Shawn Callanan
Certified Interpreter and Translator since 1999
I was born in Sacramento, USA and grew up in California and Oregon. I have also lived in many other places around the United States, including Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, Michigan, and Washington DC, which remains my second home.
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I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of Arizona in Tucson, graduating magna cum laude. I earned my Master’s Degree in Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I then went on to earn my PhD in South and Southeast Asian Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.
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I lived for several years in Mexico, primarily in Mexico City, where I earned a Diploma in Spanish from Mexico’s premier public university, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM). I also have lived extensively in Indonesia, largely in Yogyakarta on the island of Java, and also in Manado on the island of Sulawesi. I earned a Certificate of Completion from Indonesia Institute of the Arts (Institut Seni Indonesia, ISI). I then earned a Certificate in Indonesian from Sam Ratulangi University (Universitas Sam Ratulangi, UNSRAT), where I studied the Indonesian language at the highest level. Nowadays, when I am in Indonesia, I am usually based in Gianyar, on the beautiful island of Bali.
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I am a U. S. Department of State Conference-Level certified Interpreter. I have interpreted at the highest levels of government, including multiple times at the Presidential level. I have worked with numerous American cabinet Secretaries and Indonesian cabinet Ministers. I have worked with members of Congress and Parliaments, including those in the highest leadership positions.
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Additionally, in the private sector, I have worked for for Presidents, CEOs and board Chairs of multi-national corporations. These meetings and negotiations involve governments and other stakeholders where accuracy of communication is of the utmost importance.
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I also have worked for a variety of organizations in the non-profit space. Supporting their noble work is an honor, and I feel privileged that they choose me to help them tackle some of our world’s most intractable and significant issues.
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I am a native speaker of English, and am also fluent in Spanish and Indonesian. I love language and I love learning. I have a quarter century of experience as an interpreter. My broad and extensive experience, including having lived all over the United States and Indonesia, and my commitment to constant learning and improvement, mean that I can provide you with not only the highest level of linguistic fluency and accuracy, but also the contextual knowledge of cultures and prior texts to ensure that your message is conveyed in the most effective, accurate, and impactful way possible.
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Certifications
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Education
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Professional Associations
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US State Department Conference certified Interpreter. ​
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US Federal Court System certified Interpreter.
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US Executive Office of Immigration Review certified Interpreter. ​
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PhD, South and Southeast Asian Studies, UC Berkeley
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Master's Degree, Southeast Asian Studies, University of Michigan
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Bachelor's Degree, magna cum laude, English, University of Arizona
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Certificate of mastery of Indonesian, Sam Ratulangi University
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Certificate of completion, Darmasiswa Scholar, Indonesia Institute of the Arts