Reflections from ATA65: Moving Forward with Confidence and Camaraderie
From October 30 to November 2, I had the privilege of attending the 65th Annual Conference of the American Translators Association (ATA) in Portland, Oregon.
Every ATA conference leaves me inspired and energized, and this year was no exception. Though I’m now back in Toronto, my heart is still in Portland.
Here are some highlights and memorable moments from my experience:
1. A Growing Chinese Language Division
This year, over 50 Chinese language professionals gathered for our division dinner. Some traveled from as far as Shanghai, Singapore, and London to join us. The evening was filled with laughter, great conversation, and a profound sense of community.
Our Chinese Language Division is growing stronger every year, with exceptional professionals leading sessions on topics such as audiovisual translation, tech tools, and business development. Their contributions have significantly raised the profile of Chinese and Asian languages within the U.S. translation community, showcasing the vibrancy and confidence of Asian translators and interpreters. As I begin my two-year term as assistant administrator for the Chinese Language Division, I feel a deep sense of pride in serving this tight-knit community of language professionals, united by our friendship and shared pursuit of excellence.
2. AFTI: Supporting the Next Generation of Language Professionals
As a volunteer with the American Foundation for Translation and Interpretation (AFTI), I helped organize a Game Night during the conference to raise funds for the First-Time Attendee Scholarship supporting translation students and recent graduates.
Thanks to last year’s efforts, five first-time attendees received the scholarship to help fund their participation at the ATA65 conference. This year’s Game Night raised enough to fund six recipients next year. This spirit of nurturing future high-achievers in our profession deeply resonates with me. It’s this ethos—building a future together and fostering professional growth—that truly defines an association like ATA.
3. Rise to the Occasion: Stage Presence for Consecutive Interpreters
On October 30, before the conference officially began, I had the honor of teaching a half-day workshop titled Rise to the Occasion: Enhancing Your Stage Presence and Delivery in Consecutive Interpreting.
The three-hour session included case studies, interactive exercises, feedback, and plenty of laughter. Participants re-discovered consecutive interpreting from the audience’s perspective and gained practical tips to enhance confidence, composure, and charisma when interpreting at high-visibility, high-pressure events such as seminars, conferences, cultural festivals, religious services, official meetings, and formal banquets. A highlight of this workshop was the on-stage performances, where interpreters took turns role-playing as panelists and interpreters in improvised dialogues (English, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish).
As interpreters, we often work behind the scenes—our voices heard but our faces unseen. Yet when the moment calls for us to step into the spotlight, we must rise to the occasion—poised and professional.
4. Podcast Interviews: Spotlighting Colleagues' Experiences
During the conference, I filled in for Jessie Liu to host two episodes of the ATA Chinese Language Division podcast. My guests were two good friends, Jack (徐宏彦) and Aaron (何安仁), who shared unique insights into their professional journeys. Both episodes are now live.
Ep. 17 Hongyan Xu (Jack) https://youtu.be/mfhzoJs-6oM?si=CyWcTLGRM4GP-ucb
Rony Gao interviews Hongyan Xu (Jack), a seasoned language professional with over 12 years of experience both in managerial roles at a mid-sized LSP and as a freelance translator and interpreter. Jack discusses the evolution of the language services industry in Canada, recounts memorable experiences in his multi-pronged career, emphasizes the value of freelancers' insights for LSPs and shares his experiences with the ATA annual conferences.Ep. 18 Aaron Hebenstreit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqZghQhsUlg
Long-time CLD member and ATA certification exam grader Aaron Hebenstreit joins Rony Gao in discussing his career journey and the challenges and advantages of being a non-native Chinese speaker working as a Chinese-English translator and interpreter. He shares memorable projects such as translating UN documents and emceeing bilingual events in the local Chinese community. Aaron emphasizes the value of ATA certification, advising potential candidates to familiarize themselves with grading standards and take practice tests. Aaron and Rony also highlight the practical nature of the ATA annual conference and encourage fellow CLD members to submit proposals to present at future ATA conferences.
5. Looking Back, Looking Forward
One of our long-time members, John Wan, who has lived in Portland for 20 years, wrote a detailed “conference guide” beforehand. He recommended choosing a window seat on the flight home to catch a stunning view of Mount Hood’s snow-capped peak.
As the plane climbed above the clouds on my return flight, I opened my window and saw it—a breathtaking sight that filled me with joy and warmth as I began looking forward to next year’s reunion at ATA66 in Boston (October 22–25, 2025).
If you’ve never attended an ATA conference, it’s hard to put into words the magic of these experiences. Perhaps these snapshots would give you an idea of why I gladly volunteer for this association, sometimes dedicating over 10 hours a week to its work. It’s not just about professional development—it’s about being part of a community that feels like home.
Rony Gao is a prize-winning conference interpreter, certified translator and communications consultant based in Toronto and serving clients worldwide. He is a member of AIIC and regularly provides consecutive and simultaneous interpretation services for the Government of Canada, international organizations and global leaders in business, technology and academia.
