Beyond the Labels: Unpacking the Diversity of Emergent Bilinguals for School Leaders

About the Presenters

Dr. José Viana is a Senior Education Advisor for Lexia Learning. Dr. Viana was most recently the Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director of the Office of English Language Acquisition at the United States Department of Education. In this role, he was responsible for the overall leadership, management, and direction of education for English language learners nationwide. He also oversaw the development and dissemination of discretionary grants, research studies, and resources that guide education practice and policy to meet the needs of our country’s emergent bilingual students.

Prior to joining the Department, Dr. Viana served for eight years as an administrator of the Migrant Education Program for North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction. Dr. Viana began his career in Miami-Dade County Public Schools as an elementary school teacher for English language learners and later was a humanities and technology instructor at an International Baccalaureate World School. In 2006, Dr. Viana became an elementary school administrator for Durham Public Schools, where he established the districtwide Title I Parent Advisement Committee for Hispanics.

Dr. Viana is a first-generation Cuban immigrant who started his primary years as an English language learner. The magnificent teachers he encountered in his early learning inspired him to become an educator. Dr. Viana has devoted his life to improving educational opportunities for minority populations and is honored to serve our nation’s emergent bilinguals and their families.

Rachel Hawthorne is currently an English Learner Senior Specialist at Really Great Reading. With a background shaped by her own experiences as a language learner in Central and South America, she attended local schools and gained a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by multilingual students. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Linguistics and a Master’s degree in Bilingual/ESL Education. Her career in education is distinguished by her recognition as District Teacher of the Year for the state of Texas during her years as a bilingual teacher in the classroom, a testament to her commitment to excellence and innovation in multilingual teaching.

Throughout her career, Rachel has worked in various capacities. She has taught in one-way and two-way bilingual programs, ESL programs, worked as a reading interventionist, and served as an English learner specialist at the district level. Her hands-on experience, combined with her leadership roles, has enabled her to contribute significantly to the development and success of multilingual education. As an EL curriculum specialist, she continues to leverage her skills to support educators and students, ensuring that language learners receive the high-quality instruction they need to thrive. Passionate about her work, Rachel remains dedicated to advocating for equitable and effective education for all students.

Andrea Bitner is an international educator, author, and speaker based out of Philadelphia, PA. She has worked with students in grades K-12 throughout her twenty-four years in public education from all around the world. Her first book, “Take Me Home,” was published by Austin Macauley in July of 2021. “Take Me Home” is the true story of 11 of her former EL students who give a first-hand account of what it’s really like to become bilingual in America. She is also a co-author of Chip Baker’s “The Impact of Influence-Volume 3 , Dr. Rick Jetter’s 100 No-Nonsense Things ALL School Leaders Shout STOP Doing,” and has contributions that can be found in two of Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld’s recent EL texts. Andrea has also been recognized by the state of Pennsylvania for writing an Innovative Teaching Grant, in addition to being featured in an article for her work with EL’s in PSEA’s “The Voice.” She teaches EL’s daily, and travels the country speaking and supporting thousands of educators on how to confidently teach and reach EL students, and effectively communicate with EL families! Visit Andrea’s website www.andreabitnerbooks.com.

Dr. Jennifer Pendergrass-Bennefield is the ESOL/Title III Coordinator for Floyd County Schools in Northwest Georgia. In this role, she oversees the alignment of ESOL services to structured literacy initiatives. Her current work with Floyd County Schools also contributes to the district’s development of a strategic plan for screening for dyslexia and creating literacy plans for emergent bilingual students. She is active on the board for the Georgia Teachers of English for Speakers of Other Languages (GaTESOL) organization, serving as President in 2021 and in the advisory role of Past President in 2022 and 2023. Since 2016, she has served in the roles of 1st Vice President, Conference Chair, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, and Regional Liaison for Regions 1 and 2. She currently serves on the board as Member at Large. Dr. Pendergrass-Bennefield serves on the Professional Learning Committee for the National Association of English Learner Program Administrators (NAELPA). She was an invited presenter at the 2022 TESOL ELevate Conference and the 2023 TESOL International Convention. She delivered the Keynote Address “Strengthening Connection through Courageous Conversations” at the GATESOL 2023 Hybrid Conference.

Dr. Lynmara Colón is a dynamic leader committed to student learning and growth. She is passionate about technology, access, and equity for all students, and was named in the NSBA 20 to Watch for Innovative Practices. As a former teacher, assistant principal, and principal, Dr. Colón is focused on building healthy cultures by leading with a Disney mentality where all stakeholders are welcomed. She serves as the Director of Student Opportunity and Multilingual Services in a school division serving over 20,000 of English Learners representing 140 languages. She is the co-author of Empower Our Girls: Opening the Door for Girls to Achieve More.

About the Host

Cassandra Wheeler is a proud “Poet” of the 1990 graduating class at Sidney Lanier High School of Montgomery Public Schools (MPS) in Alabama. In 1994, following undergraduate studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education, Cassandra returned home to MPS and began her career as an educator at Morningview Elementary School. After earning her master’s degree and administrative certification, Cassandra joined the Alabama Reading Initiative, where she authored Alabama’s Reading First Initiative grant and managed Alabama’s statewide DIBELS pilot. In 2004, after serving the children of Alabama for ten years, Cassandra expanded her outreach to impact the life trajectories of students everywhere by joining the (then) Voyager Expanded Learning organization. Now, at Lexia, Cassandra serves the organization as Director of LETRS State Success.