Corpus Linguistics, Media Linguistics and Discourse Analysis he has authored and presented papers at various language conferences especially the famous Swahili Colloquium in Bayreuth University in Germany and Yale University in USA. He is a renowned author of several Swahili course books for High schools and Primary school system in Kenya and Tanzania among other books.

Hezekiel has also been an editor and Swahili Digital Journalist with Nation Media Group for close to decade before taking up teaching as an Associate Lecturer in Swahili, Communication and Media studies in several universities in Kenya. Gikambi has translated stories for several anthologies including ‘When the sun Goes Down and other Stories’ among others.

He is currently the Acting Corporate Affairs and Communication Manager for Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, the leading Teaching and Referral Hospital in East and Central Africa. He lives in Nairobi, Kenya, the capital city near a National Park.