CARE Coaching

Yvonne, a dynamic leader and presenter, currently serves as the Director of Multilingual Learner Educator Engagement at WCEPS, where she plays a pivotal role in fostering collaboration with Local Education Agencies (LEAs). In this capacity, she engages intimately with educators, delving into their goals and needs to chart a course that aligns seamlessly with their objectives. Yvonne’s journey is marked by resilience and the pursuit of excellence, having immigrated from Chihuahua, Mexico, to the United States at the age of 5. This immigrant experience enriches her professional endeavors with a unique perspective as an English language learner, infusing passion into her work.

With a wealth of experience spanning over 25 years in education, Yvonne has demonstrated her commitment to diverse language learners, having taught students from kindergarten to high school. Before her current role, she spent three impactful years at WIDA as a Professional Learning Specialist, making significant contributions both internationally and domestically. Her dedication to the field is not only professional but personal, as evidenced by her own experience as a first-generation graduate with a master’s degree, along with her two sisters. This unique background infuses passion into her work, enabling her to champion high expectations, recognize potential, and leverage the cultural assets that bilingual students bring to school communities. Yvonne believes deeply in the professional development of educators, understanding that they seek more than just a day of training. Her vision goes beyond, emphasizing continuous learning where teachers can implement strategies in the classroom, receive valuable feedback, and find reassurance in the changes they make. Her passion for this approach led her to initiate a coaching program at WCEPS, which has now flourished into a valuable resource for districts across the United States. This program allows educators to express the challenges they face, fostering a supportive environment for growth and improvement.

Residing in Washington State with her husband, Yvonne previously called Las Vegas, Nevada home for over 23 years. Her commitment to family is evident, and she instills a deep belief in the transformative power of public education for all students. Yvonne holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Angelo State University, Texas, and a Master’s in Bilingual Education from NOVA Southeastern University, Florida. Her diverse skill set is further underscored by endorsements in TESL, Bilingual, and Computer Literacy. Yvonne takes pride in her two bi-racial sons, both accomplished with bachelor’s degrees, who reside proudly in Nevada and Washington states.

Amy King has more than 20 years of experience in the field of English language teaching and learning both in the US and overseas. Before joining WCEPS, Ms. King was a Senior Professional Learning Specialist at WIDA for more than six years. She taught ESL in K–12 public schools, private language schools, and adult education programs. Internationally, she has taught in both Slovakia and South Korea. In Banska Bystrica, she was a visiting lecturer at Mateja Bela University. In Seoul, she worked at Shin–il High School as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant and at the Foreign Language Institute of Yonsei University. She was an English Language Fellow at Hanoi Metropolitan University in Vietnam through a program sponsored by the US State Department. In addition, she worked as an English Language Specialist through the same program to write, record, and produce a 10-episode fictional travel show to designed to teach American English and increase awareness of American history, culture, and values. She holds a BS in Speech and an MS in Journalism from Northwestern University near Chicago. She earned a TESOL Certificate from American University in Washington, DC and a Multiple–Subject Teaching Credential from National University in San Diego. In addition to certificates in Blended Learning, Microlearning, and E–Learning, she earned a Master of Instructional Design from the Association of Talent Development. She also holds a MS with distinction in Educational and Instructional Technology from National University.

Margarita Marrero has 16 years of experience in public education with a passion and focus on improving school systems to integrate literacy and content instruction to provide access and equity to English Learners. Her experience includes serving as a secondary math consultant for the Region 19 Education Service Center in El Paso, Texas. She has taught Spanish and math at a dual-language elementary school in Miami, Florida, as well as high school math in El Paso, Texas. She has served on campus leadership teams as an instructional coach for a public high school and as an assistant principal for a 6-12 all-girls college preparatory public school.

Margarita’s guiding educational philosophy is that learning is inherently a socio-cultural process, therefore, learning occurs with a balance of finding and leveraging unique strengths while creating accountability for growth that is culturally responsive to the learner. She was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, and is of Mexican and Cuban descent. She received her Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from the College of Human Development at Lamar University and her Bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, with a major in Psychology and a minor in Mathematics. She is fluently bilingual in both English and Spanish.

