19 years of experience in internationalization and localization for three leading AAA video game publishers, Ubisoft, THQ, and Warner Bros.
Proven ability to plan, schedule, and forecast internationalization and localization work, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget
Experienced in working with and improving the localization pipeline of over 50 development studios around the world
In-depth knowledge of internationalization and localization best practices and pipelines for over 12 different platforms and more than 20 languages
Recognized expert in the video game localization industry, with a track record of publishing articles, delivering presentations and talks at various industry events
Strong communication and public speaking skills in three different languages
Manage the Montreal Localization Department, retain and hire top talent
Prepare and maintain localization budgets for future and current projects
Advocate on behalf of the Montreal Localization Department, building partnerships with key departments across the organization including Production, Development, Marketing, QA, etc.
Create and continuously improve localization pipelines to meet current and next gen platform requirements
Games Localized:
Senior Localization Manager, April 2017 - July 2020
Warner Bros. Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Work with different Warner Bros. internal and external studios to establish internationalization and localization pipeline and processes
Design, develop and maintain internal localization tools
Manage integration of localized game assets
Games Localized:
Localization Manager, April 2013 - March 2017
Warner Bros. Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Built the new Montreal localization department from scratch
Define and develop tools, formats and processes for localizable text assets
Provide internationalization and technical localization support to internal and external WB development teams
Games Localized:
Localization Project Manager, September 2010 - January 2013
THQ, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Design and development of localization integration and validation tools (C#)
Acting as an internationalization consultant for game development teams
Development and implementation of localization pipelines for localizable game assets
Managing a team of localization programmers
Managing and coordinating integration of localized assets
Debugging and management of localization bugs
Games Localized:
Technical Localization Specialist, October 2005 - September 2010
Ubisoft, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Develop my own localization tools (VB and C#) to extract and integrate localizable text assets and improve the localization process:
Localize text assets from games based on the Unreal engine
Localize the Xbox 360 xlast file and PS3 Trophy file contents
Detect character corruption issues in localized text assets
Detect variable mismatch issues in localized text assets
Reuse translation assets from previously localized files
Localize text assets from Nintendo DS games
Merge translated files from vendors into master file and flag potential issues in the process
Act as an internationalization consultant for game development teams
Define and develop formats and processes for localizable text assets
Manage integration, data modification and text/subtitle debug of US and localized versions
Coordinate data integration
Communicate with translation vendors to handle translations and integrate them into the game
Gather contextual information to facilitate translation and provide support to vendors
Synchronize English and localized subtitles
Analyze and fix text and subtitle bugs in US and localized versions
Fix TRC terminology bugs for all languages
Develop Localization Kit for post master versions
Provide technical support to remote integration teams and third parties
Games Localized:
Senior Spanish Translator/Reviewer, January 2003 - October 2005
SDL International, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Translated technical and multimedia documentation, software, and firmware
Edited and reviewed technical and multimedia documentation, software, and firmware translations
Acted as lead translator and took full responsibility for linguistic quality of my own projects
Ensured that all translations met the customer's standards and the needs of the target market
Worked closely with project managers, engineering and DTP teams
Software Developer (Corel Ventura 10), January - August 2002
Corel Corporation, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Fixed Corel Ventura bugs using MS Visual C++ debugging tools
Found, isolated, and fixed memory leaks using MS Visual C++ and HeapAgent
Freelance Subject Matter Expert (Java, HTML, DHTML, XML), February 2002 - April 2005
Transware plc.
