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DR. BÁRBARA FLORES, PRESIDENT
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
California State University, San Bernardino, Professor

Dr. Bárbara Flores is a pioneer Latina scholar activist, teacher educator, children’s literature writer, and international expert in the areas of biliteracy development, teaching/learning based on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theoretical framework, professional staff development, bilingual education, and critical pedagogy. Not only has she published her work in professional journals, books, and chapters, but she is also a sought-after keynote speaker throughout the Americas. She has lectured throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Canada, Germany, Portugal, New Zealand, and Australia. She has been a professor for the last 30 years and currently has an academic appointment at California State University, San Bernardino.

Currently, she serves on the CABE Board of Directors as President and the Vice President of the California Latino School Board Association. She was elected to the San Bernardino City School Board in 2008 and has served as both the President, Vice President and now as a Board member after being re-elected in 2013. She is also the past President of the National Association for Bilingual Education and served on a variety of national, regional, and state professional councils, which include the editorial board of the prestigious American Education Research Association Journal, Social and Institutional Analysis Section. She is the founding member of the Journal of Latinos and Education and the editor of a special edition on Theme Cycles, Primary Voices Journal for the National Council of Teachers of English Executive Board. Additionally, Dr. Flores is the nationally elected Chair of the Elementary Section of the National Council of Teachers of English, is on the Executive Board of the National Latino/a Education Research Agenda, and is the past Co-Chair of the Education Task Force for the Inland Latino Coalition under Congressman Baca.

During the last 30 years, she has also engaged in collaborative Action Research and Teaching and 15+ longitudinal action/research/teaching projects. As a result of this work, she has spearheaded the development of curriculum and pedagogy as well as assessment tools to address the development of scientific concepts and academic language across the content areas of science, social studies, and literature in grades PreK- 8. Her most creative work includes the creation and co-authorship of the first authentic Latino Spanish/English beginning literacy and biliteracy collections, Piñata (132 titles, 1994) and Más Piñata (88 titles, 1997) in the United States. Furthermore, she was the first person to lead the editorial and adaptations of 12 English traditional tales into Spanish for Rigby of Australia in 1988. Her most recent children’s book is titled, Mud Tortillas, published by Lee & Low Press of New York.

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OLIVIA YAHYA, IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Westminster School District (retired)

Olivia Yahya is the Immediate Past-President of the CABE Board of Directors. She has more than 30 years of experience as a bilingual educator, promoting multilingualism and equity for students and parents. She has a BS in Education from the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico and a MS in Educational Leadership Academy from Pepperdine University.

Additionally, she holds a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with a BCLAD in Spanish and an Administrative Service Credential. She recently retired as the Executive Director of Language Acquisition at Westminster School District. Previously, she served as the Coordinator of Services for English Learners for the Saddleback Valley Unified School District where she coordinated and managed the District’s Services for the English Learners Department and the School Readiness Program; She has provided training in AB 2913 certification for school districts in Orange, Imperial, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego Counties.

In addition to co-writing and chairing the curriculum and application for SB 395 and SB 1292, she was also a lead member of the six-county PROMISE Initiative grant program to create systemic change focusing on biliteracy and multiculturalism. Olivia was also a member on the Community Advisory Committee for National University and has served on various State committees.

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ELODIA ORTEGA-LAMPKIN, VICE PRESIDENT
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Woodland Joint Unified School District.

Elodia Ortega-Lampkin is currently the Interim Superintendent of Woodland Joint Unified School District. A former migrant worker and migrant student, she began her career in education as a California Mini-Corps Tutor. Her career includes more than 20 years of experience in California public schools serving as a Tutor, Bilingual Teacher, Adult Education Teacher, Resource Teacher, Mini-Corp Summer Program Coordinator, Middle School Vice-Principal, Elementary Principal, Director of English Learner Services, and Director of Elementary Education.

She has been recognized by ACSA Region III as “Administrator of the Year for Curriculum & Instruction” 2013, Yolo County Family Resource Center “Champion for Children Award” 2012, and the recipient of the Yolo County Mexican-American Concilio “Pilar Andrade Award” 2011.

Her career passion has been to create cultures that embrace and promote inclusiveness, biliteracy, multicultural awareness and rigorous instructional programs with high expectations for all students, particularly English Learners.

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DR. MARLENE BATISTA , DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE/STATE AFFAIRS
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Oxnard School District, Director of English Learner Services

Dr. Marlene Batista is a first generation American who started as an English Learner in California schools and has been advocating for the rights of other English Learners for the past 25 years. She started her career as a bilingual teacher in districts like Baldwin Park, Burbank and Glendale Unified. After receiving a Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis on Multi-lingual/Multi-cultural studies she worked as a Teacher Specialist at Edison Elementary in Glendale where she was part of the team that wrote and received a Title VII grant that started the first dual language program in the district. After completing her second Master’s in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies she went on to become an administrator in Beverly Hills Unified and later in Newhall as a Coordinator for Special Education/Pupil Services.

In 2011 she was hired by Palmdale School District to open the second dual language school in the district. During this time she completed her doctoral work in the area of Latino Parent Engagement, built up the school with the highest percentage of parental involvement in the district, and brought her school the honor of winning the CABE Seal of Excellence for their highly effective and achieving dual language program.

Dr. Batista has presented at numerous conferences throughout California and other states on engaging Latino parents in their children’s education. She is an active member of organizations like CALSA and is the newly elected Director of State and Legislative Affairs for CABE. She currently works as the Director of English Learner Services for Oxnard School District serving over 8000 English Learner families in the district and oversees such programs as AVID Excel for the district’s LTEL 7th and 8th graders and the Newcomer Academy for newly arrived immigrant students in grades 3-8.

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DR. LETTIE RAMÍREZ, DIRECTOR OF SECONDARY AND INSTITUTES OF HIGHER EDUCATION AFFAIRS
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Program Director, Cal State East Bay, Retired Professor

Dr. Lettie Ramirez, born in El Paso, Texas worked her way through elementary school in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, middle and high school in El Paso, Texas and finally worked her way through a doctoral degree at University of Texas at Austin. She was hired at CSU East Bay in 1994 to teach future teachers in the Teacher Education Department and Special Education classes in the Educational Psychology Department.

In 2005, she became a full professor. Throughout her tenure at CSU East Bay, she has received numerous awards such as Professor of the Year (2001), Advisor of the Year (2007), Si Se Puede! Excellence Award (2013), Outstanding Contributor to Community Engagement (2013) and Latino Heritage Recognition by Senator Wieckowski in (2015). Her strong focus in writing and obtained grants has helped her obtain over 35 million to support numerous students. Dr. Ramirez has presented and taught classes at the local, state, national and international level in several countries such as Greece, Mexico, Philippines, and Spain.

Dr. Ramirez has been the editor of four books. First two books were for teachers Portraits of Teachers in Multicultural Settings: A Critical Literacy Approach and Multicultural Education in Practice: Transforming One Community at a Time. The other two books have been working with parents You are Not Alone: Recipes for Success by Parents for Parents and in Spanish No Estas Solo: Recetas para Obtener Exito de Padres Para Padres.

With the goal of helping all students obtain a quality education, she has founded several programs at CSU East Bay. She was the co-founder of GANAS: Gaining Access aNd Academic Success a program to support students who transfer and now Director of STEP: Sophomore Transition Enrichment Program to increase academic support and retention of sophomores.

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RAUL MALDONADO, DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL AFFAIRS
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Palmdale School District, Superintendent of Schools

(adapted from palmdalesd.org) Raul Maldonado was named Superintendent of Schools for the Palmdale School District in May 2014. Previously, he served as Superintendent of the McFarland Unified School District, Kern County. He is well known throughout California as an innovative and inspirational leader. He is experienced in transforming school and district culture and has a proven record of improving student achievement. He sets high expectations, strategically allocates resources, and provides continuous support and multiple opportunities for collaboration, and he holds high expectations for all stakeholders. He believes all students should receive the best educational opportunities utilizing a rigorous curriculum delivered using effective research-based strategies and 21stcentury skills that will prepare students to be successful and to graduate college and be career ready.

Raul Maldonado has received many accolades during his illustrious career. He has been the featured speaker and presented in many conferences throughout the state, including Online Assessment Reporting System (OARS), California Association of Bilingual Education (CABE), and California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA). He has been recognized by several professional organizations for his leadership and for his work on behalf of the students in California. He even collaborated with Disney Productions on the filming of “McFarland”, a movie which features an exceptional teacher who goes to extraordinary efforts on behalf of his students in McFarland.

Mr. Maldonado has been an Antelope Valley resident since 1994. He is very involved in the community and enjoys working with community members, parents and students. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Isabel, for 22 years. Together they have four children, two in college and two attending Highland High School. His four children attended elementary school in the Palmdale School District and completed the Dual Language program at Los Amigos School through eighth grade.

Mr. Maldonado received his Bachelor Degree and Master’s Degree from California State University, Los Angeles. He holds a Multiple Subject Credential and a Clear Administrative Services Credential from the same university.

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DR. HUGO MORENO, DIRECTOR OF PARENT RELATIONS
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Payne Elementary, Mountain View SD, Principal

Over the past 26 years, Dr. Moreno has played a key role in the decision-making process and implementation of effective school programs at various schools in California. He has accomplished this through work on the leadership team, school site council, staff development, curriculum development, district-sponsored functions and through the allocation and monitoring of school budgets. His education at Claremont Graduate University, and California State University, Los Angeles, prepared him to successfully execute his responsibilities as a counselor intern, teacher, and site administrator.

His career includes two years as a counselor intern for the Talent Search program housed at California State University Los Angeles, thirteen years as classroom teacher and eighteen years as assistant principal and 5 years as principal in the Mountain View School District.

Dr. Moreno grew up in Hollywood, East Los Angeles, and the San Gabriel Valley He has a special connection with students and parents from immigrant communities because they reflect the communities that he grew up in. He is bilingual, Spanish and English, bicultural and a positive role model for the community he serves.

His experience includes decisions dealing with personnel selection, budgeting, student welfare, and curriculum development, working with staff on developing and maintaining programs to improve student academic performance and parent engagement. He was one of the collaborators in developing his district's parent engagement program. Some of his roles have been presenter, facilitator, community activist, to being a mentor.

In 2020 he presented at the 24th Annual Parent Involvement Academy in City of Industry on the topic of the Impostor Syndrome. He was Honored by the Los Angeles County Bilingual Director’s Annual Recognition on April 29th 2017 for his commitment to EL education and the students of the Mountain View School District. Dr. Moreno was a mentor to 5 youth towards attaining a college bound direction for the Partnership Scholars Program, Mentor 2010 – 2016. In 2015, HSF College Camp 2015 @ CSULA Co-presenter giving 9th-10th grade students logistical information in regards to college requirements A-G, ACT, SAT, and scholarship opportunities at the Hispanic Scholarship Fund California State University College Camp. On February 7, 2015, he was honored to be Counselor for the Chicano Youth Leadership Conference (Sal Castro’s) College retreat October 31-November 2, 2014.

He was an ADELANTE District Conferences Presenter (1998-2005) topics included Parental involvement in children's education, understanding of the SAT 9, CAT 6 assessments, strategies to use at home to support learning in ELA & Math, Financial Aid and the FAFSA application process. He was a Cal Poly Pomona's Teacher's Asian Summer Studies Institute (TASSI) Fellow, 1997. Guest lecturer at various campuses throughout southern California that include East Los Angeles College, Cypress College, Santa Ana College, & California State University Los Angeles. Topics ranging from education to contemporary and historical issues that impact and influence the Latino community.

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ROSA ARMSTRONG, DIRECTOR OF PARA-PROFESSIONAL AFFAIRS
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Palmdale School District, Assistant in EL Department

Rosa Armstrong attended UCLA as an undergraduate student. She graduated from California State University of Los Angeles with a Bachelor's Degree. She has been a member and an elected official of CABE for the past fourteen years. Rosa has been an employee of the Palmdale School District since 1994. She started her career as a Bilingual Instructional Assistant. Since then she has filled many positions in the bilingual sector of the district. She was the District Translator/Interpreter for ten years, taught ESL classes and parenting classes in her community; and is a facilitator for DELAC, ELAC and Migrant Education programs. Currently she works as the Assistant to the Director of Special Education. She assisted in creating many of the bilingual education programs for the Palmdale School District. She considers herself as exceptional individual who is highly respected by district administrators, educators, and parents.

