Presenters

Brendon Albertson

Write, translate, mix, move: Leveraging beginner students' L1 and Google Translate for academic vocab and writing development via a sentence scramble translanguaging task

Brendon Albertson, M.S. TESOL, is an English language educator currently teaching secondary students. His former students include university and adult student populations, and his research interests include the culturally relevant teaching of speaking skills and the use of technology to build student agency. Brendon also has experience as a TEFL trainer and has created several online apps for ELs to chunk text as they read, build syntactic awareness through sentence scrambles, and learn vocabulary though pictures. He speaks/reads Japanese and Chinese as additional languages, and enjoys translating, beatboxing, and making coffee.

Megan Alubicki Flick

CTDOE State Updates

Dr. Megan Alubicki Flick works for the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), where she proudly serves as the state’s English Learner/Multilingual Learner Consultant and Title III State Director. She oversees the state’s Title III and bilingual grants, co-oversees the Connecticut’s Seal of Biliteracy initiative, and supports work related to the instruction of multilingual learners. In 2022, she completed her Doctorate at the UMASS Lowell with a focus on multilingual learners and teacher preparation. Additionally, she serves on the Board of the National Association of English Learner Program Administrators (NAELPA), an organization for which she has served as President twice. In 2023, she was honored to do a TED Talk called “The Power of Multilingualism in Education'' which can be accessed on the ted.com platform.   

Dalia Assem

Utilizing AI to provide access  and leverage support for multilingual learners 

Dalia grew up as an MLL and found her passion in teaching MLL students. She has taught  ESL in elementary through high school,  adult education, higher education and is currently a MLL consultant working with Connecticut School districts on supporting MLLs . She is currently working on her education doctorate in leadership studies. Her research investigates culturally responsive approaches to support family engagement initiatives for newcomers and refugees.

Lauren Ayube

Storyboard That: Content Creation, not Content Consumption

Storyboard That is an award-winning digital storytelling platform that empowers teachers and students to create storyboards, comics, posters, and worksheets with ease. Founded in 2012, it’s used by millions of educators worldwide to bring creativity and visual learning into every subject area. The platform offers flexible templates, a vast art library, and built-in accessibility tools that support differentiated instruction for all learners. With both free and premium options, Storyboard That helps classrooms engage students, demonstrate understanding, and tell powerful stories — one frame at a time.

Elizabeth Baader

The Impact of Art on English Learners by Integrating Image-Making into the Writing Process

Elizabeth Baader is an ESL teacher who has taught in England, Germany and the United States. She is a passionate bi-lingual educator who is raising her own children in English and German. Elizabeth enjoys travelling, exploring new cultures and food, spending time with her family, and sharing life experiences with her EL high school students in Western Massachusetts. One of her greatest accomplishments will be the completion of her Master of Art in Teaching English as a Second Language at Elms College in December 2025 at the age of 48 after twenty years of many international family moves, raising children and teaching abroad and in the USA.

Gloribel Barreto-Ramirez

Beyond the Classroom: Building Trust and Leadership Through Home Visits for ML's

Gloribel Barreto Ramirez is the Bilingual and TESOL teacher at the Middle School of Plainville. She is in her 5th year at the school and district but has more than 20 years of experience in the education field in Puerto Rico as a Spanish Teacher and the Bristol district in the elementary area. She is a busy mother of two amazing children. As a teacher, she is passionate about helping and advocating for each one of her students to reach their full potential, do their best, and grow into kind, responsible people, no matter their background, culture, or language. She wants them to love who they are and become the best version of themselves every day.

Edlira Beda

“See Me": Improving Secondary Content Area Teachers' Knowledge and Perceptions of Students with Limited and/or interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE)

Dr. Beda has over 20 years of experience in language education and currently teaches high school students in grades 9–12. She leads professional development for educators, focusing on effective strategies to support Multilingual Learners (MLs) across content areas. She holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and a Master’s in TESOL. Her research centers on improving educators’ understanding of students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE), advocating for inclusive, trauma-informed practices that promote academic success and cultural responsiveness.

