10th Annual OHCIA Conference
Honoring the Past
Embracing the Present
Inspiring the Future
Thank you for attending this year’s conference!
Almost 200 healthcare interpreters joined us online on May 31, 2025, as we celebrated OHCIA’s 10th annual conference and 15th anniversary as an organization. It was a success! Thank you for all who were a part of the celebration.
Here are a some photos from the event and the staff who helped make the conference possible:
Honoring the Past, Embracing the Present, Inspiring the Future
This year, as OHCIA celebrates its 15th anniversary, we reflect on the legacy of our association, the leaders who have contributed to its success, and the trajectory of the interpreting profession. We contemplate the changes over the last 15 years, discuss strategies to face today’s challenges, and imagine the advances we’ll see in 15 years if we rise to meet the moment.
Keynote Address
In the keynote address, Dr. Sandoe provided an overview of the Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) strategic priorities and highlight the critical role that Medicaid plays in advancing these goals. The presentation also focused on OHA and Medicaid’s ongoing efforts to ensure meaningful access to high-quality interpretation services for members with limited English proficiency. Attendees gained insight into current initiatives, policy directions, and the state’s commitment to equitable, culturally and linguistically appropriate care.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Emma Sandoe, PhD, MPH
Special Topic
With a change in Administration in Washington, D.C., many of the gains we’ve seen in language access over the past four years are unfortunately changing. The presentation will discuss what’s happened so far, what we expect to happen in the coming years, how to engage in your state, and how we can organize and advocate to preserve and protect language access.
Guest Speaker: Mara Youdelman
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
These Continuing Education Units (CEUs) were only offered during our 10th Annual Conference.
Public Speaking for T&I Professionals
If you’re a T&I professional, you are a public speaker. Each time you attend a meeting, have a conversation with a client, or give an in-person or virtual presentation, you are exercising your public speaking skills. If you would like to be a more dynamic speaker with a higher chance of not only getting your message across, but getting listeners to remember it long term, this course is ideal for you. Investing in your public speaking skills may give you the confidence you need to make your voice heard and make a lasting impression.
CEU Credit Offered: OHA (Skills, Other), CCHI, IMIA, RID (General Studies)
Speaker: Marisa Rueda-Will
Navigating Interpreter Skills and Ethical Dilemmas in Medical Settings: Balancing the Roles of Advocate and Neutral Facilitator
This presentation explores the multifaceted role of medical interpreters as critical mediators in healthcare. Drawing on insights from two collaborative discussions, we examine practical strategies fostering trust with patients and healthcare providers and advocating for interpreters' professional growth. Emphasizing the creative and scientific dimensions of interpretation, we analyze ethical dilemmas, such as balancing neutrality and advocacy, maintaining linguistic precision, and managing patient information responsibly. Grounded in a teleological approach, we define the ultimate goal of medical interpretation as fostering equitable and effective communication across linguistic and cultural divides.
CEU Credit Offered: OHA (Ethics, Skills, Other), CCHI, IMIA, RID (Professional Studies)
Speakers: Danlu Yang & Amanda Wheeler-Kay
Interpreting in the NICU
The neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU for short, provides specialized care for infants who are premature or have other health complications. In this course, interpreters learn what to expect when interpreting in this environment–from types of specialists they might encounter to common terms and abbreviations used to the challenges families of hospitalized infants might encounter.
CEU Credit Offered: OHA (Skills, Other), CCHI, IMIA, RID (Professional Studies)
Oregon's Interpreter Workforce: Present, Past, & Future
This course explores the past, present, and future of the interpreting workforce in Oregon, highlighting key moments in state history that influenced the direction of the profession, present research on the state of the workforce, and challenges and opportunities over the coming years.
