Zoey Baird is a graduate of Nazareth University 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 environment to meet the needs of all learners. She views learning as a lifelong process and continuously looks for ways to branch out and learn more in her field to best serve the students she teaches. Mindsets she promotes in and out of her classroom are risk-taking and embracing the uncomfortable as a sign of growth – values she looks to share with her students every day.

Sarah and Carrie have been teaching together for 17 years in the Letchworth Central School District. Their experience spans across multiple grade and proficiency levels in both French and Spanish. For the past 7 years, they have been teaching with a focus on acquisition based learning in order to promote communication in the target language. 

I was born in 2002 in Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia. I started to study at Colegio Campestre San Diego when I was four, and stayed there for all 12 years of school, graduating in 2018, with top marks in the state English tests. After graduation, I took a gap year in 2019, and entered the Universidad Pedagogica y Tecnologica de Colombia in 2020, for an architecture major. In 2021, I switched to a Plastic and Visual arts major, which is still ongoing. 

Traveling through Colombia and South America marked my childhood, and I’ve seen places like Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil; the amazon rainforest, the deserts of la Tatacoa and la Guajira, the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans, and the snow-capped mountains of the Colombian Andes. In addition to this, an interest in language learning has led me to study English to fluency, and to start learning French and Norwegian. 

My hobbies include embroidery, music, reading, drawing, and acting; I have been working in theatre since 2015. 

In 2022, I was offered the opportunity to do a year as an intern teacher in the United States; opportunity I took because of the possibility to learn a new skill (in this case, teaching), and to widen my worldview farther than the continent that I live in. Said internship is happening at the moment and has provided ample learning opportunities; and activities that promote involvement in American culture. 

World Languages at the New York State Education Department.  She is currently leading the implementation of the revised NYS World Languages Standards and oversees the NYS Seal of Biliteracy program.  Candace graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in French from SUNY Potsdam and earned both her M.B.A., and M.A.T. from the University of Rochester. A National Board-Certified Teacher, Candace taught French for 21 years and served as an IB Diploma Coordinator. In 2021, she was the recipient of the President’s Award for both NYSAFLT and NYSAWLA and was elected as a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques by the French government.   In all her roles, most especially her current one, Candace is deeply committed to the professional learning and support of World Language teachers.  

Brenda Buckley is an accomplished educator with over 15 years of experience in urban education. She specializes in teaching American Sign Language and has a passion for inspiring and empowering students from underprivileged backgrounds. Buckley earned her Bachelor's degree in American Sign Language and Visual Arts and received a Master of Science in Deaf Education from Rochester Institute of Technology. In addition to teaching American Sign Language, Buckley's research focuses on building students'; mindsets and strategies for teaching world language to students in poverty. She has identified effective strategies and tools for supporting students and helping them succeed academically and personally. Buckley has held teaching positions at various urban schools throughout her career, making a significant impact on her students and the school community. She has also collaborated with education organizations such as the Language Educators of Central New York, New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers, and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages to promote awareness and improve access to American Sign Language education.

Myounghee Cho teaches Korean at the University of Rochester. Her research interest includes second language acquisition, language pedagogy, and developing Korean-specific learning and teaching materials. She strives to provide her students with a learning environment that can help them explore and experience the Korean language and culture. 

Shari has been a Spanish teacher in the Pittsford Central School District for the past 20 years. In that time, I have taught multiple levels from HS level 1- AP, exclusively at Mendon High School. In addition to being a teacher in the classroom, I have also been the Standards Leader for the WL department for the past 7 years.  

Lisa Garvey is a graduate of SUNY Geneseo with a B.A. in French and holds an M.S. in Education and Special Education from Nazareth College.  She also has a B.A. in Music Performance and Spanish teaching certification.  Mrs. Garvey has been teaching 6th-8th grade French at Penn Yan Middle School for 28 years. She has done extensive research on standards-based grading, data analysis, and student self-reflection and ownership, often offering professional development to colleagues in her building.  She is a teacher, not of French, but of enthusiastic and sometimes challenging middle schoolers which is why she focuses on building relationships, planning purposeful, student-centered lessons, and offering as authentic experiences as possible to her students. Mrs. Garvey has also chaired her district's world languages department for 17 years and is currently leading them in the change to the new state standards.  This is their third year of implementation.

