Zoey Baird is a graduate of Nazareth College of Rochester with a B.A. in Spanish and M.S. in Special Education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Ms. Baird is currently employed at East Irondequoit Middle School. She teaches both 7th and 8th grade Spanish. Zoey collaborates with special educators in an integrated co-teaching model to help meet the needs of all learners. A notion she promotes in her classroom is risk-taking and embracing the uncomfortable as a sign of growth. Zoey is the 2025 recipient of the NYSAFLT Harriet S. Barnett Novice Teacher Award and serves on the NYSAFLT Public Advocacy Committee. 

Marina is a faculty member in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures and the Coordinator of the Language Program at St. John Fisher University in New York. She also serves as Vice President of the New York State chapter of the Alpha Mu Gamma Honor Society. She holds a Ph.D. in Hispanic Linguistics from SUNY Albany and an M.A. in Hispanic Studies with a specialization in Teaching from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Her research has been supported by several competitive grants, including the Academic Innovation Grant at St. John Fisher University for her socio-phonetic study of western Puerto Rico, the Cardinal Grant at St. John Fisher Universit for her L2 linguistic perception project, the International Research Grant from Rollins College for cultural fieldwork in Tunisia, and the Doctoral Research Award for Women at SUNY Albany for her dissertation, Between the City and the Province: Sociolinguistic Variation in Málaga.

She has published multiple articles on Spanish variation in Andalusia and on the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language. Her current projects focus on Spanish L2 learners’ perception in the classroom and on the intersections between Spanish and emerging technologies. 

My name is Laura Failli, and I am a 63-year-old Italian teacher. I presently work as Lecturer of

Italian as a FL at RIT – Rochester Institute of Technology. My position is quite peculiar, since I am

one of the very few (around 170) Italian Lecturers appointed by the Italian Ministry for Foreign

Affairs throughout the world to spread and promote the Italian Language and culture.

For more than thirty years I have been a High School teacher of English as a FL, a tourist guide in

the beautiful city of Siena, Tuscany, Italy, and an Ultramarathon runner. I have also been the Web

editor for the largest Italian Running Club, “Club Supermarathon Italia”.

I am Vice President of the former Interdepartmental Center “Siena-Toronto” of the University of

Siena, now Associazione Cana-Diana of Italo-Canadian Studies.

I have an MA in Translation, languages English and Russian, with the translation into Italian of the

novel “Heart of a Dog” by Mikhail Bulgakov. I have the title of Specialist in Teaching Italian as a FL,

awarded by a post-MA course of the University for Foreigners of Siena, where I also worked in the

fields of the CILS and DITALS Certifications and in international relations. 

Steve Farrington is a veteran teacher of both French and Spanish. He holds a Bachelors in French and Spanish from SUNY Brockport as well as a Masters Degree in French from Bowling Green State University. He has studied abroad in France, Spain, Mexico, and Burkina Faso, Africa. He is a polyglot, a marathoner and an author. Since the year 2000, he has taught everything from 7th grade to every level of high school, as well as many courses at various local colleges, including MCC, RIT and SUNY Brockport. Throughout his career, he has picked up many ''tricks of the trade'' that he finds useful, and so he has decided to give this workshop again, focusing on teaching French for middle-and high school teachers. Steve believes in a dynamic, multisensory approach to teaching, and he considers it a successful lesson if students work a combination of skills as well as learn something about other cultures and develop a love of learning of World Languages 

My name is Paul Grossemy. I'm from Amiens, France. 

In France, I just got my bachelor's degree in Applied Foreign Languages (English and German), and now I am considered a student at the University of Lyon, which will allow me to continue my studies when I go back to France for a master's degree in languages, law, and business.

I've been in the US for almost four months now, as part of an internship as a teacher assistant at Brighton High School until June 2026. The Amity organization made that trip possible by finding both a high school and a (welcoming and amazing) host family. My decision to participate in this program comes from my desire to discover new cultures, to be perpetually challenged, and to work with the English language! I don't know if I really want to become a teacher, but I'm more than sure that I want to put the English language at the center of my future work. 

Christopher Gwin has been teaching German language and culture courses for 35 years, from Kindergarten to graduate school in public schools and private universities. He is keenly interested in developing curricula that keep human connection, community, culture and purpose at the center of the learning, especially for our young learners today. He also endeavors to connect the fourteen state partners in the Northeast region through his work at the Northeast Conference. 

