Management Team
Management Team
Tenja Smith
Tenja is a proud Colorado resident, hails from Minnesota. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from Gallaudet University. She found her passion in the ASL scheduling/interpreting field since the year of 2020. As a deaf individual, she has deep roots in the Deaf Community and used to work in education. Tenja loves spending time at home with her other half and cats or exploring new places and doing outdoor activities, such as skiing and hiking. Tenja also thrives to learn to be more eco-friendly on a daily basis!
Serafina Paladino
Samantha Grossinger
Rebecca Cornell
Rebecca has lived in Colorado almost her entire life. She has a strong background in languages and culture and has studied closely Spanish, Russian, Latin, plus many more languages. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from UCCS and a Master’s degree in Linguistics from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and has solid experience working with many different types of languages and cultures, clients, and technology. Rebecca spends her free time with family & friends, listening to music, and enjoying life in Colorado.
Nisar Nikzad
President, CEO
Nisar, the dynamic force behind Translation Excellence, stands tall as its founder and CEO. This isn’t just any company—it’s a global heavyweight in boutique language services. Hailing from the vibrant city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Nisar brought his passion and expertise to the U.S. shores in 2001. In the realm of languages, he’s a titan. With 19 years under his belt, he’s worn hats from a linguist and instructor to a cultural bridge-builder and curriculum craftsman. And if you’re talking about federal government contracts? Nisar’s the name that echoes as a byword for success. Armed with an Executive MBA, a Bachelor’s in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a tech-edge with an Associate’s degree in IT, Nisar is the epitome of a modern Renaissance man. When he’s not reshaping the linguistic landscape, you might catch a glimpse of him spiking a volleyball, blazing a trail up a mountain, carving down snowy slopes, or chasing the horizon on a run.
Melissa Halverson
ASL/CART Scheduler
Melissa Halverson “also goes by Elli” is a native of the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesota. She is an experienced ASL scheduler who utilizes her creativity, leadership and organizational skills to provide top quality scheduling services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. In addition to that, it is her newfound passion to create bridging opportunities and connections among the sign language community. She is fluent in ASL and has done work as an ASL tutor for the University of Minnesota. Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from Bemidji University. She has 3 C’s addictions: coffee, cheese, and chocolate, and her getaways are often at beaches.
Mary Jarrett
Government Account Manager
As Government Account Manager she oversees all government sales. Mary performs research to identify Government procurement opportunities and build pipeline, develops effective communication plans and strategies for potential and existent contracts with emphasis on developing key value-added relationships, and works effectively to maximize new procurement potentials. As a former CEO, she has over 25 years of experience in sales with Federal Government. She was awarded “Who’s Who in the World” for her contributions in helping our world become more environmental. She studied Ethology at University of Colorado and conducted Animal Research throughout the United States. Mary and her husband enjoy camping and the outdoors. She administers three popular Facebook pages on Colorado outdoor activities.
Jennifer Smith
ASL Scheduler
Jenny Smith-Hastings, ASL Scheduler for Translation Excellence, is a native Minnesotan. She graduated from Gallaudet University and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Interpreting and enjoys mentoring, and doing ASL-related work. She has years of experience working with interpreters for the Deaf community. Jenny is a crazy cat lady, she loves cats (owns 7 cats) and is a regular volunteer at Furball Farm Pet Sanctuary. When she is not on the go, Jenny enjoys playing volleyball and spending time with family and friends.
Jason “JJ” Klein
Certified ASL Staff Interpreter/Scheduling Team Manager
Jason Klein “JJ”, a midwesterner from the Queen City (Cincinnati, OH), is our certified ASL staff interpreter and scheduling coordinator at Translation Excellence. JJ is a native user of American Sign Language and started his interpreting career in 2010 upon receiving his Associate’s degree from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. Later, he transferred to Gallaudet University in Washington, DC and earned his Bachelors Degree (2014) in interpreting and played three years of baseball. He has spent most of his professional career around our nation’s capital interpreting in the community with a focus in government. In his free time, JJ enjoys going to the gym, golfing, playing recreational softball, and spending time with family and friends.
Amelia Petrini
Project Manager
Amelia’s passion for cross-cultural communication and languages stems from her multilingual upbringing, having lived in Paraguay and Italy before immigrating to the US at the age of eight. This background fueled her academic pursuits, leading her to graduate with honors from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics.
