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See what our clients are saying about us

Client Testimonials

Explore Testimonials Meet Our Clients

“Cross-Cultural Communications was incredibly supportive as our department worked to build our Language Access Program. Marjory [Bancroft] and Isabel [Framer] made themselves available for expert consultation and took the time to provide thoughtful feedback. They were also amenable to adapting their training as they saw what worked — and what didn’t — for our unique audience of police officers. It was clear throughout our collaboration that CCC was invested in ensuring that our program was robust and that our bilingual officers were properly trained and prepared.”

Lisa Fink

Language Access Coordinator/Policy Analyst, Baltimore Police Department

“I take pride in taking the Cross-Cultural Communications training. Their program [The Community Interpreter® International] showed me how to become a truly professional interpreter. Their trainers are fun and engaging which made the training even more enjoyable. I’m an introvert and the amazing staff and trainers gave me techniques to express myself in a confident, clear and professional manner that is expected. I definitely will be developing myself further with their programs. I have become a better professional and a better individual thanks to their program. I strongly recommend it.”

Rafael Cancel

graduate of The Community Interpreter® International

“Thank you for providing the most comprehensive and complete curriculum that I have ever had the pleasure of teaching...I had absolutely everything I needed...I got amazing feedback from my participants and even students who may never interpret (it counts as a course on our major or minor) and they said they learned more practical information (about lots of topics like ethics, communication strategies and stress management) than any other course ever.”

Patricia Reagan

Ph.D., Professor, Randolph-Macon College

“The instruction I received at The Community Interpreter® International program in the Fall 2018 proves to be concrete, to the point and professional. I’m very pleased with the training at Cross-Cultural Communications, LLC.”

Maria S. Conroy

Spanish Community Interpreter and Translator

“The materials you provided, the manual, the workbook, the text book. The examples you provided to us at the TOT… everything was incredible. Add to that, the wonderful people we got to meet, share experiences with, got to learn from, and who we are still in contact with now. Who already feel like an extension of my family. Wow! You literally provided us with the tools that we needed to provide the training to the 22 participants (site translators and bilingual community assistants) that took time away from their summer to be with us. They loved it! They especially loved the interactions and continuous hands on practices.”

Sonia Barrón-Rodríguez

District Interpreter/Translator, Riverside Unified School District

“Last week will be forever cherished in my memories. [...] You both created a very welcoming and open environment that really allowed for honest dialogue and a conducive learning environment free of shame and judgment. Thank you for creating such a trusting and safe space. I know the experience was probably an eye-opener for a lot of the trainers. [...] I believe you have given us skills to make us better trainers and have challenged us to grow as trainers. After all, we, as cultural competence trainers, are both guides and pilgrims in this worthy and rewarding work.”

Victoria Walker

Health Promotion and Education Director, Mississippi State Department of Health

“The Delaware Valley Translators Association (DVTA) was fortunate to have CCC’s Marjory Bancroft as a featured presenter at our recent DVTA East Coast Translators and Interpreters Summit. Marjory’s name was a major attraction for a record turnout and her sessions were filled to capacity. After every event, we always poll participants for evaluations and not surprisingly, Marjory’s presentations (The Voice of Compassion - Interpreting for Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse and Here Be Monsters! Intervention Skills for the Gray Zone between Legal and Medical Interpreting) received the highest accolades. With such overwhelmingly positive feedback… we look forward to bringing her back as a regular for future professional development workshops and summits. Thank you for instructing, inspiring and energizing our membership!”

Antonio E. Guerra

President, Delaware Valley Translators Association (DVTA)

“Thanks very much to Michelle Gallagher for introducing me to CCC and the 40 hour community interpreter program at University of Maryland’s Language Fair. I am so glad to have participated in this course. I found the program to be refreshing and informative. The atmosphere was lively and entertaining, while at the same time being engaging thanks to professionalism of instructors who led the way for up and coming interpreters. Thanks to Maisoon and Jim for being so warm and welcoming during the course. The Community Interpreter® program gave me insights into common mistakes made by interpreters, many of which I have been making myself. The program gives its users tools that can be used in the field to promote communicative autonomy and direct communication between client and provider. This is an essential course for anyone interested in pursuing interpreting as a profession and the start of becoming state [court] certified. ”

