Greetings, PCRID!

I hope this finds you all in the happiest of holiday spirits. I wanted to take a brief moment to introduce myself and discuss my vision for my upcoming term as President of PCRID.

My passion for our field began back home in Missouri while I was working toward my Bachelor's degree. After graduation, I decided to continue my studies in the nation's capital and make D.C. my home. What an exciting trip it's been! On almost a daily basis, I am amazed and humbled at the uniquely challenging opportunities we find ourselves in as interpreters in this region. While anything in life can become routine, I feel it is imperative to maintain this perspective about our field as we continue to move onward and upward. Every experience presents an opportunity to learn something new: and I am anticipating taking away a multitude of lessons from my time on the PCRID Board. I have each of you to thank for this exciting venture.

My first priority in this role will be to serve the community and support the needs of the PCRID Board to the best of my abilities. As an undergraduate, I proudly served as president of my sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, and was chair for various other campus programs. The leadership, organizational and interpersonal skills I developed during that time will benefit me greatly in this new role as president of PCRID.

For the past month, I have been brainstorming about how PCRID can strengthen the ties we have with the communities we serve. Our field is rife with not-for-profit organizations with goals that clearly align with ours; NAOBI, DCAD, MDAD, DHHIG and AADB to name a few. We are fortunate that many of these wonderful organizations are headquartered in our region. It is my sincere hope that we will be able to join our efforts for the betterment of our communities. Of course, I am always open to any thoughts PCRID members have regarding any potential collaborations.

Again, I would like to thank you all for the opportunity to serve in this capacity. I am honored to represent such a dynamic and talented group of professionals. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any ideas or thoughts about how the Board and I can better meet your needs.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Best,

Jessica

Jessica Gabrian
PCRID President
president@pcrid.net