OBJECTIVES
Represent the interests of professional translators and interpreters.
Contribute to the improvement of working conditions for translators and interpreters, and to guarantee their social recognition.Facilitate training and professional development for professionals.
Offer resources and activities open to the public that benefit society as a whole.
Encourage membership in professional associations and promote culture.
HISTORY
APTIC was officially established on January 1st, 2009, as a result of the merger of the two general associations of translators and interpreters in Catalonia: the Associació de Traductors i d’Intèrprets de Catalunya (ATIC) and Traductors i Intèrprets Associats pro Col·legi (TRIAC). ATIC was founded in 1994 by a group of translation students who wanted to confront the lack of specific legislation and organization within this sector. TRIAC was born one year later with the main goal of creating an official professional association of translators and interpreters, allowing for the regulation of this professional activity in Catalonia. For ten years these two associations worked separately. However, in 2006 a new law regulating the activity of qualified professions and professional associations was passed, ruling out the possibility of creating an official professional association of translators and interpreters. As the objectives of ATIC and TRIAC overlapped, the two associations decided to merge. This merger gave rise to APTIC, which was founded with over 500 members and more than ten years of experience representing the translating and interpreting community, organizing training activities and promoting the profession. As of mid-2015, APTIC had over 600 members.APTIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
As of 14th June 2024 the APTIC Executive Committee (junta@aptic.cat) is made up of the following people:
PRESIDENT
GEMMA BRUNAT. A graduate in Catalan Studies (UAB), she holds the postgraduate certificate in Language Quality and Correction (UAB). She works as a translator and corrector for publishers, businesses, institutions and individual clients. She has also lectured at the UAB, UIC and UPF, as well as working as a language adviser to the media and subtitling live broadcasts. She has been a member of APTIC since 2018. She is a member of the CREA Committee and the Special Offers Committee. In December 2020 she joined the Executive Committee. She sees APTIC as an opportunity for professional growth and a good place to struggle together to improve working conditions in the profession.
SECRETARY
IRIS BAEZA. A graduate in Translation and Interpreting (UAB, 2010), she did the master’s degree in Audiovisual Translation and Localisation at ISTRAD and UCA (2012), with practicums in audiovisual and editorial translation. She has translated and corrected texts for 14 years in the field of localisation, transcreation and audiovisual translation, as well as coordinating teams, managing and producing glossaries and style guides and conducting quality control. After living in the United Kingdom for several years, she returned to Barcelona. She has been a member of the executive committee of the association since 2021 and has taken part in several commissions. Playing an active role in the life of the association gives her the chance to develop both professionally and personally and to fight for translators’ rights.
TREASURER
NATALJA DUDEK. With a highly varied training and work background, including a degree in Romance Languages (Frankfurt/M), and after many years living in different parts of Spain, she finally decided to study translation at AKAD (Germany), and holds a translation certificate from the German government. She does translations in the fields of gastronomy, tourism, marketing, literature and technical texts. Right from the start she had no doubt that being an active member of a professional association is an excellent opportunity to pool experiences, train and build up a collaborative network. On returning to Spain she joined ASETRAD, but in 2018 decided to switch to APTIC because she was missing contact with colleagues. she is a member of the Tax Issues and Activities Committees. She joined the Executive Committee in December 2020.
MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTIVITIES
ALBA GOMEZ. he is a graduate in Translation and Interpreting (Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 2007) and holds a master’s degree in Translation Technology from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (2009). She has been a freelance professional since 2016, after working as a project manager. She works primarily on translating and revising texts in the fields of localisation and marketing. She is a member of the Activities Commission and joined the executive committee in 2024 as member responsible for this commission.
MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR COMUNICATION
EVA ROSELL. A Translation and Interpreting graduate, she holds the official master’s degree in Translation and Intercultural Mediation (UAB). She has been a freelance translator since 2013. Since doing the postgraduate certificate in Correction and Linguistic Advice she has combined translation and correction work, working primarily in translation, subtitling (both live and recorded events) and accessibility. As a member of APTIC since 2013, she has taken part in several commissions in the association and is currently a member of the Communication Commission, and has been a member of the executive committee since 2020.
MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR OUTSIDE RELATIONS
MAYA BUSQUÉ VALLESPÍ. Translation and Interpreting graduate (Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 2000), sworn translator and interpreter between English and Spanish (MAE, 2001), and with a master’s degree in Conference Interpreting (Universitat de Vic, 2001). She has worked as a freelance professional since 2001. She works primarily in simultaneous, consecutive and liaison interpreting, but also in medical and scientific translation. A founder member of APTIC, she has held several positions on the executive committee of the association. Currently, as member responsible for outside relations, she represents APTIC in the Vértice group.
MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR INTERPRETING
LAIA LLINÀS. She has a degree in Translation and Interpreting from the UAB, including a year spent at the University of California, Berkeley. She then did the master’s degree in Anthropology and Ethnography at the UB and the master’s degree in Conference Interpreting at the UAB. She works in conference interpreting, specialising in cultural, business and food translation, combining this with lecturing in interpreting at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. She is also a co-founder of Terptalks. A member of APTIC, in June 2024 she joined the executive committee as member responsible for interpreting, in order to work for the profession through a local association.
MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR UNIVERSITIES
MARC MIRANDA. A graduate in Translation and Interpreting (UAB) and in Journalism (UAB), he also has a university master’s degree in Translation and Intercultural studies (UAB), specialising in research. He is currently working on a doctorate in Translation and Intercultural Studies, also at the UAB, after working for several years as a freelance translator in the fields of literature, transcreation and specialist translation. A member of APTIC since 2021, he has been a member of the Communication Commission and is currently in the Universities Commission to introduce the association to students of translation and languages at university. His slogan is “associationism or barbarism” and he believes that only by joining forces can we achieve decent working conditions.
WORK COMMITTEES
8th March Committee
The 8th March Committee is a work group set up to explore the options open to professional women in the sector to deal with issues related to sexual harassment and gender discrimination in their work. This core group sets out to create and provide tools in the form of series of activities, talks, mutual support groups, anti-harassment protocols and other materials.
Members:
Iris Baeza, Jolita Blyzyte, Maria Coll, Eva Rosell, Neus Sanchis, Irene Vílchez and Secretariat of APTIC.
Activities Committee
Organises talks, courses and other activities offered by the APTIC.
Members:
Neus Costa, Natalja Dudek, Alba Góomez, Candela Navia, Elena Ordeig, Anna Rosich, Irene Vílchez, Ksenia Yakovleva.
Admissions Committee
Studies membership applications for applicants who do not strictly meet the admission requirements.
Members:
Lucie Pacho, Elias Rivas.
Prevention of bad practices Committee
prevenciomalespractiques@aptic.cat
The committee for the prevention of bad practices is a work group with the job of ensuring that the ethical principles of our respective professions are followed and of standing up for the interests of professional translators, interpreters and correctors. This group aims to create and provide tools to better understand matters relating to rates, negotiation and artificial intelligence, among others.
Members:
Stefania Ciminelli, Berta Creus, Damien Digonnet, Helena Lamuela, Inca Vallès.
Public Relations Committee
Promotes and coordinates relations with other institutions. Represents APTIC in the Red Vértice network, which brings together different associations of translators, interpreters and editors in Spain.
Members:
Maya Busqué.
Publishing Committee
Boosts APTIC’s presence in the publishing sector.
Members:
Alícia Astorza, Joaquín Fernández-Valdés, Ariadna Pous, Òscar Pozuelo, Gemma Rovira, Miquel Sorribas, Anna-Lluïsa Subirà, Irene Vílchez.
Special Offers Committee
The Committee arranges special offers from universities, institutions and businesses for members of APTIC.
Members:
Gemma Brunat, Secretaria de l’APTIC.
Tax Issues Committee
Compiles frequently asked questions about tax issues and publishes answers on APTIC’s website.
Members:
Natalja Dudek, Anette Hilgendag, Asun Renau, Cvijan Tomasevic.
TERMCAT Committee
Works with TERMCAT, the Catalan terminology centre.
Members:
Marta Breu, Gemma Brunat, Òscar Pozuelo, Elisa Serra, Inca Vallès.
Translation Committee
Translates and proofreads content published on the APTIC website.
Members:
Elvira Arderius, Simon Berrill, Maria Causadías, Pilar Ciriquian, Bethan Cunningham, Adolf Fuertes, Mike Holt, José Ángel Hombrados, Joana Morales, Òscar Pozuelo, Guillem Quílez, Julia Salas, Llorenç Serrahima.
Universities Committee
Represents APTIC in the academic sphere and helps students in Translation and Interpreting faculties understand our field better.
Members:
Gemma Brunat, Mari Carmen Espín, Marc Miranda, Irene Vílchez, Damien Zalio.