Her Leadership Experience includes: Alfalit-Literacy Program-Head Facilitator in Lima-Peru, PTA President (two years at school level), South Antelope Valley Council PTA President, Palmdale School District Lead Translator/Interpeter, CABE Chapter 58-President, Vice President, Treasurer 2000-2014, CABE Director of Paraprofessional Affairs 2006 – 2012, CABE Annual Conference Planning Committee 2011- 2013, CABE Director of Paraprofessional Affairs 2016-2018, CABE Director of Parent Affairs 2018-2020.

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MARISSA LAZO-NECCO, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
SBCSS, Family & Community Engagement Content Manager

Marissa Lazo-Necco is the Family & Community Engagement Content Manager at San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, where she advocates for English Learners and multilingual access for ALL by embodying integrity, equity, and leadership through strong statewide, national, and international partnershps that support the children we share across our borders and all students.

She was born in El Salvador to a mother who was a professor and a father who was an accountant. Being the youngest of three siblings, life in a country that was going through civil war was filtered through the care and love of her parents and brother and sister. In 1988, Marissa and her family came to this country where she navigated the education system as an English Learner Student who struggled to merge into the language and culture of this country. Her experience with family engagement was first lived as a teenager who stayed focused on education through the inspiration and support of her own parents.

After serving children as a pre-school teacher for 2 years, Marissa transitioned to gain experience in a High School District where her passion for family engagement met her passion for high expectation for all students through the coordination of district-wide family engagement and coordination of English Learner student placement and re-classification. Her family engagement journey has taken her through a growing process as a Coordinator for a Parent Center for the Ontario-Montclair School District, where she applied, at ground level, different family engagement promising practices to engage the wider community.

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GLORIA ULLOA RODRÍGUEZ, REGION 1 REPRESENTATIVE
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Woodland Joint Unified School District, Retired Educator

Ms. Rodríguez started teaching in the mid 1970s when there was a lack of curriculum, textbooks or books in Spanish for teaching in a bilingual class. Ms. Rodríguez taught in the Santa Barbara, Goleta Union and Woodland Joint Unified School District. She held positions as a bilingual elementary classroom teacher, an English Language Development teacher, a bilingual resource teacher, a Title VII Grant Coordinator, a Child Development Program administrator and elementary school Principal.

Ms. Rodríguez coordinated a dual immersion program at Lee Junior High in the Woodland Joint Unified School District which also focused on cooperative education and technology.

Gloria helped coordinate classroom and family educational programs that focused on the English Language Learners and their families, primarily from Mexico and Southeast Asia.

Ms. Rodríguez, WJUSD Child Development Program Coordinator for State Preschool Program, Teen Parenting Program and the Infant Childcare Program brought in the UC Davis Mind Institute to provide staff development in the early literacy research.

Gloria has been a board member of the CABE Yolo/Woodland Chapter 76 for many years. After retiring in 2010, Ms. Rodríguez continued to be involved in CABE Yolo/Woodland Chapter 76.

Gloria has served on the Woodland Public Library Board of Trustees and provided better access for all in order to bridge the digital divide, and provide resources and programs to meet the needs of Woodland’s diverse community.

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ALESHA MORENO RAMIREZ, REGION 2 REPRESENTATIVE
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Tulare County Office of Education, Staff Development & Curriculum Specialist - ELA / ELD

Alesha's introduction to CABE began in the late nineties, as a newly-minted educator hungry for learning, seeking resources, and tapping into others’ expertise through the annual conference. She has a master’s degree and administrative credential, and is well-positioned to contribute to the rich history and tradition of CABE’s vision of Biliteracy, Multicultural Competency & Educational Equity for All.

She has experiences in education as a classroom practitioner, literacy program facilitator, coach, and county office consultant. She has been embedded in the fabric of the PreK-12 system in support of English learners for over 20 years in the central valley and near the central coast of California. She is active in the world of English learner education as a voice of advocacy, action, and support. On a daily basis, she partners with teachers and administrators with a lens of equity and service for diverse learners. She strives to support aspiring bilingual educators on their own paths toward bilingual authorization, and advocates for dual language programs in her area. Her contributions include involvement in statewide initiatives, such as English Learner Roadmap policy implementation, with commitments to the English Learner Leadership and Legacy Initiative (ELLLI) as a partner, and to the emerging Valley English Learner Advocates (VELA) as a founding member.

