Executive Board members serve a two-year term and represent the diverse viewpoints of stakeholders around the state.
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Officers
Bettina Staudt, Ed.D.
President (Term 2023-2025)
Dr. Staudt serves as District World Language Specialist K-12 for Chesterfield County Public Schools, an award winning school districts, where she leads K-12 WL programs, such as elementary dual immersion programs, FLES, and secondary immersion IB, DE, and AP world language programs in Chinese Mandarin, Japanese, ASL, Latin, French, Spanish, and German. She participated in the 2018 School Retool cohort and is a fellow of the Harvard Think Tank in Global Education, led by Dr. Fernando Reimers, Unesco High Council member for the Future of Education and Professor for International Education at HGSE. She serves on the VA AATG, and Global Virginia Executive Board, and was a contributing member on the VDOE Dual Immersion Guiding Document Writing Team and served on the DLI Licensure Steering Committee. Dr. Staudt is a committed advocate for dual immersion education, biliteracy, intercultural and global competence articulation for K-20, strongly believing it serves social justice, equity and social emotional learning needs.
President (Term 2023-2025)
Dr. Staudt serves as District World Language Specialist K-12 for Chesterfield County Public Schools, an award winning school districts, where she leads K-12 WL programs, such as elementary dual immersion programs, FLES, and secondary immersion IB, DE, and AP world language programs in Chinese Mandarin, Japanese, ASL, Latin, French, Spanish, and German. She participated in the 2018 School Retool cohort and is a fellow of the Harvard Think Tank in Global Education, led by Dr. Fernando Reimers, Unesco High Council member for the Future of Education and Professor for International Education at HGSE. She serves on the VA AATG, and Global Virginia Executive Board, and was a contributing member on the VDOE Dual Immersion Guiding Document Writing Team and served on the DLI Licensure Steering Committee. Dr. Staudt is a committed advocate for dual immersion education, biliteracy, intercultural and global competence articulation for K-20, strongly believing it serves social justice, equity and social emotional learning needs.
Susanna Bailey
President-Elect (Term 2023-2025)
Susanna Bailey has served as the Instructional Supervisor for World Languages and Dual Language Immersion at Newport News Public Schools for the past 4 years. Before her current role, she spent 3 years as an assistant principal and 10 years as a Spanish teacher. She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Regent University and a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and Spanish from James Madison University. In her current capacity, she provides support to secondary world language teachers as well as dual language teachers from PreK through 9th grade. In 2021 and 2023, Bailey was awarded a World Language Advancement and Readiness Program grant from DoDEA, expanding the district’s dual language immersion program to 2 additional schools and introducing additional courses to the world language curriculum, including American Sign Language. Susanna’s professional interests revolve around teacher development and retention, as well as furthering her contributions to dual language and immersion education throughout the state of Virginia.
President-Elect (Term 2023-2025)
Susanna Bailey has served as the Instructional Supervisor for World Languages and Dual Language Immersion at Newport News Public Schools for the past 4 years. Before her current role, she spent 3 years as an assistant principal and 10 years as a Spanish teacher. She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Regent University and a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and Spanish from James Madison University. In her current capacity, she provides support to secondary world language teachers as well as dual language teachers from PreK through 9th grade. In 2021 and 2023, Bailey was awarded a World Language Advancement and Readiness Program grant from DoDEA, expanding the district’s dual language immersion program to 2 additional schools and introducing additional courses to the world language curriculum, including American Sign Language. Susanna’s professional interests revolve around teacher development and retention, as well as furthering her contributions to dual language and immersion education throughout the state of Virginia.
Zach Neumann, M.S. Ed.
Treasurer
Zach Neumann currently serves as the Senior Coordinator of World Languages and ESL for Norfolk Public Schools. Prior to this, he was the K-12 World Languages Instructional Specialist for Virginia Beach City Public Schools and taught French for 12 years in Virginia and Maryland. In his current role, he supports the work of secondary language teachers and K-12 ESL teachers. He also serves as an advocate for students and families with limited English proficiency. Mr. Neumann hopes to begin a Dual Language Immersion Program in the near future to serve the Spanish-speaking students and families in Norfolk. In the summers, he often travels to West Africa to help run a reading camp for village children to increase their literacy in English. He looks forward to continuing his learning of and support for Virginia’s biliteracy programs.
Treasurer
Zach Neumann currently serves as the Senior Coordinator of World Languages and ESL for Norfolk Public Schools. Prior to this, he was the K-12 World Languages Instructional Specialist for Virginia Beach City Public Schools and taught French for 12 years in Virginia and Maryland. In his current role, he supports the work of secondary language teachers and K-12 ESL teachers. He also serves as an advocate for students and families with limited English proficiency. Mr. Neumann hopes to begin a Dual Language Immersion Program in the near future to serve the Spanish-speaking students and families in Norfolk. In the summers, he often travels to West Africa to help run a reading camp for village children to increase their literacy in English. He looks forward to continuing his learning of and support for Virginia’s biliteracy programs.
Wendy Bermúdez, M.A.
Secretary
Wendy Bermúdez received her bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies and Teaching from Barnard College in New York City. She has a master’s degree in Bilingual/Bicultural Education from Teachers College at Columbia University and a second master's in Spanish Language and Culture from Universidad de Salamanca in Spain. Wendy has worked for Arlington Public Schools for eleven years and has held various positions, including Dual Language Classroom Teacher, Spanish Language Arts Specialist, Resource Teacher for the Gifted, and World Languages Teacher Specialist. Wendy received her Administration and Supervision endorsement from Longwood University and currently serves as the Dual Language Immersion Coordinator for Arlington Public Schools.