Bill Heller has taught in public elementary, secondary, community college and undergraduate classrooms for over 45 years, including 24 years teaching Spanish at Perry High School. He has been a methods and Spanish instructor at SUNY Geneseo since 2001. Bill served as Conference Chair for the 2017 Northeast Conference (NECTFL) and is a member of the Executive Team for World Languages in the Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (OBEWL) at the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

I am Sarah Hernández Bean, a World Language Sales Consultant with Klett World Languages. A Buffalo native now based in Rochester, I hold a B.A. in Spanish and International Relations from SUNY Geneseo and an M.S.Ed. in Inclusive Adolescence Education from Nazareth College.

Before joining Klett, I spent eight years in the classroom teaching Spanish for four years in the greater Rochester area and four years in Columbia, South Carolina. I am thrilled to be back home and to share my passion for World Language education by supporting and partnering with teachers and schools across the Northeast. 

Marysue G Hobika - Spanish teacher at Victor Junior High. My background includes being a Rotary exchange student to the Canary Islands and a semester abroad during college in Madrid. As a teacher, I am always looking for new ways to connect with students and share my passion for second language acquisition. I make it a priority to get my students standing up and moving around the classroom each lesson. Some of my favorite activities include: Around the World, Running Dictation, and the Lucky Reading Game. Outside of work, my interests include running, cooking, and hanging out with my family and three dogs. 

Sarah Hopper is certified in French, Spanish, and Enl with 24 years of teaching experience.  She was a 2014 PBS Digital Innovator, a 2024 and 2025Actfl Lill recipient.  She was a Seal of Biliteracy Leader and Founder.  She has authored over 20 books with Teachers Discovery.  She currently teaches Middle School Spanish in Western NY 

Erin Johnson is a high school French teacher at Penn Yan Academy, teaching levels 1-5. She has taught 6-12 French and Spanish throughout her career. She holds a B.A. in French Ed from Juniata College and a Masters as a Ed. Tech Specialist from Nazareth University. She has presented at many different conferences. She uses her technology background and strong student relationships to make her classes student centered and communicative for all to succeed. 

Denise Caroline Mahns, D.M.L., is a National Board Certified Teacher of French at Fayetteville-Manlius High School. She holds a B.A. in French from Nazareth College and an M.A. in French from Middlebury College. Her Doctor of Modern Languages degree (primary language French, secondary language Spanish) is from Middlebury College. Her dissertation is an iconological analysis of female figures in the theater of Michel Tremblay and Michel Marc Bouchard, two contemporary gay Quebec playwrights. She has spent time studying and working in France, Quebec and Mexico.  She has presented at the local, state and national level on French teaching techniques and Quebec culture and literature.

After a year as an English teaching assistant at the Lycée Théodore Deck in Guebwiller, France, Dr. Mahns has been employed since 2005 as a French teacher at Fayetteville-Manlius High School.  She has taught all levels of French, from an elementary exploratory after-school program to Advanced Placement French Language & Culture.  In 2020 and 2023, she was an AP Reader for the French Language & Culture exam.  She has extensive experience in curriculum development and design, having taken a lead role in the development of Fayetteville-Manlius district curriculum maps for the 7-12 French program.

Dr. Mahns is a member of the ACTFL Cinema Special Interest Group.  She is a lifetime member of (NYSAFLT) and a member of the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF).  She is the Vice President and National French Contest Administrator of the Central New York chapter of the AATF.  She is the past president of Language Educators of Central New York (LECNY) and was named the 2024 NYSAFLT Ruth E. Wasley World Language Teacher of the Year. 

Dr. Terry McCarthy currently serves as the Webster CSD K-12 Director of World Languages and an Assistant Principal at Webster Schroeder High School. Dr. McCarthy has extensive experience leading collaborative systems change, including designing and utilizing implementation plans, leading professional learning, developing curriculum, and coaching leaders.  

In addition to his school leadership roles, Terry is a certified executive leadership coach and an organizational change consultant, having partnered with diverse clients from around the world to drive professional growth and institutional improvement.

Terry has presented at local, regional, state, national, and international conferences on a wide range of topics,  such as teacher leadership development, academic course design, instructional program implementation. Throughout his 30-year career in education, Terry has served in numerous roles, including district-level curriculum director, high school principal, and social studies teacher. 

Dr. Joanne O'Toole is a Professor of Modern Language Education in the Curriculum and Instruction Department at SUNY Oswego. She is a member of the World Language Executive Committee and the Principal Investigator of the NYS World Language Standards Initiative. Joanne has served in several world language leadership positions including NYSAFLT President and NECTFL Director, and is a regular presenter at national, regional, state, and local conferences. Joanne is a certified teacher of Spanish and taught Spanish for 16 years prior to entering post-secondary education. 

Francisco Plata is an Associate Professor of Spanish at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, NY, where he has taught since 2009. He earned his degree in Spanish Philology from the University of Granada, Spain, and, after serving as a lecturer in Russia, completed graduate studies in the United States, receiving an M.A. from New Mexico State University and a Ph.D. in Hispanic Literatures from The University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Plata’s teaching spans all levels of the curriculum, from elementary and intermediate language courses to advanced classes in literature, culture, and Spanish for the professions. He has been actively involved in developing proficiency-based approaches and curricular pathways that connect language learning with real-world communication and career-related contexts, including health and community engagement.

In addition to his academic work, he is the author of two novels and a book of poetry. His essays, short stories, and poems have appeared in a wide range of national and international journals, literary magazines, newspapers, and edited volumes. His creative and scholarly work reflects a sustained interest in language, literary craft, and philosophical reflection. 

Tatyana Qadiri has been teaching French for almost 18 years, teaching all levels of French from 7th-12th grade. She began teaching French at Attica High School and is currently teaching at Brockport High School. Tatyana loves to travel, visit as many art museums as possible and bring those experiences to the classroom. Her academic interests include sociolinguistics and embedding cultural topics in an authentic way. Tatyana attended SUNY Brockport as an undergraduate and SUNY Geneseo for her master’s. She has presented at other conferences on topics such as music in the classroom, novice speaking proficiency, and many others. 

Katherine Resch has been teaching World Languages for 27 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in French from the University of Richmond, with a minor in Spanish and a concentration in Secondary Education. She also earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Richmond. She has taught French levels 1-5 and Spanish levels 1-3, and currently teaches French levels 2-5 at Spencerport High School. Katherine founded the Spencerport chapter of the Société Honoraire de Français in 2005 and is the advisor of the Spencerport High School French Club. She also leads regular trips to Europe for World Language students. 

Katherine works using Comprehensible Input strategies. Over the past several years, she has worked to develop a consistent French curriculum across all levels. Katherine is passionate about including information from Francophone areas around the world. She aims to create an inclusive classroom environment using lessons about Francophone history along with current culture. Music has become a focal point in creating this environment, as Katherine uses Manie Musicale resources to implement a music unit across all levels, differentiating tasks by language level. Katherine is excited to continue learning about different strategies to inspire students as they learn World Language.

My name is Mario Rodríguez, and I’d like to share a bit about my interests, background, and some aspects of my life that I think might be interesting. 

I’m 23 years old and live in Valladolid, a city in the northeast of Spain with a population of around 300,000 people. I’ve lived here my whole life, except for a short period when I was 2 years old and lived in Miami. My mother and maternal grandparents are also from Valladolid, but my father was born in Cuba and moved to Spain when he was around 25. I feel that growing up with parents from different cultures and perspectives has been a truly enriching experience for me. 

Apart from having a strong connection to my hometown, I’m also very grateful for having spent my entire childhood and teenage years at the same school (Colegio San José). There, I met most of my closest friends, whom I still see regularly. The education I received also helped me realize that my true vocation is to develop my skills in a way that allows me to give back to my community, family, and friends. 

In this sense, being a basketball coach has played a huge role in shaping me, and it has become one of my true passions, which I try to balance with my studies to become a teacher. I believe sports are essential for personal development, and I’m also a huge sports fan, especially when it comes to leagues like the NBA. 

I’ve always been curious about education and life in the U.S., and I’m beyond excited to become part of a new family and community, where I can both contribute and learn from others. 

Erica graduated from Elmira College with a B.A. in Spanish and completed an M.A. in Adolescence Education in Spanish at SUNY Cortland. She is a middle school Spanish teacher at Chittenango Central School District. She has previously taught elementary through high school Spanish and French in both public and private schools. She was a 2021 NYSAFLT Leader of Tomorrow and has served as a coordinator for the New York State Seal of Biliteracy. She has presented at regional and state conferences in New York on topics such as Readers in the Classroom, Project Based Learning, and Movement Centered Instruction. In her free time she enjoys supporting the arts, hiking with her dogs, practicing yoga, reading, and spending time with her husband and two children. 

Melissa Stio is an educator of middle and high school Italian in the Greece Central School District, currently at Arcadia Middle and High Schools where she just recently received the NYSAFLT Italy Cultural Award. Stio also holds tenure and her professional certificate from NYSED. Melissa attended Nazareth College of Rochester for a total of six years and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Adolescent Education and Italian, as well as a Master of Science in Education in Adolescent Inclusive Education.

Melissa is passionate about the intersection of technology and language learning. She believes students need to be active participants in their learning. She finds inspiration on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok, and strives to always be culturally relevant with lesson and unit design.

Melissa is constantly inspired by her Italian teaching colleagues both in the Greece Central School District and beyond, and is thankful for their support. She is also grateful to have such incredible middle and high school students who encouraged her to submit a conference proposal in the first place!

Melissa has enjoyed attending ITACNY, NYSAFLT, and ACTFL conferences over the years and is excited to present for the first time at the Rochester Regional conference! You can follow Melissa on Twitter and Instagram @StioSignorina to see what her and her students are up to! 

Shawnna Sweet is the Director of Multilingual Education for the Greece Central School District where she oversees ENL, World Languages, Bilingual Education and Language Access Services. She began her career in education as an ESOL teacher in Greece, where she taught students of all ages. Prior returning to Greece Central in 2022, Shawnna served as a specialist with the Mid-West RBERN at Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES, where she worked closely with NYSED’s Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages and local school districts to support multilingual learners. Additionally, she spent ten years as an adjunct faculty member at Nazareth College, working with graduate students in the TESOL and International TESOL programs. She has served on the NYSED Seal of Biliteracy Task Force, World Language Content Advisory Panel and the ELL Graduation Work Group. Shawnna was also honored to serve as the 2024 President of NYS TESOL. She holds a B.A.in English with a minor in Secondary Education from St. John Fisher College, an M.S. in TESOL from Nazareth College, and Advanced Certificates in School Building and District Leadership from the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester. 

Melanie Thomas, NBCT in WL, teaches Spanish levels III, IV and V (with Syracuse University) at Spencerport HS. She received a MATL from the University. of Southern Mississippi where focus was on language acquisition and language instruction. This background in SLA supports her strive to teach with Comprehensible Input to help learners acquire the language they study. Melanie was the New York State 2023 World Language Teacher of the Year.

Mike Travers is a teacher at Wellesley High School in Massachusetts and has taught Spanish and French at the novice and intermediate levels. He is an active presenter at MAFLA, NECTFL, ACTFL, and currently serves on the MAFLA Board of Directors. He is the co-author of the recently published book Proficiency Based Instruction: Teaching Grammar for Proficiency. Mike has a true passion for working with districts and teachers as they make the shift to a student-centered, proficiency-based approach in their world language programs.

Josh Wigle-Harris is a graduate of St. John Fisher University with a B.A. in Spanish and a M.S. in Special Education. He is a 7th & 8th grade Spanish teacher and serves as the World Languages Curriculum Leader at East Irondequoit Middle School. He currently serves as Director of Western New York on the NYSAFLT Board of Directors, serving as Social Media Co-chair and as a member of the Annual Conference Planning Committee. Additionally, he is the NYSAFLT Rochester Regional Conference Co-Chair. Josh’s passion is working with students to develop a love for language and pushing them to take risks as they experience a new language and culture for the first time. He is a firm believer in providing students with an authentic experience in the classroom and promoting students' experiences of other cultures through travel. 

My name is Andrea Wittwer, I’m 21 years old, and I live and study in Switzerland. Last summer, I started studying English Literature and Linguistics at the University of Zurich. I grew up in a small Swiss town in the German part of Switzerland. Switzerland is a country with four national languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. In school, we learn two other languages besides German. I had to read and speak in three different languages during my education; we had classes in German, French, and English. When I was younger, I had the opportunity to go on different language stays in England, Ireland, and Malta. I was able to meet a lot of other English learners from different countries. We all spoke different languages, yet could communicate through a common language. A language we were all still learning. This showed me how important and exciting it is to know more than one language. It was part of the reason my interest in languages grew. Now I want to become an English teacher for grades 7-9 because of that. At the moment, I am doing an internship at Brighton High School. At BHS, I have the opportunity to talk about my country and culture with the German students there. I can also learn about how an American classroom can work.