candidate statements
CANDIDATES FOR THE 2026 TAPIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
cast 1 vote. Voting ends 12/1 at 11:55 pm CT.
For PRESIDENT-ELECT
MATTHEW BENTON
BIOGRAPHY
Matt was born and raised in Chattanooga and graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in philosophy and Spanish. He then moved to Chile, where he lived and worked as an English teacher for seven years. Upon his return to Tennessee in 2017, he began to pursue a career in interpreting and has since traveled all over this great state, working primarily in state courts but also covering medical appointments, immigration court, and a variety of community interpreting. He recently passed the FCICE and is eagerly awaiting certification.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT
a) From my past experience on the Board, I think I can help guide this new generation of leadership as we tackle the unique challenges facing us and our profession.
b) I expect to gain an opportunity to contribute to the continuing wellbeing of our profession in the state and beyond.
c) I believe my years of service on the board can serve to guide the new leadership during this time of transition. Also, I can continue with our efforts on the Advocacy Committee.
For SECRETARY
FELIPE FIUZA, Ph.D
BIOGRAPHY
Felipe Fiuza is an Associate Professor of Spanish at ETSU, where he is also the Director of its Language and Culture Resource Center (LCRC). As director of the LCRC, he works towards closing the gap between native speakers of English and people from other languages and cultures through a) language services, such as ESL classes, interpretations for health clinics, translations etc. and b) cultural events, such as the Corazón Latino Music Festival. Dr. Fiuza’s research aims at contributing to the Cognitive Sciences interdisciplinary field through analysis of embodied cognition in Literature. He is a poet with two published books, Ucideia, by EDUFES University Press, and Interpretaciones/Interpretações/Interpretations, by Finishing Line Press. In 2025 he won the Harold Love Award for his Community Service at the State of Tennesse, and he became president-elect of SCOLAS (Southwest Council of Latin American Studies).
CANDIDATE STATEMENT
We live in a historical time for interpreters and translators, both politically and socially. On the one hand, tensions about immigration and the role this topic plays in the divise political context we live poise a challenge, specially for court interpreters who may not advocate for their clients, due to our required impartiality. On the other hand, the advacements of Artificial Inteligence makes others, and to some extent ourselves, to question the need for our own profession. As a college professor who teached those disciplies, I would like to join TAPIT's board to serve both professions, and what I want to gain by doing so is clarity. Clarity to help our future generation of translators and interpreters to better understand their roles. I can contribute by sharing with other board members what are the fears, expectations, and dreams of the future generation. I can contribute by being, like an interpreter, a bridge between students and board.
For MEMBER-AT-LARGE
JULIA LEDESMA DE RUSIÑOL
BIOGRAPHY
Julia E. Ledesma de Rusiñol is a Certified Healthcare Interpreter™–Spanish with extensive experience supporting communication in medical, academic, and community settings in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. She holds a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from East Tennessee State University, where she created an educational module on improving healthcare access for LEP patients.
She interprets for Ballad Health and ETSU Health in inpatient, outpatient, behavioral health, surgical, and home-health settings. Her background also includes clinical simulations for medical students, program coordination at ETSU’s Language and Culture Resource Center, translation work, and training others in effective interpreter use. Her approach is grounded in ethics, clarity, and patient safety.
CANDIDATE STATEMENT
I want to join the TAPIT Board because I believe in supporting a strong, collaborative community of interpreters and translators in Tennessee. Throughout my work in healthcare and academic settings, I have seen how much our field benefits from established standards, meaningful training, and clear communication. I hope to grow through the experience of working with colleagues who bring different perspectives, and to gain a deeper understanding of how professional organizations shape policy, education, and opportunities for our members. I believe I can contribute genuine passion for the profession, along with a steady commitment to ethical practice and effective communication. With experience in medical interpreting, academic program coordination, and professional training, I can help strengthen TAPIT’s messaging, support its events, and promote the values that keep our profession strong: professionalism, ethics, and respect for the work we do.