Dee Brastad is a multilingual education leader in Washington public schools. She has 13 years’ experience teaching and leading within gen ed and dual language contexts in the Puget Sound region. Her journey started as a K-12 ELP assessment coordinator in one of Washington state’s most diverse public-school districts. She has had the privilege of teaching, learning, and advocating with culturally and linguistically diverse students, staff, and families as an ML teacher, facilitator, curriculum and instruction specialist, and administrator of multilingual and dual language programs. She is deeply committed to working with teachers and staff to reflect on their practice and attain professional goals. 

It is Dee’s professional goal to support all educational staff in strengthening their confidence with innovative and effective teaching practices. She believes that, in her work designing and delivering professional development within teaching and learning teams, it is equally important to identify and leverage educator assets as it is for students. Her successes in supporting English language development instruction and coaching for collaborative instruction has been instrumental in attaining language proficiency goals and fostering effective inclusive learning environments that benefit the entire teaching and learning community.

Nora has been a Dual Language educator for the past 12 years and is now a Dual Language Instructional Coach and Teaching & Learning Administrator in North Chicago, IL.  She holds a BA in Communication and Latino Studies, a MA in Elementary Education, a MA in Curriculum & Instruction with ESL/Bilingual endorsements, and is finalizing her dissertation for a PhD in Educational Leadership.  Her research centers around building capacity, confidence, and community through leadership and coaching in Dual Language.  She is passionate about elevating the voices of teachers and students to cultivate a love of learning, increase teacher retention, and improve learning outcomes for our multilingual students.

From the vibrant borderland of Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua and El Paso, Texas, Adriana brings a unique personal perspective to her role. As an English learner herself and a mother of bilingual children, she understands the challenges and benefits of bilingualism. With over a decade of experience in bilingual early childhood education, specializing in working with multilingual students across different levels of biliteracy, Adriana offers a wealth of expertise to her position. Holding a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, with a focus on literacy, language, and culture, she emphasizes critical and multicultural perspectives on language and literacy in K-5 education. 

Adriana’s approach to conceptualizing reading, language, and literacy education is centered on culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogies for students of diverse ethnolinguistic backgrounds. She is an advocate of social justice and equity within language and literacy curriculum and instruction, drawing on research-based best practices in teaching reading, language acquisition, and assessment. Adriana’s commitment extends beyond the classroom as she has served as the NM Teacher Pipeline director, working to help sustain a diverse and robust teacher pipeline with partnering school districts in collaboration with New Mexico State University across the southwest of New Mexico. Currently pursuing a PhD at New Mexico State University, her research is centered on advancing bilingual early childhood education. In her role as a visiting assistant professor at NMSU, Adriana is poised to leverage her expertise to empower educators and promote excellence in bilingual education.

WendySue Clausson is an ESL teacher in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She has over 22 years of experience working with students from pre-K through adult education. She is more than a teacher. She is a building coach, a department mentor, a family liaison, and a FACE committee member. You may know her as a past president of VATESOL. Her experiences of providing PD at the building, district, state, regional, and national levels have taught her the value of networking and supporting each other within the field. Her most recent accolade was being named Teacher of the Year for the 2021 school year. The best part of her career is the relationships that she has with her students and their families!

Dr. Jessica Costa has worked for over 2 decades teaching students a love of language and learning or designing and facilitating professional learning (including coaching) for teachers and educational leaders nationally and internationally.

With over a decade of experience in education, Maria is passionate about supporting teachers in becoming impactful educators. A strong advocate for language development, Maria is dedicated to creating inclusive learning environments where multilingual students thrive. Her expertise in trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices helps her design approaches that honor each student’s background and enhance both language acquisition and academic achievement.

In addition to instructional leadership, Maria empowers teachers with inclusive, language-rich strategies that integrate seamlessly into daily instruction. Through her commitment to culturally inclusive education, she’s helped build school communities that celebrate diversity, foster equity, and provide every student with the opportunity to succeed.

With over 25 years of experience in both private and public education as an English, ELL and Bilingual instructor, Laura Chávez-Dávalos is currently the director of the Office of Learning Services at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago). In this role she oversees the provision of the college’s Bridge Program, academic strategies courses, peer tutoring, peer mentoring, academic coaching, study tables and disability services. 

