INTERVIEW WITH YASHA SAEBI, CANDIDATE FOR ATA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
In the run-up to ATA66 in Boston, the Gotham Translator sat down with Yasha Saebi, who is running this year for a seat on the ATA’s Board of Directors.
Yasha is a freelance Farsi to English translator and interpreter, CCHI Commissioner, past administrator of the ATA Medical Division, and a devoted professional who has been volunteering with ATA since 2014.
Yasha, thank you for taking the time to talk to us today about your vision and your goals for the future of ATA. I’ll just jump into the questions our readers would like to learn more about.
Q: What made you join the American Translators Association and why have you stayed a member over all these years including your active volunteering position(s)?
I joined the American Translators Association because I truly love my job and our profession. Working as a linguist is incredibly fulfilling, and I’ve always believed that no matter the field, it’s important to be part of your professional association, connect with your peers, promote the profession, and support newcomers as they find their way. That’s why, from the very beginning, I got involved as a volunteer—helping in any way I could. I joined ATA because I believe ATA is the best advocate for translators and interpreters.
My commitment to advocacy for language access goes back many years. About a decade ago, I joined a group of ATA members on Capitol Hill, where we had the opportunity to meet with Senator Susan Collins. A photo of us was even published in an ATA newsletter—something I’m still proud of today.
Over the years, I’ve remained an active member and volunteer because ATA feels like home. It’s a place where I’m surrounded by people who truly understand what I do. Their shared passion for language and commitment to excellence inspires me and reinforces why I’m so enthusiastic about our field.
Q: Why would you like to be on the Board of Directors of ATA? If elected to the Board of Directors, what would you like to improve? Are there any special projects that you have in mind?
I am running for the ATA Board of Directors because I see ATA as the organization best positioned to support and elevate language professionals in that mission. Serving on the Board would allow me to contribute more directly to the association’s strategic direction, advocate for underrepresented voices, and help ensure that ATA remains responsive to the evolving needs of its diverse membership.
If elected, I would focus on improving three key areas:
1- AI and the Future of Our Profession
One of my top priorities, if elected to the Board, will be addressing the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the language professions. AI is rapidly reshaping our industry — from machine translation and speech recognition to content generation — and it’s essential that ATA not only keeps pace with these developments, but leads the conversation.
I believe ATA already has exceptionally knowledgeable members working at the intersection of AI, technology development, and regulation. We should harness that expertise by forming a dedicated AI & Language Technology Committee. This committee would serve not just as a resource, but as a strategic defense and innovation team, helping us prepare for — and shape — the future of our profession. We must be proactive, not reactive, in ensuring that technological advancement enhances rather than erodes the value of human expertise.
2- Member engagement, accessibility, communication, and value – enhancing two-way communication between the Board and members while making ATA events, resources, and leadership opportunities more accessible across time zones, backgrounds, and career stages. In addition, I would advocate for adding meaningful benefits that ensure members feel their annual fee is not only justified but a valuable investment in their professional growth. The goal is to ensure that all members feel informed, heard, empowered, and able to actively participate in the life of the association.
3- Representation and inclusion – ensuring that smaller language divisions and minority-language professionals have a seat at the table and that their needs are reflected in Board decisions, resources, and visibility.
I have two immediate projects in mind that I would prioritize if elected to the ATA Board of Directors:
1. Establishing a “Minority Language Division”
I propose the creation of a new “Minority Language Division” — a dedicated space for ATA members who work in language pairs that currently lack their own division. This division would provide visibility, representation, and community for voices that have often gone unheard within the organization.
The new division would:
– Serve as a home for less-represented language professionals,
– Include leadership drawn from across underrepresented languages,
– Offer opportunities for distinguished speakers and tailored events at the ATA Annual Conference,
– Advocate for improved access to certification, professional development, and leadership pathways for members working in minority and low-resource languages.
This initiative addresses a long-standing gap in ATA’s structure. In the past, such languages were informally referred to at conferences as “languages without color” — it’s time to give these professionals formal structure, support, and a voice. Inclusion should not just be a principle we reference, but a lived experience for all members.
In addition, this division could play a vital role in ATA’s growth — by engaging new communities of language professionals, we can increase membership and work toward regaining the association’s historical peak in numbers and relevance.
2. Launching Bimonthly Virtual Q&A Sessions with ATA Leadership
To strengthen transparency and engagement, I propose the launch of bimonthly virtual Q&A sessions between ATA Board members (or the President) and the broader membership.
These sessions would serve two purposes:
– Provide updates on Board activities, strategic goals, and association developments,
– Offer members a direct platform to share feedback, ask questions, and voice concerns.
In this era of rapid technological change — particularly with the rise of AI and machine translation — open communication is more important than ever. These sessions would create a valuable space to address uncertainty, share insights about the direction of the industry, and highlight how ATA is supporting and advocating for human professionals in this evolving landscape.
By creating regular, two-way dialogue, we can foster greater trust, unity, and shared purpose across the ATA community.
