Graciela joined MasterWord in 2018 as a Language Access Solutions Advisor, bringing over 30 years of expertise in language access, with a significant focus on supporting government sector clients. Her extensive experience includes advising government organizations nationwide on best practices for working with interpreters, ensuring compliance with language access regulations, and providing critical guidance on effective communication strategies. Graciela has also developed training programs tailored to interpreters of indigenous languages, focusing on the rules of interpreting in U.S. court systems.
Before joining MasterWord, Graciela held leadership roles across multiple fields, including managing the translation department at Lopez Negrete Communications, the largest Hispanic-focused advertising agency in the U.S., and serving as an interpreter and translator for court proceedings. She also spent over a decade as a patient advocate and interpreter at Texas Children’s Hospital and as the Manager of the Language Access Program at Harris Health System. Graciela has designed and delivered training tracks for court and medical interpreters, teaching these courses at the University of Houston–Downtown campus.
A leader in the language professional community, Graciela currently serves on the Board of the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) and has previously held key positions with the Houston Interpreters and Translators Association (HITA) and the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI).
Originally from Mexico City, Graciela has lived in the Houston area for over 30 years. She is a Certified Medical Interpreter, a Master Licensed Court Interpreter, and an ATA Certified Translator, fluent in both English and Spanish.