A former high school ELL department chair, she has taught all levels of high school ELL and team-taught content courses to multilingual learners at the high school level. At the college level, she has taught ELL Composition and Bilingual Methods to aspiring educators.  

Chávez-Dávalos is a native of El Paso, Texas, who obtained a BA in English and MA in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Cross-cultural and bilingual, Chávez-Dávalos is dedicated to removing barriers to student success at all levels and excited to serve as a CARE Coach at WCEPS.

Dr. Ellis is an ESOL and ELA Specialist. Jacqueline has a very strong background in both ESOL and English language arts programs.  Jacqueline’s doctorate is in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on TESOL.  Jacqueline also has a master’s degree in TESOL education, and she is NBCT certification in ESOL.  In addition, Jacqueline has K-12 state certifications in ESOL, English language arts, and educational leadership.  She has worked as an ESOL/ELA K-12 classroom teacher, 6-8 ELA Instructional Coach, state department ESOL Specialist, and a Peace Corps EFL Instructor. 

Lillian Frazier is a dedicated advocate for literacy education with over 16 years of experience in the field. Her passion for empowering educators and improving student outcomes has been the driving force behind the work as a professional development consultant. With a master’s degree in Reading K-12, Lillian brings a wealth of theoretical knowledge combined with practical experience. She has worked extensively with K-12 educators, providing tailored professional development programs aimed at enhancing literacy instruction techniques focused on meeting the diverse needs of students and teachers alike. Driven by her commitment to equity and excellence in education, Lillian continues to inspire educators and ignite a passion for literacy in learners of all ages by utilizing research-based strategies to address individual learning styles and abilities in the classroom. Her collaborative approach, deep subject knowledge, and unwavering dedication make her a great  resource for schools and educational institutions striving to elevate their literacy programs.

Jessica Fundalinski is a seasoned educator and scholar dedicated to fostering humanizing and inclusive learning environments for multilingual learners. She has more than ten years of experience in public schools working with multilingual learners as a middle school English learner teacher and department chair. She has also worked as a division-wide English learner specialist to support teachers and administrators in the D.C. metropolitan area.  

Currently, Jessica is pursuing a PhD in Teaching and Curriculum at Syracuse University.  Her research focuses on teacher education and preparation and presently is exploring the intersections of multilingual learners’ linguistic development and humanizing pedagogy rooted in social justice, art and storytelling. 

She is a graduate of SUNY Oswego (B.S. Childhood Education), Syracuse University (M.S. Teaching English Language Learners) and The George Washington University (M.A., International Education).

Veronica Maria Gallardo has over 25 years of experience in K-12 education as an educator and educational leader at the school, district, and state levels. Ms. Gallardo’s most recent role is Assistant Superintendent at the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, leading federal and state oversight of Multilingual Education, Migrant Education, System and School Improvement, Foster Care, Homeless, and Institutional Education. As a K–12 educational leader, Veronica partners with communities, districts, and state educational leaders in Washington and across the United States to design, expand, and maximize services and funding for students and historically underserved youth.  

Her lifelong commitment to education includes seven years as an elementary teacher, Eighteen years as an elementary principal, leadership roles as Director of English Language Learners, Migrant Education, and International Schools, division director for K–12 Education for the City of Seattle, and State Director for Migrant and Bilingual Education. 

Veronica holds a Bachelor’s in American Ethnic Studies, a Master’s in Teaching from the University of Washington, and a Master’s in Educational Policy from Columbia Teachers College and possesses Principal Credentials from the University of Washington.

With 10 years of experience in education, Katherine Grasso is committed to fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments for all learners. She sees literacy instruction as a necessity when teaching all students across all contents. Her experience includes teaching high school math to multilingual learners in El Paso, Texas and serving on a campus leadership team as an instructional coach for middle school and high school. She has worked as a faculty leader, delivered PD sessions on literacy, and worked on integrating content and language objectives within the classroom.  She received a Master of Arts in Teaching from Drake University and a Bachelor of Arts from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, with a major in both Mathematics and Philosophy.

