Candidate Statements — ATA Elections 2026
ATA will hold its regularly scheduled elections in conjunction with ATA’s 67th Annual Conference in October to fill the following positions:
- Treasurer (one position for a one-year term)
- Director (three positions, each for a three-year term)
All voting takes place online. Voting members will be sent their proxy voting information on September 24. Voting starts September 24 and ends October 29, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Take time to learn more about the individuals on the slate—from background to experience to what they hope to accomplish as a member of ATA’s Board. And don’t forget to vote!
Need to Change Your Vote?
If you have already voted and wish to change your vote, please email support@directvote.net to request that your ballot be reopened. You’ll need to send this email before online voting closes on October 29 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
For technical support
Technical support is available Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CT, excluding holidays. Call +1-952-974-2339 or email support@directvote.net.
Treasurer | One-Year Term
Marian S. Greenfield, CT
msgreenfield@gmail.com
I am pleased that I have again been nominated to run for ATA treasurer, this time for a one-year term after having served in the position for nearly a year as an appointee.
Since I was appointed in October 2025, I’ve accomplished quite a bit and would like to continue my work to ensure fiscal responsibility.
Among my accomplishments:
I worked closely with Executive Director Adrian Aleckna and ATA’s Board to identify opportunities for cost savings and revenue growth, along with seeking input from past presidents. I then worked very closely with Executive Director Aleckna to present a realistic, balanced 2026-2027 budget to the Board, which passed with no revisions. I’m doing everything I can to ensure we stem the operating losses ATA has sustained for several years now.
For years we had been getting terrible service from our financial advisors, who would take months to act on our requests, often failed to respond to our communications, and put in very little effort to manage our investments. I therefore moved ATA’s and AFTI’s Merrill investment accounts to new financial advisors. Our new advisors are very responsive, completely restructuring our accounts to comply first with our old investment policy and then with the new, updated investment policy that allows for more modern, low-risk investment vehicles. I worked with the Finance and Audit Committee, the Board, and Governance and Communications Committee to develop the new investment policy. The return on ATA’s investment account since our new advisors took over in January (through mid-August) is 12.63%, outperforming risk-adjusted market performance.
I also worked with Executive Director Aleckna to move our Wells Fargo bank accounts to Bank of America (again because of terrible service, but also because our relationship with Merrill qualifies us for premium benefits for our bank and credit card accounts, with virtually zero fees) and our no-name, no-benefit credit cards to Bank of America cash back credit cards.
For those who don’t know me, I would like to mention highlights of my background that prepared me for service as ATA’s treasurer. I’ve served as treasurer of the New York Circle of Translators (prior to serving as its president-elect and then president) and as a member of ATA’s Finance Committee, as well as having been responsible for budgeting, budget execution, and cost-cutting in my role as (worldwide) manager of translation at JP Morgan and exercising my craft as a financial translator for over 40 years.
In addition, I’ve served ATA as director, president-elect, and president and chaired several key ATA committees, including the Professional Development Committee.
While ATA’s situation has changed since my prior service to ATA, as has the translation and interpreting industry’s—with ATA membership shrinking rather than growing and the market becoming more difficult—I believe my experience in leadership and my understanding of both ATA’s finances and the T&I industry will allow me to continue to contribute to ATA’s strength.
I still believe that ATA is a great investment for everyone in the T&I industry and look forward to continuing to contribute to the value of membership.
Stephen Lank
SLank@cescols.com
I’m honored to be considered for the position of treasurer on ATA’s Board and hope to earn the opportunity to serve the organization that has given me so much throughout my career.
For those who don’t know me, I’ve worked in language services since 1987, beginning as a freelance translator. After a few years of struggling and realizing how much I simply didn’t know, I discovered MIIS and earned my MA in Spanish translation and interpreting. That was my passport to a lifelong career, and I’ve never looked back.
From translation, I moved into project management, learning the full project lifecycle and how everything fits together; then vendor management, where I honed my advocacy skills championing translators and interpreters within the organizations I served. From there, I moved into senior leadership positions, learning how to run a successful language services company. This experience has given me a comprehensive understanding of our profession, from the realities faced by individual practitioners to the challenges of effectively managing a global operation—a unique perspective I believe would be an asset to ATA and its membership.
But what specifically qualifies me to serve as treasurer?
First, I bring direct association finance and governance experience. From 2017 to 2020, I served as treasurer on the Board of the European Language Industry Association during the challenging period when it moved its legal domicile from the U.K. to Belgium due to Brexit. That experience reinforced the importance of prudent financial oversight, effective risk management, and close collaboration among the treasurer, board, and staff.
Second, as CEO of Cesco Linguistic Services, I’m ultimately responsible for the company’s financial health and long-term sustainability. I oversee budgets and cash flow, evaluate financial performance, manage risk, and balance current operational needs with long-term priorities. This requires more than just reviewing financial statements. It requires asking the right questions, anticipating challenges, evaluating competing priorities, and communicating financial information clearly so informed decisions can be made.
I would bring that same practical approach to ATA, helping manage resources so the Association can invest in programs and services that provide meaningful value to members.
