Team Old

Elizabeth Colón is an author, inspirational speaker, and the CEO of Metaphrasis. Elizabeth founded the company in 2007 after she recognized a pressing need for accurate and effective translation and interpreting services, especially in situations where any kind of misunderstanding or miscommunication might have serious consequences.

As a child of parents who do not speak English and a sister of two deaf siblings, I have firsthand experience with the struggles faced by those negotiating a new country and culture without being proficient in the language or unable to understand. Getting pulled out of school to interpret for my parent’s appointments or unable to communicate with my sisters who were just across the kitchen table, was a very difficult scenario for my family, and as a young child hard to endure.  To help others with similar issues, I founded Metaphrasis in 2007 with the dream of providing the best translation and interpretation services possible. At Metaphrasis we take the time to get to the heart of the issue, using our extensive experience to effectively assess each situation so, that we can fully understand where each person is coming from.

In 2017 Elizabeth was the recipient of the Latinas in Business award; in 2016, she was named Woman of Influence by The Chicago Business Journal; in 2015, she was named Woman Business Owner of the Year by The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO); in 2014, Small Business Person of the Year by the SBA (Small Business Administration); in 2013, Enterprising Woman of the year by Enterprising Women; and in 2011, Metaphrasis was named one of Hispanic Businesses top 500 Businesses in the USA. Elizabeth has been featured in Women’s Day Magazine, Hispanic Executive Magazine, and on iHeart Radio Español. She was the keynote speaker at Harper College in 2015, has appeared on WGN Channel 9 Adelante, and has been featured in the Blue Sky Innovation section of the Chicago Tribune. Elizabeth is co-author of the book, Today’s Inspired Latinas: Life Stories of Success in the Face of Adversity.