Karlee Ikebara is tenured ESL faculty member and faculty coordinator at North Seattle College. Karlee holds a MA in Education with a focus on Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She has worked in adult English Language Acquisition for over a decade, working with community classes, international students, and most extensively with immigrant and refugee classes in community colleges. Karlee’s passion is creating equitable, relevant language classrooms that help build language access for students to reach their personal, professional, and educational goals. As a faculty coordinator, Karlee supports instructors in reaching their instructional goals by facilitating conversations, identifying resources, and coordinating development sessions. Karlee also mentors new faculty and observes faculty in multiple departments through tenure processes, supporting them in improving their teaching practices when working with adult learners. Karlee supports multilingual learning not only in the classroom, but throughout her life. She is originally from California and grew up as a monolingual English speaker. She later lived in Japan for 4 years and is now a bilingual Japanese-English speaker outside of work.

Babatunji Ifarinu (Tunji) graduated from Florida A & M University with an undergraduate degree in History and Geography with teacher certification and earned an M.Ed at Georgia State University in Educational Leadership and Supervision. Conducting workshops on equity and access for culturally and linguistically diverse students, Tunji has advocated for students and teachers.  Tunji has been in the field of education since 1998 with 15.5 years in the classroom. He was formerly a sheltered social studies teacher who delivered instruction to immigrant students many of which had refugee status.  His other classroom experience includes primary, middle, and secondary inner-city schools. As an Assistant Principal of one of the most diverse elementary schools in America, he participated in raising the school’s score from 61 to 81. He has also authored and co-authored articles and book chapters on advocacy, equity, and access for Black Immigrants (Ch 7 Black Immigrants in the U.S. Peter Lang Publishing 2021) (Ch.15 Advocacy in EL Teaching and learning  Routledge Group 2019) (No Longer The Silent Subgroup Language Magazine 2016). Tunji builds collaborative teams and fosters instruction to improve and maintain the vision and climate of organizations.

Dr. Silvia Romero-Johnson is an educational leader in the field of K-12 education. She started her career as a paraprofessional working as liaison, interpreter and translator for Spanish-speaking students and families. She became a bilingual mathematics teacher in bilingual programs. Later, she became a principal for a whole school dual language education community school. She has been serving in cabinet level administrative positions in urban and suburban districts. She is the co-author for the book “Advancing Equity in Dual Language Education: A Guide for Leaders” by Velazquez Press. Her passion is to provide leadership for continuous improvement for leadership teams to sustain culturally and linguistically sustaining and inclusive instruction.

Dr. Angelica Kalat is an experienced Bilingual Reading Specialist with over 25 years of teaching expertise in Special Education, English Language Learners and historically underserved populations. She has taught students at the elementary and secondary levels.  Dr. Kalat is known for her commitment to fostering inclusive learning environments, nurturing critical thinking skills and empowering students to reach their potential. Currently, Dr. Kalat teaches literacy and provides academic support for high school students in the western suburbs of Chicago. 

Dr. Kalat holds a BS in Special Education, MA in School Administration, M.Ed in Reading and Literacy, Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with ESL/Bilingual endorsements and is a National Board Certified teacher in English as a New Language. She is passionate about being involved in promoting literacy at the secondary level and connecting with educators to share in discourse and advocate for literacy-based instruction that is accessible to all learners.  Dr. Kalat is excited to join the CARE coaching team to support the learning and growth of empowered teachers to positively impact student learning.  

Colleen LeCompte has over 30 years of experience in the field of education. She continues to teach at the Elementary level and works with grades K-6. Her teaching experience includes classroom teaching, special education, interventionist, and English Language Development.  As a Lead Teacher in her district, Colleen provides educational coaching and staff development focusing on academic, linguistic, and social-emotional challenges of culturally and linguistically diverse students. 

Colleen has a BS degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Stephen F. Austin State University and a MA in Multicultural Education from the University of New Mexico. She completed her studies in Linguistically Diverse Education at the University of Colorado, Denver.

She continues to work on numerous projects for her district and is a proponent of the Seal of Biliteracy and Parent Outreach Initiatives. Colleen is dedicated to language development for multilingual learners and looks forward to providing teachers instructional support to make language development and learning more effective.