Peter Sibrin

Russian Interpreter

“I feel very empowered after attending The Community Interpreter® TOT. Each day felt like it flew by because the topics and activities were so engaging and relevant to my job. Above all I think that the TOT has made me a better service provider for my population and will transfer into more equitable practices on an individual and systematic level. I am also grateful for [the] trainers— their work will directly transfer into our families feeling heard and feeling empowered to engage in their community in their own language. ”

Omari Jeremiah

Community School Coordinator, Y of Central Maryland

“The more we promote the career of community interpreting, the better for all those who are in need to break the language barrier and ease communication among people. I had a great experience at The Community Interpreter® International Training. I was able to improve technique when it comes to assisting my clients in a truly professional manner and setting those boundaries where everyone is clear about their roles so the correct information gets to both parties in a real, efficient way...It is really a passion for me to help people in every way I can, especially where there is a language barrier.”

Nidia Gentry

Case Manager, Maryland Department of Health and Human Services

“Thank you so much, Marjory. The feedback about your two presentations was simply amazing!”

Gregoria Lara

Northern Professional Division Director, The California Federation of Interpreters (CFI)

“[As] an interpreter in the medical and legal field for over 16 years [...] I found TCI to be an innovative and creative way to instruct in this field.”

Sara Gardner

MO/IA State certified legal interpreter, CCHI certified medical interpreter, Licensed TCI Trainer

“There are so many good things to say about The Community Interpreter® International Training of Trainers (TOT) program. Marjory and Giovanna complete each other in passion, knowledge and teaching style so elegantly and expertly that six days felt like two. The curriculum is research based, consistently updated to follow the latest interpreting industry trends both from the human and technology aspects. This program’s facilitation answers a need that I have rarely seen in other Training of the Trainer programs [by providing] ample role playing and situational exercises for participants. Thank you for this unforgettable experience.”

Arnaud Adam

Former Training & Development Manager, All Access Interpreters

“New knowledge and skills [are] a vital part of elevating the profession. [...] I know these trainings [TCI, Medical Terminology and The Language of Justice] have made a real difference for our agency’s reputation in contracting interpreters.”

Barbara Larson

ARCH Language Network, Licensed TCI, Medical Terminology and The Language of Justice Trainer

Our clients range from local to international, private to public, and nonprofit to for-profit organizations.

Government

Federal agencies and programs (e.g., U.S. Office for Victims of Crime; U.S. Air Force; U.S. Joint Special Operations University)
State agencies (e.g., Maryland Department of Aging, Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services)
Local government agencies in several states, including city/county agencies, health and human service agencies, police departments, infants and toddlers programs, commissions on aging, volunteer programs, citizen services, victim services, etc.
Examples of our work:
- San Jose Office of Immigrant Affairs
  - Cultural Responsiveness in Human Services
  - Language Access in Human Services
- Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts:
  - The Trauma-informed Interpreter: Working with Domestic Violence and Abuse Cases
  - Working Effectively with Interpreters in Domestic Violence and Abuse Cases
  - Trauma, Self-care and Court Reporters: How Processing Trauma Affects Reporters — and What to Do About It
- Baltimore City Police Department: Introduction to Legal Interpreting for Bilingual Officers
- Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts: The Trauma-informed Interpreter — Interpreting for Victims of Trauma, Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence
- Mississippi State Department of Health
  - The Community Interpreter® International: Training of Trainers
  - Cultural Competence in Health and Human Services: Training of Trainers
  - Cultural Competence in Oral Health: Training of Trainers
- San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs:
  - The Community Interpreter® International
  - The Community Interpreter® International: Training of Trainers
  - Cultural Competence in Health and Human Services: Training of Trainers

