WHO AM I?

About Jihane

For the past decade, I have been providing language services in the health, education, community and social services, journalistic and corporate communications fields.

Background

I grew up bilingual in Lebanon, a small country on the Mediterranean Sea where the official language is Arabic, but where the French influence can also be strongly felt, not only in the language, but also in the fashion, food (especially la pâtisserie française!) and the school system.

English was also taught at my school from a very young age as a third language, but my passion for languages pushed me beyond the limits that three hours of English lessons per week had to offer and saw me reading – or rather devouring – books written in English, all the while holding a book in one hand and a dictionary in the other. Trilingual personal glossaries ensued in addition to a number of prizes and acknowledgments of my writing and linguistic skills throughout my school years.

Thus were laid the building blocks of my language education, only to be complemented by undergraduate studies in Translation and Modern Languages at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Lebanon from 2001 to 2004. Soon after graduating, I moved with my family to the United States where I have been living since. In 2008, I received a Master’s degree in Print Journalism from the American University, Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, I was freelancing as a translator and interpreter and working full-time for the Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center (NVAHEC), a language services provider in medical and community settings. I worked there for five years as a communications specialist, translation educator and language services coordinator.

Currently

Since 2009, I have been working as an Arabic news editor for a news website that covers the Middle East. I also have been providing translation and communications services on a consulting basis to a non-profit organization specializing in promoting education in the Arab region. When I’m not busy with one of my two jobs, I can be found translating or editing late into the night, or interpreting on weekends and after hours.

Adelya Carlson

Director of Program Operations / NVAHEC

“Jihane is one of NVAHEC’s finest translators. Her expertise is evident in her ability to transfer the nuances and tones across languages while upholding the integrity of the original text. She handles herself with utmost professionalism as she meets every deadline and delivers results that reflect an attention to detail and command of languages. We know that any project assigned to Jihane will be handled with care, and will make NVAHEC proud of the final translation. I would further supplement my professional assessment with the fact she is one of the loveliest individuals I’ve had the pleasure to work with, always warm, caring and a passionate advocate for the work she does.”

Language Services Department

/ NVAHEC

“Jihane’s educational background in Journalism as well as Linguistics and Translation paired with her now extensive experience in the field of health and community interpreting, have groomed her to be an outstanding member of our Language Services Corps. Her knowledge is only matched by her finely tuned translating and interpreting skills and techniques, making Jihane a “go to person” whom we’ve come to rely on for her professional input regarding growth of the field as well as continuing education.”

Ursula Oaks

Chief Marketing Officer / The Alexandria Trust & Macat International

"It has been a pleasure working with Jihane over the past couple of years. She is unfailingly positive and can-do in her attitude, and has been a great help to our organizations as we have developed web materials, outreach to reporters, and social media strategies. I would highly recommend her as someone with a great deal of talent, skill and commitment who will always go the extra mile to be sure the job is done right."