Q: In the ATA webinar featuring you as a candidate for the position on the Board, you mentioned you are a passionate advocate for translators and interpreters obtaining credentials before working in their respective fields, especially in medical care. What are your thoughts about ATA offering a certification for translators only? Do you believe that a certification for interpreters should be developed at ATA level?
I would love to say “yes” — that we should absolutely have a certification program for interpreters at ATA. In fact, during my time serving in the Medical Division and throughout my years in leadership, I’ve worked hard to attract more interpreters to join ATA. I’ve always believed that ATA belongs to all linguists — not just translators — regardless of their specialization.
As some of you may know, I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Translation. As part of that training, I completed extensive coursework in test design and development. In addition, I currently serve as a Commissioner for CCHI and am a member of their Testing Committee, where I have the privilege of working alongside experts like Natalya Mytareva, who is truly a leading authority in test development. I’ve learned a great deal from her and others about the complexity and responsibility involved in creating valid, fair, and psychometrically sound exams.
That said, I want to be realistic. Developing an interpreter certification exam is a complex, resource-intensive process that requires a team of specialists, significant funding, and ongoing maintenance. While I fully support the idea in principle, I’m not confident that ATA currently has the infrastructure or budget to take on this project in the near future.
It’s also important to note that when it comes to some of the newer or less-established certifications appearing in the field, many candidates who don’t pass are not failing due to a lack of skill — but rather because of flaws in test design or administration. Creating a truly reliable interpreter certification requires far more than simply writing standard questions or assembling multiple-choice formats. It must meet rigorous standards of validity, reliability, and fairness — something that only a well-qualified, well-resourced team can ensure. This is why trusted credentials like CCHI and ATA certification are held in such high regard.
As much as it would be a dream come true for ATA to offer an interpreter certification, I don’t believe it’s likely in the immediate future — nor does it currently appear to be one of ATA’s top strategic priorities.
In the meantime, I encourage interpreters to pursue existing, well-established credentials such as those offered by CCHI and NBCMI. These certifications are nationally recognized and provide solid professional validation.
Looking ahead, with talented members like Nora Diaz and others already involved in tech and standards, I believe ATA may be more likely to develop a certificate or credential in AI literacy and education before launching a full interpreter certification program. That could be a valuable next step in serving our interpreting members and supporting their continued growth in a changing industry.
Q: You have also been very actively involved in the Safe-AI Task Force since its inception. Recently the Task Force has published an AI Interpreting Evaluation Toolkit. Can you tell us about this kit and its advantages? How can clients and interpreters use it for their mutual benefit?
Yes — I’m proud to have been part of the Safe-AI Task Force from the beginning, and we’re excited to introduce the AI Interpreting Evaluation Toolkit. This toolkit is designed not just for linguists, but also for language service providers and consumers — anyone involved in delivering or using interpreting services.
Its main purpose is to help all stakeholders understand the strengths and limitations of AI when it comes to interpreting, especially when used without human monitoring. It provides clear criteria for evaluating whether AI tools are capable of fulfilling the core purpose of interpreting: ensuring the integrity of communication — meaning that both parties can accurately understand each other and take informed action based on that understanding.
Rather than simply opposing or endorsing AI, the toolkit takes a practical, evidence-based approach. It gives users a framework to assess where and when AI may be appropriate — and, just as importantly, where human interpreters are essential to prevent misunderstandings, errors, or even harm.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to invite all colleagues to attend the upcoming SAFE-AI webinars, where we’ll walk through the toolkit in detail, answer questions, and discuss real-world applications. These sessions will be valuable for interpreters, clients, and agency decision-makers alike.
Ultimately, our goal is to promote informed decision-making and responsible use of technology — with a shared commitment to accuracy, ethics, and respect for the people we serve.
Q: You have had a very successful career as a translator, as a mentor, and as an ATA and CCHI leader. What would you like to be remembered by? What is your proudest legacy?
I would love to be remembered as a brave, dedicated linguist — someone who believed in herself, set ambitious goals, and worked hard to achieve them. I studied intensely for my credentials and genuinely enjoyed the learning journey. And I’m not done learning — in fact, I’m currently taking steps toward pursuing my Ph.D., and I’m excited to share that some good news on that front will be announced soon.
Throughout my career, one of the things I’ve cherished most is being the voice for those who could not speak for themselves — whether defending them in courtrooms, advocating for their care in hospitals, or fighting for their rights with insurance companies. My first degree was in translation — the first love of my professional life — and although I later studied biology and forensic science, I always found myself drawn back to the language profession. Being a linguist, a trainer, and a cultural broker has brought me more fulfillment than anything else.
Leadership has always come naturally to me. I’m proud of how I’ve been able to unite teams, rebuild broken structures, and lay a solid foundation so others could continue to thrive even after I stepped into a new role. I’ve led not through pressure, but by spreading encouragement, showing appreciation, and recognizing the value of each team member’s contributions. To me, this is the kind of leadership that truly lasts.
Above all, I’ve always believed in serving others — as a mentor, a volunteer, and an advocate. My proudest legacy is knowing that I’ve made a difference in the lives of others — especially those whose voices needed to be heard — and that I’ve helped strengthen our profession from the ground up.