iTi Employee Spotlight: Dana Camp

Meet Dana Camp.

Dana is the Director of Information Technology at Interpreters and Translators, and he answered a few questions for us.  We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know him!

Tell us a little bit about your work background before you came to Interpreters and Translators, Inc. 

My passion for tech started early on. When I got my driver’s license, I started getting clients who need computer help. The homeowners and small offices I supported were my first stop on building a professional career, but I didn’t know it at the time.

In college, I worked in a computer tech lab geared toward helping faculty implement more technology in their instruction.  I supported smart classrooms before laptops were commonplace.  This aligned with my Mathematics major and my plans to become a high school math teacher.

I started working with others to provide more comprehensive support.  By the time I graduated, I was faced with an opportunity to decide which path to take.  I worked with an attorney to set up a business. Over the course of eight years, I had a team of employees, supported customers throughout new England.  We supported small businesses from Vermont and New Hampshire to the Connecticut shoreline.

In a desire to improve the services we give to our customers, I started working with another area tech firm, where I eventually became the head technician.  In that role, I was introduced to iTi.   I’ve been here for about four years now.

It sounds like the language services industry was new to you. What surprised you about working with a company that provides interpreting and translation?

While student teaching, there was once a need for an interpreter to communicate with a parent. And of course an iTi Interpreter came to assist!  I never really thought about the need until I saw it first-hand.

Since starting at iTi, I’ve learned so much about the industry.  The biggest realization I’ve had is how rich the field is.  The depth of professional conduct and the complexity of handling dialects and different “registers” and how complex industry-specific terminology is–these are all factors in the effective communications that our team provides.

What do you like best about iTi and your job here?

I really appreciate how our company is always looking for ways to improve the process.  We’re always looking for ways to make it easier for people to communicate.

I like the variety of challenges that come my way. In my role, I could be assisting a client’s network team with using our on-demand interpreting services, or internally working with our translation team to handle setting up workflow to meet a customer’s particular security requirements.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

The most notable thing I wanted to be when growing up was a math teacher. When I was in school, I saw how everyone learned and absorbed information differently, and thought I could help my future students learn these concepts. Is truly a wonderful thing to see the light in someone’s eyes when they finally “get” something that they were struggling with.

Tell us a few facts we share about your personal Life. 

Many members of my family work in healthcare, manufacturing a public service.  I was born here in Connecticut and enjoy living right in the middle of the state.

My wife and I have a cat but, if she had her way, I’d be building and ark so we could have two of every animal!  My allergies tend to prevent this.

I still enjoy playing with tech in my home lab, and I also love working with my hands. Lately I have been getting into woodworking.

While I appreciate a wide array of music, the singer-songwriter Harry Chapin has been quite inspirational.

I cook a lot of great Italian classics like marinara sauce, and sausage and peppers, and I love visiting the various Mexican restaurants in my home town.

I would really like to travel more!