PROFESSIONAL LEARNING STAFF
Professional Learning Team
RUBÍ FLORES
Director, Professional Learning Services
Rubí Flores, M.A.
Rubí Flores, M.A., has extensive expertise working with English Learner and Dual Language Programs. She has served as a bilingual teacher, ESL specialist, dual language teacher, dual language instructional Coach, program coordinator and biliteracy curriculum developer. She has worked in schools across Texas, Oklahoma, El Salvador and recently California.
Rubí earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Bilingual Education from Texas State University and a Master’s Degree in Bilingual and Bicultural Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a cohort member of the Proyecto Maestría leadership development program through the University of Texas.
Rubí holds a Multiple Subject Teaching credential with a bilingual teacher authorization in California and Texas. She has presented her work with dual language programs and biliteracy instruction at NABE, TABE, Adelante! Dual Language Conference, and at multiple district level sites. Her current work focuses on developing teacher capacity, coaching, authentic methods for biliteracy instruction, teacher Spanish academic language development and effective English language development strategies.
DR. ALMA CASTRO
Director, Multilingual California Project (MCaP)
Alma Castro, Ed.D.
Dr. Alma Castro has served as a K-12 educator in multiple capacities. She has served in public education as an English Language Development Teacher, English Learner Coordinator, Title III Instructional Coach, Professional Development Facilitator, and Administrator at the high school level overseeing the English Learner and Special Education Programs and Parent Engagement. She is currently serving as an adjunct professor at CSULB College of Education, supporting teacher preparation programs.
Dr. Castro also teaches for the Los Angeles County Offices of Education at the Teacher Intern Program. Dr. Castro is a National Board Certified teacher in English as a New Language. She earned a B.A. in Sociology, and a M.Ed. in Teacher Education from UCLA. She obtained an M.A. in School Administration from CSUDH, and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from the CSULB.
Dr. Castro has published work on the Seal of Biliteracy, and has presented research on biliteracy and multilingual education at local, national and international conferences including: CABE, AERA, UCEA, and the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica.
ANDREA GONZÁLEZ
Administrative Assistant
ANYA BOBADILLA
Professional Learning Specialist
SARA KENNEDY
Professional Learning Specialist, MCaP
Sara Kennedy
Sara Kennedy is originally from Michigan, from a big family in a small town. Her educational journey began at home, where her mother home schooled her from kindergarten through high school graduation. That meant that her first experience in a classroom was as a teenager attending community college for dual high school credit, including her first Spanish class. That is where she first discovered a passion for languages and language education, leading her to Eastern Michigan University for both a B.A. in Spanish and English education and a M.A. in TESOL. Sara spent the first decade of her career teaching K-8 Spanish in Detroit and San Diego. As a new teacher, she also spent one year in Spain through a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship, supporting English classes as a third language in a Spanish and Valencian school. After supporting English Language Learners and Spanish-speaking families in spare moments between teaching full time, she moved into a full time support role as an EL Coordinator at a project based charter school.
Sara has supported and advocated for students, families, and teachers as a new teacher mentor, on school advisory committees and instructional leadership teams, as an induction coach, supporting the development of new ELAC committees, participation in the CARPE College Access network, and as a union organizer and officer. Throughout Sara’s work with a variety of language program models, she has cultivated a passion for multilingual education as a way to connect, empower and reimagine more equitable schools and communities. As a community organizer, she has strengthened her belief in collaborative leadership and how effective organizational structures can reflect shared values.
After 14 years in the school setting, Sara recently joined CABE as part of the Multilingual California Alliance Project (MCAP), where she continues to support teachers, students, and families by helping districts implement the EL Roadmap Policy. She lives in San Diego, where she has been active as a community organizer, particularly related to civic engagement and immigration issues. She also enjoys travel, reading, and photography.
AMANDA VANESSA NORIEGA
Professional Learning Specialist, MCaP
Amanda Vanessa Noriega
Amanda Vanessa Noriega grew up in Chihuahua, México and in Southern California. She understands the great value of being bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural. She has served as a dual language educator as a teacher, specialist, director, and school administrator. Amanda has served as national educational consultant where she has promoted language learning and cultural understanding throughout the country. She has focused her educational career on creating a more equitable school environment for English Learners and underserved students in both Texas and California.
Amanda earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies from California State University, Northridge and a Master of Arts degree in Teaching with a specialization in Early Childhood from National University. She was part of the first cohort to complete the School Leadership Academy Preliminary Administrative Services Credential from the University of Southern California. Amanda is a doctoral candidate within the Organizational Leadership EdD program at the University of La Verne. Her dissertation topic focuses on exploring the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on literacy intervention approaches of dual language teachers. The study is grounded in Complex Dynamic Systems Theory, a perspective and approach to the study of second language acquisition.