Reviewed technical aspects of translation into Spanish of nine computer-based training courses:
Java 2 Fundamentals I & II, Programming Fundamentals, HTML Fundamentals I & II, HTML Frames and Forms, Style Sheets and DHTML, XML Fundamentals, and Advanced XML in the Enterprise
Freelance Spanish Reviewer, September - October 2002
Symantec Corporation
Webmaster, Translator, Research Assistant, and Office Assistant, September 2000 - August 2002
School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies (SLALS), Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
Designed and created the new SLALS Web site
Translated web pages and information booklets into Spanish
Edited information booklets, manuals, and tests
Registered test takers, monitored and marked tests for the Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment Unit
Wrote macros using Visual Basic to automate link insertion and find/replace work
Freelance Multimedia Translator, 1998 - 1999
DLMultimedia, Madrid, Spain
Translated computer games individually and in small teams
Reviewed translations into Spanish
Translator and Interpreter, 1997 - 1998
Sierra Nevada Basketball Club of Granada, Spanish top division, Granada, Spain
Helped club motivate and communicate with foreign players
Responded to challenges under pressure by helping head coach explain contract details and present game strategy to potential new players
November 2016: Participant at the OTTIAQ Annual Conference in Montreal, in a round table discussion titled Today's Translation Challenges: Fall in Line or Break the Mold
October 2016: Speaker at the LocWorld32 in Montreal, where I gave a talk titled Internationalization, Pipeline Optimization and Automation in Video Games
Localization Engineer, October 2005 - Present Ubisoft, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Develop my own localization tools (VB and C#) to extract and integrate localizable text assets and improve the localization process:
Localize text assets from games based on the Unreal engine
Localize the Xbox 360 xlast file and PS3 Trophy file contents
Detect character corruption issues in localized text assets
Detect variable mismatch issues in localized text assets
Reuse translation assets from previously localized files
Localize text assets from Nintendo DS games
Merge translated files from vendors into master file and flag potential issues in the process
Act as an internationalization consultant for game development teams
Define and develop formats and processes for localizable text assets
Manage integration, data modification and text/subtitle debug of US and localized versions
Coordinate data integration
Communicate with translation vendors to handle translations and integrate them into the game
Gather contextual information to facilitate translation and provide support to vendors
Synchronize English and localized subtitles
Analyze and fix text and subtitle bugs in US and localized versions
Fix TRC terminology bugs for all languages
Develop Localization Kit for post master versions
Provide technical support to remote integration teams and third parties
Senior Spanish Translator/Reviewer, January 2003 - October 2005 SDL International, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Translated technical and multimedia documentation, software, and firmware
Edited and reviewed technical and multimedia documentation, software, and firmware translations
Acted as lead translator and took full responsibility for linguistic quality of my own projects
Ensured that all translations met the customer's standards and the needs of the target market
Worked closely with project managers, engineering and DTP teams
Software Developer (Corel Ventura 10), January - August 2002 Corel Corporation, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Fixed Corel Ventura bugs using MS Visual C++ debugging tools
Found, isolated, and fixed memory leaks using MS Visual C++ and HeapAgent
Freelance Subject Matter Expert (Java, HTML, DHTML, XML), February 2002 - April 2005 Transware plc., Dublin, Ireland
Reviewed technical aspects of translation into Spanish of nine computer-based training courses:
Java 2 Fundamentals I
(),
& II
(),
Programming Fundamentals
(),
HTML Fundamentals I
(),
& II
(),
HTML Frames and Forms
(),
Style Sheets and DHTML
(),
XML Fundamentals
(), and
Advanced XML in the Enterprise
()
Freelance Spanish Reviewer, September - October 2002 Symantec Corporation, Dublin, Ireland
Webmaster, Translator, Research Assistant, and Office Assistant, September 2000 - August 2002
School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies (SLALS), Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
Designed and created the new SLALS Web site
Translated web pages and information booklets into Spanish
Edited information booklets, manuals, and tests
Registered test takers, monitored and marked tests for the Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment Unit
Wrote macros using Visual Basic to automate link insertion and find/replace work
Programming Methodology
(),
System Hardware
(),
Introduction to Theoretical Computer Science
(),
Data Structures and Algorithms
(),
System Software
(),
Technical Writing and Communication,
Software Engineering I
(),
Operating Systems
(),
Data Communication and Computer Networks
(),
Databases
(),
Designing Programs with C++
()
Abstract Data Types and Algorithms
(),
Computer Organization
(),
Internet Application Programming
(),
Programming in C++
(),
Design and Implementation of Computer Applications
(),
Introduction to Systems Programming
(),
Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming
(),
Discrete Structures I
(),
& II
()
Localisation Process I ()
& II (), Language Engineering I ()
& II (), Programming Global Applications I ()
& II (), Quality and Localisation (), Localisation Engineering Fundamentals ()
Foreign languages: Native speaker of Spanish, fluent in English and French, intermediate in Italian, translation skills in German, and basic knowledge of Dutch
Lecturer at the Université de Montréal (conferences on the translator's role in localization and localization engineering) from 2005 to 2007
Recipient of the ERASMUS exchange program scholarship, attending Thames Valley University, London, U.K. in the 1996-97 academic year
August - November 2005: Played for the Concordia University Varsity Soccer team
2002 - Present: Played for FC España in Totalcampo soccer league in Montreal
2000 - 2001: Member of the Committee for the Rights of International Students
1999 - 2000: Played for the University of Limerick Volleyball Team