The author, Abdi Guled Elmi was the first court certified Somali interpreter in Minnesota and the nation in 2009. He now holds certification from several states including Oregon, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Kentucky. Mr. Elmi is also a translator and interpreter contractor for the Language Services of the United States Department of State.
Mr. Elmi has more than 25 years of combined experience in interpreting, translating, and an exceptional understanding of the teaching of the Middle East & East African cultures.
Mr. Elmi is also a certified language tester. He is also a member of the American Translators Association (ATA) and the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT).
Mr. Elmi was born and grown up in Mogadishu, Somalia. At a very young age, Mr. Elmi began working as a freelance writer for the Somali National Newspaper “Xiddigta Oktoobar” and later as an editor.
Mr. Elmi studied and received an undergraduate degree in accounting from the Somali Institute of Development and Management (SIDAM) and earned his graduate degree in Health and Human Services Administration from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota.