Interpreter profiles
The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) periodically profiles interpreters who exemplify TIS National's mission and apply the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) Code of Ethics in their work.
Read about some of TIS National’s high performing interpreters.
Soryas and Rivas Khero
Created: 10 June 2020
Siblings Soryas and Rivas Khero have recently joined a growing group of nationally certified Kurdish-Krurmanji interpreters on the TIS National panel. They gained their credentials with the assistance of the NSW scholarship program delivered by Multicultural NSW and have proven to be a very busy duo. TIS National is currently appointing interpreters in this language to our panel of language service providers to meet the growing demand for Kurmanji interpreters across the country. Kurdish language profile The... read more
Indra Rizal
Created: 03 July 2015
The beginning Indra was born in the remote village of Dagana, Bhutan—‘I was born as a normal boy who had everything’ Indra said. However at the age of four when he lost his mother, Indra came to realise he was totally blind. His sister is also visually impaired. In 1990 he and his family were then exiled into Nepal for following the Hindu religion and resided in a refugee camp. A colourful result of distinction Indra first studied in Bhutan, then from Nepal he was sponsored to study in a Salvation Army... read more
Stella Alves Da Motta
Created: 23 April 2015
Stella started interpreting by chance. Her first career was as a teacher in her birth country Brazil and when she arrived in Australia she did some relief teaching. It was then that a friend approached her for some assistance interpreting for a psychology appointment and she has now been interpreting in Portuguese for 23 years. The code of ethics is an important tool Stella says ‘you need to be tough to be an interpreter, it’s a tough profession’. Her greatest challenge while working as an interpreter is not... read more
Simon Tapply
Created: 17 February 2015
Simon is a Spanish professional level interpreter who believes an interpreter needs a sea of knowledge that’s one inch deep. Interpreters are not experts on everything but have to understand most things to be able to get by. He was born in Australia and had no exposure to languages before learning German in high school. Simon’s interest in interpreting began when he met two students in high school on exchange as part of the American Field Service (AFS) exchange programme. Simon went on exchange with AFS when... read more
Jason Luu
Created: 25 June 2015
Jason is a Vietnamese TIS National interpreter who loves to Broadway dance in his spare time to keep his mind and body active. He was inspired to become an interpreter by his father who was a lecturer of economics. His father spoke with overseas businessmen and encountered negative experiences with interpreters. Jason graduated in 2000 from Vietnam National University completing his Bachelor of Arts - interpreting and translating. He was offered a job as a teaching lecturer in the college of foreign languages... read more
Mona Jabbour
Created: 23 May 2013
Mona has worked as an interpreter with TIS National since 1993. Mona speaks three languages fluently: Arabic, English and French. Over the years, she has observed a steady growth in demand for Arabic interpreting. Before migrating to Australia in 1984, Mona and her family lived in a prosperous area near Beirut, Lebanon. It was a difficult time. The country was at war and they lost everything in their town which was completely destroyed. ‘We felt we had been forced to leave our homeland. Migration is a big turning... read more
Said Mojab
Created: 06 June 2013
Said has been a contractor for TIS National since October 1999. He speaks eight languages: Dari, Hazaragi, Farsi, Pastu, Persian, Russian, Urdu and English. He is currently working on Christmas Island. Afghan roots Said is originally from Afghanistan. Born in Ghanzni, his family moved to Kabul when he was two years old. Said finished school in 1975 and enrolled in university where he completed a degree in civil engineering. After graduating he initially worked as a professor at the polytechnic but gave up this... read more
Violette Brentnall
Created: 07 February 2014
Violette is a Farsi (Persian) interpreter with TIS National and believes that interpreting services are essential for non-English speakers to help them achieve independence and autonomy. Violette believes that interpreting is a lifeline for all non-English speakers. Violette has been interpreting with TIS National since November 2011 and became an interpreter because she likes helping and providing services to people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. She previously worked for many... read more
Kevin Edmond
Created: 23 May 2013
Kevin has been a contracted interpreter with TIS National since March 2009. He speaks Burmese and English. Early challenges Kevin and his young family migrated from Burma to Australia in the 1970s with the hope of freedom and a brighter future. In Australia, the family faced vast cultural differences and were one of only a handful of Asian families living in the Melbourne suburb of Springvale. While Kevin had learnt some English during his schooling in Burma, his wife and children did not speak any English. ‘During... read more
Srie Hannaford
Created: 06 June 2013
Srie is originally from Indonesia. She appreciates a culturally rich, diverse and evolving society, with a family background that stems from a wide range of cultures, including Indonesian/Malay, Chinese, English, Indonesian, Singaporean, French, Dutch and Japanese. Personal background Srie began her career in the medical field in Indonesia. She completed three years of formal education towards becoming a doctor, before deciding medicine wasn't for her. In 1973 Srie migrated to Australia, which provided an opportunity... read more
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