We are excited to welcome a handful of new employees and interns to several of our departments. You are more than likely to interact with them, so we thought we’d give you a proper introduction! We had a chance to ask them a few questions about themselves and their work at LUNA. 

 

Michelle Ledesma
Language Coordinator

What is your role at LUNA?
My job is to ensure a smooth connection between clients and interpreters to lessen the language barrier in the community for people who are not skilled in the English language.

What places have you called home?
I was born in Manhattan, New York, but if I were to call a place home it would be San Juan de la Maguana, the Dominican Republic and San Juan, Puerto Rico. I have beautiful memories on these islands that I hold very close to my heart.

What languages do you speak?
I speak English, Spanish, and I am currently in the process of re-training myself in French and Italian.

What are your talents, skills, or life experiences that you are excited to share here at LUNA?
I would say that one of my skills is that I pay a lot of attention to detail, which makes me feel confident when I’m working with a team that’s always ready to get the job done, no matter the difficulties.

Why did you choose to work with LUNA?
When I moved to the U.S., I was able to comfortably navigate myself around because of my ability to speak English. There are other Latinos who did not share the same journey. It is a special feeling to be able to help the community in providing such a useful tool as an interpreter and language coordinator.

 

Hannah Morris
ASL Fellow

What is your role at LUNA?
I will be interpreting ASL appointments, observing and working with other ASL interpreters, and hopefully learning a lot!

What places have you called home?
Indianapolis, Terre Haute, & Huntington (all Indiana)

What languages do you speak?
English and American Sign Language

What are your talents, skills, or life experiences that you are excited to share here at LUNA?
I am an avid artist with skills in a variety of media, and have experience with music and theatre as well. I look forward to seeing how I can incorporate these skills and experiences with my work at LUNA.

What are you excited about your time here at LUNA?
I am excited to be at LUNA for many reasons: to work with a great company and a great team, to learn the ins and outs of interpreting for an agency, and to increase my overall interpreting confidence, knowledge, and skills.

 

Leonela Beltran
Language Access Fellow

What is your role at LUNA?
As a Language Access Fellow, I assist in the promotion of language access through research, advocacy and training of our community, partners and staff. I support the projects inside the Department of Operations, the Department of Translation and the Department of Spoken Languages Services.

What places have you called home?
My first home, Venezuela, born and raised in Maracaibo, known as “The beloved land of the sun” where the weather is as warm as are the people. England, the temporary home that imprinted on my mind, where I did my master’s studies, a place of contrasts and culture. Finally, the United States of America, my current and most fundamental home, the land where I found love, freedom and a whole new future.

What languages do you speak?
I speak Spanish, English and French

What are your talents, skills, or life experiences that you are excited to share here at LUNA?
As a researcher and legal advisor on human rights for community projects of different international organizations, such as the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the IOM and others, I’ve had the honor to work with multidisciplinary teams and provide services to multicultural populations. Interacting with people from all over the world with different backgrounds has turned my way of thinking and communications skills into more effective and comprehensive ones. I believe empathy, adaptability, hard work and inclusion are values that we absolutely need to bring to every task we do in our job and I am excited to bring those to every task I do at LUNA.

Why did you choose to work with LUNA?
I chose to work with LUNA because of its commitment to Community and Diversity. I can see firsthand that LUNA is not just a company that provides language services, but it is a company that promotes language access for all, it promotes and creates opportunities for communities and organizations to become culturally rich, which is why I could not be happier about being a Language Access Fellow.

 

Abby Charlebois
Summer Intern

What places have you called home?
So far, I’ve called all these places home: York, Pennsylvania; Naperville, Illinois; Overland Park, Kansas; Knoxville, Tennessee; Champaign, Illinois; Wilmington, Delaware; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Carmel, Indiana. Whew.

What languages do you speak?
I speak English and Spanish. I also know a total of 10 words in Dutch, but hopefully that vocabulary will broaden one day.

What are your talents, skills, or life experiences that you are excited to share here at LUNA?
I was an English Literature and Spanish double major at Butler, so I think it would be amazing to share this aspect of myself and start a multi-lingual book club at LUNA (somehow).

Why did you choose to work with LUNA?
I chose to work with LUNA because I’m a person who needs to follow their passions, and I’m genuinely and deeply passionate about language access. I feel quite lucky to be an intern at LUNA, again, and work with other people who have similar values.

 

Joseph Mercho
Summer Intern

What places have you called home?
I have been fortunate enough to call many places home including Spain, Costa Rica, Syria, Indiana, and many more!

What languages do you speak?
I speak English, Spanish, and Arabic.

What are your talents, skills, or life experiences that you are excited to share here at LUNA?
As a recent graduate of Indiana University this past Spring, I have degrees in both Spanish and Biology, where I believe my scientific background provides a fresh, uncommon perspective here to LUNA in tandem with my foreign language experience

Why did you choose to work with LUNA?
I chose to work with LUNA because it is a reputable company that has found so much success while maintaining its deeply-rooted values. In addition, LUNA provides me with the unique opportunity of applying both of my interests in language and healthcare, all while providing language access to those who need it and benefiting the community.

 

Kristopher Brame
Summer Intern

What places have you called home?
South Carolina is my original home. I spent about 6 years in Germany (Berlin, Heidelberg, Germersheim) and lived in Ohio after that. Now Indianapolis has been my home for a week.

What languages do you speak?
English, German, French and some Spanish. I can say “I don’t speak [this language]” in about 10 languages. It is an important phrase.

What are your talents, skills, or life experiences that you are excited to share here at LUNA?
I have always had an interest for language and culture and I am excited to use this knowledge at LUNA.

Why did you choose to work with LUNA?
I am excited to learn more about the different aspects language service industry and what role I can play.