Health Care Interpreter Continuing Education Mini Conference

Network with fellow Oregon interpreters and earn continuing education credits toward your OHA, IMIA/NBCMI, or CCHI renewal.

About the Mini-Conference
HERMISTON: Join us for this two-day mini-conference to network with other interpreters who live and work in the Columbia River Gorge/Tri-Cities area and earn continuing education credits.

Enjoy up to 8 hours of CEU courses that will count toward renewal with OHA, IMIA/NBCMI, and CCHI. Want time to relax and mingle with colleagues?

Hermiston Schedule & Locations

Conference Day

When: Friday-Saturday, November 20 & 21, 8am–3pm
Where: OSU Extension Office in Hermiston
1740 E Airport Road, Hermiston OR

November 20 - Day 1 Schedule

Time	Session
1:00 – 5:00pm	Session 1 - Do the Right Thing: Ethical Decision-Making in Healthcare Interpreting (4 hrs): Amanda Wheeler-Kay and Rodrigo Gaspar-Barajas ($75 price)
6:00 – 8:00pm	Dinner / Social Hour at Kobe Hibatchi 1055 US 395. Ste 100. Hermiston, OR 97838

November 21 – Day 2 Schedule

Time	Session
8:00 – 8:30am	Welcome and light refreshments
8:30 – 10:30am	Session 2 - Professionalism in Practice: Beyond the Code of Ethics (2 hrs): Amanda Wheeler-Kay and Sandra Valdez ($40 price)
10:45 – 11:45am	Networking & Discussion
11:45am – 12:45pm	Lunch on Your Own
2:45 – 3:00pm	Session 3 - Interpreting in Public Health (2 hrs): Felicity Ratway ($40 price)

CEU Courses

Afternoon CEU · 1 - 5pm

Do the Right Thing: Ethical Decision-Making in Healthcare Interpreting

Interpreters have historically been taught there are specific “dos and don'ts” to ethical reasoning. Yet real world encounters often place interpreters at the intersection of accuracy, harm prevention, power dynamics, and human dignity. Choosing the “right thing to do” in this context is hard!

In this interactive workshop, participants will consider how to preserve fidelity while exercising professional judgment, cultural awareness, and ethical responsibility (without violating standards). Participants will contrast a rules-based “dos and don’ts” approach with dynamic, context-based decision-making; and they will be introduced to a practical tool for evaluating ethical decisions: Demand-Control Schema (DC-S).

We will use the revised NCIHC 2025 Code of Ethics and the framework of Cultural Humility to explore four key ideas essential for navigating complex ethical scenarios:

interpreting is a practice profession
there are multiple right ways to interpret
the interpreter is an active participant
context-based decision-making versus rules-based decision making.

Morning CEU · 8:30 - 10:30am

Professionalism in Practice: Beyond the Code of Ethics

You know the ethics—now gain the confidence to apply them! While many trainings cover principles, this participatory workshop bridges the gap between theory and application.

Topics include key vocabulary, core ethical values, recognizing limitations in the moment, and opportunities to practice giving and receiving feedback.

Participants will engage in role plays for meaningful debriefs. Ideal for interpreters seeking actionable skills, confidence in difficult moments, and strategies for sustained professional growth grounded in actual work—not just conceptual frameworks.

Participants will be able to:

Define basic terminology related to professionalism and the ethics of interpreting.
Practice ethical decision-making related to the ethical standard of professionalism.
Develop self-evaluation skills.

Afternoon CEU · 1 - 3pm

Interpreting in Public Health

Health care interpreters are called upon to interpret for not just medical appointments but also public health initiatives, from community health needs assessments to learning collaboratives to well water safety classes.

In this course, we will learn about what distinguishes public health from health care, explore terminology relevant to public health, and build the skills needed to interpret effectively in public health.

Participants in this course will be able to:

Define public health; distinguish between interpreting assignments that are public health and those that are health care
Name organizations that lead public health initiatives in their communities
Identify the skills necessary to interpret in public health
Prepare effectively for public health interpreting assignments

Who Should Attend

Health care interpreters looking to network, learn, and earn CEUs to renew their credentials with OHA, IMIA/NBCMI, or CCHI.

Whether you're renewing an OHA Qualification/Certification or a national credential, this mini-conference offers ethics- and skills-based continuing education alongside a chance to connect with fellow Eastern Oregon interpreters.

Connect With Your Professional Community

Columbia River (Hermiston)
November 20 - 21, 2026

Time: varies - see conference details

Half Day: $40 (2 CE hours)
Full Day: $75 (4 CE hours)
Multi-Day: $125 (8 CE hours)

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Instructors

Felicity Ratway

Felicity Ratway is a licensed trainer with The Community Interpreter who holds a PhD in Public Health from Oregon State University and Master of Arts degree in interpreting and Translation Studies from Wake Forest University. Her research focuses on access to interpreters in the health care setting. She has been working as an interpreter in Oregon since 2015 and has experience as both an employee and freelance interpreter.

In addition to her experience training interpreters, Dr. Ratway has taught a number of continuing education courses for interpreters on topics ranging from medical marijuana to ethical advocacy in interpreting. She presents regularly on health care interpreting for audiences at national and state conferences.

Past Students' Work

Take a look at some recent projects our students have created.