The following ELIA Members have announced that they wish to participate in the 2024 election of the ELIA Board of Directors for three (3) available positions. Each is offering to volunteer her or his time and experience for the betterment of your association. Below you will learn more about each candidate’s past experiences and skills that would qualify her or him to represent you on the ELIA Board and to improve the Board’s skill set to help ELIA serve you better in the future.
To view each person’s reason for becoming a candidate, visit the Slate of Candidates page or click on the link provided in each of the profiles below.
Election information
The election will begin Monday, 17 June, and end on Tuesday, 25 June. ELIA Full Members will receive a special mailing with information on how to vote. You are strongly encouraged to review their statements below and any additional materials produced which will help you understand who they are, what they stand for, and, ultimately, who you should vote for.
The Candidates
Maii Abdel-Wahab
Business Relationship Manager, Arabize
My passion for language and experience in Arabize make me a strong candidate for the ELIA Board of Directors. I’m particularly dedicated to promoting ethical practices.
Furthermore, I champion collaboration between language professionals and academia. This collaborative spirit fosters innovation and ensures our industry stays competitive.
The ever-changing landscape demands adaptability. My experience in Arabize Academy equips me to develop educational programs that prepare language professionals for the future. In Addition to my commitment to protecting professionals’ rights.
Finally, as a strong team player with a knack for strategic thinking and problem-solving, I thrive in collaborative environments. I’m eager to contribute fresh perspectives and work with the board to advance ELIA’s missions and goals.
Alina Birsan
Founding Manager, AB Language Solutions
Throughout nearly two decades of experience I have honed my skills in business management, strategic planning, effective communication, and leadership. My role has involved overseeing a wide range of services, including translation, interpreting, DTP, subtitling, and dubbing, with a special focus on Eastern European languages.
I am a strong believer in technology as an enhancer of human attributes and an early adopter with a change-focused mindset.
Grateful for my tenure as Vice President of ELIA, I must confess that it has provided me with a deep understanding of the association’s goals and the needs of its members.
My qualifications include:
Strategic Leadership: A focus on innovation and excellence.
Industry Expertise: Knowledge of trends and best practices.
Event Management: Organizing and chairing industry conferences, ensuring they provide value and insight to participants.
Communication Skills and a Collaborative Mindset: Strong belief in the power of teams rather than individuals.
For all these reasons, I kindly ask for your support and your vote in the upcoming election.
It is only together that we can thrive in the years to come.
Thank you for your consideration and the opportunity to serve you as a member of the ELIA Board of Directors.
With a Master’s degree in translation from the University of Helsinki in 1993, I have built a career in Nordic translation companies in Finland and the UK. The past 31 years have seen me contribute to the growth of three LSPs from modest start-ups to streamlined organisations, and I have been through four translation company acquisitions as a member of the management team – twice on the selling and twice on the buying side.
As the CEO of Sandberg, my goal is to create level-headed strategy that inspires confidence and delivers profitable organic revenue growth. I lead and coach the company’s management team and nurture links with the major stakeholders. I’m passionate about producing original marketing content and I enjoy doing workshops and training.
Running a 120-staff translation production company that works for 400 other language service providers in the world has given me a fantastic view of our global industry; I have learned how LSPs profile themselves and how they process their projects, how they train their own people and how they manage their suppliers. Today, my professional network is extensive and I use it to develop innovative ways for the language industry partners to work together.
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Translation and Interpreting and am a sworn translator of English. I have a Master’s Degree in European Studies by the IEE-ULB in Brussels and a Master’s Degree in Foreign Language Teacher Training by the University of Santiago de Compostela.
I have been managing Globalingua for 11 years, together with my partner Nahir, and during this time I have acquired a great capacity for effort, perseverance and problem solving.
I have combined managing Globlingua with teaching Translation at the university on several occasions. Last year, I passed the competitive exams for entry into the Corps of Translators and Interpreters of the State within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, without securing a position.
At ELIA I could bring a strong commitment to the tasks assigned to me. I believe that perseverance and responsibility are two qualities that determine the functions I perform. Another of the skills that characterise me is flexibility and adaptability. I am always open to suggestions and willing to learn new things.
I believe I could fit into the team I am part of, listen and support other team members in their needs.
Over the course of 27 years, I have held various key roles in the language services industry, including translator, editor, project manager, and operations manager. This diverse experience has equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of the entire language project lifecycle, enabling me to ensure high-quality results and efficient processes.
My deep-rooted understanding and proficiency in CAT tools empower me to leverage technology for optimal translation workflows and consistent project outcomes. This technical prowess guarantees timely and top-notch project deliveries.
Backed by a robust network of industry peers, I am poised to foster collaborations and partnerships that elevate service offerings and drive business growth. My active engagement in industry events ensures I stay at the forefront of the latest trends and innovations, ready to bring cutting-edge solutions and insights to ELIA.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I founded the LocPub Facebook group, successfully bringing together industry colleagues to support one another through challenging times. This initiative demonstrated my ability to organize swiftly and take decisive action to foster community and collaboration.