Professional Learning Specialists (Part-Time)
MARGA MARSHALL
Marga Marshall
Marga Marshall is an Educational Consultant with experience in bilingual education in Spain and in California. She opened the first TK-8 Two Way Dual Immersion English/Spanish School in Concord, CA as part of the district’s Magnet schools. Prior to becoming a principal, Marga Marshall was a bilingual teacher, an instructional coach, an English Learners coach, and a Dual Language coach.
As an educator for over 23 years, her passion is bilingualism, biliteracy, and offering students the opportunity to learn a second (or more) language. Marga Marshall has always developed relationships with the community, staff, and teachers. Her leadership also involves watching students grow and supporting teachers and staff, so that they can reach their greatest potential while strengthening a connection between school and home, and fostering a positive school culture.
Marga Marshall has presented at state and national conferences on best practices for the bilingual classroom, Creating Culturally Competent Schools, Number Talks in bilingual classrooms, and presentations for parents and paraeducators with strategies on how to support students during Distance Learning.
DR. NATHALIE LONGRÉE-GUEVARA
Dr. Nathalie Longrée-Guevara
Dr. Nathalie Longrée-Guevara has worked in the field of education as a teacher, site administrator, county level administrator, university professor, program evaluator, and curriculum writer. She has dedicated her entire career to promoting second language acquisition and literacy development.
Nathalie served as a FLAP grant director for Mandarin and Arabic dual immersion programs and led successful reform efforts to improve English Learner programs in K-12 school districts throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. She has extensive expertise in literacy development kindergarten through twelfth grade, having taught English Learners and struggling readers kindergarten through third grade as well as middle and high school. She has written English Language Development (ELD) curriculum for the primary grades and is a module writer for the California State University’s Expository Reading and Writing Course (ERWC).
Nathalie has over fifteen years of experience as staff developer and coach, and was instrumental in supporting districts and teachers transition to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (ELA) and ELD. She holds a Bachelor and a Master’s degree in Comparative Literature (French, Spanish, and English) and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis is second language acquisition.
LAURA MÁRQUEZ-CHOISELAT
Laura Márquez-Choiselat
After beginning her education in the United States as an English learner in 5th grade, Laura Márquez-Choiselat knows firsthand the challenges and stages that English Learners go through when it comes to language acquisition. She is a testament that a well-structured English Language Development program works. Laura grew up in the Los Angeles area as a ward of the state (foster care system) and took every experience as a learning opportunity.
She graduated from Schurr high School in Montebello and then attended the University of La Verne for both her B.A. and M.A. Recently, she attended Cal State San Bernardino and completed 1/3 of her Doctorate in Educational Leadership.
Laura’s teaching career has revolved around working with students in Dual Immersion Programs, working with English Learners and Spanish Learners in San Bernardino. She taught using GATE and ELD strategies in Math, Science and AVID in Spanish as well as assisting the district in developing units of study for both Math Common Core Standards and Science NGSS. Laura has also taught Language Arts, Social Studies, and Math Support in English for Middle School Dual Immersion students.
After many years in the field, she believes ALL students benefit from explicit language development during first instruction (whether they are learning English or learning Spanish).
Laura has passion for English Learners and biliteracy programs. Now that she’s retired from teaching in public education, CABE has given her the opportunity to help teachers with English Learner, GATE strategies, and Dual Immersion Program best practices.
ESMERALDA ESPERICUETA
Esmeralda Espericueta
Esmeralda Espericueta, M.Ed., has worked with language learners for 20 years in multiple capacities. She has served as a bilingual and dual language teacher in several program models and has also served as a dual language instructional coach, dual language campus administrator, and as a Bilingual/ESL and State Testing district coordinator.
Most recently, she has focused on providing consulting and professional learning services to support implementation and refinement of dual language programs and emergent bilingual/English learner programs in Texas and California. Her work is grounded on best practices for English Learners, authentic methods for teaching Spanish literacy, developing biliteracy, and building a classroom community that honors students’ funds of knowledge, cultural, and linguistic capital. She has led the development of emerging dual language programs and takes pride in the teams she has led.
Esmeralda graduated from the University of Texas Pan American with a bachelor’s degree in Bilingual Education and later earned a master’s degree in Bilingual and Bicultural Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a cohort member of the Proyecto Maestría leadership development program through the University of Texas. Esmeralda holds a school administration certification and a bilingual teaching credential. She has presented her work at teacher conferences such as NABE, Adelante, TABE, La Cosecha and is one of the lead presenters for the CABE Dual Language Teacher Academy Program.