Sormane P. Fitzgerald

• Freelance and in-house translator since 1989 providing Portuguese-to-English and English-to-Portuguese translation services for private individuals, companies, entities and government agencies.

• Director of Translation Services for over 4 years. Responsibilities included client contact and development, translators' recruitment, assignment of multilingual translations and editing and reviewing of documents before submission to clients.

• Simultaneous and consecutive interpreter for clients, including the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings and Appeals, U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration, law firms, convention centers, market research agencies, and medical offices for over 15 years.

• Former lecturer of advanced-level, content-based business Portuguese and Brazilian culture for The Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management and International Studies, The Wharton School and The School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania for MBA/MA degree students with a concentration in Latin America and Brazil. Responsible for the design and implementation of a specialized curriculum on business Portuguese.

• Former lecturer of beginner and intermediate-level, content-based Portuguese and Brazilian culture for the Penn Language Center, University of Pennsylvania for undergraduate students. Responsible for the design and implementation of specialized curricula to promote fluency in speaking, as well as proficiency in reading and writing.

• Extensive conference experience and presentations for organizations such as the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), with a concentration in foreign language components for the business areas as well as cross-cultural communication.

• Instructor, both of English as a second language for professionals and of Portuguese for expatriates living and working in Brazil and the US, for companies such as Shell, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Bank of Boston, etc.

• Cross-cultural consultant for Brazil and the US, assisting Brazilian and American companies in implementing international business plans and follow-up efforts, establishing contacts with Brazilian companies, and coordinating and participating in the qualification and selection process for bringing qualified distributors to the US.

• Regional Director for AFS-USA (formerly the American Field Service), a worldwide, nonprofit organization leader in intercultural education and exchange programs. Responsible for all aspects of student and group visits such as locating host families, sponsoring schools and providing instruction in cross-cultural orientation.

• Concierge/Receptionist for several five-star hotels including the Hilton Hotels. Responsible for assisting guests and language interpreting, translating brochures and hotel material.

• Airline Attendant for companies such as American Airlines and United Airlines, assisting and coordinating the arrival and departure of international passengers.

• Musician/Violinist and Harpsichordist, specialized in baroque music, playing in several orchestras and chamber music ensembles in Brazil, Europe and the US.