Shizuka Hardy is an Associate Professor of Instruction in Japanese at the department of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Rochester. She has been teaching undergraduate students in Elementary to Advanced Japanese courses for 13 years. Her own learning experience in English as a second language founds her passions in teaching language. She especially puts her effort into building a supportive and collaborative learning community where students actively engage in the process of their learning. She values a sense of belonging among students to enhance her students' motivation in their language learning. Her specific focus lies in sharing and learning innovative teaching strategies for language acquisition. 

Bill Heller has taught students in public elementary, secondary, community college and undergraduate classrooms for nearly 45 years including 24 years as the high school Spanish teacher at Perry Central School. He is a methods and Spanish instructor at SUNY Geneseo since 2001 and he has also supervised student teachers. He does workshops, conferences and keynotes at local, state, regional and national conferences for World Language teachers and is a consultant on curricular design with local school districts, and assists with the NYU/RBERN Early and Continuing Career Institutes.  Bill has been previously honored by NYSAFLT as a recipient of the Anthony Papalia Award and the Robert Ludwig Leadership Award and served one term as a Regional Director. He has also served a term on the Board of Directors and as Conference Chair for the 2017 Northeast Conference (NECTFL).  He is currently serving as a member of the Executive Committee of the Content Advisory Panel for World Languages for the Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (OBEWL) of the New York State Education Department (NYSED). When not chasing those pesky neighborhood kids off his lawn, Bill enjoys visiting art museums, experiencing theater, dining with friends and former students from Perry and Geneseo, and heckling from any balcony with his good friends Statler and Waldorf. 

Penny Hensler has been in the classroom for almost 32 years, teaching all levels of French from 7th-12th grade. She began teaching French at Dansville Junior High School and has taught at Honeoye Central School for almost 21 years. Penny loves spending time with her family, taking walks, sewing and learning new ways to make her lessons engaging and fun for her students. Penny has made it her mission to connect her students with the world through an exchange with a high school in Rennes, France and through the Nawari virtual exchange program in Senegal.  Penny completed her undergraduate studies at Nazareth College and her masters studies at University at Buffalo. 

Sarah has taught French and Spanish in Elementary, Middle, Secondary, IB and college-credit courses in her 22 year career. She is also certified in ENL. She loves to have fun and provide new experiences for her students. She loves learning and trying new things in teaching. She was a 2014 PBS Digital Innovator, a member of ACTFL’s Lill Cohort 5, an avid presenter with ACTFL, Nebraska Department of Education, NYSAFLT, FLANYL, and regional events. She was the founder of the St. Lawrence County Seal of Biliteracy in 2020. She holds a Masters Degree in Second Language Acquisition and multiple Bachelor Degrees. 

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 Education from Juniata College and a Masters as a Educational Technology Specialist from Nazareth University. She has had many opportunities to present at different conferences including NYSAFLT Annual Conference, NYSAFLT Summer Institute, and NECTFL Annual Conference as well as doing local and district wide presentations. She uses her Personalized Education training, her technology background and strong student relationships to make her classes very student centered and communicative so that all her students can succeed.  She serves on the NYSAFLT Board of Directors represnting Western NY, as a NYSAFLT Rochester Regional Conference Co-Chair, is a member of the NYSAFLT Annual Conference Planning Committee as Hospitality Co-Chair and is a Facilitator for the NYSED-OBEWL High Leverage Teaching Practices #1 Book Study.
Twitter (X) and Instagram: @mmejohnson110

A native of the Rochester area, Christopher J. Kausch II has been exploring various world languages since elementary school and has held various educational roles professionally across many grades and age levels. He developed his enthusiasm for learning languages through extracurricular Spanish and French lessons for several years before formally completing advanced language courses in school from Grades 7-12. On the side, he enjoyed learning German as a heritage language with independent study in high school. Kausch subsequently completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Politics and History at Constructor University in Bremen, Germany, while attending academies with the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German Academic Scholarship Foundation) for linguistic enrichment. Following his graduation, Kausch obtained a TEFL Certificate and moved to China to teach English to young learners and adults in Shenzhen and Shanghai, two of China's major cities. After bouncing back to Rochester, Kausch decided to obtain a MSc. Ed. in International TESOL at Nazareth University followed by a relocation to Singapore to teach English to native-bilingual students from Nursery to Upper Primary levels. Upon his return to the United States, he became a Lower School World Language Teacher at the Harley School in the Rochester-area suburb of Brighton for both Spanish and French. Currently, Kausch is enriching his TESOL background as a Specialist of Applied Linguistics in the English Language Center (ELC) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). It is there he caters his courses to both university-age and community learners by equipping them with interactive experiences on and off campus to sustain their interest in English-language learning for both academic and professional purposes. 