Nonprofit Agencies

National nonprofit agencies (e.g., National Center for State Courts, National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Volunteers in Health Care, Boat People S.O.S., International Rescue Committee)
Regional and state nonprofit agencies (e.g., Mid-Atlantic Public Health Training Center, Family Planning Council, Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations) and nonprofit coalitions in Florida, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio and Washington, D.C.
Local nonprofit agencies in several states, such as immigrant service agencies, victim services, refugee resettlement and nonprofits serving specific ethnic groups.
Legal services organizations, including legal aid bureaus and agencies specialized in services to Latino and Asian communities.
Examples of our work:
- Asian American Center of Frederick: The Community Interpreter ® International
- Pro Bono Counseling Project: How to Work with an Interpreter, Cultural Competence in Health and Human Services
- Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape:
  - The Voice of Compassion: How to Interpret for Rape Survivors (online training)
  - The Voice of Compassion: Interpreting for Sexual Assault Survivors
  - Language, Trauma and Healing — A Trauma-informed Approach to Working with Interpreters and Sexual Assault Survivors
- AshaKiran: It Breaks My Heart — Interpreting for Trauma
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice: The Language of Justice
- Y in Central Maryland: Partnerships in Mental Health: Practical Guidance for School-based Counselors and Interpreters
- Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center
  - Introduction to Community Interpreting
  - The Community Interpreter ® International
- Ayuda
  - The Language of Justice
  - The Language of Justice: Training of Trainers
  - Cultural Mediation for Interpreters
  - Breaking Silence: Interpreting for Victim Services

Educational Institutions

Two- and four-year colleges (including Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine), continuing education programs, immigrant schools and public K-12 schools.
Examples of our work:
- The Ohio State University: Technical assistance for development of online training
- San Francisco Unified School District: Simultaneous Interpreting for Educational Interpreters
- Orange County Department of Education Interpreters and Translators Conference
  - Consulting on conference creation and development
  - Keynote and Presentation: Strategies to Support Quality Language Services in School Districts
- Anne Arundel County Public Schools: Simultaneous Interpreting in Educational Settings: An Interactive One-Day Workshop for AACPS Bilingual Staff
- Howard County Public Schools: Building Blocks for Educational Interpreters

Healthcare

Large health care organizations including Kaiser Permanente Northern California and hospitals across the United States (e.g., Florida Hospital, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Temple University Health System in Philadelphia, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore; and Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C.) as well as health departments, community health centers (Federally Qualified Health Centers), clinics and health systems.
Examples of our work:
- Staten Island Performing Provider System: The Community Interpreter® International — Training of Trainers
- Montgomery Department of Health and Human Services: How to Work with an Interpreter; Introduction to Community Interpreting
- Medical University of South Carolina: Medical Terminology Training of Trainers
- Barton Healthcare: The Trauma-informed Interpreter
- Maryland Department of Health: How to Work with an Interpreter
- Medstar Montgomery Medical Center: The Community Interpreter® International
- Christiana Care Health System: Medical Interpreter Ground Rounds – Advocacy & Mediation for Medical Interpreters

Other Institutions

Keynote presentations and conference workshops commissioned by national and international interpreting associations.
Examples of our work:
- 2020 CHIA Annual Educational Conference
  - Presentation: The Dirty Secrets of Online Interpreter Training: What You Need to Know Now to Save Your Time, Dollars and Sanity
- 2019 NATI Annual Conference
  - Keynote: Lift My Heart — Overcoming the Impact of Trauma on Interpreters and Translators
  - Presentation: The Interpreter Requests — How to Intervene for Communication Barriers
  - Presentation: What Do You Mean, It’s Legal! — How to Perform Legal Interpreting in Community and Educational Settings
  - Panel Discussion: 20 Years of Developing the Interpreting Profession
- 2019 Critical Link International
  - Presentation: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly — Assessing Online Training for Interpreters
- 2019 Minnesota Conference on Meaningful Language Access
  - Keynote: Give Voice — Advocating for Ourselves, Each Other, and the Profession
- 2019 Confluence Conference
  - Presentation: What It Means to Be a Professional Interpreter — And How to Get There
- 2019 ITAA Annual Conference
  - Keynote: The Trauma-informed Interpreter
- 2018 ATI Annual Conference
  - Keynote: Give Voice: Change the World — and Give Ourselves a Voice
  - Presentation (with co-presenter Barbara Rayes-Barnett): Rise to the Challenge: Keys for Performing Legal Interpreting in Community Settings
- 2018 CIT Biennial Conference
  - Presentation: Walk on the Wild Side: Training Trauma-informed Interpreters for Signed and Spoken Languages in the Same Classroom
- 2017 AAIT Annual Conference
  - Presentation: The Gift of Giving Voice — How Interpreters Change the World
- 2017 CHIA Annual Educational Conference
  - Presentation: The Trauma-informed Interpreter — Techniques and Strategies for Interpreting Trauma
- 2016 ATA Annual Conference
  - Presentation: Help! They Think I’m a Cultural Expert! A Crash Course in Effective Cultural Mediation for Interpreters
- 2016 DVTA East Coast Interpreters and Translators Summit
  - Presentation: The Voice of Compassion – Interpreting for Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse
  - Presentation: Here Be Monsters! Intervention Skills for the Gray Zone between Legal and Medical Interpreting

