Our Mission
We at Indianapolis Interpreters strive to bridge language barriers between non-communicative parties, whether they are written or spoken. Our goal is to provide prompt, professional, and courteous service to our clients in all industries and businesses where multi-lingual communication with their clients, patients, or employees is essential.
Our Commitment to Community
Indianapolis Interpreters is committed to serving businesses and non-English speakers to bridge the communication barrier between them with strict confidentiality. The President, Chris Waters, was born and raised in Indianapolis and has watched first-hand as the city has transformed into a multi-cultural, multi-lingual place, like so many other cities affected by immigration. Indianapolis Interpreters is run by a husband and wife team who have seen the world and understand the significance that language and culture play in people's lives, especially when they leave home. This team is committed to the idea that helping people communicate also helps to form community, and in turn, helps businesses grow as the community changes.
Chris Waters
Chris Waters is the Founder and President of Indianapolis Interpreters. After studying business and finance at Oklahoma Baptist University, Chris served in the U.S. Peace Corps. He lived in the Dominican Republic for over two years and found himself interpreting for medical missions. Upon his return to Indiana, Chris began interpreting for hospitals in Indianapolis and eventually launched Indianapolis Interpreters, a business that has grown exponentially each year since it was founded. Anyone who has met Chris understands that his approach is as personal as it is professional. His commitment to his company matches his commitment to his family, his friends, and his passions. He is always available to clients and interpreters alike.
Marina Waters
Marina Hadjioannou Waters is the Chief Operating Officer and Legal Liaison of Indianapolis Interpreters. Trained in public health and law, Marina's experience is in the area of international human rights, where she has worked and lived in Africa, Central America and Europe. She has managed legal petitions representing indigenous communities at the United Nations and the Organization of American States. As a first generation Greek-American, Marina also brings a personal understanding of the importance of facilitating the transition for immigrants. She adds creativity and focus on community-building to the company. She is available to interpreters for ethics training and available for legal clients as a consultant on international and foreign cases.
Naw Eh Phaw
Naw Eh Phaw is our Interpreter Coordinator and Lead Interpreter for Burmese Dialects. Naw was born in the Southern part of Burma and is fluent in Burmese, Chin, and Karen. Not only does she have a talent with languages, but she helps us bridge cultural barriers between our interpreters, clients, and the diverse community in Indianapolis. Before joining our team, Naw was a Resettlement Coordinator at Exodus Refugee Immigration, Inc. where she coordinated case management of newly resettled refugees and helped to handled all aspects of their new lives in Indiana. Naw has her Bachelor of Theology and Masters of Ministry from the Far Eastern Fundamental School of Theology in Burma and a Masters of Arts in Theology from the International Theological Seminary in Los Angeles, California. Naw has two children, and her husband is a minister at Bethel Church of Indiana.
Tracy Lenhart
Tracy holds the position of Interpreter Coordinator for American Sign Language and heads up our team of ASL interpreters, approximately thirty interpreters and growing! Raised in the Midwest, Tracy has demonstrated commitment to her local ASL community since 2007 and continues to provide service and outreach through her professional and personal interests. Tracy is pre-certified by the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) and has advanced skills with medical interpretation. With a background in care-giving and case management, Tracy is able to recognize the unique social, cultural and physical needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. She is available to clients of Indianapolis Interpreters to provide in-house training related to ADA requirements for companies servicing and employing these populations and is also available to act as a facilitator between Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Hearing clients in a variety of settings. Tracy coaches volleyball at the Indianapolis School for the Deaf and is also active in the Indiana Chapter Deaf Black Association (ICDBA), Deaf Hoosiers softball, and United States of American Deaf Basketball (USADA). She also volunteers as an interpreter for church services and other service related events in Indianapolis.
Our Team of Interpreters
Our team of interpreters and translators include linguists, web-developers, technical writers and desktop publishers, each of whom is specially trained in a respective area. We take pride in employing the services of only the most qualified translators based on their certification in translation, additional degrees held, references, and most importantly, industry related experience. Some of our interpreters hold medical and legal degrees in their home countries, allowing them industry-specific language knowledge. When placing our interpreters and translators on a job, we will take their background into account to best meet your needs.