Women in Localization Grows to 32 Chapters with New Portugal, Madrid, and Türkiye Chapters

SUNNYVALE, California, USA, September 25, 2024. Women in Localization (W.L.) is excited to announce three new additions to our growing international community. The organization recently launched three new chapters in Portugal, Madrid, and Türkiye in its mission to bring community to members throughout the globe.

The leadership teams from all three chapters are excited to empower and support women in the localization industry by providing resources, networking opportunities, and a platform for professional growth. 

“I am over the moon to announce the launch of the Women in Localization Chapter in Portugal,” says Portugal Chapter Manager Marta Boer. “I am honored to be among these amazing women who have generously offered their time and experience to support the language community. Our team of passionate professionals who believe in the power of language to connect the world also values inclusivity and collective growth as the foundation of our journey.” 

Madrid Chapter Manager Paola Manca agrees. “It was amazing to see how quickly the localization community reacted to our call for volunteers to launch the new Women in Localization Chapter in Madrid,” she says. “I’m proud to coordinate this fantastic group of industry women experts to bring together localization professionals in Spain, converging on the Madrid region. We are inspired by the excellent work of the successful Catalunya Chapter.”

Olga Hergül, Türkiye Chapter Manager, looks forward to the impact women in Localization will have in Türkiye. “This is a much-needed and long-awaited initiative that will focus on consolidating and strengthening the country’s localization community. It’s truly inspiring to see so many brilliant, passionate women collaborating to bring this vision to life. Our goal is to create an inclusive and supportive network that empowers local professionals, providing them a dynamic platform to exchange experiences, learn, and thrive together.”
Inaugural events are underway for all three Chapters:
●    The Türkiye Chapter held their inaugural event September 22, 2024. Visit the Chapter’s LinkedIn page for pictures and be sure to follow their page to learn about future events. 
●    The Portugal Chapter’s kickoff event will be held October 10, 2024. For information on how to attend, visit the Portugal Chapter’s LinkedIn page. 
●    Planning for the Madrid Chapter’s event is still in progress. Be sure to follow the Madrid Chapter’s LinkedIn page for more details coming soon. 

Edith Bendermacher, Program Director of Global Growth and Diversity, is proud of the organization’s growth in 2024. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The journey of a new chapter begins with a single dream. We are delighted to have new chapters join Women in Localization and make the dream a reality. We look forward to embracing the challenges, the opportunities, and the joys of advancing women and the localization industry in Portugal, Madrid, and Türkiye.”

About Women in Localization

Women in Localization (W.L.) was founded in 2008 by Silvia Avary-Silveira, Eva Klaudinyova, and Anna N. Schlegel, and is the leading professional organization for women in the localization industry with over 12,000 members globally. Its mission is to foster a global community for the advancement of women and the localization industry. It aims to provide an open, collaborative forum where women can share expertise and experience and help each other move forward in their careers. Started in the San Francisco Bay Area, W.L. has expanded its membership to include women across the globe, encouraging members to meet in other local geographies. To learn more, visit www.womeninlocalization.com. You can also follow W.L. on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).