Join language professionals for Texas' first-ever conference designed for translators and interpreters in education
Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) will host the first-of-its-kind Professional Translators and Interpreters Conference (PTIC) in Texas geared toward highlighting the vital role of language professionals in education. The inaugural conference, which is set for Thursday, July 24, 2025, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., will offer 8.5 hours of professional development (or CEU credit) for translators, interpreters, bilingual educators and staff members who are called upon to translate and/or interpret.
The goal for this year’s inaugural conference is to celebrate local and statewide translators and interpreters in the education field as they step “Out of the Shadows and Into the Spotlight,” which is this year’s theme honoring the hard work and dedication of unsung heroes in the industry.
Promising to be both inspirational and enriching, PTIC will showcase keynote speaker Dr. Lupita Hinojosa, superintendent of Spring Independent School District, and featured speaker Natalia Abarca, language services coordinator of Orange County (Calif.) Department of Education.
State and national leaders announced as speakers
Heading the one-day event are local and statewide experts who are elevating the role of language access in education and will share best practices, ethical standards and strategies for building cultural connections in schools. Rosario Meehan and Sylvia Puente, translation professionals from Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, will share how they help coordinate language services and training across the district’s 96 campuses and facilities for the more than 46% of Spanish-speaking families in their community.
Respected voices like Giovanna Carriero-Contreras, Ryan Foley, Hillary Berman, Andrew Dafeo and more will each bring deep experience in education, translation and advocacy. Together, they will lead sessions designed to inform, inspire and affirm the essential work interpreters and translators do daily as attendees discuss their code of ethics, cultural intelligence and community partnerships.
HCDE invites all language access educators to come network, share experiences and learn from fellow members in the industry dedicated to improving language access throughout the greater Houston area and statewide.
Interested educators and staff members can register at www.hcde-texas.org/ptic. For more information, contact sdelossantos@hcde-texas.org or call 713-696-0754.