Charly is a Northern Virginia native and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.  She earned her Bachelor’s degree in History and her Master of Arts in Secondary Education from James Madison University.  She was a high school Social Studies teacher in Northern Virginia for four years.  She has experience teaching diverse students, including ELL students, and taught AP World History, US/VA Government, US/VA History, and Psychology/Sociology.  In her time as a teacher, she developed tech skills that allowed her students to actively engage in their learning through recorded lessons and self-paced inquiry projects.

Dr. Ariana Magee is an educational leader specializing in making learning accessible for English learners. As an assistant principal, she works to increase equitable practices and improve instruction for English Learners.

As a classroom science teacher for just over a decade, Dr. Magee worked with secondary language minority students at various levels of English proficiency. She uses this experience to enhance the pedagogical knowledge and practice of the educators with whom she works.

Dr. Magee has also served as a professional learning specialist for the Georgia Department of Education where she designed, delivered, and coordinated statewide EL-focused professional learning for school systems throughout the state of Georgia. With more than sixteen years of teaching experience, the last eight of which have been exclusively with English Learners, she has also worked in various educational settings and with varying age groups as a science teacher. Dr. Magee earned her Ed.D. in educational leadership in 2017 from Clark Atlanta University.

Dr. Claudia Martinez is an ESOL leader at North Tattnall Middle School. She was the 2020 GATESOL Teacher of the Year. Dr. Martinez received the Best Example of Teacher & Student Wellbeing Programs award at the 2022 Georgia Tech and Learning Summit. 

Her personal story proves that students can accomplish anything under the right conditions. Dr. Martinez is a first-generation immigrant and high school graduate. She is a product of public education in a southern rural district. She is passionate about educating others and believes in the importance of critical and culturally sustaining pedagogy. She became an ESOL teacher because she knew firsthand the struggles of EL and Migrant students. “I became an ESOL teacher to help create better learning experiences and opportunities for other minorities,” she said. “I want to show other minority students they can attend college and make a difference. I want them to see me and think, “If she could do it, I can do it too.”

As a first-generation Hmong American, Shoua has personally experienced the struggles that many of our students face in navigating the educational system in the United States.  Her life experiences fuel her passion to become an educator of over 20+ years. 

Her professional experience includes successful teaching and instructional leadership in private, charter, traditional public schools and EdTech start-ups. In her tenure as a principal, she was recognized as an educational leader to maintain student achievement growth over consecutive years. Shoua brings a wealth of instructional and systemic leadership skills ranging from team facilitation, building leadership capacity, conducting data-analysis, and leveraging community partners to inform organizational change.

Shoua received her Bachelor of Science in Human Development from the University of California Davis and Master of Educational Specialists from the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota.  

Nora’s Belief: All educators are artists and every child is a masterpiece. We hold in our hands the power to enable a child to become active and productive members of the world community. We hold in our hands the power to influence students’ self-efficacy to be change agents, which requires open access to diverse people and perspectives. We hold in our hands the tools and means to empower our students with knowledge, vision, and core values through high expectations, and dynamic, rigorous teaching and learning. Education is as dynamic as every child who enters the classroom and embarks on the teaching and learning journey – a journey of continuous growth and development throughout life.

Nora Nasser is an experienced educational leader with over 30 years of national and international experience, serving in various roles including PK-8 classroom teacher, school administrator, instructional specialist, staff development specialist, curriculum developer and facilitator, instructional consultant and coach. Nora’s vast experience, multicultural upbringing and multilingual skills have helped to shape her mission to serve all students and educate the whole child regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, ability, and linguistic assets. Throughout her career, Nora has been committed to being a catalyst and champion for educational change, always engaging in transformative efforts to reimagine a high-performing and more equitable educational system that works for ALL students. It has been Nora’s mission to foster environments where students, educators, families, and organizations can grow and thrive. 

Nora has founded, led, and implemented a range of district and system-wide initiatives to support leaders, staff, students, and families in early childhood through secondary levels, including Co-Teaching Models to Elevate the Emergent Multilingual Learners’ Experience, Asset-Based Classrooms & the Multilingual Learner, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion, Coaching for Equity, Middle School Reform, Social-Emotional Teaching & Learning, International Baccalaureate, Standards-Based Teaching & Learning, Leadership for Social Justice, Health & Wellness: A Part of the School Culture, and the School Improvement Process. Nora holds a Master of Science in Early Childhood & Elementary Education and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Miami, Florida, as well as several professional certifications and trainings. She has native fluency in Spanish, Intermediate fluency in French, and Conversational fluency in Arabic. 

