Guili Zhang graduated from her master’s degree in Central Michigan University on Early Childhood Education in 2017. Currently she is a Ph.D. student on Mathematics Education in Purdue University. Zhang Laoshi has been working in Batesville Primary School since 2017 in the Dual Language Immersion Program. She is one of the participants that established the DLI program and created the Chinese literacy curriculum before the current curriculum was adopted. Zhang Laoshi is also an ESL and STEM certified teacher and always dedicated to serve language learners of any level and interest. She served as the curriculum coordinator and currently is the grade level lead at Batesville Primary School. She believes that all students can learn and want to learn well. It is the teacher’s responsibility to provide scaffolding and support.

Ying-Sin Chen currently serves as an Upper School Mandarin teacher at Park Tudor School. She holds a Ph.D. in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education from Indiana University, Bloomington, along with an M.S. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to her current role, she taught at the International School of Indiana, Westchester Country Day School, the Hamilton Lugar School Language Workshop, and the Chinese Flagship Program at Indiana University, Bloomington. She also served as a lecturer in the Indiana University School of Education and as a mentor and tutor trainer for the Chinese Flagship Program.

In terms of assessment, Ying-Sin currently serves as an Advanced Placement (AP) rater/reader for the College Board and as a rater for the ACTFL Mandarin Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL). She has also worked as an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) tester and rater. In addition, she actively participates in various foreign language and Chinese-related professional development programs and conferences to continually enhance her teaching practice.

Xiaoqing Liu is a professor of Chinese at Butler University, where she has taught for about sixteen years. She serves as the coordinator of the Chinese program and has taught a wide range of courses in both Chinese language and East Asian culture. She is actively involved in study-abroad programs in Asia and maintains strong connections with the local Chinese community. She has served as PD of CLTA-IN and was honored with the organization’s Best Teacher Award twice, in 2018 and 2024. She is dedicated to strengthening and advancing the Chinese program in Indiana.

Qiao Xu currently serves as an Upper School Chinese Teacher at the International School of Indiana (ISI). She is a dedicated educator with 9 years of experience. 

With an experienced background in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, Qiao delivers MYP Chinese Language Acquisition, Chinese Language & Literature, and DP Chinese Language and Literature courses. Since 2023, Qiao has also served as the Upper School Mandarin Department Coordinator at ISI.

Qiao holds a Master's degree in Foreign Language Education and TESOL from New York University. Prior to the current role, Qiao taught for 4 years at Goshen Community Schools and also gained experience as a Chinese teacher in the STARTALK summer camp program at Ball State University.

Sydni Lockeby Catalano received her MA in Chinese Pedagogy from Indiana University Bloomington in 2023 and is working towards her PhD in the same field. She has taught a variety of levels of Chinese coursework at Indiana University, the Summer Language Workshop at Indiana University, and Holistic Education. Sydni also has years of experience working with students and instructors through STARTALK programming and weekend Chinese schools in both New England and the Midwest. In addition to linguistic and second language acquisition theory, Sydni’s teaching philosophy is also grounded in over 10 years of experience teaching Chinese performing arts as well as her own experience as a language learner and nonnative speaker. In 2025, she was awarded the Rising Star Teaching Award (Chinese) at the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association Annual Conference and has served on the board of the Chinese Language Teachers Association Indiana Chapter since 2023.

Jui-Yu Liao is an M.A. student in Chinese Language Pedagogy at Indiana University Bloomington. She currently serves as an Associate Instructor for the drill sections of Chinese 101 and 102, leading practice sessions that strengthen foundational speaking, listening, and grammar skills. Jui-Yu has taught in a variety of instructional settings, including Wellesley College, the University of North Georgia Chinese Flagship Program, and the International Leadership of Texas Summer Learning Program.

She has experience leading conversation classes, facilitating one-on-one tutoring, and designing interactive, communication-focused learning activities for learners at multiple proficiency levels. Her work also includes organizing cultural events and supporting cross-cultural engagement in both college and K–12 environments.

Janna McCardel is a Senior Rates and Regulatory Strategy Analyst at Duke Energy, where she plays a pivotal role in strategic analysis and regulatory affairs. In addition to her professional work in the energy sector, Janna is dedicated to community service and education. She currently serves as the Principal of the Indianapolis Chinese Community Center, Inc. (ICCCI) Chinese School and is also a Director on the ICCCI Board. With over a decade of teaching experience, Janna has taught Chinese language courses at various levels, including a PreK class for 10 years, eight preschool classes across two Christian private schools, and IB Chinese for Grades 9-12 at Shortridge High School, an International Baccalaureate (IB) school within the Indianapolis Public School District. Janna has been an active member of the Indiana Chinese Teachers Association (ICTA) since 2016, where she served as Secretary from 2018 to 2021, and has been the Treasurer since 2021. Her passion for education, particularly in promoting Chinese language learning, and her commitment to community development have made her an invaluable asset both in her professional and volunteer roles.