Yeukai Chiroodza-Imeh

The Impact of Art on English Learners by Integrating Image-Making into the Writing Process

Chiroodza-Imeh, Associate Professor of Education, is a researcher and artist passionate about bilingual and multicultural learning. With a focus on teaching practices that bridge English language acquisition and content literacy, the work reflects a commitment to meaningful, inclusive education. Artistic exploration centers on using art as a tool for self-expression, identity, and connection across cultures. At the heart of this work is a vision to inspire not just knowledge and skills, but the curiosity, confidence, and habits needed for lifelong learning and thoughtful engagement with the world.

Matthew Ciscel

The Limits of GenAI: A workshop on activities for ESL students

Dr. Ciscel is a Professor of Applied Linguistics and Chair of the English Department at CCSU.  He teaches courses in TESOL methods, sociolinguistics, and the history of the English language.  His research focuses on language policy, particularly in post-Communist Europe.

Lily Cornielle-Cordero

Beyond the Classroom: Building Trust and Leadership Through Home Visits for ML's

Liliber “Lily” Cornielle-Cordero** is the EL, Equity & Student Support Administrator at Plainville Community Schools with over 20 years in education. Certified in Special Education, TESOL, and Administration, she is a passionate advocate for multilingual learners and inclusive education. A former K–12 Special Education and Spanish teacher, Lily now leads districtwide equity initiatives and has presented at ConnTESOL and MABE on collaboration, advocacy, and data-driven practices to support diverse learners.

Minely DeJesus

Revolutionizing Student Success with Individual Language Plans

Minely DeJesus is a passionate educator with over 11 years of experience in various educational roles, including paraprofessional, academic interventionist, and multilingual learner tutor. She is currently in her first year as a TESOL teacher at Great Neck Elementary School, serving students in grades K–5. Minely holds an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Studies, and she is pursuing a Master’s in TESOL Education at Central Connecticut State University. As a bilingual professional fluent in Spanish and English, she is dedicated to creating inclusive, supportive learning environments and empowering students to succeed.

Dorina "Dorito" Ebuwa

B.E.L.I.E.V.E.! Academic Language Literacy: Improving our MLs’ Academic Achievement, One WORD at a Time!

Dr. Dorina Ebuwa is known as The Lab Coat Teacher and affectionately “Miss Dorito” by her students and colleagues from around the world. Dr Dorito holds a B.A. in French and Occitan, the language of the South of France, a Master’s in Applied Linguistics, and Doctorate in Transformative Emotional Intelligence in Teaching.  A Top 3 Finalist for National Teacher of the Year, polyglot Dr. Dorito takes her 28-year ESOL/DL/Reading/ ELA K-12 and college classroom experiences, doctoral research on Emotional Intelligence, and passion for purposeful PD to travel the globe inspiring, motivating, empowering, and elevating educators with professional and personal learning that starts from within. From trainings from the heart, to her authentic and humorous real talk “Keyshops” on reflequity® through “Lens of Life Lessons”, Dr. Dorito encourages all to B.E.L.I.E.V.E.! ® - Be the Educators who Lead to Inspire and Empower Via Empathy! When not wearing the many hats of an educator, Dorina dons a Stetson and works on her “Franch”, tending to her beloved special needs rescue farm animals and barn cat named “Cool Ranch”.

Wayne Eichen

Research, Resources, and Strategies for Multilingual Learners

Wayne has presented at local, regional, and national educational conferences across the country for over 30 years. Dedicated to increasing student achievement, he has served as a consultant to the New York State Department of Education, served in a variety of sales and training capacities for Pearson, and is currently the National Account Executive for Supplemental, Acceleration, and Assessment at Savvas Learning. As an instructional technology coach in Sarasota, FL, he helped facilitate a one year, 27-point increase in student test scores in math, at a Title 1 school with a high ELL population. Wayne has a master’s degree in Learning Disabilities from Southern Connecticut University, and is certified in Ed Leadership in Florida, and ESE K-12 (Special Education) in Florida, Connecticut, and New York.

