During the 1996 ATA Annual Conference in Colorado Springs, a group of six Spanish translators (Sylvia Korwek, Alicia Marshall, Susana Stettri Sawrey, Yrma Villarreal, Angela Torres Henrick and Olga Roberts) approached Ann Macfarlane, chair of the Divisions Committee, to determine how to make a formal proposal to the ATA Board to form a Spanish Language Division (SPD). Although ATA Spanish translators had considered creating a Spanish Division on several occasions, for some reason it had never been done.

Alicia Marshall

Following approval by the ATA Board, our division was born in Colorado Springs and started functioning under a “being established” status, with Sylvia Korwek as the acting coordinator. Membership registration was opened with the new ATA membership drive for 1997, and in March of that year, Alicia Marshall and Harvie Jordan were appointed Acting Administrator and Acting Assistant Administrator.

By the time of the ATA San Francisco Conference in November of 1997, the SPD had grown from six Spanish translators initially to over 700 members and had already published two issues of its newsletter, edited by Pilar Saslow. At the SPD annual meeting during the San Francisco ATA Conference, the Division adopted its bylaws, completing its formal organization. During the meeting, those present named the division newsletter Intercambios and exchanged ideas and plans for the future. The Division also celebrated its first annual social event, which was a resounding success. In 1998, at the SPD annual meeting during the ATA Conference in Hilton Head, S.C., Alicia Marshall and Andre Moskowitz became the first elected Administrator and Assistant Administrator, holding office until the year 2000. Membership had grown to over 1,400.

Since its inception in 1997, the Division has regularly invited prominent guest speakers to the Annual Conference (Ricardo Naidich, president of the CTPCBA in 1997, Miguel Wald, Editor of Idiomanía in 1998, and in 1999 Alberto Gómez Font, Specialist at the Departamento de Español Urgente of the Spanish News Agency EFE). Two new services were launched in 1999: a publication of some of the Spanish-related papers presented during the Hilton Head Annual Conference and Espalista, the SPD online forum, where SPD members share their expertise and knowledge in an informal environment, with a true spirit of friendship and collaboration. Other member services have been added through the years and are documented on this website. The Division’s growth is regularly reported in Intercambios, our excellent quarterly newsletter, and The ATA Chronicle.

Current Administrators

	Edna Santizo, Administrator, 2020-Current
	Gabriela Escarrá, Assistant Administrator, 2022-Current

Past Administrators

	Andy Benzo, Assistant Administrator, 2020-2022
	Rosario (Charo) Welle, Administrator, 2016-2020
	Marco Díaz, Assistant Administrator, 2019-2020
	Yolanda Secos, Assistant Administrator, 2016-2018
	Francesca Samuel, Administrator, 2012-2016
	Rosario (Charo) Welle, Assistant Administrator, 2014-2016
	Helen Eby, Assistant Administrator, 2012-2014
	Marcela (Jenney) Reyes, MBA, Administrator, 2010-2012
	Rosario (Charo) Welle, Assistant Administrator, 2010-2012
	Gerardo Konig, Administrator, 2008-2010
	Milly Suazo-Martinez, Administrator, 2004-2008
	Francesca Samuel, Assistant Administrator, 2004-2010
[No picture available]	Thomas Mansella, Administrator, 2004
[No picture available]	Álvaro Villegas, Assistant Administrator, 2004
	Rudy Heller, Administrator, 2000-2004
	Virginia Pérez-Santalla, Assistant Administrator, 2000-2004
	Alicia Marshall, Administrator, 1998-2000
	Andre Moskowitz, Assistant Administrator, 1998-2000
	Alicia Marshall, Acting Administrator, 1997-1998
	Harvie Jordan, Acting Assistant Administrator, 1997-1998 (RIP)