JHCHC Employee Spotlight: Darren Reed, Medical Interpreter

At Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center, we like to showcase our wonderful employees.

Meet Darren Reed, Medical Interpreter.

"My name is Darren Reed, and I grew up in a small town in Mississippi. My family, though they only speak English, encouraged me to learn Spanish. Gradually, I started to take a real interest in the culture. By the age of 19, I found myself completely immersed in the Latino Community. One summer I visited Central America and decided to move there permanently. I lived in Honduras where I participated in volunteer and missionary work for three and a half years. I stayed a year more, teaching English. Those were the best four and a half years of my life! Back in Mississippi, I found work as a bilingual employee. Part of my responsibilities involved interpretation and translation.

Finally, in June 2013, I landed my dream job as a Staff Medical Interpreter at a community health center. I got nationally certified in November 2015. Also that fall, I started learning American Sign Language. I was accepted in the Interpreter Training Program at a local community college which prepares individuals to interpret for the Deaf. In November 2016, I passed the Mississippi Quality Assurance State Screening with a Level One. My goal is to become a nationally certified trilingual interpreter."

Mr. Reed has been employed with Jackson-Hinds since June 2013 and also serves as the International Medical Interpreters Association State Chair for Mississippi.