Quick look: The Orange County Department of Education will host its 10th annual Interpreters and Translators Conference Sept. 24 through Sept. 26 in Costa Mesa, bringing together language access professionals for three days of professional learning, networking and discussions on emerging technologies, ethics and best practices.
More than a decade ago, the Orange County Department of Education launched a small gathering for interpreters and translators working in education.
This fall, that gathering returns as one of California’s premier professional learning events dedicated to language access, celebrating its 10th anniversary with a conference focused on the future of the profession.
Hosted by OCDE’s Language Services team, the 2026 Interpreters and Translators Conference will take place Sept. 24 through Sept. 26 at the department’s Conference Center in Costa Mesa. This year’s theme, “Rooted in Growth: A Decade of Dedication to Professionalize Language Access in Education,” recognizes how the field has evolved while looking ahead to new opportunities and challenges.
A decade of growth
According to the team, the conference has grown from a small local event into a nationally recognized professional learning opportunity for interpreters, translators, administrators and language access leaders. During the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers said the conference also became an important network for bilingual school staff supporting students and families through rapid changing circumstances.
This year’s conference will introduce a hybrid format, allowing participants to attend in person, virtually or through a combination of both options. Organizers said the expanded format is intended to make professional learning more accessible while broadening participation beyond California.
“Language access is about more than translating words — it’s about ensuring every family has equitable access to information, meaningful participation, and the opportunity to support their child’s education,” said Natalia Abarca, OCDE’s Language Services coordinator. “As California’s multilingual communities continue to grow, investing in professional interpreters, translators and bilingual staff has never been more important. This conference strengthens the profession by providing a space to build skills, share knowledge, embrace innovation and strengthen the partnerships that help schools better serve every student and family.”
Preparing for the future
The three-day conference will feature keynote presentations, deep-dive workshops and breakout sessions designed for both experienced professionals and those new to educational language access.
Topics include simultaneous and consecutive interpretation, cultural competence, ethics, computer-assisted translation tools and the growing role of artificial intelligence in interpreting and translation. Organizers said this year’s sessions will emphasize how emerging technologies can improve efficiency while reinforcing the importance of human expertise and ethical decision-making.
The conference will also include presentations by Dr. Nicole Chavez of OCDE, Dr. Jennifer Love of Prince George’s County Public Schools and featured speaker Mireya Pérez of Brand the Interpreter Inc.
As part of the conference, OCDE will celebrate its 10th year of bringing language access professionals together and recognize recipients of the Multilingual Award of Distinction and the Language Access Administrator Award of Distinction. Nominations for both awards are open through Sept. 4 and recognize individuals who have demonstrated excellence in interpreting, translation and expanding language access in education.
Registration is available for in-person, virtual and hybrid attendance options. For more information or to register, visit the conference webpage.