I’m a translator, interpreter, writer, and editor based in Berlin and Los Angeles.
As a translator and interpreter, my primary language pair is French to English, and I also translate from German into English. My main subject-matter specialties are, broadly:
- general nonfiction
- journalism and feature articles
- arts, culture, language
- technology (IT, telecommunications) and pharmaceuticals
- business and marketing
From reporter to editor
I began my career as a staff writer for a community newspaper near Santa Barbara, California, called the Valley Voice. I covered beats including local and county government, arts and entertainment, business, and sports. Soon, I was promoted to associate editor, then to managing editor. At the same time, I edited fiction and arts articles for the Voice’s sister publication, BlueEdge Magazine.
In that time, I learned about business—in particular, the economics and politics of sustaining a small company in a tight-knit community—and about applying exacting editorial standards on deadline. The printing press ran on a strict schedule, so we had to make sure everything was both correct and on time; being in charge of that process was both challenging and rewarding.
My next stop as a journalist was at the Chino Champion, in Chino, California. As a city reporter, I built relationships with people who trusted me to accurately convey sensitive information to readers. I was known by my employer and my sources for my diplomacy and tact, my nuanced understanding of issues, my clear and interesting writing style, and my commitment to informing the public fully about issues that affected their lives.
From editor to translator
I then spent two years as an instructor of English in public schools in France. Besides increasing my fluency in the French language, I developed a passion for communicating knowledge to students, and my interpersonal skills came to the fore as I built a rapport with them and with my colleagues. Explaining English to language learners also reacquainted me with the fundamentals of English, and strengthened my understanding of how it relates to French.
Cross-cultural and inter-linguistic exchange became my focus. While preparing to train as a French-English translator, I worked as a copywriter and editor. In one assignment, as a national proposal writer at Volt Workforce Solutions, I wrote and contributed to successful business proposals worth over $215 million in one year.
Since obtaining my master’s degree from the University of Westminster (London, UK) and relocating to Germany, I have continued to build both my professional skill-set and my portfolio of successful projects.
I’m enjoying making international communication happen for clients all over the globe. And I take pride in my ongoing, rewarding business relationships.
If you’d like to learn more, please write to me. I’m happy to send a résumé/CV or to answer any questions you have.