How do I become an interpreter?

To become an interpreter, you must be at least 18 years old, possess a high school diploma or equivalent, and be bilingual. Since we're based in the United States, where English is the primary language of service, one of your working languages must be English. Increasingly, the industry standard requires interpreters to have completed a 40-hour certificate program, at a minimum, before being able to work as an interpreter.

What if one of my languages isn’t good enough yet for interpreting?

CCC recommends that participants first strengthen their non-native language before taking our programs. Some options for language training are: community colleges, online programs such as Rosetta Stone, conversation groups (such as free groups sponsored by public libraries), etc.

What are job prospects like for interpreters?

Interpreting is an expanding sector of the job market due to several factors. There is a high percentage of foreign-born people in the U.S. seeking access to publicly funded services such as health care, social services and education. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (signed in 1964) any organization receiving one dollar of federal funding must not discriminate on the basis of national origin and must make reasonable efforts to provide this access. Therefore, if a public school system serves a large Korean population they must provide Korean interpreting (and translation) services free of charge. Health care organizations are increasingly using medical certified interpreters after several high-profile medical malpractice lawsuits resulted from either no interpreter being present or untrained bilingual staff or family members being used to interpret.

What do interpreters earn?

It depends on the type of interpreting you’re doing and what type of interpreter you are. In general, there are three types of interpreters, volunteer interpreters (such as those who interpret at places of worship or at clinics for low-income patients), bilingual staff (employees such as nurses, case workers and psychologists who are asked to interpret in addition to their main job) and contract/freelance interpreters. Contract interpreters typically work for several organizations, either directly with the client or through a language agency. They drive to different locations and pay varies according to the assignment and employer. At the moment, local public school systems tend to pay on the lower end of the interpreting scale, while pay will be higher for medical and legal interpreters and highest of all for certified medical interpreters and court-certified interpreters.

Who are medical certified interpreters?

Medical certified interpreters have passed one of the two national certification exams (see below). They have different formats but both are equally valid and accepted. Only certain languages are available at the moment (such as Spanish and Mandarin) but others are in development. Among current pre-requisites is 40 hours of medical/health care interpreter training. The best way to get information about how to prepare for medical interpreter certification is to go to the websites of the two national medical interpreter certification programs:
CCHI at http://www.healthcareinterpretercertification.org/
NBCMI at http://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org/

Who are court certified interpreters?

Court certified interpreters have passed an exam given by a state or federal interpreter certification program. These exams usually have extremely low pass rates. At the federal level, only Spanish is currently offered. Certification exams vary at the state level for other languages.

What is the difference between a certificate and certification?

A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of an academic or non-academic program. For interpreter training programs, language proficiency testing may or may not be a requisite for successful completion of the program. A certification can only be awarded by local, state or federal authorities (such as the community interpreter certification in Washington state; state and federal court certification; and the two national medical interpreter certifications). CCC offers certificate programs.

Is CCC a job agency?

No, CCC is an organization dedicated solely to interpreter and cultural competence training. Our mission is language access. However, we do provide graduates of The Community Interpreter® with a list of nearby language companies and public organizations that employ interpreters. We also occasionally send out job postings to our program graduates and/or e-newsletter subscribers at the request of other organizations.

