An interview with the 2025 Realtime Contest winner Angela Sundell
Congratulations to CART captioner Angela (Angie) Sundell, RDR, CRR, CRC, of Hopkins, Minn., who won the 2025 NCRA Realtime Contest. Sundell has worked in the profession for more than 35 years and decided to sign up for both the Realtime and Speed Contests this past summer since they were taking place in her home state.
It was Sundell’s first time competing in either contest – and, boy! What a result! Sundell was the only person to qualify in both legs of the Realtime Contest, with a score of 95.9 percent for the Literary leg and 97.067 percent for the Q&A. In addition, she placed first in the Literary leg of the Speed Contest with a score of 99.727 percent — that’s only three errors.
The JCR reached out to get her thoughts on her win in the Realtime Contest.
JCR |What surprised you most about the contest experience?
AS | What surprised me the most is how encouraging and supportive the veteran participants are, even in the email exchanges leading up to the contests! Shout-out to Melanie Humphrey-Sonntag, FAPR, RDR, CRR, CRC, my table mate, for letting me use her dictionary during the editing portion of the Speed Contest. And shout-out to Amy Doman, RDR, CRR, for letting me use her universal charging block and cable to charge my laptop in between contests. Yep, not a great way to start the day — discovering I didn’t have my charger!
JCR | Is there a piece of advice that helped you get here?
AS | No advice, but a few people encouraged me to go for it!
JCR |What’s one thing people might not realize about the skill or craft behind what you do?
AS | People may not realize that learning steno theory is like learning another language.
JCR | What would you say to encourage others to try their hand at the Speed and/or Realtime Contests?
AS | If you’re toying with the idea of participating, just do it! What have you got to lose?! I’m wondering why I waited so long!
“I can’t even describe the range of emotions I was feeling when my name was called for the Realtime Contest. My legs were wobbly and my arms were tingly. I wondered how I was going to climb the few stairs to get onto the stage. “
JCR |What is the hardest challenge for you when competing?
AS | Maintaining focus — I tried to concentrate on one focal point — and also keeping the nerves under control.
My plan for practicing didn’t quite go as I had anticipated. At one point I considered withdrawing from the Speed Contest.
JCR |The standings are announced during the Awards Luncheon on Saturday as part of the NCRA Conference & Expo. What was that like for you?
AS | I can’t even describe the range of emotions I was feeling when my name was called for the Realtime Contest. My legs were wobbly and my arms were tingly. I wondered how I was going to climb the few stairs to get onto the stage. Thank goodness there were railings! I betcha Keith Lemons was worried I was going to pass out! And I was rambling the whole time. I’m sorry, Keith! [Ed. Note: Keith Lemons, FAPR, RPR, CRR (Ret.), in his role as Immediate Past President, was on stage at the Awards Luncheon to hand out awards and medals.]
To be honest, the Awards Presentation was kind of a blur. Later that afternoon, I was showing my medals to a friend, and I couldn’t remember what one of them was for. I ran into Annemarie Roketenetz, NCRA’s Director of Communications and Public Relations, and she brought me to Laura Butler, NCRA’s Director of Governance. [Ed. Note: Roketenetz is a staff liaison for the Contests Committee; Butler runs the continuity for the NCRA Conference.]
I said, “I got 6th in the Speed for Q&A and 4th in the literary. I don’t think I’m supposed to have this medal; I think Keith made a mistake.” She referred to the documents on her laptop. Then she reminded me that I got 1st in the literary. (The 4th place was the overall). Totally embarrassed, I thanked her for checking and apologized for wasting her time and promptly left! Sheesh, I’m a goof!
I’m amazed by Speed Contest winner Sherry Bryant, RMR, CRR – 11 errors in the Speed Q&A – just wow! And Rose Detloff, RMR, CRR — participating in the contests for, like, every year of her career, and she’s so young!
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