Karen Mashek is British and an experienced professional translator, with a multi-national corporate background. She is a mother of five, currently lives in the U.S. and has been interested in languages from an early age.

Widely traveled, she considers herself to be a citizen of the world, perhaps more aptly known as a "global nomad" having grown up immersed in several cultures. She has lived and worked in four continents. Quite the polyglot, her forte is however the French and English languages. Perfectly bilingual, therefore equally comfortable in both languages, her talents seem to revolve around the exquisite subtleties of the written and spoken word.

"Great pleasure is derived from translating and interpreting", she adds, "when you know the end result is clear communication and thorough understanding without ambiguity".

In the 90s she threw herself into self-employed work seeing a pressing need for unbiased, apolitical translators while living in Bujumbura, Burundi during a time of civil unrest. She offered her interpreting services to the United Nations Development Program, local Non-Governmental Organizations, Embassies, visiting South African and Nambian Members of Parliament and humanitarian agencies in Burundi, Central Africa. Her success depended on her utmost integrity and accuracy as Burundi was undergoing considerable strife and econo-political instability at the time. Audiences with the President of the country,  press conferences or even speaking in lieu of visiting MPs before the National Assembly became part and parcel of her daily duties. 

Eventually the Vice Consul of the U.S. Embassy noticed her and Karen began to work as their Consular Assistant as well as their official translator. Some of her non-classified translated work appeared in the The Washington Post, pertaining mainly to the economico-political status of Burundi at the time.

Karen returned to Merry Old England, divorced and eventually remarried an American. She now lives in Colorado and is a telecommuting translator and interpreter in a much different setting, but with the same enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit!

"No task too difficult" is how she views her projects.

Test her ability with a short 250 word document by attaching it to the email address you will automatically be directed to by clicking on the blue, underlined sentence. Alternatively, you may use the "Free Quote Form" for the same purpose.

You will not be disappointed.