New York Circle of Translators

Michelle Berrios
President

Michelle is a translator and lexicographer, currently honored to be serving in her first
term as president of the New York Circle of Translators. A native of Puerto Rico, she moved
back to New York two years ago and became a member of the organization. Her background
includes expertise in translation, lexicography, and project management, and she is fluent in
both her native Spanish and English. Michelle has built a successful career in the corporate
world, and holds a post-graduate certificate in translation from City, University of London and a
master's degree in lexicography from the Spanish Royal Academy. Specializing in marketing and
banking, she has over 17 years of experience in the field, during which she lived abroad for
extensive periods of time in Paris, Argentina, and Spain. She is also a member of the American
Translators Association and co-authored an online bilingual dictionary and written materials for
online Spanish lessons for beginners.

Elizabeth (Liz) Herron-Sweet
Vice President

Elizabeth joined ATA in 2015 and became certified in the Portuguese > English language pair in 2017. She was a founding member of the ATA’s Law Division in 2017 and went on to serve as Assistant Administrator of the Division from 2018-2021 and as Administrator since 2021.

She has a B.A. in International Studies with a concentration in Portuguese from Middlebury College and worked for six years as a paralegal at a large international law firm, first in New York City and then at the firm’s new office in São Paulo. Liz has now been a translator for nine years, specializing in legal, business and academic work. She holds a Certificate in English to Portuguese Translation from the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies and a Certificate in Basic Training in Conference Interpreting from Versão Brasileira in Curitiba, Brazil.

Laura Rodríguez O'Dwyer
Secretary

Randal Gernaat
Treasurer

Randal is a language services professional focusing on German-to-English economic and
financial translations. Before becoming a translator, he worked in international economics and
finance for nearly 20 years. His past roles have included everything from research and analysis
to product development and business management while working for top firms, such as
Bloomberg.
Randal holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University, with a
specialization in international economics. He spent a year studying German at the University of
Vienna, Austria, as well as a semester studying French at the Sorbonne in Paris. In addition to
German and French, Randal also speaks Spanish.
In his spare time, he enjoys German crime novels, adventure travel and vegetarian cooking with
produce from local farmers’ markets.

Anthony Alencar
Program Director

Natalia Postigran
Administrator

Natalia is a Russian linguist, translation project manager, and teacher. In addition to translation in the fields of education, medical/pharmaceutical, and legal, and interpreting in immigration, family, and criminal courts, she coaches and evaluates court interpreters. Her academic background is in technology and mathematics. She has a keen interest in technologies of computer-assisted translation and machine learning.

Rodrigo Sandoval
Gotham Translator Editor

Rodrigo, the newly established Editor of the Gotham Translator within the New York Circle of Translators for the year 2024, embodies a remarkable fusion of linguistic competence, academic rigor, and cultural sensitivity. Born in Ecuador and transplanted to the United States in early childhood, Rodrigo's fluency in English and Spanish is innate. His academic career, which included the study of Industrial Engineering at Georgia Tech and a unique program abroad at the International University of Ecuador where he interpreted and studied an MBA from Harvard, reflects his dedication to intellectual studies. As a certified legal interpreter recognized by the Georgia Judicial System, Rodrigo has honed his craft for more than two decades, navigating the realm of international conference interpreting and skillfully translating extensive volumes of text. Among his most notable achievements is his role as personal interpreter for prominent figures such as former presidents Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush, along with several former presidents in Ecuador, and other figures such as Hillary Clinton and Bishop Desmond Tutu, as well as serving as a trusted interpreter for Julian Assange both in Ecuador and in London. Beyond his professional endeavors, Rodrigo finds solace and spiritual connection in nature, frequently participating in ancestral Ayahuasca ceremonies in the lush jungles of Ecuador, complemented by a dedicated meditation practice. Rodrigo's multifaceted experience and unwavering commitment to overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers make him an invaluable asset in the global discourse on translation and interpretation.