Virginia is a native French speaker from Brussels, Belgium. 5 years ago, she decided to go back to school to get her degree to teach French at Nazareth University. Virginia is passionate about her home country and teaching her students about French beyond France.

She currently is teaching grades 9 through 12 at Honeoye Falls-Lima High School in Honeoye Falls, NY.

I was born and raised in a small town near Aachen, Germany. After graduating high school, I started studying at the University of Aachen. I have a bachelor's degree and the two subjects I study are biology and English. In Germany, I worked 18 months as a biology teacher at a middle school before coming to the United States. After returning to Germany, I will start my master of education to pursue my career as a teacher. 

Michelle Lazio is a Spanish teacher at Penfield High School. She has had a variety of teaching experiences in 7th through 12th grade during the last ten years in multiple educational settings. She holds a B.A. in Spanish & Secondary Education from SUNY Geneseo and a Masters of Spanish Education from the University of Nebraska Kearney. She has had many opportunities to present at conferences including NYSAFLT, COLT, WNYFLEC, LECNY,  NYSSBA, the NYSED sponsored conference for OBE- WL, as well as local regional conferences. In addition, she was  part of the NYSAFLT Leaders of Tomorrow program in 2018, and presented a webinar on using authentic resources in 2019. She believes the ideal recipe for student success in the language classroom is student rapport, authenticity, engagement, empathy, and creativity. Michelle constantly seeks to develop her pedagogy and share creative ideas. She hasn’t presented for the last couple years to take care of her two year old, Hudson, and is expecting another little one in April 2024! She is excited to get back into the NYSAFLT realm! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, being outdoors, and traveling. 

Sara Moyer knew at the age of 5 that she would be a teacher, ultimately pursuing a degree from Nazareth College and a Masters Degree in Italian Literature from Binghamton University. She began her career teaching Spanish at Gates Chili Middle and High School, and then went on to teach Italian and Spanish at Spencerport High School. Over the last 18 years as a World Language educator, she has taught all levels from 7th through 11th grade. She is passionate about acquisition based learning and teaching with comprehensible input. In fact, she has presented numerous workshops focusing on topics such as active participation, assessment using the three modes, and comprehensible input.

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 Executive Committee of the NYSED World Languages Content Advisory Panel 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. 

Kelley Palmer-Sacchitella is enjoying her 30th year of teaching in a public setting. Kelley received her undergraduate degree from St. Bonaventure and her graduate degree from Nazareth College.  Kelley began her teaching career working at the Mary Cariola Children’s Center; she attributes her deep commitment to working as a member of a team to her early years at Mary Cariola.  Kelley’s first teaching job in the public school sector was at Letchworth Central School working in multiage co-taught blended classroom with the 3rd and 4th graders.  Kelley has been at Honeoye Central School for 25 years. Currently, she is teaching at the middle school level in the role of a special education co-teacher and Resource Room teacher.  Kelley enjoys reading, preparing and sharing meals with others, gardening, traveling, hiking with the world’s best dog, Sheba, and cheering on her Boston Red Sox. Kelley is very excited about her upcoming travel plans to France with HCS students and Penny Hensler.  In retirement, Kelley aspires to work within teacher training programs to continue to share her love of teaching and learning. 

My name is Ping Pian and I am an Associate Professor of Instruction in Chinese at the University of Rochester, where I teach multi-level Chinese language courses from Elementary level to Advanced level. I am an advisor to student placement, language/literature/culture courses, transfers and study abroad credits, and cluster/minor/major. Besides the University of Rochester, I have taught at Rochester Institute of Technology and Monroe Community College in the past. I have also been serving as an AP Reader for College Board for over 10 years.

In my classrooms, I strive to create an learning environment where students are inspired and supported. I encourage students to be creative, to be confident, and help them to be linguistically and culturally equipped to communicate successfully in a pluralistic American society and abroad. My interests are Chinese language, literature and culture; the New Culture Movement in China in the 1910s and 1920s; Chinese cinema; Chinese contemporary pop culture; language teaching and learning pedagogy.

Sarah and Carrie have been teaching together for 17 years in the Letchworth Central School District. Their experience spans across multiple grade and proficiency levels in both French and Spanish. For the past 7 years, they have been teaching with a focus on acquisition based learning in order to promote communication in the target language. 