Throughout my career, I’ve also volunteered countless hours for industry causes I’m passionate about. I’d like to highlight one that I’m particularly proud of: standards development. I’ve volunteered with ASTM International since 1998, helping to standardize industry best practices and bring awareness to the global importance of our profession. I chaired the committee that developed ASTM F2575 Standard Practice for Language Translation, and currently chair subcommittee F43.03, which oversees all translation-related standards. As AI becomes more ubiquitous, standards are an important tool for educating the public about the risks of entrusting too much to technology and why professional human practitioners must remain at the core of cross-cultural communication. As an ATA Board member, I would continue this work.
It’s hard to boil down a 40-year career to 500 words, but I hope this broad picture of sound financial stewardship, professional leadership, and deep understanding of our profession is compelling enough to earn your vote.
Director | Three-Year Term
María (Mila) Baker, CT
mariadlmdavid@gmail.com
My name is María Baker, and I go by Mila. I was born and raised in Santa Fe, Argentina, where I studied three languages (English, French, and Italian). After a stint in law school, I became a teacher of English as a second language. After completing this degree, I did some teaching work in my hometown and decided to pursue an MA in teaching in English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) and Spanish at West Virginia University. After graduating in 2013, I settled in Madison, Alabama, where I discovered interpreting and translation. I started in the medical field and became certified (National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters) in 2014. I became certified as a Spanish medical interpreter (Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters) in 2018. I obtained my ATA certification (English-to-Spanish) in 2021. I’ve been an ATA volunteer for many years. I’ve worked with the Medical and Spanish Divisions and Professional Development and Public Relations Committees. I currently serve as interim assistant administrator of the Spanish Division.
My work experience includes:
• Working as a freelance translator and interpreter for over 10 years.
• Working at a local language agency for a few years, which provided valuable insights into how agencies operate.
• Being active in my local organization, the Interpreters and Translators Association of Alabama, and being involved in advocacy in my state.
• Working for the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) as an outreach coordinator.
• Currently working as an in-house medical translator and doing some freelance work.
I’ve seen professional organizations inside and out, and I’m proud to be an ATA member and honored to be considered as a candidate for the Board.
We live in complex times, and there are many issues that require our attention and efforts. Along with listening to our members, these are the things I would like to focus on, if elected:
• Working not only on increasing ATA membership, but particularly on increasing current and new members’ involvement in ATA activities. I would like to see more people in our divisions and committees, more people at our conferences and events, and more fresh ideas from new voices in the field and in ATA.
• Working on advocacy. We have a strong Advocacy Committee that works very hard to address issues of cultural and linguistic diversity and professional working conditions, which have been challenged in recent times. I want our advocacy work to be integrated into all divisions and committees, as far as this is possible. It will take efforts on all fronts to defend language access rights and the best compensation and working conditions for language professionals.
• Exploring, along with the Board, possibilities for partnering with other organizations in our advocacy, professional development, and other efforts to benefit our members. In particular, I would like to extend these efforts to interpreters and translators working with languages of lesser diffusion. I want to listen to all voices, even for languages that don’t have a division or special interest group.
I can’t wait to meet many of you in San Francisco!
Analía Bogdan, CT
analiabogdan@gmail.com
I’m truly humbled and honored to be considered for a second term on ATA’s Board of Directors.
When I was elected to the Board three years ago, I promised to bring enthusiasm, hard work, and commitment to the role. Throughout my term, I’ve worked to fulfill that promise while gaining a deeper understanding of our Association and the opportunities and challenges we face in this rapidly changing world.
During my first term, I served on the Finance and Audit Committee, the Governance and Communications Committee, and had the privilege of chairing the Divisions Committee. I also led strategic initiatives, including chairing the AI Statement Task Force, which developed ATA’s updated statement on artificial intelligence.
My journey as a translator began in Argentina, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in translation and became a licensed sworn translator. Before transitioning into translation, I spent 10 years working in the banking industry and became certified as a mutual funds advisor, an experience that gave me a strong foundation in financial concepts and specialized terminology. I later moved to the U.S., earned a master’s degree in financial and legal translation, and obtained my ATA certification, strengthening my commitment to professional excellence.
Professional associations have played a transformative role in my career. Through ATA and other organizations, I discovered the value of collaboration and volunteer leadership. Before joining ATA’s Board, I served for over six years in the Technology and Financial Divisions of the Association of Sworn Translators of Buenos Aires. I also currently serve as treasurer of the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Florida, where I continue to gain valuable experience in nonprofit governance in the U.S.
Since attending my first ATA Annual Conference, I’ve remained committed to giving back to this remarkable community. I’ve presented at multiple ATA conferences since 2019 and was honored to receive the 2022 Marian S. Greenfield Financial Translation Presentation Award for the best financial translation presentation for that year’s conference.
If re-elected, I will continue working to ensure that ATA remains forward-looking, responsive, and relevant. My priorities include:
Leading amongst change. Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies have already reshaped our profession. I believe we must continue to act with urgency, providing members with guidance, resources, and leadership to adapt now while championing the irreplaceable value of our members.
