TLC Executive Director Announces Retirement; New Interim Director Named

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Dr. Janice Snow Rodriguez, the Executive Director of the Tennessee Language Center (TLC), has announced her retirement, effective February 1, 2024. Eric Amos, currently Director of TLC’s Interpretation and Translation Services (ITS), has been named Interim Executive Director, a position he will assume on Dec. 1, 2023.

Dr. Rodriguez joined TLC (formerly the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute) in 1999 and has been the executive director for 22 years. She leaves a legacy of substantial contributions, notably the introduction of a certification program for court interpreters in Tennessee, which gained state adoption.

Dr. Rodriguez’s career at TLC included extensive community involvement across various boards, including the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Committee, the Metro Nashville Police Department’s El Protector Program, and the Metro Nashville Human Relations Commission. Additional boards on which Dr. Rodriguez has served include the Japan-America Society of Tennessee, the College of Public Service Board of Advisors at Tennessee State University (TSU), Sister Cities Nashville, and the International Education Advisory Board at TSU.

Staff headshot of Eric AmosHer efforts have earned multiple accolades, including the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Bridges Award and recognition from TSU as an Outstanding Doctoral Alumna. Under her guidance, TLC and its precursor, the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute, garnered significant honors, including the Nashville Business Journal’s Leaders in Diversity and Best Places to Work awards, and a Level Two Baldrige National Quality Award from the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence.

Amos, the new Interim Executive Director, joined TLC as a project manager for Interpretation and Translation Services in 2018. He was named interim director of ITS in November 2022 and was named director of ITS in June 2023. His recent receipt of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service’s Pinnacle Award underscores his commitment to excellence. He has both bachelor‘s and master’s degrees in Intercultural Studies.

As we navigate this transition, TLC remains committed to our mission of fostering language and cultural understanding in Tennessee and beyond.

TLC Receives 2023 TNCPE Commitment Award

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TLC is excited to be recognized with the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence’s 2023 TNCPE Commitment Award. TNCPE helps organizations with affordable, in-depth assessments with the goal of performance improvement. TLC’s award was the result of a rigorous assessment and site visit process. An organization recognized with the Commitment Award demonstrates serious commitment and implementation of performance improvement principles.

“TNCPE’s vision is to be a trusted partner and regional resource in achieving performance excellence and one of the many ways we do that is through the Awards Program,” said TNCPE President and CEO, Heather Schoch. “Organizations being recognized this year have demonstrated a strong commitment to improvement and have chosen TNCPE and the Baldrige framework as their path to excellence. They have completed a rigorous assessment and site visit process which provides valuable feedback on their excellence journey, and I commend them! TNCPE is proud to be associated with these organizations.”

Established in 1993 as a public-private partnership, the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence strives to strengthen economic development and organizational health by helping companies and organizations grow more competitive in today’s global marketplace through affordable, in-depth assessments. A nonprofit, TNCPE is grounded in the Baldrige Excellence Framework—a holistic framework used by organizations across multiple industries to improve their performance and achieve sustainable results. More than fifteen hundred (1,500) organizations have participated in and benefited from the TNCPE award program.

 

Man standing in front of a project screen in a classroom

TLC Participates in TWLTA Annual Conference

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Brian Barnett and Maya Campbell from TLC’s World Languages department participated in the annual Tennessee World Languages Teaching Association (TWLTA) conference. In addition to promoting our Spanish and Arabic for Educators programs, Brian also presented “Enriching the World Languages Curriculum: Incorporating Language Varieties and Registers,”  as one of the conference workshops.

Four women standing in distillery lobby

TLC Provides Portuguese Interpreters for Company Celebration

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Portobello America, a Brazilian-owned porcelain and ceramic tiles company, celebrated the grand opening of its U.S. headquarters and first production facility in Baxter, TN. TLC provided Portuguese interpreters for the leaders, managers, and stakeholders from Brazil for the several-day celebration. We provided interpreters for Nashville trolley tours on Friday, the grand opening celebration and event in Baxter on Saturday, and a tour of the Jack Daniels distillery on Sunday.

Classroom from the back with adults sitting at tables

TLC Offers Spanish Toolkit for Medical Personnel Training

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Training Specialist Richard Ponce de Leon and Project Manager Genna Linton presented TLC’s “Spanish Toolkit for Medical Personnel” training for the second time at VUMC. The class was full with 50 participants and a waiting list.

This 4-hour training introduces the participants to aspects of Hispanic culture and key Spanish phrases that might be helpful as they interact with patients and families during the course of their day-to-day work. Better communication leads to better care and outcomes for patients.

Group of women in blue graduation cap and gowns

TLC Partners with Head Start to Offer English to Parents

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TLC’s ESL program is offering English classes to parents at three Head Start programs. This is the 7th year TLC has offered this program. This Fall, around 100 parents will take English classes at Paragon Mills Elementary, Glenview Elementary, and Susan Gray Elementary Head Start programs in Middle Tennessee.

Learning English helps these parents be more involved in their communities and schools as well as helping them be more successful. Combining the classes with the Head Start program for their children makes learning English more convenient and accessible.

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TLC Recognized with Helping Hand Diversity Award

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The Tennessee Language Center and Executive Director Janice Rodriguez were recognized by the Nashville Business Journal as Leaders in Diversity.

The NBJ’s inaugural class of 25 honorees in Middle Tennessee includes those individuals and companies leading the charge to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

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TLC Partners with Nashville Zoo

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TLC is working with the Nashville Zoo to translate some of their educational signage into Spanish to make the Zoo more language accessible.

Inspiring understanding of and discovering the natural world is central to the Zoo’s mission. Providing educational information in Spanish will greatly increase the accessibility of the Zoo to its thousands of visitors each year.

Woman in business attire standing next to a sign for the Equal Justice University

TLC Presents at Equal Justice University Conference

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TLC Project Manager Genna Linton presented “The Intersection of Law and Interpretation within Special Education” at the Equal Justice University Conference held Aug. 30 in Murfreesboro. The annual event is sponsored by the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services. TALS’s mission is to strengthen the delivery of civil legal help to vulnerable Tennesseans.

hand holding a booklet with a boat and someone fishing featured on the cover

TLC Translates Fishing Guide Into Spanish

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TLC recently translated the Fishing Guide into Spanish for the TWRA as well as a guide on boating tips with more projects planned for the future into other languages.

This will provide Spanish speakers with more information about obtaining their fishing license so they can be compliant with state laws as well as how to further enjoy the many beautiful waterways of TN.