English with Kirsty – episode 316
Providing access to information in critical moments – telephone interpreting with Gabriela Paez
You can listen to episode 316 here:
One of my first conversations with Gabriela was about her work as a medical interpreter. I shared a situation that I’d experienced on holiday many years ago when someone in our group didn’t have access to an interpreter in hospital. Until this time, I’d never thought about it – but it can be a scary situation if you know that you need medical assistance, but you aren’t entirely sure what’s going on – whether that’s because you’re living in a country where a different language is used or because you’re travelling or on holiday.
From there, we got on to why it’s important for Gabriela to provide language access to people in situations involving important conversations relating to them – whether that’s a medical appointment or a legal hearing. That’s when I decided she’d be an interesting guest on the podcast – both to explain her journey for people interested in this kind of work, and to remind us all of the importance of having full access to the facts so that someone can participate fully in conversations about them. This text, originally from her bio sums it up: “For Gabriela, language access is personal — the idea that something as fundamental as being understood should never be a privilege. She knows first-hand the weight that falls on people when there is no interpreter in the room: miscommunication, fear, and the quiet indignity of not being heard.”
Gabriela describes her journey, talks about some of the changes in the telephone interpreting space over the last years, shares some of the best parts and the challenges, and gives tips for those who are thinking about entering this field.
Who is Gabriela?
Gabriela Páez is a professional Spanish interpreter based in Sonora, Mexico, with over ten years of experience serving some of the most recognized interpreting companies in the industry.
Her journey with language didn’t begin in a classroom, it began listening to music. Growing up in Northwest Mexico, a teenager captivated by English-language songs and determined to actually understand the lyrics, Gabriela started learning English one sentence at a time, never imagining it would become her life’s work.
At 18 she left home to pursue a degree in Nutritional Science, but financial hardship and health challenges left that chapter unfinished. Rather than a
detour, that moment became a turning point — she entered the interpreting field and discovered a calling. Over the past decade she has earned certifications
of excellence in quality assurance, attendance recognition, and milestone awards for accumulated interpreting minutes. To this day, she says interpreting
teaches her something new every day.
Outside of work, she is a proud mother who loves exploring nature with her son, watching him discover the world with wonder. She is a lover of science, history, and other cultures, and one day hopes to travel to as many countries as possible. She brings the same warmth, humour, and curiosity to her conversations that she brings to everything else in life.
You can Connect with Gabriela on LinkedIn.
How you can get in touch with me
I love to hear from my listeners! If you have any comments or questions, you can contact me using my contact form.
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