Why should I take a CCC training program?

Cross-Cultural Communications is the leading international training agency in the U.S. devoted to community interpreting, educational interpreting, healthcare interpreting and cultural competence. It is also the only organization that licenses community interpreters across the U.S. and in other countries. We regularly train bilingual staff as well as contract interpreters. We also provide training and consulting services to private companies, non-profits and government agencies. Our programs are grounded in a mixture of theory and practical, hands-on activities.

What is The Community Interpreter® International and why should I take it?

The Community Interpreter® International, or TCII, is a 40-hour certificate training program for interpreters who are just starting out or those experienced interpreters who are looking for a recognized qualification. Subjects covered include the interpreting code of ethics and standards of practice in order to give participants a solid grounding in the profession. This is complemented by practical, hands-on activities such as role-plays and interactive group discussions. The program fulfills the 40-hour training requirements considered by many (certifying bodies employers and industry associations) to be the minimum needed to entire the field.

What CCC training programs count towards the 40-hour medical/health care training prerequisite for medical interpreter certification?

At the moment, a combination of two CCC programs fulfills this requirement: Medical Terminology for Interpreters (7.5 hours) and The Community Interpreter® International. Since TCII is open to all community interpreters and the subject matter covers education and social services as well as medical interpreting, at the end of each TCII session any participant who is seeking medical interpreter certification will be given a letter from CCC, stating the number of hours that can be counted towards this requirement. Typically 34-36 hours count towards the 40 hour requirement.

Do CCC training programs offer continuing education (CE) credits?

Yes, although the CE credits offered for each program will vary according to course length and content. Our programs are currently approved for continuing education credits by the following organizations:

ATA (American Translators Association)
CCHI (Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters)
IMIA (International Medical Interpreters Association)
NAJIT (National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators)
RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf)
OCCI (Ontario Council on Community Interpreting)

Is The Community Interpreter® International a medical interpreting program?

Yes…but it’s also so much more! The Community Interpreter® International was designed to address any one of, or all of, three target audiences: medical, educational and/or social services interpreters. Some of our trainers and we ourselves present all-medical sessions that include medical terminology training and others gear their programs to general community interpreting or a specialized audience, like educational interpreting. Our TCII sessions are hosted both in a live online training context and via our self-paced learning platform. They cover medical, educational and social services interpreting.

What is your next training session?

CCC hosts sessions of The Community Interpreter® International as a live training seasonally. along with many other programs. See our current training offerings.

The Community Interpreter® Online (TCIO) is the self-guided, online version of The Community Interpreter® International and includes open, ongoing enrollment. Learn more about TCIO.

Our licensed trainers also host their own trainings across 44 U.S. states, Washington DC, Guam and six other countries. Search for a trainer near you.

How much does it cost to take The Community Interpreter® International?

Live online trainings of The Community Interpreter® International currently cost $550.

The course fee includes:

40 hours of training by highly qualified trainers.
A 453-page textbook (The Community Interpreter®: An International Textbook, retail: $120).
A 229-page workbook (The Community Interpreter®: An International Workbook of Exercises and Role Plays, retail: $60).
A 90-minute written final assessment.
Your training certificate.
A list of over 100 language companies to start your job search.

The Community Interpreter Online self-paced course currently costs $390. Sign up here: https://courses.cultureandlanguage.net/ccc_english/the-community-interpreter-online.html

Sessions of The Community Interpreter® hosted by our licensed trainers will vary in cost depending on the location and session.

Can I use the certificate I get for this program to apply for national medical interpreter certification in the U.S. through CCHI or IMIA/NBCMI?

Yes!

After I take the program, will I be certified?

No. A training program certificate is not the same as certification. In fact, in the U.S. the certificate for a 40-hour training program is a prerequisite to apply for national medical interpreter certification. In The Community Interpreter® we teach you about the difference between a certificate and certification. A good training is the beginning of certification, not the end, because after training you will need to take the written and oral exams of a properly credentialed certification program to become certified.

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