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AMERICAN PIE SEMINARS
W E L C O M E
Greetings colleagues!
We’re ever so glad you reached out to us for information on our continuing education seminar program!
Don’t let the levity throw you off. We aim to find that fine balance in learning where you acquire relevant knowledge and strengthen skills and are simultaneously entertained. High level hands-on learning doesn’t have to be a yawn.
We are pleased to offer a year-round comprehensive program of interesting and fun colleague-worthy affordable instructor led live scheduled webinars, as well as non-instructor led self-paced on-demand multiple choice seminars for interpreters of ALL LANGUAGES.
The APS Program includes an array of materials composed of entertaining exercises I have designed and developed from the ground up tailoring them specifically for our ALL our colleagues to learn and enjoy! In addition to our all English seminars, we offer a language specific non-instructor led seminar in Spanish.
Do read on for a sneak peek of our program. But, to truly experience it… Well, you’ll just have to join us!
Hortensia (Tensi) Torres-Comas, USCCI, ATACT
Continuing Education Provider since 1998
O U R
S T O R Y
You may be asking yourself, who are these Pie People, anyway?
And… what’s the deal with the Pies?
American Pie Seminars was founded in 1998 by Tensi (Hortensia) Torres-Comas, a Los Angeles based Spanish interpreter who saw too many of her colleagues struggling with American idioms. A fellow interpreter asked her to do a seminar on idioms and slang. That sounded like fun. So, she got her multi-color paper worksheets in apple pie order and CIMCE# 654 was born in California as a three hour evening seminar.
We named it American Pie inspired by mom, apple pie, and all things American (way, way before the movie!) since we originally envisioned it as an “Americanization tool” for non-native English speaker interpreters.
Soon, however, native English speakers wanted some Pie. And, Pie they got! We diversified the seminars a bit, expanded into other topics, and… Voilà! CIMCE 654 self-pollinated into a whole bunch of other fruity and nutty numbers.
We look forward to many fun Pie-filled seminars and hope the pollination continues. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank and honor the memory of the wonderfully gracious Angela McEwan who held my hand and was my native English speaker resource in the early years. But, in particular, and in a super really big way, I’d like to thank all you Pie Veterans who’ve made our Pie Seminars the venue where learning meets fun… for all languages!
Merci to one and all!
Tensi
Our Story
T H E
I N S T R U C T O R
About the provider
Hortensia (Tensi) Torres-Comas is a certified interpreter and translator with over four decades of language service experience.
Tensi is one of the original founders and the current Director of BiLingual Services International, and the provider and main instructor of American Pie Seminars, a continuing year-round education program for court and medical interpreters, as well as Terp Prep a newly launched skills building program for student interpreters.
Tensi has been certified as an interpreter by the Los Angeles Superior Court, the State of California, and the U.S. Courts and as a translator by the Los Angeles Superior Court and the American Translators Association (En>Sp). She is also accredited as a linguist by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and holds an Advanced High Proficiency Certification from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Her extensive curriculum vitae is available upon request.
Tensi has also been actively involved in interpreter training, test development, and exam rating nationwide for over three decades and is a lead state and federal examiner.
American Pie Seminars was founded in 1998 at the request and encouragement of colleagues. A former high school and ESL teacher, Tensi took her teaching experience and put it to work in developing truly colleague-worthy seminars that aim to instruct, engage, and yes… entertain! Tensi’s classes, popular with newly minted and veteran colleagues alike, are a testimonial to her knowledge and experience…
all manifested by her mantra: Who said learning couldn’t be fun?
The Instructor
Why Choose Us?
W H Y
C H O O S E U S ?
There are, without question, many continuing education options these days. So why, indeed, choose us?
First and Foremost: Experience Counts.
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Our provider has over forty years experience in the interpreting and translation fields, over thirty years experience in bilingual exam rating and development, and over twenty-five years experience in continuing education for interpreters and translators. Bottom line: She knows her stuff. Time and again, ours is the go-to program for myriad veteran interpreters tired of the same old, same old. You will actually learn something applicable to the profession. You may even learn a lot. And, for sure… we’ll keep you awake!
Secondly: Great Service
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We’ve got your back! We have someone at the ready to answer emails on a daily basis. Our aim is to make the continuing education process as seamless as possible. Maybe even enjoyable.
Third in Line: Flexibility
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Can’t make the webinar? No worries. Just email us before the webinar. We’ll re-schedule you free of charge. We know life happens. We’re here to make your life easier, not penalize you.
Fourth, but still very Important… Multiple Dipping
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Because we are approved by just about every state and organization that requires continuing ed for interpreters… feel free to double, triple, or multiple dip! Talk about a time and money saver!!
Bringing up the Rear: Reasonable Fees
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Speaking of money savers… Our single seminar/webinar fees are beyond competitive. But, we didn’t stop there. Check out our list of discount bundles for additional savings, as well as our super saver Group Registration Fees. Not to mention our early year specials when we discount the discounted for even more savings!
In a nutshell: A colleague with decades of experience is looking out for you.
Come join us! You’ll be glad you did.
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