Christina Golgozeanu

AI Tools for Equity: Scaffolding Complex Texts for MLs

Christina Golgozeanu is a multilingual educational consultant in Connecticut, specializing in equity-driven practices for multilingual learners. She partners with schools and districts to design professional learning, coaching, and instructional models that integrate WIDA, UDL, and culturally responsive pedagogy. Her current work explores how AI tools can amplify student voice and identity while increasing access to academic language. Her innovative work has allowed her to present at the local, state, and national level, including conferences such as Empowered2Lead, MassCUE, and TESOL International.

Carmen M. Humphrey

Bridging Language and Learning: Integrating SIOP and Marzano in the Secondary Classroom & Practical Strategies for Adolescent Learners

Carmen Humphrey is a bilingual educator, founder of Humphrey Education Services, and co-founder of Guided Learning Solutions with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in personalized learning, test prep, college readiness, and bilingual immersion, drawing on her background as a college professor and IB/Dual Enrollment instructor. Carmen is passionate about helping students grow in academics, language, and confidence as they prepare for college and beyond.

Heon Jeon

Acquiring Strategies for Facilitating Learning Transfer in English for Academic Purposes

Heon Jeon is an Associate Professor in Residence of English at University of Connecticut. He also works at UConn Writing Center as an Associate Director.

Lisanne Kaplan

Revolutionizing Student Success with Individual Language Plans

Lisanne Kaplan is a Consultant and Multilingual Learner Program Supervisor at LEARN, with nearly 20 years of experience as a teacher, district coordinator, and instructional coach. She has presented across the country, including the National Teacher Leadership Conference. Lisanne was a 2016 Fund For Teachers Fellow, studying the resettlement of Syrian, Afghan, and North African asylum seekers in Malmö, Sweden. After the 2019 Teach To Lead Summit, her team’s teacher leadership initiative was featured in the December 2020 issue of Educational Leadership. Lisanne currently works with school districts to build equitable, research-based systems and programs for ML students.

Elsiana Ortiz

The Grammar Playground

I have over 25 years of experience teaching English to adults in the US and abroad. I have worked with diverse populations teaching from basic literacy skills all the way to college level English. Grammar is an essential component of any language and ignoring it is not an option.

Dorothea Panayotou

TESOL Lessons for Global Citizenship: People and the Environment

Dorrie Panayotou is an Education Consultant, science tutor, ecologist and environmental scientist. She has over 30 years of teaching experience including at Newtown High School and The Spire School, for students with special needs. Before entering K-12 teaching, she worked as an Environmental Scientist and Instructor of Environmental Studies. Dorrie holds a Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of California, Davis, a M.S. in Watershed Sciences from Colorado State University, and a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont. Dorrie is also a volunteer teacher workshop facilitator for Population Education.

Elizabeth Radday

Utilizing AI to provide access  and leverage support for multilingual learners 

Elizabeth Radday, Ed.D is the co-host of the popular podcast ChatEDU, a podcast about AI in K-12 education. She has worked in the field of education for nearly 25 years, 16 years teaching math and special education and now is the Director of Research and Innovation at EdAdvance.  She is passionate about teaching students how to use technology and is a strong advocate for students doing Personal Interest Projects to learn real world skills by exploring their passions. She has presented nationally and internationally on student facing AI in schools and on Capstone/Personal Interest Projects.  Her first book, Learning They'll Love will be published in November 2025 with ASCD.

Pamela Santerre

AI Tools for Equity: Scaffolding Complex Tasks for MLs

Pamela Santerre is an educator and educational technology leader who empowers teachers to use technology with heart, humor, and humanity. A former secondary ELA teacher with over a decade of classroom experience, she now serves as an education consultant with LEARN (CT), and a Lead Trainer for the Building Capacity in Generative AI in K–12 Education project for AESA and CoSN, supporting school and district leaders across the country in adopting edtech and AI tools responsibly and equitably. Since the release of ChatGPT, her journey has evolved from early concerns about plagiarism and data privacy to embracing generative AI as a creative, collaborative partner — a shift that inspired her to co-design her own custom AI assistant, Alvy. Together, they’ve explored everything from designing professional learning to analyzing multimedia texts — including decoding Taylor Swift Easter eggs as a form of modern literary analysis.

Billie Shea

Revolutionizing Student Success with Individual Language Plans