11th Annual OHCIA Conference
Ethics & Unity
Across Languages
Schedule // Keynote // CEUs & Workshops // Award // Meet & Greet // Sponsors
Saturday, April 25, 2026
PCC Rock Creek Campus
This year we are planning a gathering that celebrates the shared intercultural community of interpreters of all languages. Our ethical standards of professionalism and professional development call on us to cultivate and uplift our community. Interpreters have unique experiences and backgrounds—have you ever wondered what sets apart the experiences of signed and spoken language interpreters, or frontier, rural, and urban interpreters, or remote and onsite interpreters? At this event, we will explore how we can show solidarity for one another through mentorship, advocacy, networking, and FUN!
Conference Details
When: April 25, 2026; 8am - 5pm
Where:
Portland Community College Rock Creek Campus
17705 NW Springville Rd, Portland, OR 97229
Cost: $25 to attend + $25 per CEU
(Receive an 8% discount when registering for multiple CEUs, thanks to an OHCIA scholarship!)
Need to book a hotel for the conference?
Aloft Hillsboro-Beaverton is offering a discounted rate for interpreters.
👉 Book Now for a Reduced Rate*
*special link includes complimentary parking and free cancellation
Conference Schedule
7:30 -8:30am
Light Breakfast & Mingle
8:00 AM
Doors open to the auditorium
8:15 AM
Announcements
8:30 -8:50 AM
OHCIA Welcome & Kickoff Session
8:50 -9:15 AM
Interpreter of the Year and Recognitions
9:15 -9:45 AM
Keynote Address w. Leda I Garside, RN, BSN, MBA
9:45 -10:30 AM
10:30 -11:30 AM
Break & Vendor time
12:30 -1:30 PM
Lunch & Raffle
1:30 -2:00 PM
Coffee Break/Mingle/Vendors
Afternoon CEUs and Workshops
* See CEU and Workshop schedule below for additional information
2:00 -4:00 PM
4:00 -5:00 PM
Closing Time
Morning CEUs and Workshops
* See CEU and Workshop schedule below for additional information
CEU & Workshop Schedule!
MORNING CEUs*: 10:30am - 12:30Pm
CEU 1: Translating Care in the Age of AI – Danlu Yang
Suggested OHA Categories: Ethics, Other
CEU 2: The Human Side of Accuracy: Empathy as a Professional Skill –Sonia Hernandez
Suggested OHA Categories: Skills, Ethics, Other
CEU 3: Beyond “Word for Word”: From Rules to Ethical Decision-Making in Health Care Interpreting – Luz Hernandez, Amanda Wheeler-Kay
Suggested OHA Categories: Skills, Ethics, Other
CEU 4: Thinking About Money – Theresa B. Smith
Suggested OHA Categories: Ethics, Other
AFTERNOON CEUs*: 2:00pm - 4:00PM
CEU 1: Avoid Getting Strung Out About Addiction Appointments –Mary Soots
Suggested OHA Categories: Skills, Ethics, Other
CEU 2: Setting Sustainable Interpreting Rates: Ethical, Legal, and Practical Considerations for Independent Contractors – sarah comerford
Suggested OHA Categories: Ethics, Other
CEU 3: It Takes Two: A Shared Framework for Language Justice – Toc Soneoulay-Gillespie, Anna Lynch
Suggested OHA Categories: Skills, Ethics, Other
CEU 4: Register: Achieving Message Accuracy – Alonna Watson
Suggested OHA Categories: Skills, Ethics, Other
WORKSHOPs
Morning Sessions: 10:30am - 11:30am
Workshop 1: OHA - Division of Equity and Inclusion OHA Health Care Interpreter Program – Presenters: TBD
Workshop 2: Interpreter Safety in Healthcare Settings: Not Just a Visitor – Olga Roshet
Workshop 3: Beyond Words: Human Cognitive Skills at the Heart of Interpreting Performance – Mateo Rutherford
Afternoon Sessions: 2:30Pm - 3:30Pm
Workshop 4: Are Interpreters Earning a Living? Results & Discussion from the National ASL Interpreter Income Study – Colleen Jones
Workshop 5: Shaping the Future: Analyzing the Global Workforce Survey of Healthcare Interpreters– Mateo Rutherford
Workshop 6: Boost Your Resumé: Become a Court Interpreter – Michaelle Gearhar
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)*
All CEUs are priced at $25/course
CEU Approvals Include:
OHA: Suggested categories for each ceu are listed below each course
CCHI: All CEUs are approved
IMIA/NBCMI: ALL CEUS are approved
RID: Approved for Professional Studies credits. Thanks to our RID Approved Sponsor: Hearing, Speech, & Deaf Center (HSDC)
Interpreter of the Year Award
Help us recognize a health care interpreter who demonstrates excellence, professionalism, and a strong commitment to advancing health care equity through language access across Oregon.
Nominations are open to peers, managers, health care providers, and patients.
Nominations are now closed. The 2026 Interpreter of the Year will be announced at the conference on April 25, 2026.
Eligibility Requirements:
Nominees must be qualified or certified by the State of Oregon in their language(s) of interpretation
Self-nominations are not accepted
Keynote Address
Keynote Speaker: Leda I Garside, RN, BSN, MBA
Leda I. Garside is a bilingual/bicultural Latina healthcare professional with 42 years of nursing experience, she retired from direct patient care in March of 2025, currently practicing part-time as an independent Professional Nurse Consultant.