Inspired by colleagues and CABE familia, Alesha has used her voice to advocate for funding to support EL Roadmap implementation at the Capitol. She remains connected to partners regionally and across the state with a commitment to learning through collaboration on projects such as B.E.L.I.E.F: Blueprints for Effective Leadership and Instruction for our English learners’ Future and the English Learner Toolkit of Strategies. In addition, she participate in local initiatives such as the Central California Dual Language Consortium at Fresno State to help advance regional efforts toward biliteracy and multilingualism. She is further active in presenting at the annual CABE conferences, committed to topics around emergent bilingual assets and edifying English Language Development practice.

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CAROLINA SERNA, REGION 3 REPRESENTATIVE
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Associate Professor, Biola University

Carolina Serna has been a member of CABE since she was a bilingual elementary school teacher in Culver City, California in the early 90s. Prior to that time, she completed a Credential/M.Ed. at UCLA, as well as coursework to obtain a bilingual credential with an emphasis in Spanish. Her first tenure track academic teaching position was at CSU Monterey Bay, teaching literacy methods courses, as well as courses to prepare preservice teacher candidates to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students K-12. Dr. Serna’s research agenda has centered around issues of literacy and bilingualism, examining our teacher candidates’ familiarity with issues relating to English learners.

While in Monterey County, she began exploring the literacy development of migrant children from Oaxaca, México who enter the school system with a native indigenous language. She began to formally study the literacy development of native Triqui speakers in the 2013. In her current position at Biola University, she continues to teach literacy methods courses and conduct research in the area of literacy. Her local service efforts have included volunteer work at her local church, participation in activities of the UCLA Alumni Whittier chapter, and volunteer service at the “Read with Me” summer reading program.

Her experience includes being a bilingual Spanish/English elementary school teacher, doctoral studies, and teaching in higher education for 28 years, along with continued membership in CABE and leading various school and university department committees, addressing issues related to bilingual education, English learners and teacher preparation.

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MARY HELEN YBARRA, REGION IV REPRESENTATIVE
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Corona-Norco Unified School District

Mary Helen is the President of the CNUSD School Board. Being the first Latina to be elected on this board she continues to be a true advocate for the students of her school district.

Mary has continued going to Sacramento to Advocate for different CABE issues for English Learners. She is also the Vice President of the California Latino School Board Association and a Delegate on California School Board Association.

Mary has been working hard with her chapters in Riverside, Coachella, San Bernardino and San Diego.

Keeping in touch through Zoom or phone calls to presidents and boards. Mary Helen understands all too well the struggles that English learners go through, as she was one. She is very Proud to be part of the CABE familia and as a Regional Representative.

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MariaElena Esquer, REGION 5 REPRESENTATIVE
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)
Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Palmdale School District

Since attending her first CABE conference in Downtown Los Angeles in 1988, MariaElena Esquer says she has been both in awe and inspired by the professional learning provided, and also by the organization and its leadership. She continues to see CABE as that visionary service organization transforming education for our English Learners. CABE’s commitment compels her actions and is the focus of the vow she made to her community in Palmdale, as the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, to implement the Palmdale PROMISE, their strategic plan. Her dedication to English Learners, celebrating multiculturalism and multilingualism is the catalyst that drives her work.

Since 1997, MariaElena Esquer has served the Palmdale community as a bilingual teacher, site administrator, and district office leader. In 2017, ACSA Region XV awarded her the Central Office Leader of the Year Award. As a teacher and administrator, she worked tirelessly with the district’s most “at-promise” schools, to ensure students felt valued for their language, had access to equitable programs and developed a love of learning. As the Principal of Los Amigos Dual Language School, the dedication to biliteracy and bilingualism was the purpose and gift to her community. During her principalship, Los Amigos was selected by CABE as a Seal of Excellence School in 2012. All of these experiences has helped her to grow as a leader, as a servant and advocate for students, and as a human being who loves her profession and the children it serves.