MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION OF TRANSLATORS & INTERPRETERS
ONLINE EVENTS
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
NIKOLA DIMITROV
Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration of the Republic of North Macedonia
Nikola Dimitrov is the Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration of the Republic of North Macedonia. He is a Macedonian politician and diplomat, who has been serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 31 May 2017 to 30 August 2020. He also served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2000 and as Macedonian ambassador to the United States and then the Netherlands.
DOUG LAWRENCE
Independent Expert
Doug Lawrence, a past contributor to MATA conferences, has over 25 years sales experience in the translation industry working in translation services and software companies. As an independent consultant Lawrence has delivered translation sales training in almost 50 countries. He has worked as an export consultant for the UK government helping over 1000 exporters improve their international online presence. He is a sessional lecturer on the Aston University MA in Translation and the University of Warwick eBusiness degree. Lawrence is a principal UK expert to the ISO TC/37 which develops standards such as 17100 and TBX. As a co-founder of Happy Spark Enterprises, Lawrence is at the leading edge of social selling in the USA and globally.
RENATO BENINATTO
CEO, Nimdzi Insights
Renato Beninatto is the CEO of Nimdzi Insights, he has done a ton of stuff with a ton of companies but what he really enjoys doing is helping companies think big and grow. He is based in Seattle, WA
ESTHER BOND
Research Director, Slator
Esther has an educational background in languages and translation, having graduated with an MA in Translation & Interpreting and a BA in French and Linguistics. Her early career involved working for two major LSPs in London and Luxembourg, leading teams across translation services and software. Esther joined Slator in 2018 to head up Slator's Research desk; she develops novel research reports and products for the language industry and provides bespoke research and advisory services to Slator's partners across translation technology, language industry M&A and funding, and a variety of end-customer verticals. Esther is also the co-host of Slator's weekly podcast, SlatorPod.
DAVID GEER
Head of the Delegation of the European Union to North Macedonia
Prior to this position, Ambassador Geer was Head of Division in the EEAS Sanction Policy Division, Deputy EU Representative in West Bank and Gaza, Deputy Head within the EEAS Maghreb Division responsible for promoting EU Relations with Maghreb countries and a EC/EEAS Team Coordinator of EU Relations with Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. He has Master’s degree in International Law from the London School of Economics. He speaks English, French, Spanish, Dutch and Russian. He was born in UK and has Belgian nationality.
MARIT-ENE ILJA
DG Translation, European Commission
Merit-Ene Ilja is a Translation Director in The Directorate-General for Translation of the European Commission, responsible for 7 out of the 24 language departments (Spanish, Irish, Croatian, Hungarian, Latvian, Dutch and Slovenian). She is also in charge of the language technology applications such as the CAT tool and the translation memory database Euramis used in DGT’s translation ecosystem. During 2011-April 2013, she was Head of Unit responsible for professional and organisational development issues in DGT. She has been involved in translation management since 1995, being in charge of translation of the acquis communautaire into Estonian before her country’s accession to the EU. She then managed the Estonian language unit in the Council of the EU from 2004 to 2008 and the Estonian language department of DG Translation from 2008 to 2011. She also has an academic background as lecturer at the University of Tartu, from 1984 to 1995.
JAVIER HERNÁNDEZ SASETA
DG Interpretation, European Commission
Javier Hernández Saseta is, since 2014, the Head of the Multilingualism and Knowledge Development Unit of the General Directorate of Interpretation of the European Commission (SCIC), where he deals mainly with relations with the universities that form conference interpreters. He worked for 15 years as a principal interpreter in the Spanish booth. In 2010 he was appointed coordinator for interpreting for the Spanish Presidency of the EU and in 2011 he became the assistant to the Director General of Interpretation. He is also responsible for the organization and the chairing of important outreach events, like the SCIC Annual Universities Conference, where external actors like Universities, students, Academic Authorities and international organizations participate every year.
ANA POPOVA MANASIEVSKA
President, MATA
Ana Popova Manasievska, MATA President since 2020 and MATA members since 2013. Bachelor degree in Macedonian and English language, Masters degree in conference interpreting, freelance translator and interpreter.
MILAN DAMJANOSKI
Department Head, Master Studies in Conference Interpretation, Faculty of Philology, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University
Milan Damjanoski is an Associate Professor of Literature and Conference Interpreting at the Department of English Language and Literature at the Faculty of Philology “Blazhe Koneski, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University. He is teaching English Literature, Theory of Translation and Conference Interpreting. Currently, he is the Head of the Masters in Conference Interpreting organized in cooperation with EU DG Interpreting. Furthermore, he has extensive experience as a free-lance interpreter and literary translator. He has worked with various international and national organizations, such as: UNDP, UNICEF, EU, World Bank, Government of N. Macedonia, Struga Poetry Festival, etc. Milan Damjanoski is, also, an editor at the online literary journal Blesok.
SLADJANA ANGELOVA
Head of the Revision and Terminology Unit, Secretariat for European Affairs
Sladjana Angelova is the Head of Unit for Revision and Terminology in the Sector for Preparation of the National Version of Asquis Communitaire within the Secretariat of European Affairs of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia. Angelova is qualified for translation and language revision of the EU legislation, works as the administrator of the MultiTerm terminology database, participates in creation of specialized glossaries as well as Manuals for language revision and terminology of the EU acquis, the national legislation and other documents important for the integration process. Angelova has acquired several certificates of excellence and specialization trainings, including l’École national d’administration - Strasbourg, and the Faculty of Economics and College of Europe - Free movement of goods, people and social policy of the EU.