Leda was key in the development, implementation and success of Hillsboro Medical Center iSalud! Services, serving as the Clinical Nurse Manager for 32 years. iSalud! was created in the early 1990’s by a group of Oregon wineries owners and physicians to address the health needs and barriers faced by vineyard stewards their families and is fully funded from proceeds of the
annual iSalud! The Oregon Pinot Noir Auction and other private donations. The comprehensive and wholistic clinical mobile services are provided throughout the year and have served as an example of excellence in mobile health and migrant health practices.
Leda’s career interests have centered around health policy, advocacy, migrant health, nursing education, nursing research, health career mentoring, cultural competencies, health promotion, early interventions, best practices in language interpretation services, and community health initiatives.
Being an active member in professional organizations, coalitions and boards are ways to give back to the community, provide a voice on how to work towards eliminating health disparities and provide the patient with best health services experiences.
Her lived experiences as a clinician centered working with the Latino/a/x and Mesoamerican indigenous communities and other BIPOC population, which have provided her with a solid foundation for understanding and connecting to the various communities that make up Oregon.
Leda has published peer review articles related to migrant heath and Latinos, and has been recognized by her peer for best practices in community health, advocacy, mentoring and nursing leadership. Leda is an excellent resource to ensure that -- no matter the project – the work will be grounded in diversity, equity and inclusion.
Conference Schedule, Sponsors and CEU information coming soon!
Meet & Greet Event
Join us for a Meet & Greet Event on Friday, April 24th, the evening before the conference begins. This casual gathering is a great opportunity to connect with fellow attendees, speakers, and OHCIA members before the conference begins. OHCIA will provide light appetizers to those in attendance.
When: April 24, 2026
5pm - 7pm
Where: Old Spaghetti Factory
10425 NE Tanasbourne Drive, Hillsboro, OR 97124
Registration: Registration open soon
*Please note that space is limited and for conference attendees only. Register early to secure your seat.
Event Sponsor: OHCIA is proudly partnering with OCIN to host this event as a way of showing appreciation for Health Care Interpreters.
For other agencies interested in sponsoring this event, please contact Catalina White-Madrid at cwmadrid@ohcia.org.
Sponsors
If you are a potential sponsor interested in showcasing your organization and learning more about the benefits and opportunities of having a booth at OHCIA conference, interacting with attendees and other sponsors, etc., please review the Ethics & Unity Across Languages Sponsorship handout. If you are ready to become a sponsor, complete the 11th Annual OHCIA Conference Sponsorship form.
If you would like to learn more about these opportunities or need additional customization, please contact Catalina White-Madrid at cwmadrid@ohcia.org
Current Sponsors
Platinum Sponsorship Level
Linguava - linguava.com
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.
Gold Sponsorship Level
OCIN - oregoncertified.com
OCIN is a trusted interpretation agency founded, owned, and operated by professional interpreters. With deep roots in the community, they connect skilled language professionals with clinics, courts, and public service organizations across Oregon. OCIN is a strong advocate for interpreter rights and access, investing in the profession through scholarships, mentorship, and education.
Bronze Sponsorship Level
Oregon Judicial Department - courts.oregon.gov
Court Language Access Services (CLAS) provides interpreting in Oregon circuit courts for people with limited English proficiency in over 200 languages, as well as for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. The Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) employs schedulers, full-time Oregon Certified Spanish and ASL interpreters, and contracts with freelancers to serve most judicial districts. CLAS trains interpreters in the Code of Professional Responsibility, court ethics and protocols. Over 100 interpreters in Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and other languages are certified or registered through CLAS programs. CLAS also maintains a roster for credential verification or hiring certified interpreters for out-of-court work.
Passport to Languages - passporttolanguages.com
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.
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) - irco.org
IRCO partners with interpreters and translators who want to make a real impact. We connect your language skills to meaningful work with community organizations, helping people access services, feel heard, and be treated with respect.
Certificate Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) - cchicertification.org
CCHI is the only national certifying entity offering two accredited certification programs: CHI (available in Arabic, Mandarin, Spanish) and CoreCHI-Performance (for interpreters of all other languages). CCHI counts over 5,500 certificants nation-wide.
National Interpreting Service (NIS) -nationalinterpretingservice.org
NIS is the leading provider of ASL interpreting services for healthcare organizations across the Pacific Northwest. We help hospitals and clinics deliver equitable, compliant, and patient-centered communication for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities.
Oregon Interpreters in Action (AFCSME)-interpretersinaction.org
A multilingual organization by and for interpreters dedicated to advocating for interpreters and Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals in all communities in Oregon. We are YOUR Union of interpreters.
Certified Language International (CLI)-certifiedlanguages.com
Certified Languages International (CLI) has remained at the forefront of providing on-demand interpreting services since our inception in 1996. CLI is the chosen vendor for thousands of organizations in every major industry. We are known for our reliably fast connection times, exceptional customer service, and interpreter quality.
Cross Cultural Communications- cultureandlanguage.net
Cross-Cultural Communications (CCC) is the leading international training agency for community interpreting, educational interpreting, healthcare interpreting, cultural competence and language access. CCC has designed curricula and trained interpreters since 2001. With over 500 licensed trainers in 43 U.S. states and six countries, CCC is the largest interpreter training agency in the world. CCC's self-paced courses combine a flexible and engaging learning environment with world-class interpreter training. Our more than 100 short courses (and counting) can be taken to meet CE education needs.