Nora was born in New York City, and has lived in New York, Miami, Colombia, Lebanon (where she worked at the International College for six years), and has traveled to many countries. She is an avid fitness enthusiast, currently seeking her Personal Trainer certification. Nora also enjoys exploring new places, cultures, languages, horseback riding, baking, fashion, shopping, reading magazines, journaling, surfing the web, and just sitting on the beach or on the mountain with family at home in Lebanon.

Ivonne Perez has been a Special education teacher for more than 20 years in rural middle and high schools.  She got a masters in Bilingual Special Education from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Masters in Education with a focus on Autism from the New Mexico State University.  She has worked with verbal and nonverbal students. Ivonne has worked in different areas such as mathematics and reading with students with learning disabilities.  Prior to this she worked teaching ESL to maquiladora workers in Ciudad Juarez.

Dr. Yesenia Rodriguez has over 18 years of experience in both K-12 public schools and higher education. As a first-generation Latina from a single-parent migrant-seasonal farmworker family, Yesenia brings a unique perspective to her work. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Administrative Office Management from Central Washington State University, followed by a Master’s in Educational Administration from Heritage University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Washington State University. Additionally, she holds a Society for Human Resource Management certificate from Seattle Colleges. 

Currently, Dr. Rodriguez serves as the Assistant Director for Federal Programs at the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Her administrative leadership is characterized by a multidimensional approach that includes Adaptive and Servant leadership styles. Her expertise extends to understanding and applying federal and state laws, regulations, and policies that impact student learning, access, retention, and completion. Dr. Rodriguez has taught Workforce Education and Basic Skills courses at a Hispanic Serving Institution. She is deeply committed to supporting staff, educators, administrators, families, and community members within school districts and Local Education Agencies.

Dr. Ryan Rumpf is an educational leader whose work focuses on comprehensive and effective structures, systems and strategies for multilingual learners. He currently serves as the principal of an elementary newcomer program in the Midwest and as an adjunct professor for Missouri Western State University where he teaches courses on laws, policies and programs for multilingual learners.

Dr. Rumpf has 20 years of experience working in K-12 schools as an EL specialist and coordinator both in the United States and Vietnam. He also served as the Director of English Language Development for the Missouri Department of Elementary Education during the development and implementation of Missouri’s ESSA plan and led the state’s Seal of Biliteracy initiative. Dr. Rumpf earned his Ed.D in educational leadership in 2023 from William Woods University.

Marisa Silva is a native of the New Mexico borderlands and was born and raised in Las Cruces. She grew up immersed in the vibrant English-Spanish environment of the sister cities of Las Cruces, El Paso, and Ciudad Juarez. Marisa received a master’s degree from New Mexico State University in Curriculum & Instruction with a minor in bilingual education in 2005, and returned again to graduate school as a James Madison Memorial Foundation fellow to the University of New Mexico, where she graduated with a master’s in United States history in 2013.

Marisa began her career in Albuquerque as a bilingual program coordinator and bilingual social studies teacher at Valley High School, where she also served as director of Ballet Folklórico del Sol, as well as on the first APS district-wide committee to craft and execute a uniform exit exam for the Bilingual Seal Program. In 2013, she moved to the Washington D.C. metropolitan area to work as an English Language Learner teacher at Alexandria City Public Schools, where she also served as ELL Department Co-Chair for eight years; she also completed a two-year foreign teaching leave in China and Indonesia. Over her fifteen-year teaching career, Marisa has taught bilingual U.S. history and world history; International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and Middle Years Programme English language and literature, and English language B. She has also supported STEM program multilingual learners in the English for Academic Purposes Biology I and World Civ. I courses and is a veteran co-teacher of World Civilization I, Biology I, and U.S./Virginia history. 

Katie earned her Bachelor’s degree at Central Washington University with an endorsement in ELL. She currently teaches as an ML and Academic Coach at an elementary school in the Kent School District in Washington State. Kent School District, is one of the largest districts in Washington state and serves students that speak nearly 130 different languages. Katie has taught in the Kent School District for the last 10 years and loves the diversity that is celebrated daily throughout the school district. 

