About Tsukumo
Tsukumo Niwa Sattler (she/her) is a Japanese-English interpreter and translator based in North Carolina (USA). She is a bilingual and bicultural communication facilitator for anyone trying to work across cultures and languages.
Credentials:
CoreCHI Certified Healthcare Interpreter™
Arizona Court Certified Interpreter
Department of Justice-Executive Office of Immigration Review
Certified Immigration Court InterpreterInterprefy Certified & KUDO Pro
Preferred Interpreter for Cadence Translate
Experience interpreting for Microsoft, Google, Meta, Tokyo Olympics 2020+1, GSK, and many others
My Story:
Description: Images that showcase who I am. At the top, it says TSUKUMO. Top left: a picture of myself in reindeer costume and flashy background, with the tagline "What my friends think I am". Top middle: myself in shiromuku (Japanese bridal kimono), with the tagline “What my mom thinks I am”. Top right: a picture of survey with “Asian” checked, with the tagline “What society thinks I am”. Bottom left: a snap of military dependent ID, with the tagline: “What my neighbors think I am”. Bottom middle: a picture of Gudetama, “lazy egg”, with the tagline: “What I think I am”. Bottom right: a picture of me and my service dog (black lab) with NAJIT backdrop, with the tagline: “What I actually am”.
I was born in Japan. Then, my parents and I moved to the United States when I was ten years old.
As a child, I strived to keep up with my Japanese education while integrating myself into the U.S. schools. That makes up who I am right now: a bilingual, bicultural communicator that can navigate among people of diverse backgrounds.
I am also trained as a musician. Music was the tool that I used to connect with others when I couldn’t communicate using languages. It also has taught me many skills — team work, creativity, tenacity, non-verbal communication.
While studying at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, I was involved in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts on campus. My friends and colleagues in that field taught me that diversity provides strength for teams.
I translate and interpret because that is the best way that I can give back to the community. Many people have given me so many opportunities to let me tell their stories to a speaker of different language because of my bilingual ability. I want to be better at it so that I could do better justice for these stories and people.
I live with my Marine husband, my service dog, and two rescue cats.