CEU Credit Offered: OHA (Ethics, Skills, Other), CCHI, IMIA, RID (General Studies)
Speaker: Felicity Ratway
Ethics of Interpretation
What do we actually mean when we say, "Do the right thing" "That was not ethical?" Ethics touches every part of our lives, including our professional lives. Professional interpreters are tasked with accurately and impartially communicating the inner reality of a client. They also work at the nexus of other industries — e.g., law and healthcare — where the moral stakes can be high. This talk will examine the ethical systems that we subscribe to and the principles we deploy when making moral decisions. We will also explore some common moral dilemmas for interpreters and some key tools you can apply immediately to make more ethically informed choices. Ethics is complex, but this talk will make it simple and accessible, leaving you more confident in your moral decision-making.
CEU Credit Offered: OHA (Ethics, Other), CCHI, IMIA, RID (Professional Studies)
Speaker: Winston Meier
Injured Worker System
Oregon and Washington individuals who are injured on the job are protected by the Oregon Workers Compensation Division or by Washington Labor & Industries. Learn how these programs work and what rights and responsibilities workers have, as well as the responsibilities of their employers, occupational health providers, and the state. As the individual navigates medical treatment, time off, and possible retraining for future employment, they are faced with barriers and checkpoints along the way. Interpreters may find themselves interpreting appointments that they don't understand how they fit into the course of an injured worker claim and the overlap between health and legal realms. Learn about IME's, arbiter exams, indemnization, ombudsmen, etc.
CEU Credit Offered: OHA (Skills, Other), CCHI, IMIA, RID (General Studies)
Speaker: Mary Soots
Sponsors
Thank you to all of our sponsors whose donations made this event possible!
Platinum Sponsorship Level
Passport to Languages
Passport to Languages links professional interpreters and translators to individuals and organizations seeking interpretation and translation services. Our team has a real understanding of the issues that affect both our clients and their customers, and have a genuine enthusiasm for what they do. Our aim is to act as a trusted extension of our clients’ team; producing results that directly and positively impact on our client’s business objectives. We desire to measure success for our clients by being knowledgeable, punctual, flexible, responsive, and sincere. We place equally high value on our internal staff as well as our interpreters. This dynamic mix allows for a no-nonsense approach, clarity, and consistency. Passport to Languages is heavily engaged in embracing technology, and is proficient at providing its services in person, via telephone, video and the written word.
Health Share of Oregon
Health Share of Oregon serves Oregon Health Plan members in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties. We bring together health plans, providers, and community health resources so our members can access the care they need to be well.
The Oregon Health Plan (OHP) is our state’s Medicaid program. It provides no-cost health coverage—including medical, dental and mental health and substance use benefits—to individuals and families who qualify.
Oregon Health & Science University
OHSU is Oregon’s only public academic health center. We are a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and southwest Washington. We are an institution of higher learning, with schools of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry and public health – and with a network of campuses and partners throughout Oregon. We are a national research hub, with thousands of scientists developing lifesaving therapies and deeper understanding. We are a statewide economic engine and Portland’s largest employer. And as a public organization, we provide services for the most vulnerable Oregonians, and outreach to improve health in communities across the state.
Gold Sponsorship Level
Linguava
At Linguava, we believe interpreters are vital to creating a more inclusive healthcare system. Based in Portland, we are Oregon’s largest full-service language access provider, offering services in over 250 languages. We proudly support interpreters with 60-hour training, CEUs, and workshops designed to foster growth, connection, and career success.
Silver Sponsorship Level
CareOregon
CareOregon puts the care in health care. We are a nonprofit providing health insurance services to meet the health care needs of low-income Oregonians. We serve about one quarter of Oregon Health Plan members plus members in our Medicare plan.
Our mission is to inspire and partner to create quality and equity in individual and community health. Our vision is healthy communities for all individuals, regardless of income or social factors.
We focus on the total health of our members, not just traditional health care. In teaming up with members, their families and their communities, we help Oregonians live better lives, prevent illness and respond effectively to health issues.
Shriners Children’s
At Shriners Children’s, we are committed to reaching as many children as possible, wherever they may live, and offering them our unique, patient-centered, wraparound care.
