Ira SenGupta Biography

Ira SenGupta served as a founding member of the Cross Cultural Health Care Program (CCHCP) and was one of the founders of the National Council in Health Care Interpreting (NCIHC). It is a joy and an honor to celebrate NCIHC’s 25 year history of advocacy, establishing standards of practice and ensuring Medical Interpreting becomes a recognized profession.

Ira served as the Executive Director of CCHCP for 25 years. After her recent retirement, she continues to serve as Senior Advisor. Ira has actively contributed to the field of culturally and linguistically appropriate services as a national trainer, researcher, and facilitator of community conversations. An inspirational speaker, she brings to her work a genuine passion, energetic style, and applicable tools. Ira is multilingual and has deep roots in communities accessing health and social services. Ira conducted three significant pieces of qualitative research to understand the barriers to care. She also set up an organizational assessment program to examine and advise health care organizations on their progress towards health equity.

She is a Fellow of the leadership program of the Disparities Solutions Center in Boston. During her time at CCHCP Ira was the co-creator and trainer of the different versions of Bridging the Gap (BTG) Medical Interpreter training program, Patient Guide Training, Trainings in Health Equity and Inclusion, and Training of Trainers to build organizational capacity. Now a full-time grandmother of four, she enjoys the fresh ideas of her grandchildren while sharing the eternal value of compassion, the bedrock of our profession.