Wilma Valero served as director of the ELL Program for School District U-46 which is the second largest pre-k – 12 district in Illinois.  It is within the comprehensive lens of culturally and linguistically responsive instruction that Wilma, in collaboration with teachers, is given to the task of designing thematic units from kindergarten through sixth grade that integrate in an organic manner the relevance and rigor of language and content.

Her educational vision revolves and focuses on students within an environment of social and academic relevance.  This is complemented by expectations of rigor of language and content standards that ensure the student’s successful role in this global society.  Under her leadership, one of the most ambitious and successful transition at the national level of the Bilingual Program to the 80:20 Dual Language Program took place.

In 2012, the organization CABE awarded Wilma the prize Promoting Bilingualism District of Distinction for her strong commitment to promoting bilingualism. Wilma is a firm believer that success occurs every day in our schools when teachers are valued with a relevant support infrastructure that sees emerging bilingual students as their greatest strength. Under this premise Wilma implemented, in U-46, the Dual Language Academy, a forum of teachers, for teachers; all collaborating in the development of fairness and social justice in the journey of the teaching and learning process.

Wilma has master’s degrees in Elementary Education and in School Administration and Supervision. She also has endorsements from the state of Illinois in bilingual education and English as a Second Language.

Katie is a dual language educator from Woodstock, Illinois. She began her career as a primary Spanish-English dual language teacher and has spent nearly 15 years as a dual language facilitator, working to help grow and strengthen the dual language program which spans PreK-12th grade. 

Katie enjoys working with teachers to expand their capacity to help language learners thrive. She has undertaken various professional development initiatives in the areas of language acquisition and literacy and has led the development of units of instruction for biliteracy. She teaches in a local university’s ESL endorsement program, preparing educators to meet the needs of their diverse learners. 

Katie holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a minor in Spanish and she holds a masters degree in educational leadership with an endorsement in bilingual and ESL education. 

Katie is passionate about additive language acquisition. She and her husband are raising their young children bilingually and Katie marvels at the language and literacy development of her two young children. 

Dr. Cherrilynn Woods Washington is a multifaceted educator, author, and motivational speaker with a passion for empowering English Language Learners (ELLs) to achieve their fullest potential. As an ESOL Elementary Itinerant teacher and college professor, she brings her expertise in linguistics and language acquisition to the classroom, inspiring students to embrace the beauty of language diversity.

With a deep commitment to community service, Dr. Woods Washington serves as the Mentor/Mentee Chairman for the Kappa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., where she fosters growth and development among members. She also contributes to the academic community as a College Graduate Advisor Council Member, guiding aspiring college students on their journey to success.

As a published author, Dr. Cherrilynn Woods Washington has penned insightful works on language education, providing valuable resources for fellow educators and researchers. Her contributions extend beyond the written word, as she actively participates in organizations such as the TESOL Committee and has served as the Past President of GATSOL, advocating for excellence in teaching English to speakers of other languages.

In addition to her professional endeavors, Dr. Woods Washington is a devoted mother and wife, cherishing time with her family and instilling in her children the importance of education and service. She brings her warmth and wisdom to the stage as a motivational speaker, inspiring audiences to embrace cultural diversity and strive for personal and academic excellence.

With a wealth of experience and a heart for service, Dr. Cherrilynn Woods Washington embodies the spirit of leadership and mentorship, enriching the lives of those around her and leaving a lasting impact on the field of education.

Marifer is originally from Michoacán, Mexico and recently moved to Madison, WI. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in early childhood through early elementary education (Pre-K-2nd grade) at the Benemérita y Centenaria Escuela Normal Oficial de Guanajuato. She has experience working as a teacher in Mexico for over four years in person and online in multigrade schools Pre-K-2. She has taught classes in different areas such as creative and visual arts, language arts, mathematics, natural sciences, physical education, social studies and socio-emotional learning. Marifer has recently served as a volunteered at dual language elementary schools in Madison, WI. She has experience developing workshops in Spanish for Pre-K-2nd grade teachers.