Meet the team
Our in-house translators come from a variety of professional backgrounds, but what we have in common is our love of languages and our attention to detail. Our small team is committed to providing high-quality translations that meet our clients' exacting standards, and to building strong professional relationships with our customers and our network of freelance translators.
EMMA BROXHOLME
AITI
Managing Director and French & Spanish to English Translator
Emma made her first foray into European culture during her degree course in French and Spanish Studies (with Italian) at Lancaster University. She spent time abroad as a language assistant in Spain and as an au pair and language assistant in France.
Emma came to work for Priory Translations while completing an MA in Translation Studies (French and Spanish) awarded by the University of Portsmouth. As well as working as a translator, Emma is interested in the planning of training courses for members of staff and work experience students.
Emma is a keen archer, and she now trains archers of all kinds, and sometimes finds time to shoot her own bow too.
GERALDINE PEARCE
Project Manager and German & French to English Translator
Geraldine is the newest member of staff, having joined Priory in 2018. There were signs early on that Geraldine was going to have a successful career in languages. While studying French and German for a BA in Modern Languages at the University of Essex, Geraldine found herself listening to Japanese music, inspiring her to begin learning Japanese for fun.
Geraldine has proved herself indispensable to the Priory team as an excellent administrator and translator and keeps everyone extremely organized. Geraldine is now very settled, and we hope to have her with us for many years to come.
When she isn't searching for Japanese song lyrics, Geraldine enjoys photography, and has received the accolade from a family member that she "does an ok job"!
BARBARA ASTELL
MITI
Head of Accounts and German & French to English Translator
Barbara studied for her BA in German and English at the National University of Ireland (Galway) before completing an MA in Translation at the University of Surrey. She worked as a translator for a software company in Heidelberg before returning to the UK to become a founder member of the Priory Translations team in 1999.
Barbara specializes in pharmaceuticals, chemistry, and mechanical engineering, and has provided business interpreting services at meetings and international trade fairs.
Barbara has a busy family life with her husband and two daughters. In her spare time she loves singing with a local choir in a variety of languages and visiting her native Ireland as often as she can.
ANNE WICKS
German & French to English Translator
Anne studied French and German at the University of Leicester, where she gained a BA (Joint Hons). She spent a year at Justus-Liebig-Universität in Giessen and the following summer attempted to visit as many of the Châteaux de la Loire as possible.
Anne worked as a translation checker for an IP translation company, and then completed a Diploma in Translation at the University of Westminster before joining Priory Translations in 2016. Anne specializes in intellectual property, chemistry and pharmaceuticals.
Anne enjoys cycling and has a keen interest in nature. She loves nothing more than combining the two, exploring the lanes (and local hostelries) of Essex by bike with her partner, spotting wildlife en route.
LESLEY RAYNER
MCIL
Business Development Manager and German & French to English Translator
Lesley studied for a BA (Hons) German at the University of Leicester, followed by an MA in International Business from De Montfort University, Ecole Supérieure de Commerce and Université de Savoie in Chambéry, France, and Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes in Saarbrücken, Germany.
Lesley worked at the East of England Regional Assembly before switching full-time to translation. Equipped with a Diploma in Translation from the Institute of Linguists, she joined the Priory team in 2013. Lesley specializes in intellectual property, mechanical engineering, chemistry and pharmaceuticals.
In her spare time, Lesley spends a lot of time watching football – either played by her two sons or by Leicester City Football Club.
CHARLOTTE DITTNER
German & French to English Translator
Charlotte completed her a BA (Hons) in Modern European Languages (German and French) at Durham University. She spent time in Munich and Paris and later completed an MA in Translation (German and French) at the University of Surrey.
Charlotte spent some time as a translation checker at a UK translation company specializing in intellectual property before joining the Priory team in 2008. She specializes in intellectual property, mechanical engineering, chemistry and pharmaceuticals, and dentistry.
Charlotte has always counted hockey and singing among her interests. These days her spare time is largely taken up looking after her young daughter, but hockey and music still form an important part of her life.
ANNE HARGREAVES
MITI CIOL
Consultant French, Spanish & Portuguese to English Translator
Anne cut her teeth as a translator on documentary credits in Spanish at a major bank in the City of London. She then moved to a reinsurance company, adding Portuguese, and as her next move switched to French, joining the UK office of a French freight forwarder.
After some years freelancing between the demands of family and a small engineering business, Anne joined Priory Translations while studying for the MSc in Scientific, Technical and Medical Translation and Translation Technology at Imperial College London. She specializes in the mechanical, transport and IT fields.
Anne is currently studying for CCNA 200-301. She is a dedicated commuter cyclist and enjoys country walks.