A photograph of a path through a forest on a fall day with light coming at the end of the path and red, orange and gold leaves on the trees and the path

The Path to Certification:  A Case Study Using GTC Resources

November 3, 2021 – 7:30-9:00 pm CT

A Panel Discussion in Zoom featuring:  Krista Anderson, Lauren Rigdon, Michelle Remer, Tarra Grammenos, and Nic Zapko

Are you working toward achieving certification or supporting novice interpreters in that journey?  Looking for strategies and resources to help you move along the path toward certification? Come learn from the experiences of a group of novice interpreters who combined resources from the Graduation to Certification program with mentoring to succeed in their efforts of becoming certified. Both novice interpreters and mentors will share their perspectives on what worked and what others can learn from their journey together. 

Introduced by Jenny Smith-Hastings, Krista Anderson moderated the panel which included perspectives from Lauren Rigdon, Michelle Remer, Tarra Grammenos, and Nic Zapko.  A series of questions were asked of panelists to describe their experience in the certification prep program and how they utilized GTC resources.  

Learning Objectives

Successful participants will be able to:

  • List at least three resources from the Graduation to Certification Program that can support preparation for certification exams
  • Identify different approaches to mentoring for certification preparation
  • Describe the value of a community of practice in preparing for certification exams

About the Panel Moderator

Krista Anderson has worked in the interpreting community as a referral specialist, Assistant Grant Manager, and Sign Language community interpreter. She has prioritized the importance of keeping up to date on the national certification process for her journey to certification, as well as to continue to inform her colleagues and mentors. 

Krista identified a lack of awareness for interpreters who are pursuing their certification. Since then she has facilitated three cohorts of NIC Preparation Programs, developed the Mentoring Services offered by ASLIS, and coordinated three rounds of Mentoring Programs as a Grant Assistant Manager. She works closely with mentors of these programs sharing her own personal experience of struggling to pass the exam. Now, as a certified interpreter, she shares insight on resources and mentoring strategies she used to prepare for passing the national interpreter certification exam.

She currently serves as the Communications Director for the Minnesota Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. She is currently facilitating three cohorts of Certification Preparation totaling fifteen participants. When she is not working, you can find her at sporting events, the gym, or spending time with friends and family.