{"id":1745,"date":"2021-08-20T00:00:18","date_gmt":"2021-08-20T00:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/?p=1745"},"modified":"2021-08-20T12:05:12","modified_gmt":"2021-08-20T12:05:12","slug":"meet-our-new-administrator-and-assistant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/2021\/08\/20\/meet-our-new-administrator-and-assistant\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet Our New Administrator and Assistant!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Veteran PLD Member Tereza Braga<\/a>
\ninterviewed Julia Pedro<\/a>, our new Administrator,
\nand Ruth Hollard<\/a>, our new Assistant Administrator.
\nGet to know them better in this animated virtual talk.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Julia and Ruth will begin their term during PLD’s Annual Meeting this fall. <\/strong><\/div>\n
More information about the Annual Meeting will be announced at a later date.<\/strong><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

MEET OUR NEW ADMINISTRATOR
\n<\/strong>JULIA PEDRO<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"Julia, it\u2019s a pleasure for us veteran PLD members to see you back, this time as the new PLD Administrator. Where are you spending most of your time these days?<\/strong><\/em>
\nAfter spending almost 20 years as a nomad, I went back to my father\u2019s roots. I was born and raised in Lisbon, but now I\u2019m living deep in the Alentejo region, in a small village called Vale da Feiteira, where my father was born. My best childhood memories are of being here in the fields with a sense of freedom, in contact with nature, during very hot, sunny summer days. It was all very natural and intense. It\u2019s still one of the least densely populated areas in the country and has the most extreme climate\u2015harsh winters and scorching, dry summers.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your daily routine like, that is, if you have one now?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI\u2019m not a fan of daily routines [chuckles], so I try to do things differently every day. I like switching things around. I change my environment frequently, just because I can. Maybe the only constant for quite a few years now, wherever I may be, is the fact that I cannot function without having two cups of coffee as soon as I wake up. After that\u2026 no day is like any other. No assignment is like any other, which is the benefit and privilege I get to enjoy in my line of work and in my life. I am free to change plans and do things differently. I like being present in what I do. Once you settle into a routine, you don\u2019t have to stop and think about things as much, and I\u2019ve always tried to avoid that pattern.<\/p>\n

What recent accomplishments are you most proud of?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI believe we all accomplish something every day. It may be something small. I try to always be present in what I do and truly experience it. Life is made of many small things, and these small things and our choices make a difference. There isn\u2019t much room for pride, but for gratitude\u2015I\u2019m grateful for my life, my family, my friends, my community. I like what I do, I\u2019m always cheerful, and I rarely feel unhappy. That\u2019s enough for me\u2026 at least up till now, it has certainly been enough.<\/p>\n

A little bird told me (okay, you told me yourself) that you enjoy capoeira. How did you get started?<\/strong><\/em>
\nIt\u2019s true. I practice capoeira, but I can no longer train at a competitive level. I started out when I was older, and I had some injuries from the sports I had played in my youth, so I had to pull back from daily capoeira lessons. However, capoeira is much more than just physical training. When I lived in South Africa, I joined a capoeira project for children who lived in some of the most problematic townships in the Cape Town metropolitan area. I witnessed many heartbreaking events, but I also saw many inspiring moments of people overcoming difficulties, and I\u2019ll never forget that. I decided to only remember the best moments. I learned a lot from capoeira, and I\u2019ll always practice it. I still hear the beat of berimbau in my heart and the atabaque drums still awaken my spirit.<\/p>\n

I believe you\u2019re also good at cooking, because I have witnessed your talent with my own eyes and taste buds. Do you have any other hidden talents?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI\u2019m not sure if it\u2019s a talent [chuckles], but I do enjoy cooking and entertaining, which doesn\u2019t happen every day. I hate fast food. When I was little, I learned to do it all because learning how to cook was a natural thing. We rarely had processed foods at home. We didn\u2019t have anyone to cook and clean for us, so the entire family shared the chores\u2015women, men, adults and children. There were no \u201cgirl chores\u201d and \u201cboy chores.\u201d When I was ten, I used to help my dad fix a flat tire on his truck just as much as I helped my mother make homemade cheese and yogurt. It\u2019s not a matter of talent, but just learning and doing it.<\/p>\n

I remember a bit of your professional background from when we first started interacting back in the day. Could you summarize your experiences for newer PLD members who may not know you?<\/strong><\/em>
\nMy background is in international business administration and marketing. I worked for global businesses and technology companies in different countries\u2015and continents. Concurrently, back in the 1990s and early 2000s, I continued developing my freelance career and providing translation, localization, and interpretation services. I can hardly believe that I delivered my first translation over 30 years ago!<\/p>\n

You mentioned you spent twenty years as a nomad\u2015when \u201cyou lived all over the world and went by your home only once in a while,\u201d as a common friend used to say. I marvel at the years you spent in Cape Town, which is still on my list. Would you mind telling us about some of your other destinations?<\/strong><\/em>
\nThere were so many these past years [chuckles]. I\u2019d have to look them up in my expired passports! Excluding places where I spent less than three months, I left Portugal when I was thirty-something, moved to the United States, then to Germany, and finally to South Africa. During the past two decades, I managed to visit almost fifty countries. I must have been to a total of sixty countries by now.<\/p>\n

Now, answer quickly, without thinking too much\u2026 What do you enjoy the most: translating or interpreting?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI like both. I used to think that I was good at \u201cflirting with words\u201d as a translator, but over time, I realized that working as both a translator and an interpreter is what brings me joy as a professional. I also work as a hypnotherapist, although less frequently than as a language professional, but having these three activities really makes me feel fulfilled.<\/p>\n