Leveraging her commitment to excellence, Amelia thrives as a Project Manager. She works collaboratively with clients, linguists, and the QA team to ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality translations throughout the entire project lifecycle.
Beyond her professional dedication, Amelia enjoys figure skating, reading, video games, and spending time with her chihuahua and two cats.
Gilda Graves
Senior Program Manager
As a Senior Program Manager, Ms. Graves is a key leader responsible for overseeing the successful execution of high-profile language services projects. Her role involves managing cross-functional teams, coordinating with clients, and ensuring that all projects are delivered on time, within scope, and to the highest quality standards. With a focus on strategic planning, Ms. Graves also drives process improvements, optimizes resource allocation, and ensures compliance with industry regulations.
Ms. Graves acts as a primary point of contact for clients, providing expert guidance and addressing any challenges that arise during project execution. She brings extensive experience in the language services industry, demonstrating strong leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills to deliver exceptional results for Translation Excellence’s diverse clientele.
Ms. Graves is a native Spanish speaker and graduate of the Sacred Heart University in Puerto Rico. She has many years of experience teaching Spanish to children and adults, and working with interpreters in the US and abroad. In addition, Gilda has extensive experience in the development, administration and scoring of language assessments. In her free time, she enjoys reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Farid Bayot
CFO
Farid Bayot joined Translation Excellence in December of 2015. He has extensive experience in a wide range of leadership, management and advisory positions. As Chief Financial Officer, he oversees all aspects of the company’s finances, including the development and management of budgets, preparation of financial statements and reporting. Farid brings over a decade of financial management experience in the private and public sectors, with a focus on developing policies and procedures to improve performance and productivity. Farid earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Metropolitan State College of Denver, an Executive MBA from University of Colorado and a MS in Finance from University of Colorado. In his free time, Farid enjoys spending time with his family, reading, snowboarding, playing soccer and listening to music.
Emma Newcity
ASL/CART Scheduler
Emma Newcity is a proud New England (Southeast MA/RI) native and currently lives in the Denver, CO area. Emma graduated from Hofstra University in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. After college she worked in the nonprofit sector specializing in behavioral health and addiction treatment. Her former position as a case manager introduced her to the world of scheduling interpreting services. In her free time, Emma enjoys writing and performing music, gardening, cooking, watching New England sports, and spending time with family and friends
Cristian Horga
Quality Assurance Manager
As a Quality Assurance Manager, Cristian has high-level authority in the areas of evaluating, designing, and implementing our QA policies for all our service delivery programs. Cristian utilizes his creativity, leadership, and multi-tasking and organizational skills to manage quality control of contracts and to provide complete satisfaction in a customer service role.
Born and raised in Bucharest, Romania, Cristian Horga has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Philosophy and a master’s degree in Philosophy. During the first ten years of his career, he worked as a journalist, writing articles for magazines and interviewing tv celebrities. He also has a background in advertising and online marketing. After moving to the US, Cristian collaborated with some of the biggest localization companies as a linguistic software tester, before joining the Translation Excellence team in the summer of 2022. In his free time, Cristian enjoys reading, cycling and riding motorcycles, spending time with his family and exploring the natural wonders that Colorado has to offer.
Luis Torres-Muñoz
Certified ASL Staff Interpreter/Scheduling Team Manager
Luis Torres-Muñoz serves as the ASL Department Manager at Translation Excellence, bringing a wealth of experience as a certified trilingual interpreter, mentor, and leader in the interpreting field. Originally from Puerto Rico and Florida, Luis began his interpreting journey after studying at Valencia College and later earning a degree from Gallaudet University. He has worked in various roles, including VRS interpreter, Community Team Lead at Sorenson, and Team Manager at Purple Communication, before joining TE as a staff interpreter. Now in a leadership role, Luis is passionate about supporting interpreters, enhancing day-to-day operations, and expanding TE’s national network of interpreters and contracts. With a deep commitment to trilingual interpreting and community engagement, he strives to ensure each assignment is smooth, effective, and collaborative.
Outside of work, Luis enjoys volleyball, rock climbing, weightlifting, film photography, world travel, and all things nerdy—from Dungeons & Dragons to Star Wars.