My extensive experience and skills position me to make a significant impact at ELIA, where I am eager to drive excellence and innovation within the organization.
I bring a wealth of qualifications and skills to ELIA that align with the organization’s mission:
a) Leadership and Entrepreneurship: As CEO of Verbosari, I have demonstrated strategic leadership in managing a successful language services business.
b) Deep Industry Expertise: With 19 years in translation and localization, I possess in-depth knowledge of language service workflows and emerging industry trends.
c) Commitment to Quality and Ethics: I prioritize quality, transparency, and ethical business practices in all client interactions.
d) International Perspective: Having worked in diverse cultural settings, I bring a global outlook and cross-cultural communication skills to the table.
e) Advocacy for Education: I am passionate about promoting continuous professional development and fostering talent within the language community.
f) Innovation and Adaptability: I leverage technology to enhance language services while valuing the importance of human expertise.
g) Effective Communication and Collaboration: I excel in fostering transparent communication and working collaboratively to achieve shared goals.
h) Strategic Vision: I have a forward-thinking mindset and strategic vision for advancing industry standards and promoting sustainable practices.
I am eager to contribute these skills and perspectives to ELIA, collaborating with fellow Board members to drive positive change in the language industry.
Kristina Mokrović
Sales and Marketing Manager, Alpha prijevodi
As a newcomer to the language industry with nearly two years of experience, I am eager to bring a fresh perspective and innovative ideas to the ELIA. In this time, I have quickly developed a strong understanding of project management, strategic planning, and client relations within language services. Currently in the role of marketing and sales while preparing to take over family LSP of 25 years.
Despite being relatively new my background in various other industries has equipped me with a broad range of skills that I believe can significantly benefit ELIA.
Working in HR as a career adviser I developed strong interpersonal and mentoring skills, crucial for fostering professional development within ELIA.
As the head of sales for an innovative startup, I honed my abilities in business development, strategic planning, and leadership, driving growth and fostering collaboration.
My experience in import/export and maritime business has given me a solid foundation in business administration, enhancing my organizational and strategic planning skills.
Managing successful side projects, such as a family carpentry business and a facility management venture, has strengthened my project management and entrepreneurial skills.
My diverse background enables me to approach challenges creatively and bring innovative solutions to the table.
My journey is long and some key steps have included linguistic and technical roles. University degree in Mathematics, teaching, translation of science books, MSc in AI (with a dissertation thesis on the ability of neural networks to disambiguate texts in machine translation – it may sound trivial now, but there was no Google at the time…), localization on the supplier side, localization again but on the client side (Microsoft) and, finally, managing my own LSP.
Given that AI is today’s challenge/threat/opportunity for our industry (as for all industries), I feel I can possibly share my understanding of technology and help my peers and association develop a best possible approach. My experience helps me reflect on similar past changes and understand the dynamics behind changes.
I believe ELIA has a crucial role to play as an association, while it faces important challenges that is called to overcome. ELIA can and must interact with key external bodies such as regulatory and/or standardization bodies in order to contribute to today’s increased need for regulation and standardization of new technologies and affected practices.
I think my deep understanding of all relevant domains will allow me to contribute to the cause of our association.
Milena Spelta Parenti
Key Account Manager, Dema Solutions
- I believe in commitment, accountability, clear leadership, defined goals, open communication, and trust.
- I worked in export departments of international companies for over 30 years, I can provide the perspective of a buyer of language services.
- As a co-founder of my company and working as a KAM for some of our major LSP clients, I share the same problems and concerns as all other ELIA members. I’ve successfully created important collaborations with peer companies and clients. I’m a strong advocate for language service companies to create synergies among themselves and with their corporate customers.
- I am a linguist at heart and will always be.
Ursula Steigerwald
Owner/Strategies, Rheinschrift
Being originally a linguist with a long year working experience as a translator as well as having built and run a German LSP for almost 30 years, I can bring all my expertise to the ELIA Board of Directors and would be very much looking forward working with industry peers on a successful future of the industry in the ELIA community and promote beneficial partnerships.
I have a futuristic mindset, so I oversee that Localization industry needs to transfrom into techy one.
That’s why I would focus on that
1. Enhancement industry expertise. To form a regular learning establishment for CEOs and C-levels to keep entrepreneurial trends and spirit up-to-date.
2. Open dialogue between entrepreneurs and linguists to build a better environment for both sides. My university degree equips me with a strong academic foundation in language studies. This background enables to contribute to discussions on industry standards and professional development within ELIA.
3. Exchanging of multicultural insights. Being presented on two countries of Eastern European Market, gives me an opportunity to highlight the specific needs and challenges faced by members in this region.
4. Strategic Vision and Innovation. As a leader of the localization company Localica.io, it involves me implementing the latest technologies and methodologies to ensure quality and efficiency. It can help ELIA stay at the forefront of industry advancements.
5. Networking and Collaboration Skills. My role as a CEO and participation in 2 international business communities and 3 international NGO clubs involves building and maintaining relationships. My networking skills can help foster stronger connections within the ELIA community and promote beneficial partnerships.