Miya Swenson
Co-president - Chinese and Spanish Translator
Miya Swenson is double-majoring in Chinese and translation. She enjoys listening to music, reading, writing, and dancing. Her current song obsession is "Slipfast" by ROLE MODEL. It would be an absolute dream of hers to have a library with a bunch of hidden tunnels and secrets.
Abigail Kloha
Co-president - Spanish & Japanese Translator
Abby studies translation (Spanish, Japanese) and writing. She likes making and enjoying art about faith, the environment, and community.
Naomi Vega
Junior Co-President - Spanish, Korean, German, Italian, American Sign Language Translator
Curious, kind, and energetic, Naomi is a multilingual first-year here at the U of I. When she’s not reading, she’s learning new languages, painting, writing, and dancing. As a daughter from a family of immigrants, she looks to support other marginalized communities by uplifting their voices through language and translation.
Megan Heldt
Translation Coordinator - French and Spanish Translator
Megan Heldt is a fourth-year student majoring in Translation, French, and International Studies, with a minor in Spanish. She enjoys singing, hot yoga, and playing niche board games.
Meet Our Executive Team
Jodi Jin
Community Coordinator - Chinese Translator
Jodi is a junior studying biomedical sciences on the pre-med track and working in a dermatology research lab. She has spoken Chinese as a second language all her life, and is currently studying French and Italian outside of school. In her free time, she likes to read all kinds of books, play the piano (which she's been doing for 14 years!), and travel.
Bri Brands
Boundless Coordinator - Spanish Translator
Bri is a fourth-year student studying English and creative writing on the publishing track with a minor in Spanish. After graduation she plans to get her master's in library and information science and become a children's librarian. In her free time, she can be found making her way through an endless TBR pile, crocheting, or writing.
Jordan Vander Werf
Web Designer
Jordan is majoring in English and Creative Writing with a publishing certificate. She enjoys getting a coffee at Prairie Lights, reading, writing, and walking along the Iowa River. Her current song obsession is "My Eyes" by the Lumineers. She would love to work in marketing at a publishing house someday, and hopes to live on the East Coast.
Jordan Mikkelsen
Social Media Coordinator - Chinese Translator
Jordan Mikkelsen is a sophomore English and creative writing major with minors in Chinese and translation. She is so excited to do her first year of translating for the Iowa Translate Project and to learn more about translation! Her translation language is Chinese, and she hopes to study abroad in China or Taiwan someday. In her (little) spare time, she enjoys curling up with a book, writing, sewing and altering clothes, and doing puzzles with her mom.
Kiah Schuessler
Creative Coordinator - Spanish & Portuguese Translator
Seu nome é Kiah e ela é em seu primeiro ano na Universidade de Iowa. She is originally from Milwaukee, but loves it here in Iowa City, especially taking the bus system everywhere. She is passionate about translation as a way to increase access to art and as an art form itself. Cuando ella no está tracudciendo, a ella le gusta leer, correr, y tocar música. She is the oldest of four siblings, and has two cats and a dog.
Meet Our Translators
Maddie Lund
French Translator
Maddie is a junior majoring in English and Creative Writing, Political Science, and French. After studying abroad in Lyon, France, she realized that she wanted to do more on campus with her language studies. When not in class, she can be found working at the Daum Hall Front Desk or roaming the Ped Mall with friends. She likes playing Nintendo games, reading fantasy, and chai lattes.
Hannah Siefken
French Translator
Hannah Siefken is a third-year at Iowa who is double-majoring in Theatre Arts (Acting, Directing, and Musical Theatre) and Translation. They have been studying French for nearly a decade, and they have a particular interest in translating French drama and literature. Hannah has studied throughout Western Europe, including in France, and earned their Seal of Biliteracy in 2023. Outside of school, they enjoy practicing yoga, writing poetry, and playing with their dog, Cleo.
Anna Burkle
French Translator
Anna is a second-year student majoring in English Creative Writing and French. Outside of the Translate Iowa Project, she is involved in Circle K, Spanish Club, the Iowa Pep Band as a piccolo player, and Francophones at Iowa as the President. When she's not translating, she enjoys reading, writing, and traveling. Anna has earned the Seal of Biliteracy in French and Spanish and placed #7 among French students in the state of Iowa after taking the National French Test in 2024.
Megan Heldt
French & Spanish Translator
Megan is a third year student pursing degrees in International Studies, Translation, and French, with a minor in Spanish. Outside of language studies, she enjoys working out, walking her dogs, and reading! She is also actively involved in the student acapella group, Old Gold.
Terra Richardson
French, Arabic, & Spanish Translator
Terra is a third year student studying French, International Studies, and Translation, with minors in Arabic and Spanish. She has always loved the challenge of taking on new languages and now loves the challenge of translating from one to the other. When she’s not traveling back and forth from her double-life in France, she enjoys playing the bass and reading Stephen King.
Abby Asell
Spanish Translator
Abby Asell is a Translation and Spanish major who hopes to become fluent in Spanish and someday a literary translator. She has a strong interest in creative writing and a love for poetry in particular. She enjoys many artistic pastimes including sewing/embroidery, drawing and painting, and jewelry making. She has a fascination with nature and the human condition, themes that frequently appear in her work.
Abigael Akselrod
Russian Translator
While originally from New Jersey, Abigael Akselrod is now a proud freshman at the University of Iowa, majoring in English and Creative Writing. When not drowning in schoolwork or getting lost in a world of her own, Abigael tends to read, write, and vibe along to her music. Her passion for both her Russian and Jewish culture plays a very prominent part in her writing and life, which helped shape her into the person she is today. Last but not least, she is the older sister of five siblings and comes from a large family, who she misses very much.
Tonalli Sanchez
Spanish Translator
Tonalli Sanchez (He/Him) is a 1st gen Mexican born and raised in Chicago. He is a student University of Iowa where he transferred after feeling trapped, suffocated, and emotionally drained at his old college alongside finding his classes extremely boring and complicated. Looking back he realized that he never wanted to go to that school and he always wanted to become an author so with the support of his parents, teachers, and advisors he withdrew and transferred to University of Iowa and he wants to show other college kids have the same courage to change their majors and transfer that he did.