After completing her bachelor’s degree in international studies at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, Maia lived and studied in Cologne, Germany for six years. She earned her degree as a certified translator (Diplom-Übersetzerin) specializing in legal translation from the Cologne University of Applied Sciences. Upon returning to the States, Maia immediately began working as a translator and editor for GLS and bought the business five years later. Maia is an active member of the American Translators Association (ATA), has been ATA-certified since 2000, and is a grader for the ATA German to English certification exam.

Courtney founded German Language Services in 1979. She now serves as advisor and sounding board for the GLS management team. Courtney is a life member of the American Translators Association and has served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. She has chaired the Honors and Awards Committee and the Mentoring Program. Courtney is a co-founder of the Translation & Interpretation Institute at Bellevue College where she teaches Ethics for Translators and Interpreters. She recently developed online training courses for clients of language service providers and for beginning translators and interpreters.

Sarah has been with GLS as a project manager since 2006. She holds a master’s degree in German literature and certificates in business German from the Goethe Institut and the Institut für Internationale Kommunikation. She helps train new translators as an instructor with the Translation & Interpretation Institute at Bellevue College. Sarah has significant travel, study, and work experience in Germany and prides herself on building strong relationships with GLS clients.

Geoff devotes his energies to project management, editing translations, and GLS’s web and technology needs. From Seattle, Geoff studied German language and literature at the University of California, Santa Cruz (Bachelors), LMU München, and the University of Washington (Masters, PhD).  He has taught language, literature, film, and cultural studies at the University of Washington, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (Münster), Seattle Pacific University, and for the Seattle Opera. He is currently teaching translation at the Translation & Interpretation Institute at Bellevue College.

Noelle is a native of Seattle with more than ten years of experience as a German to English translator. She earned her bachelor’s degree in German studies at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, spending her junior year abroad in Munich, Germany. She went back to Munich to study and work after graduating from college, later returning to the United States for graduate school. Noelle holds a master’s degree in German to English translation from the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. Her experience in Germany also includes extended stays in Mainz and Darmstadt to work as a translator.

Mandy began translating as a freelancer in 2008 and first came to GLS in 2010 after completing her certificate in German to English translation from the Translation & Interpretation Institute at Bellevue College. Originally from Wyoming, Mandy came to the Pacific Northwest to attend Pacific Lutheran University and earned her bachelor's degree in German, Anthropology and Publishing & Printing Arts. She spent her junior year abroad in Freiburg, Germany and taught English in Salzburg, Austria for two years after college as part of the Fulbright program.