On 27 September, I had the pleasure of co-hosting the “Day of the Rescuers” in Gelsenkirchen together with Michael Zurhausen. It was a day that highlighted just how many people and organisations play a vital role in keeping our society safe in times of crisis. Pretty much organisation that has a flashing blue light was there: the fire brigade, emergency medical services, police, THW (Federal Agency for Technical Relief), DLRG (German Life Saving Association), German Red Cross

On September 10, 2026, I had the pleasure of moderating three Pitch Battle sessions in English at Future Tech Fest in Düsseldorf, and co-hosting the Grand Final on the Main Stage alongside German TV host and presenter Amiaz Habtu. Future Tech Fest is Germany’s leading B2B startup expo and conference, bringing together around 5,000 people, including startups, investors, companies and international speakers. The event provides national and international tech startups with a pla

On 27 August, I had the privilege of providing interpreting services at gamescom, the world’s largest event for computer and video games and the most important business platform for the international games industry. I was particularly pleased to work at the opening of the gamescom congress at the Confex centre at koelnmesse. The gamescom congress is the world’s leading conference on the potential of games in a digitalised world, with connections reaching far beyond the digita

This July, I had the pleasure of hosting SHOWTIME, the annual summer dance showcase presented by Tanztempel at Theater Marl. With 800 people in the audience, the evening celebrated the diversity of dance, from classical ballet and modern show dance to hip-hop, freestyle, and performances by JackBACK and PerSe!, the 2024 German Show Dance Champions. I was delighted to take the audience through this inspiring programme. Dance has been a part of my life since I was 13 years old.

For 25 years, Zollverein has held UNESCO World Heritage status, and this milestone was celebrated in style on UNESCO Wold Heritage Day on June 7, with the opening of the new World Heritage Forum in Essen. For me, however, Zollverein is much more than a World Heritage Site. It has also been the setting for some of the most memorable assignments of my professional life over the past two decades. Over the years, I have had the pleasure of: • providing interpretation at the exhib

Before every event, long before the audience or participants arrive, I’m already at the venue. I need time to tune into the atmosphere, get familiar with the flow of the space: Where’s my spot on stage? Which corner might cause microphone feedback? Where’s the best lighting? I coordinate with the tech team, do a soundcheck, go over last-minute programme changes and final details with the organisers, and introduce myself to the speakers. Once the first guests start arriving, I

Last month, I had the opportunity to dive deep into the art of process facilitation during an intensive in-person workshop. The experience was both insightful and practical, focusing on hands-on methods and the invaluable exchange of ideas with fellow participants. One integral part of the workshop was a series of role-playing exercises. These weren’t just theoretical discussions, but real-world simulations where I could experiment with techniques for tactfully guiding domina

Interpreting is teamwork! And that‘s exactly why there are always at least two conference interpreters working in a booth, taking turns to avoid fatigue during this strenuous task. We‘re co-pilots, if you will. But my last couple of assignments were a true team effort in every sense of the word. One assignment, for instance, was all about GenAI and collaboration in a diverse international team. As one of the German team members was deaf, we collaborated with sign language int

“We’re not just moderators; we’re also translators”. When I heard the opening line in episode 31 of the German podcast DIE MODERATORINNEN , I couldn’t help but smile. It resonated deeply with me, because both professions share more similarities than you might expect. As an interpreter, I translate languages. As a moderator, I translate content, moods, and intentions. In both cases, the goal isn’t just to convey what is said, but also what is meant, i.e. the nuances that lin

Writing cue cards is not that different from consecutive note-taking . They contain bullet points, symbols, and abbreviationsm which - just like a single snapshot from your camera - can trigger entire chains of memories in the brain. Like tying a knot in your handkerchief. The important thing is not to write out the entire script word for word, but to focus on the essentials — the things I really don’t want to forget. Ideally, of course, I prefer to speak freely as a moderato

Last weekend, the Annual General Meeting of the NRW regional chapter of BDÜ took place in Siegburg. And this one felt a little different for me! For the first time, I wasn’t just attending. I was actually part of the agenda! In my new role as Public Relations Officer, I had the chance to introduce myself to the members and share a glimpse of what I have in mind for the coming term. My focus? Making our association more visible and approachable for both current and future mem

Remember when I emceed my close friends‘ wedding anniversary? It was the start of a wonderful journey that let me to become an event moderator! As a conference interpreter, I'm experienced in speaking publicly. I learned quite a bit about public speaking when I was at uni. I practised speaking in front of an audience with confidence and ease in consecutive interpreting seminars and developed rhetorical and speech skills with the help of video analysis. I‘m used to speaking to

Last week, I attended best of events international in Dortmund, the leading trade fair for the event industry. It was a great opportunity to get an overview of current developments, trends and key topics shaping the sector. I listened to several talks, which once again highlighted just how quickly the industry is evolving and offered valuable food for thought for my own work. The discussion with Nina Cisneros, Ronja Grebe and Annika Matthes on participation and social sustai

It's that time of year again! Here are my TOP 9, featuring interpreting highlights that made this year truly memorable. I always enjoy doing this review, because with everything else happening in my professional and private life, it gives me the chance to reflect on these standout moments of 2025. My interpreting year started with a two-day assignment in the beautifully snow-covered town of Wuppertal , at a conference for painters and decorators. In January still, I had the o

Another year, another KNH youth conference! Since 2018, we‘ve been supporting the German children’s relief organisation Kindernothilfe...

It's that time of year again! 2024 is coming to a close, and that's my cue to post my BestOf, looking back on my most favourite and...

This October, my fellow interpreting colleague Andrea Wilming from Proscenium and I had the great honour and pleasure of offering our interpreting services at the German Dance Award at the Aalto Theatre in Essen. The German Dance Award is considered the most prestigious prize for dance in Germany.We decided to start a series on LinkedIn to offer (potential) customers and anyone interested a glimpse behind the scenes. This summary of said series shall give you an overview of

On 29th May, the RVR Association celebrated 25 years of Industrial Heritage Route with a kick-off event at Zollverein UNESCO World...

It’s time to say goodbye to 2023. And it’s time for my BestOf, looking back on the best and most memorable assignments of the year. In...

This September, we had the pleasure of interpreting at an international youth conference on Climate Justice organised by Kindernothilfe...