Sarai Melendez
Milwaukee,WI
Summary
Having recently departed from my previous role, I am now enthusiastically seeking opportunities to pivot in my career, leveraging my accumulated skills, experiences, and passions to explore new avenues and contribute meaningfully in a dynamic and evolving professional landscape.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Legal Assistant
Soberalski Immigration Law
04.2022 - 05.2024
- Maintained strict confidentiality, protecting sensitive client information as required by legal ethics and regulations.
- Handled office scheduling and made notes for deadlines, motions, and other important dates.
- Improved communication between attorneys and clients by scheduling meetings, providing status updates, and relaying critical information promptly.
- Worked alongside attorneys, administrative assistants, and fellow legal assistants on complex cases and legal processes.
- Delivered exceptional service to clients by assisting them with routine needs like obtaining copies of pertinent records or directing them to appropriate resources when needed.
- Handled billing tasks efficiently and accurately, ensuring smooth financial operations for the legal team.
Administrative Assistant
MiWisconsin Media Inc.
12.2021 - 02.2022
- Created a catalog system to categorize the different topics the organization was covering relative to the latino community.
- Maintained an accurate count of how many hits the organization was getting across multiple social media platforms to better aid the Marketing Department in creating content to raise viewership on platforms where viewership was low.
- Responsible for reaching out to people and organizations to see if they would be interested in doing an interview.
- Conducted on air interviews in Spanish
Bilingual Support Staff
Gamaliel Network
05.2021 - 11.2021
- Responsible for translating and formatting three technical training manuals that ranged in size from 50-60 pages for the Spanish track of the major trainings for the organization.
- Updated 60% of the organization’s website from English to Spanish via Wordpress to help engage the Spanish speaking audience with the broader work of the organization.
- Responsible for giving a report-out on my work during monthly virtual staff meetings via Zoom.
- Responsible for getting press releases translated and sent back to the communications team in a timely fashion.
- Responsible for maintaining open and honest communication with key members of the national staff, especially the IT department.
Bilingual Technical Writer
Voces De La Frontera
04.2021 - 11.2021
- Throughout 2020, I provided contracted translation services to my former company, translating technical documents including training manuals and tool kits from English to Spanish.
- Proved successful working within tight deadlines and a fast-paced environment.
- Conducted thorough document reviews to identify inaccuracies, inconsistencies, or areas needing clarification.
Affidavit Writer
Soberalski Immigration Law
02.2020 - 03.2020
- Responsible for writing VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) and U-Visa Affidavits.
- Experience transcribing voice recordings of client interviews conducted in Spanish.
- Utilized effective time management to produce accurate and timely documents in English based on the transcriptions.
Worker Center Organizer
Voces De La Frontera
04.2018 - 01.2020
- Intake and Call Handling: Tasked with managing calls and intakes, particularly related to wage and hour claims.
- Volunteer Coordination: Responsible for organizing volunteers for phone banks, events, and rallies.
- Legal Clinic Management: Scheduled lawyers for legal clinics and staffed these clinics.
- Documentation Skills: Gained experience in writing letters of recommendation and affidavits for U-visas.
- Representative Duties: Acted as the company representative, delivering monthly presentations at the Mexican consulate on various company and immigration-related topics.
Student Translator
Alverno College
06.2017 - 03.2018
- Translated over 130 documents from English Spanish.
- Reviewed final works to spot and correct errors in punctuation, grammar, and translation.
- Applied cultural understanding to discern specific meanings beyond literal written words.
- Reviewed final work to spot and correct errors in punctuation, grammar and translation.
Educational Assistant Teacher
St. Anthony School
09.2013 - 08.2016
- Increased student engagement by implementing hands-on learning activities and group projects.
- Implemented behavior modification strategies, resulting in improved self-regulation and classroom participation among students.
- Provided individualized support for students requiring extra help or needing academic accommodations.
- Led small group instruction sessions, enabling more targeted teaching strategies and personalized attention for each student.
Food Service Ambassador
St. Luke's Medical Center
10.2015 - 02.2016
- Promoted a positive work environment through effective teamwork and communication among all staff members.
- Promptly and courteously delivered an average of 200 trays per week.
- Assisted an average of 250 customers per week with food selection in the call center due to Spanish language proficiency.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Global Studies And International Affairs
Alverno College
Milwaukee, WI12.2017
Skills
English/ Spanish Translation and Interpretation
Active Listening
Interpersonal Communication
Teamwork
Fast Learner
Customer Service
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Certification
Spanish Spelling and Grammar for Beginners, Universidad Autonoma de Mexico - Completed in March 2021
Notetaking Techniques for Interpreters, Translit Pro, Completed in April 2021
Timeline
Legal Assistant
Soberalski Immigration Law
04.2022 - 05.2024
Administrative Assistant
MiWisconsin Media Inc.
12.2021 - 02.2022
Bilingual Support Staff
Gamaliel Network
05.2021 - 11.2021
Bilingual Technical Writer
Voces De La Frontera
04.2021 - 11.2021
Affidavit Writer
Soberalski Immigration Law
02.2020 - 03.2020
Worker Center Organizer
Voces De La Frontera
04.2018 - 01.2020
Student Translator
Alverno College
06.2017 - 03.2018
Food Service Ambassador
St. Luke's Medical Center
10.2015 - 02.2016
Educational Assistant Teacher
St. Anthony School
09.2013 - 08.2016
Bachelor of Arts - Global Studies And International Affairs
Alverno College
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