Today we’d like to introduce you to Juana Horton.
Juana, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 1998, I was working as a medical interpreter in the eastern Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island area . I was struck by the broad diversity of the population of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. I was awed by the presence of people representing all the planet’s continents right here in New England. They all shared the common need for medical care, including urgent medical care. And many shared the common obstacle of a native language other than English. So, I struck out on my own to create a company that would provide a bridge between health care services and people who needed those services but who were unable to communicate the nature of their medical needs and issues because of a language barrier. My first “office” was the dining room of my home.
With more than 20 years of practical application experience in translating and interpreting, I am now President and CEO of Horton Interpreting Services Inc., the number one leading provider of Translation and Interpretation Services in Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts, with continued and increased growth in New England, nationally and internationally. We interpret and/or translate over 200 languages and dialects, with over 100 employees and contract interpreters and translators. I am also the current President to the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) executive board, an active member of the American Translators Association (ATA) and the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT).
I was the co-founder and chair of the past Rhode Island Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce. I have received the following awards: • 2000: “Small Business Leader of the Year” awarded by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce of R.I. • 2002 and 2003: The Small Business Administration’s “R.I. Minority Small Business Person of the Year” award and the Rhode Island and New England’s “SBA’s Minority Small Business Advocate of the Year” award. • 2003: The “Extraordinary Woman Award in Business” from the R.I. Extraordinary Woman Association. • 2004: The R.I. YWCA’s Hallmark Women Award for “Women’s Economic Empowerment”. • 2006: The “Healthcare Business Leader of the Year” from the National Association of Hispanic Healthcare Executives. • 2007: The “Entrepreneur” Award from the Genesis Center. • 2008: The “Woman in Business” from the Women’s Center of RI. • 2009: “ Influential Women Behind Hispanic Chambers”, N.J. , Morris County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. • 2011: Urban League’s, “President’s Award for Excellence – Community Service”. • 2011: The SBA’s, Rhode Island and New England’s, “Women in Business Champion of the Year” award.
I have been also highlighted in Parade Magazine’s “What People Earn” issue in 2003 and Entrepreneur Magazine. Besides the boards and associations related to my industry, I have been on then following non profit boards/committees: International Medical Interpreters Association, Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Board of Rhode Island, Butler Hospital Board of Governors, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, Providence Economic Development Partnership, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Phoenix House of New England, Rhode Island Commodores, Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Arts Committee, Rhode Island Hospital Board of Governors, The Providence Foundation, R.I. Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There were the challenges one would anticipate: starting a business as a minority woman and a single mother; learning the ropes of financial literacy; gaining access to capital and all that entails; becoming technologically literate in a communications business; and the “normal” challenges of starting and growing a business.
Horton Interpreting Services – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
As the President and CEO of Horton Interpreting Services, my company has become a leading national, regional and local provider of translation and interpretation services. We continue to experience annually increased growth in New England. I have more than 20 years of practical application experience in translating and interpreting. We interpret in environments including health care, business, government agencies, law and education. We provide personal and specialized interpreting and translation services.
We are set apart from others in the personal degree of face-to-face interpreting and the exceptionally high degree of accuracy of our interpretations and translations. We have created a rigorous program of qualification and training of interpreters, and we engage only interpreters who continue to meet those rigorous qualifications. We have a command of the nuances of the languages and dialects we interpret and translate and especially, in medical interpreting, this accuracy can mean the difference between life and death.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love the educational environment of Boston. I love the vibrance of its culture. The historical sites. The tall ships. Faneuil Hall. The New England Patriots. The Celtics. The Bruins. The best medical services in the world. Negative Side: High prices, high taxes, bad weather, crazy driving, no parking, bad traffic at rush hour.
Contact Info:
- Address: MA address – Horton Interpreting Services, 12 Adams Circle, Rehoboth, MA 02769
- RI address – Horton Interpreting, 225 Chapman Street, Suite 303, Providence, RI 02905
- Website: www.language-link.com
- Phone: 1-800-345-2135
- Email: interpreting@language-link.com
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