Do you feel you had any major challenges in your career?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI can\u2019t really pinpoint major challenges. I might have had small and frequent challenges. As language professionals, we are in the business of solving problems, both big and small. Once they\u2019re solved, they\u2019re no longer a challenge. Hopefully we learn from them and then move on. My motto is, \u201cReady. Done. Next!\u201d<\/p>\n

I joined ATA in the mid-1990s. How about you?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI joined ATA and PLD in 2005.<\/p>\n

But you\u2019ve already been part of the Leadership Committee, correct? Under which administration was it?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI was the Assistant Administrator when Eloisa Marques was the Administrator. The structure, responsibilities and ambitions of ATA Divisions were different back then.<\/p>\n

My memory may be failing me now, but you may be the first PLD Administrator who was born and lives in Portugal. What are your expectations in this position?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI\u2019m not sure. Am I the first one? Maybe there has been someone else before me at the helm of PLD on this side of the Atlantic. Personally, I\u2019d like to see our Portuguese language\u2015with all its norms and variants\u2015getting a more relevant space in the division\u2019s activities and social media. I envision the PLD as a space of Portuguese language inclusion and diversity, and I hope that we get more contributions from Mozambique, Guinea, Angola, Cape Verde, East Timor, and Sao Tome and Principe. It could be with interviews, literature and poetry. Working closely with ATA headquarters, I\u2019d like to ensure that all division members are aware of the opportunities that ATA makes available to us, and I want to show ATA that we are a valuable division, which is part of the job description, too. I\u2019m excited about the opportunity to work with the newly elected Assistant Administrator, Ruth Hollard. We haven\u2019t met yet, but I\u2019m sure Ruth will be a responsive and knowledgeable assistant. And, of course, we can count on the great team of volunteers and the Leadership Council.<\/p>\n

Finally, a question with which I always like to close my interviews: What\u2019s on your reading list right now?<\/strong><\/em>
\nPor Amor \u00e0 L\u00edngua<\/em><\/a> by Manuel Monteiro is a good companion. Last night, I pulled from my bookshelf something written by my dear friend Marina Mander: La Prima Vera Bugia<\/em><\/a>, and just finished reading it for the second time. Next on my list are O Erro de Descartes<\/em><\/a> by Ant\u00f3nio Dam\u00e1sio and Hist\u00f3ria do Portugu\u00eas desde o Big Bang<\/em><\/a>\u00a0by Marco Neves.<\/p>\n

\n

MEET OUR NEW ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR<\/strong>
\nRUTH HOLLARD<\/strong><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Where do you live, Ruth?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI\u2019m moving as we speak!<\/p>\n

What are you doing these days?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI decided to take a \u201cgap year\u201d and move back to New York for a while. I am in the process of emptying a 5-bedroom house in S\u00e3o Paulo. Tonight! Today is August 6th, and my renters arrive in 36 hours.<\/p>\n

Tell me something you\u2019re proud of.<\/strong><\/em>
\nMy four amazing kids. They are all in college or working now, and I hope to spend lots of time traveling and visiting with them. I have one in California, one in New York, one in Switzerland, and one in S\u00e3o Paulo. As a translator, I can do it!<\/p>\n

Share a bit of your background with us.<\/strong><\/em>
\nI was born in Pennsylvania and raised in Louisiana. Right after college, I left home to spend one year abroad and ended up staying away from the U.S. for three decades. My first three children were born in Paris, and my youngest one, the ca\u00e7ula<\/em>, is from S\u00e3o Paulo, a paulistana<\/em>. I loved being a stay-at-home mom and, when I went back to work, I decided I wanted a career I could run from home. That is how I became a translator. It allowed me to balance my work and my personal life.<\/p>\n

How long have you been a PLD member?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI must confess I don\u2019t know… But it’s been quite a while, because I do remember our fun karaoke night in Chicago! Four teenagers kept me pretty busy (and tired) for a long time, so I have not been an active participant in the PLD.<\/p>\n

What are your expectations as Assistant Administrator?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI will enjoy working with Julia to see how we can help the PLD continue to grow.<\/p>\n

Have you ever faced a major challenge in your career?<\/strong><\/em>
\nI think the main challenge is to learn how to run your own business because of all the hats you need to wear. And there are smaller challenges, many of them. Every day there’s a new one!<\/p>\n

What project are you currently working on or have completed recently?<\/strong><\/em>
\nFor the last year, I have been translating a daily newsletter associated with the shipping industry. I never realized how interesting the logistics business is. My brain is happy learning something completely new.<\/p>\n

Finally, what\u2019s on your reading list right now?
\n<\/strong><\/em>I am currently reading “The Underground Railroad<\/a>” by Colson Whitehead. I have a collection of 100 years of Pulitzer Prize fiction winners. Those are always my go-to books if I need something new to read.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Veteran PLD Member Tereza Braga interviewed Julia Pedro, our new Administrator, and Ruth Hollard, our new Assistant Administrator. Get to know them better in this animated virtual talk. Julia and Ruth will begin their term during PLD’s Annual Meeting this fall. More information about the Annual Meeting will be announced at a later date. \u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":667,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1745","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-from-the-administrators","8":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/PLD_NewLogo.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1745"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1745\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1763,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1745\/revisions\/1763"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/PLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}