Where are They Now?

Interpreters seem to be a mobile bunch, many of us arriving in Oregon for an ITP and then moving on to our next adventure after graduation. For others, Oregon is just a stop on their life journey, working for a time and then moving on. Whatever the case may be, our friends come and go.

Can you guess a perk of attending the national conference? Getting to see our friends again. So, I thought I would bring you a little update on a few of the previous Oregonians who I ran into and chatted with in San Fransisco. I realize there are many more people I didn't see - hey with over 2,000 interpreters I was bound to miss some people - but perhaps another board member can add updates about individuals they caught up with.

For the WOU class of '97, you will remember Mary Sattler. Mary is doing great and currently lives in Florida. She is pondering a move back to the west coast, with San Francisco on the top of her list. She is working in the education system, but will enter the freelance interpreting arena when she moves. And just so you know - the 8 earings are now 12, with the last one pierced while here in San Fran!

PCC grads: your own Amy Rivera is going strong as a freelance interpreter in New Mexico. Yep, she married Owen three years ago! Since Amy moved to NM, she has earned her RID certification and her Bachelors degree in interpreting with a minor in history. She has the same great laugh and was a hoot...as usual.

Ruann Wood, a PCC grad, was a force to be reckoned with at the conference. It was a treat to see Ruann in her element as the Assistant Support Staff Coordinator. She is happy in her new home in Tennessee working as a freelance interpreter. Apparently is was a bit of an adjustment after moving, but the entire family has found their niche!

She graduated from WOU and has only been gone a year, but Jaqueline Hudson was working hard as a member of the Support Staff team! Jaqueline made the move to Rochester, New York a year ago and said it has been quite the change. The first intensly cold winter was a force to be reconed with! Even though New York is is different from the west coast in many aspects, she is enjoying her work and is settling in. It was so nice to see her beautiful smile this week!

Leah Passman, formerly of Eugene, is a current resident of Madison, Wisconsin. Leah is working for Birnbaum Interpreting Services as a call center supervisor. On her downtime she is goalie on her summer hockey team and is gearing up for the hockey season in the fall. Not a big surprise for those of us who know her. She is a force to contend with on the ice! Leah purchased her first house in Madison and has a new dog named Newt. Yes, she still has the same laugh!

There you go: an update on a few people. Hopefully we will be able to add to this list. For such a small community, we seem to loose track of each other easily. So, it was great to catch up with a handful of colleagues!

Take Care,
Tina Buchanan
Past President