Maria Teresa Buendia Schlenker

She is a dedicated language services and education professional with over a decade of experience in interpreter training, curriculum development, and program leadership across the medical, legal, and community interpreting sectors. Currently serving as Assistant Director of Education at the Academy of Interpretation and Associate Director of the Education Department at Liberty Language Services, she provides senior leadership, bridges collaboration between departments, and has contributed to certifying hundreds of professionals while ensuring high-quality service delivery. She also serves as an Education and Recruiting Coordinator and Bridging the Gap and Behavioral Health Curriculum Trainer at Liberty Language Services, training interns, new staff, interpreters, and proficiency test evaluators. She has worked as an O.P.I. Spanish Interpreter at GLOBO, providing on-demand interpretation services across a wide range of industries, and as a Patient Service Representative and Medical Interpreter at Cardinal Health. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from Universidad de Los Andes and has studied American Sign Language at Harper College. She is recognized as a collaborative, bilingual, and mission-driven leader who is deeply committed to breaking communication barriers, advancing interpreter education, and delivering culturally sensitive language services.