Natalia Abarca, coordinator of OCDE’s Language Services unit, welcomes guests to the 2025 Interpreters and Translators Conference. 
Staff from OCDE’s Events and Partnerships team assist attendees with registration outside the Paul and Barbara Heath Forum at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, where the conference took place. 
From the podium, Natalia Abarca addresses a full audience inside the Paul and Barbara Heath Forum during the 2025 Interpreters and Translators Conference. 
Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean speaks to attendees during the 2025 Interpreters and Translators Conference at Vanguard University. 
Keynote speaker Ewandro Magalhães, a former United Nations chief interpreter and international TEDx presenter, delivers his presentation at the 2025 Interpreters and Translators Conference. 
Conference attendees speak with vendors between sessions at Vanguard University. 
Natalia Abarca presents the Multilingual Award of Distinction to Marybelle Cano-Leon, a Family Community Liaison with OCDE’s ACCESS program.
Quick look: The Orange County Department of Education hosted its ninth annual Interpreters and Translators Conference Oct. 3–4 at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, bringing together language professionals for two days of training, networking and recognition.
Interpreters and translators from across the state gathered Oct. 3–4 at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa for the ninth annual Interpreters and Translators Conference, hosted by the Orange County Department of Education.
This year’s theme, “Empowering Communities Through Language Access: Innovation & Impact for Language Professionals,” recognized the essential role that interpreters and translators play in connecting schools and families to support student success.
Across two days, participants attended sessions led by nearly 30 presenters covering topics such as ethics, artificial intelligence, family engagement and skill development. The event also featured keynote presentations by international TEDx speaker and former United Nations chief interpreter Ewandro Magalhães, who shared insights on the evolving role of language professionals and the growing impact of technology in the field.
“This conference reminded us of the power of togetherness, learning, and collaboration in advancing language access and supporting students and families,” said Natalia Abarca, coordinator of OCDE’s Language Services unit. “As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to nurturing this community and the positive energy it brings for years to come.”
Honoring excellence in language access
In addition to breakout sessions covering interpretation skills, note taking, family engagement and technology integration, OCDE’s Language Services team presented three awards honoring outstanding bilingual professionals who exemplify excellence in language access.
Marybelle Cano-Leon, a family community liaison with OCDE’s ACCESS program, and Alicia Rosas, a bilingual community services liaison from the Capistrano Unified School District, each received the Multilingual Award of Distinction for their leadership, professionalism and dedication to serving multilingual families.
Dr. Alex Nedelkow, director of English Learner Programs and Student Achievement for the Santa Ana Unified School District, was named the recipient of the Language Access Administrator Award of Distinction for his efforts to promote equitable communication and empower bilingual staff.
OCDE’s Language Services unit, recognized in 2024 with a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association, continues to provide training, professional development and resources to strengthen language access across educational communities.
To learn more about the Interpreters and Translators Conference or upcoming professional development opportunities, visit the team’s webpage.