Elisabetta Sanino D’Amanda coordinates the Italian Studies program at Rochester Institute of Technology in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures since 2001. Her scholarly publications and presentations are on Italian cinema, and Italian pedagogy with a specific focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. Her Internship Program in Genova, Italy, created and coordinated with the RIT Career Services, celebrates 20 years in 2024 and sees strong ties with Italian companies providing RIT students with a focus on the Italian as a thriving European language of work. Elisabetta is a documentary filmmaker and her film “As Good As Bread” on the Italian American community of Rochester, NY received the Depth of Focus prize in 2020, has been screened by Italian RAI Tv and in many Us universities. She also received the prize “Inclusione 3.0” for the film “Astrodance” by the university of Macerata, Italy in 2023.

Pamela Stano is an engaging Spanish educator. She holds a B.S. in Spanish & Secondary Education from SUNY Oswego and a Masters of Spanish Education from Binghamton University. Currently teaching 8th-grade Spanish 1b at North Syracuse Junior High, she brings over a decade of experience, having taught grades 7-10. Beyond her classroom role, Pamela is involved in language education leadership. As the CNY Regional Director for NYSAFLT and Membership Manager for LECNY, she champions collaboration and life-long learning. Pamela's global impact includes contributions to the World Language Council and the Standards Review Committee. In her presentations, Pamela shares insights on restorative practices, student engagement, the modes of communication, technology integration, and using authentic resources. Her evolution as an educator focuses on creating a learning community that prioritizes inclusivity, equity, and belonging. For Pamela, student success hinges on meaningful relationships and creating a space where students feel safe to be themselves. Her journey is a testament to continuous learning, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the success of her students. Pamela welcomes conversations at any time concerning not only the content of this presentation as well as  pedagogy and instructional practices but also values your feedback, questions and suggestions. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any thoughts or insights you might have at pamelastano23@gmail.com.

Shawnna Sweet is the Director of Multilingual Education for the Greece Central School District. This role allows her to serve the district in the areas she is most passionate about: English as a New Language, World Languages, and Bilingual Education, along with Translation and Interpretation Services. She began her career in education as an ESOL teacher in Greece, where she taught students in grades K-12, Adult ESOL and GED. Additionally, she spent ten years as an adjunct faculty member at Nazareth College, working with graduate students in the TESOL and International TESOL programs. 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. She currently serves on the NYSED World Language Content Advisory Panel, NYSED Seal of Biliteracy Task Force, and NYSED ELL Graduation Task Force. Shawnna is 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. 

Mark Warford teaches courses in Spanish at all levels, as well as linguistics and humanities for the Buffalo State University Department of Modern and Classical Languages. As chair of MCL, Warford created the first undergraduate SUNY certificate programs at Buffalo State (World Language Advantage) and developed the department's first dual-credit partnerships with area high schools (ITA 201, SPA 201). Under his leadership, MCL received the Department Award for Advancement in Affordability (2018). As a scholar, he has published in the areas of applied linguistics, (Spanish) language pedagogy, educational innovation, teacher development, and sociocultural theory. There are around 1000 citations of his work in scholarly publications. With regard to educational technology, he certified as a peer reviewer for Quality Matters and serves as Research and Innovation Fellow for the Open SUNY Center for Online Teaching Excellence. In addition to delivering keynote addresses, presenting, and chairing dozens of sessions at professional conferences from the regional to international level, Warford regularly leads workshops on a range of topics, including the promotion of student engagement, blended course design in online instruction, and Languages for the Professions and Specific Purposes. He is also a certified FourSight facilitator of organizational self-reflection. An avid fan of Irish traditional music, Warford has been recognized for his leadership in the regional seisiún scene and was invited to present workshops on Irish guitar accompaniment at the 2024 Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Eireann Convention.  

In addition to publishing a co-edited volume for Springer Publications, Reforms and Innovations in Education (2017), Warford recently published Mantha: Alchemies of the Cultural Turn (2023) for Vernon Press. In fall 2024, Warford was awarded meritorious service and leadership recognition from the Upstate New York Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese for his work as Western New York representative.  

Josh Wigle-Harris is a graduate of St. John Fisher College with a B.A. in Spanish and a M.S. in Special Education. He has taught at both the Gates-Chili and Wayne Central School Districts.  Currently, he is teaching Spanish at East Irondequoit Middle School.   He loves 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. He serves as the NYSAFLT Rochester Regional Conference Co-Chair, is a member of the NYSAFLT Annual Conference Planning Committee as A/V Co-Chair, is a member of the NYSAFLT Awards Selection Committee and Strategic Planning Committee.  He is also part of the NYS World Language Leadership Council.
Twitter (X) & Instagram: mrwigleharris