Catherine Diaz
Director of CART and Captioning Services
Catherine Diaz is the Director of CART & Captioning Services at Translation Excellence. Catherine is responsible for managing the scheduling support and personnel related matters including performance evaluations and developing plans for improvement. She has been working with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community since 2012 and has always enjoying meeting new people and serving her local community. She has traveled to Greece, England, Austria, and She lived with her sister in Chicago and her brother in Hawaii, but always calls Denver home. From 2003 to 2007, she lived and worked in Uganda establishing schools and medical clinics. When she is not working or traveling, Catherine enjoys playing games with her friends and family, live music, and antiquing.
Ben Bohannon
Chief Operating Officer
Meet Ben: An entrepreneurial powerhouse with a flair for strategy and business expansion. For over a quarter-century, he’s been at the forefront of groundbreaking ventures, both local and global, creating ripples in fiercely competitive B2B and B2C landscapes. With a Midas touch, Ben doesn’t just build businesses; he crafts legacies. His magnum opus? The birth and meteoric rise of ANZEN Corporation, which soared as one of the world’s premier inkjet remanufacturing giants before catching the eye of discerning investors. From Media Products and Software to Semiconductors and Remanufacturing, there’s scarcely an industry he hasn’t infused with innovation. Beyond his pioneering ventures, Ben’s insights are a coveted treasure in the business world. As a strategic maestro, executive teams seek his counsel to catapult their initiatives to unparalleled success. Yet, beyond the boardroom and the accolades, Ben finds solace shredding snowy terrains on his snowboard and navigating rugged mountain trails on his bike. At the heart of it all, he treasures moments with his family, reminding us that at the core of every great success is a soul with passions and loved ones.
Judith Garcia
Senior Program Manager
Judith Garcia was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She holds a Ph.D. and moved to the mainland in 2012, where she worked for different public and private institutions such as: The Department of Education, The Air Force Culture and Language Center, The Department of Defense, and currently, she is our Senior Program Manager for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
She has been the Senior Program Manager of the Detention Spanish Program with Enforcement and Removal Operations for the last 15 years. During this time, she has overseen the program and ensured her staff delivers exceptional results. She has also acted as the Senior Lead Instructor presenting and implementing innovations to the training program as well to instructional methods delivery.
Marty Ryan
Spanish Language Instructor
A distinguished individual, Marty brings a wealth of experience to the table as a retired Immigration Service employee. A proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Marty has not only excelled in academic pursuits but has also significantly contributed to the field of federal law enforcement. Marty served as an instructor in three distinct federal law enforcement academies, sharing his knowledge and expertise with the next generation of professionals. Furthermore, Marty is the co-creator of three separate federal law enforcement Spanish training programs, showcasing his commitment to enhancing communication and understanding within the field. Marty’s multifaceted career is marked by dedication, expertise, and a profound impact on the realm of immigration and law enforcement.
Victor Gonzalez
Spanish Language Instructor
Meet Víctor R González Santos, a proud native of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. With a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education Spanish from Jacksonville, Alabama, and a Master’s in Spanish Language and Culture from Salamanca, Spain, Víctor’s educational journey spans continents. Having dedicated 20 years to the United States Army, he transitioned into a fulfilling career as a teacher, committing 15 years to public schools. A veteran with a passion for education, Víctor seized an opportunity to work as a government contractor, imparting Spanish language skills to U.S. immigration agents—an endeavor he describes as the experience of a lifetime. Beyond his professional pursuits, Víctor is happily married to Cynthia, a Special Needs teacher, and together, they find joy in outdoor activities, walking, bird watching, volleyball, engaging conversations, and a good read.
James Eldridge
Spanish Language Instructor
James Eldridge is a seasoned language professional with an impressive track record spanning over two decades. His language journey began with a dedicated two-year immersion in Spain, mastering Spanish. Following this, James served as a Russian linguist for the United States Air Force, utilizing his linguistic skills for 12 years while also meeting the demands of missions that required proficiency in Spanish. Transitioning into education, he spent three years teaching Spanish in public schools before embarking on his current role as a Spanish instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), a position he has held since late 2018. James holds a B.A. in Spanish Language Studies and International Studies, complemented by a background in personnel management and leadership.
