Japanese Language Division
Candidate for Administrator: James (Jim) Patrick
Statement of Intent, James (Jim) Patrick
I am honored to be nominated to serve as the Administrator of the Japanese Language Division for
the upcoming two years. For the past two years I have enjoyed serving as the Assistant
Administrator, working with Masae Sullivan (Administrator) and Hiroki Fukuyama
(Secretary/Treasurer).
I have been involved in Japanese/English translation and interpretation for over thirteen years. I
studied abroad in Kyoto as a junior in college, and after graduating from Boston University with a
minor in Japanese, I returned to Japan on the JET Program. I worked in Aichi Prefecture for five
years, interpreting and translating first in Toyohashi City Hall and then the Aichi Prefectural
Government. I returned to the United States and received a Masters in Japanese Translation and
Interpretation from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. For the past five years I have
been working in Ohio for Honda R&D Americas, interpreting and translating about all manner of
new vehicles, devices and technologies.
My first ATA Conference was in San Francisco in 2007, and I have enjoyed the great opportunities
provided by the ATA and JLD to interact with and learn from fellow language experts. I have
benefited from the strong conference presentations from the JLD and the chance to sit down and
talk to other members face to face. I raised my hand two years ago to become the Assistant
Administrator because I like being an active part of the JLD and giving back to the profession. It
has been a pleasure working with the JLD leadership, Conference Planning Committee and
general membership these past two years. I have made many new friends and learned a lot.
Over the next two years, if elected, I will continue the work I have done as Assistant Administrator. I
will to continue to emphasize strong conference presentation and activity planning. I want to make
sure JLD members have a fun and valuable conference every year. To this end, I think maintaining
strong two-way communication with ATA Leadership is also critical. I think maintaining good
communication with the JLD membership is crucial as well, and to that end I would like to
strengthen the JLD blog and website. In general, as Administrator I will work to enhance
communication and camaraderie among JLD members, new and old, promote professional and
social networking and seek to raise the level of professionalism and excellence in our field.
Sincerely,
-Jim Patrick
Japanese Language Division
Candidate for Assistant Administrator: Nadine A. Edwards
Candidate Statement
Nadine A. Edwards for Assistant Administrator of the JLD
First, I am very appreciative of the network of colleagues we have inside and outside of the various
organizations around the world. It is the writings and notes from these colleagues that have helped
me to avoid several mistakes as a newcomer to the profession. In that regard, it would be a
privilege for me to serve the members and the administrator of the Japanese Language Division as
their assistant administrator.
For a bit of background, I graduated with a Bachelors degree in Computer Science, and lived and
worked in Kyoto, Japan for seven years. I am a member of my local ATA chapter, the National
Capital Area Translators Association (NCATA), as well as the Japan Association of Translators
(JAT). I am also serving as the secretary for my local Toastmaster’s club. I have always been an
actively engaged in sports and I am currently enjoying the benefits of practicing Aikido.
Before returning to the USA and starting my own business, I worked for a Japanese electronic
components manufacturer at the company’s headquarters in Kyoto. More specifically, I was hired
as a native English speaker with a technical background to work in their intellectual property
department. After some years with the company, my department tasked me with finalizing a
system for and actually evaluating the outsourced patent document translations we received. I had
to make sure I understood the needs of the department, gather information from veterans inside
the department, as well as get advice from outside the department. Because of this experience, I
became intrigued with the art of translation. I also learned that trying to come up with all the
answers is quite limiting. You have to listen to what is needed, pay detailed attention to what has
already been tried and experiment with new methods in an effort to find the solution.
After returning to the USA and for the past three years, I have been actively learning the intricacies
of managing my career and business as a sole practitioner, and more specifically as a Japanese to
English translator and interpreter specializing in patents. I feel my experiences both in Japan and
for these past years have taught me how to prioritize between the things I would like to be done
and the things that I must do.
My experience has taught me that listening closely to the needs at hand and gathering information
through whatever networks and resources I have available, as well as prioritizing what needs to be
done will help me perform effectively as an assistant administrator for the JLD.