Thrive working together. Our divisions, committees, and volunteers are the heart of ATA. I believe that by fostering engagement, mentorship, collaboration, and meaningful connections across our Association, we can continue building a stronger community.
Advocating for our members. I believe ATA must continue leading the conversation by raising awareness among clients, institutions, policymakers, and the public about the expertise, value, and essential role of our professional translators and interpreters in a multilingual world.
Serving on ATA’s Board has been one of the greatest privileges of my professional career. I seek your support for a second term and remain as enthusiastic and committed as when I first ran for office. Thank you for your trust.
Meredith Cannella (Withdrew)
mdcannella@gmail.com
NOTE: Meredith withdrew her candidacy, effective October 8, 2026.
Steven McGrath, CT
steven@mcgrathtranslations.com
I’m honored to accept this nomination to serve my colleagues on ATA’s Board of Directors.
As chair of the Membership Development Committee, administrator of the Slavic Languages Division (SLD) since 2023, and assistant administrator and volunteer in other capacities before then, I’ve always appreciated the spirit of mutual service that makes ATA a welcoming home and source of support for language professionals. My top priority as a volunteer, including if elected as director, will always be maintaining a dutiful and responsive relationship with my fellow ATA members, especially those who take the initiative to improve the life of our profession.
I began translating while I was a graduate student and English teacher living abroad, and I earned ATA’s Russian-to-English certification shortly after returning to the U.S. in 2017. During the pandemic, I started taking online Ukrainian classes and eventually started working out of that language. It’s important to me to hear various perspectives within our industry, which is part of why I volunteered in the SLD and have engaged with several other divisions, in addition to joining both my local chapter and affiliate, the Upper Midwest Translators and Interpreters Association and Iowa Interpreters and Translators Association, respectively. In my time as an ATA volunteer, I’m especially proud of working with members to nurture their initiatives and confront the challenges of our times.
In a recent book, Cory Doctorow, a science fiction novelist, journalist, and technology activist, juxtaposed the concepts of “centaur” and “reverse centaur” in relation to workplace technologies. The former represents human intelligence that can—if it so wishes—use automated tools like a rider does a horse, to safely improve speed and dexterity, while the latter image has resonated with workers across many professions as an already-present dystopia of AI-empowered taskmasters. The good news is that society’s attitudes have grown ripe to the idea of establishing qualitative and ethical standards for the use of AI, and ATA has great potential for leadership and partnership among an entire family of industries—a herd of centaurs working smartly and defending our interests.
ATA’s greatest strategic resource has always been its members’ authoritative expertise in matters of translation and interpreting. Even before the recent breakthroughs in large language models, ATA counted among its members some of the world’s most experienced experts in machine-assisted translation and its commercial applications, and we’ve led the way both in providing human-centered education on new technologies and establishing standards for using them. We should share our experience with other professional organizations to raise the bar in ways members will appreciate and clients will respect. We so often speak about client education. Now that the world recognizes the danger of “slop,” we can make ourselves part of the bulwark against it.
Please reach out to me directly if you’d like to have a broader discussion about my goals. Our organization is strongest when all our voices are heard. I hope to earn your vote. Thank you for this opportunity to be of service.
Teresa C. Salazar
tessasalaz@gmail.com
My commitment to translation and interpreting began in 1981 at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS), where I earned an MA in translation and interpreting. I then spent 11 years as a freelance interpreter and translator, an experience that gave me a very clear understanding of the need to improve interpreters’ working conditions, compensation, and professional standing.
That experience laid the foundation for my next role as the first director of interpreting services and staff interpreter ever contracted by the federal court in Washington, DC, where I built a professional working environment grounded in the realities of professional practice. I’m especially proud to have contributed to achieving a significant increase in the federal rate paid to court interpreters after years of stagnant fees, a reminder that sustained advocacy can produce meaningful changes. After 28 years at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, I retired in 2023 and returned to freelance work, where I continue to engage actively with the evolving needs of our professions.
Throughout more than 40 years in the field, my guiding purpose has remained the same: to leave the professions stronger than I found them. I’ve advanced professional standards through position papers I coauthored while chairing the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) Position Papers Committee and serving for four years on NAJIT’s board of directors. Since 1997, I’ve also contributed to the development of industry standards through my work with ASTM International, where I currently chair the Interpreting Subcommittee. Just as important, I’ve helped prepare new generations of interpreters and translators through workshops, presentations, and teaching as an adjunct instructor in the Graduate Studies in Interpreting and Translation Program (GSIT) at the University of Maryland.
We’re living through a defining moment for translation and interpreting as AI reshapes professional practice. Some fear that human expertise is being displaced, but I believe our role is evolving and we must help shape that evolution. We need to understand what AI can offer while protecting the judgment, accountability, ethics, and quality that human practitioners bring to our work. ATA is already working to raise awareness among professionals, and our Association must continue to be a strong voice in determining how technological change affects translators and interpreters.
As a director, I would contribute a long record of advocacy, standards development, teaching, and practical experience, along with a commitment to ensuring that innovation strengthens our professions rather than diminishes them.
