TDLR Approved Courses 2006-2007

Course No. 1758, "Ethics, Sight & Equipment"
a) Professional Ethics for Language Interpreters (2 hrs)
b) Sight Translation Skills (1 hr)
c) Simultaneous Interpretation Equipment in the Courtroom (1 hr)

Course No. 1759, "Business, Weapons & Voice"
a) Business Practices for Private Practice Interpreters (1 hr)
b) Introduction to Weapons Terminology (2 hrs)
c) Vocal Exercises and Techniques (1 hr)

These courses were offered last year by EPITA's Continuing Education Department as follows:

• Dates:
• • TDLR Course No. 1758, Saturday, November 18, 2006
  • TDLR Course No. 1759, Sunday, November 19, 2006
• Time: 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM each day
• Location: UTEP Liberal Arts Building, Room 202
• Early-bird fees (received by Nov. 16):
• • Members - $50 per course
  • Non-members - $70 per course
• Fees after Nov. 16 ($25 extra):
• • Members - $75 per course
  • Non-members - $95 per course
• EPITA's CE Course Registration

Continuing Education Updates 2006

November 22, 2006 - Rosters for both courses have been posted to the TDLR database at the Continuing Education Completion Reporting Site.

November 13, 2006 - We have received the Certificates of Approval for our courses from TDLR. You may verify your CE credits at the TDLR LCI Continuing Education Courses Look Up page.

November 10, 2006 - We're checking the mail every day looking for the Certificates of Approval for our courses.

An email announcing the availability of the registration form will be sent immediately to EPITA members and to anyone subscribed at epitacontedu@hotmail.com to receive continuing education updates from EPITA.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but we are at the mercy of the postal service.

November 6, 2006 - From TDLR: "All has been approved. A course may not be offered until the provider has received the certificates of approval for their courses."

November 3, 2006 - Courses have been approved as of 12:55 p.m. Registration form will be available as soon as we update required information.

November 3, 2006 - From TDLR: "We may be running a little longer that normal. We have been hit with a lot of projects and well as courses. Also, assisting another division."

October 31, 2006 - Added information on dates, times, location, and fees anticipated for courses.

October 18, 2006 - From TDLR: "The courses were received on our floor this week. It is taking about a couple of weeks right now."

October 17, 2006 - All presenter bios have now been posted.

October 11, 2006 - Discussion Board and presenter information added to website. See links at left.

October 10, 2006 - Application for course approval filed.

October 9, 2006 - 1 hour of course content (Constitutional Basis for the Use of Court Interpreters) questioned as to compliance with TDLR content requirement.

(Note: Server was offline all day. If you couldn't access this page, now you know why.)

October 7, 2006 - 8 hours compiled. Application for TDLR approval in process.

October 6, 2006 - TDLR website updated to direct inquiries to this page.

October 3, 2006 - EPITA Continuing Education website and direct email established.

August 3, 2006 - TDLR adopted a rule revision extending the effective date of the continuing education requirement to January 1, 2007.

June 15, 2006 - EPITA approved by TDLR as a Licensed Court Interpreter Continuing Education Provider, No. 1338

Presenters Bios

Raúl Aguirre is a Texas Licensed Court Interpreter as well as a Certified Court Interpreter in the state of New Mexico, which is a member of the 36-state Consortium for State Court Interpreter Certification. Formerly a recording artist for Warner Brothers Latina International, he has the distinction of having performed in renowned venues throughout the Continental United States and abroad. Aside from being an award-winning musician, publisher and composer (pre-nominated for a Best Song of 2003 Grammy) Raúl has produced and engineered countless artists' records in Hollywood CA.

Sandra O. Caldwell, B.A. in English and Spanish, has been a private practice interpreter since January of 1998 and is currently Chair of the NM Supreme Court Interpreter Advisory Committee. She is an exam instructor and test administrator for the NM Administrative Office of the Courts and is a graduate of the Agnese Haury Institute in AZ. Sandra is a state-certified court interpreter, licensed in TX, and has passed the NCITRP Medical Interpreter Competency Exam. Advocating for the interpreting profession, in 1999 she introduced team interpreting for jury trials and mentorship of new interpreters at the 3rd Judicial District Court in Las Cruces, NM. She has been a guest lecturer in NM, TX and CA for judges, court staff, legislators, attorneys, interpreters and students.

Jorge L. Dieppa, M.A., EPITA’s Continuing Education Coordinator, is a Certified Federal Court Interpreter and has been a translator as well as a conference and court interpreter for over 30 years. Besides working full-time as Staff Interpreter for the El Paso Federal Courts, he is a Lecturer in UTEP’s Department of Languages & Linguistics where he has been teaching interpreting classes since 1989. Over the years he has been involved in training interpreters in OH, VA, CA, AZ, WA, and TX.

Esperanza Gallegos, B.A. in Linguistics, is a State (New Mexico) and Federally Certified Court Interpreter. Prior to her current employment as a staff interpreter with the Federal Court in El Paso, she was a freelance court and conference interpreter. She coordinated interpreting services for international organizations and corporations throughout the United States and Mexico on a contract basis, supplying simultaneous interpreting equipment for assignments ranging from small-scale business meetings to multi-interpreter conferences.

Rafaela G. Graffos, MEd., is a Certified Federal Court Interpreter and full-time Staff Interpreter for the El Paso Federal Courts. She was the first Coordinator for the Minnesota State Certification Program and was the trainer for its state-wide Interpreter Orientation Workshops as well as the judiciary workshops for judges and other users of interpreting services. She co-authored the Ethics portion of the Minnesota State Certification Test and coordinated the administration of the Certification Test. She has taught classes in the Interpretation/Translation Extension program at the University of Minnesota.

Linda Haughton, Ph.D., is a Certified Federal Court Interpreter, ATA-Certified Translator and serves as an interpreter trainer and test developer for the National Center for Interpretation Testing, Research and Policy at The University of Arizona. She is the lead faculty member for the Agnese Haury Institute at The University of Arizona, where she teaches the basic interpretation skills of consecutive and simultaneous interpretation and sight translation and lectures on related topics. She also teaches in the Translation/Interpretation Certificate Program at The University of Texas at El Paso.

Roberto Perezdíaz is a Federally Certified Court Interpreter (FCCI) and has served as an Official Court Interpreter at the US District Court in El Paso, Texas, since 1984. He is a National Rifle Association (NRA) Certified Firearms Instructor, and previously was a California Certified Hunter Safety Instructor. Roberto has extensive knowledge of firearms and firearms terminology.

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