Secretary
Wendy Bermúdez received her bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies and Teaching from Barnard College in New York City. She has a master’s degree in Bilingual/Bicultural Education from Teachers College at Columbia University and a second master's in Spanish Language and Culture from Universidad de Salamanca in Spain. Wendy has worked for Arlington Public Schools for eleven years and has held various positions, including Dual Language Classroom Teacher, Spanish Language Arts Specialist, Resource Teacher for the Gifted, and World Languages Teacher Specialist. Wendy received her Administration and Supervision endorsement from Longwood University and currently serves as the Dual Language Immersion Coordinator for Arlington Public Schools.
Katherine Barko-Alva, Ph.D
DLI Curriculum & Instruction and Professional Development Chair
Dr. Barko-Alva is Associate Professor of ESL/Bilingual Education at the School of Education, William and Mary. She is a McKnight doctoral fellow and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. She focuses on how teachers understand and negotiate language within the context of culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. She serves in the ESL National Advisory Council for iCivics, and was an executive board member of the Virginia Dual Language Educator Network. She was VADLEN's secretary and treasurer from 2018-2021. She was awarded the 2018 Virginia Latino Advisory Board Latinx Leadership Award in education and the Janet Brown Strafer award, School of Education-William & Mary 2018-2019. She is currently working the writing team for the VDOE Dual Language Guidance Document and is a member of the Virginia Dual Language Licensure work group.
DLI Curriculum & Instruction and Professional Development Chair
Dr. Barko-Alva is Associate Professor of ESL/Bilingual Education at the School of Education, William and Mary. She is a McKnight doctoral fellow and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. She focuses on how teachers understand and negotiate language within the context of culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. She serves in the ESL National Advisory Council for iCivics, and was an executive board member of the Virginia Dual Language Educator Network. She was VADLEN's secretary and treasurer from 2018-2021. She was awarded the 2018 Virginia Latino Advisory Board Latinx Leadership Award in education and the Janet Brown Strafer award, School of Education-William & Mary 2018-2019. She is currently working the writing team for the VDOE Dual Language Guidance Document and is a member of the Virginia Dual Language Licensure work group.
Victoria Pierson, M.A.Ed
Social Media Manager & Sponsorship Coordinator
Victoria Pierson is the English Learner Instructional Coach for Richmond Public Schools. She holds a Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction (Spanish and TESOL) from the College of William & Mary, Bachelor's degrees in Spanish and Communication Studies from Virginia Tech, and an Educational Leadership endorsement from Longwood University. Pierson also serves on the Executive Board of Virginia TESOL. Her primary professional interests include teacher leadership, dual language/bilingual education, and linguistic justice.
Social Media Manager & Sponsorship Coordinator
Victoria Pierson is the English Learner Instructional Coach for Richmond Public Schools. She holds a Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction (Spanish and TESOL) from the College of William & Mary, Bachelor's degrees in Spanish and Communication Studies from Virginia Tech, and an Educational Leadership endorsement from Longwood University. Pierson also serves on the Executive Board of Virginia TESOL. Her primary professional interests include teacher leadership, dual language/bilingual education, and linguistic justice.
Past Presidents
Beatrix Preusse-Burr, M.A.
Past President (2018-2021) Beatrix Preusse-Burr has been a world language educator for more than 30 years spanning K-20 levels of instruction. She has worked with Dual Language Immersion programs in Fairfax County Public Schools for more than 20 years, first as an immersion teacher and then the division’s elementary world language specialist. Through her current focus on authentic biliteracy and intercultural competence development, she collaborates with governmental and non-governmental agencies to facilitate student-driven international environmental collaboration projects based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to support target language acquisition, biliteracy, global education, and intercultural competence. As an active world language advocate, Beatrix has been involved in leadership roles in various world language organizations most recently as president of the Organization of World Language Supervisors. She is currently working on the Global Virginia Steering Committee as well as the writing team for the VDOE Dual Language Guidance Document and is a member of the Virginia Dual Language Licensure work group. |
Jeremy Aldrich, Ph.D.
Former President (2016-2018) Jeremy Aldrich is the Director of Teaching and Learning in Harrisonburg City Public Schools and has worked with the Dual Language program there for more than seven years. He is proud to have been the first president of VADLEN and of the work the organization has already done in advocacy and networking. He completed a doctoral degree at George Mason University. His dissertation focused on Dual Language in middle and high schools. |
Former Board Members
Lucy Montalvo, Ed.D.
President (Term: 2022-2024)
Lucy Montalvo has been a teacher/educator for 16 years with a variety of roles including preschool, Spanish FLES, and as a Spanish second grade dual language teacher. She was a lead teacher and coordinator of a dual language program in Virginia and provides consultation/professional development to dual language schools. She is also the co-author of the children's book: El ABC de la Comida Puertorriqueña/The ABC's of Puerto Rican Food. She completed her doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction with a concentration in Bilingual Studies from the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley. Lucy has been a member of VADLEN since it's beginning and on the executive board since 2018. She is especially interested in oral development & oracy in emergent bilinguals and its effects on biliteracy. She collaborated on the writing team for the VDOE Dual Language Guidance Document and the Virginia Dual Language Licensure work group.
President (Term: 2022-2024)
Lucy Montalvo has been a teacher/educator for 16 years with a variety of roles including preschool, Spanish FLES, and as a Spanish second grade dual language teacher. She was a lead teacher and coordinator of a dual language program in Virginia and provides consultation/professional development to dual language schools. She is also the co-author of the children's book: El ABC de la Comida Puertorriqueña/The ABC's of Puerto Rican Food. She completed her doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction with a concentration in Bilingual Studies from the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley. Lucy has been a member of VADLEN since it's beginning and on the executive board since 2018. She is especially interested in oral development & oracy in emergent bilinguals and its effects on biliteracy. She collaborated on the writing team for the VDOE Dual Language Guidance Document and the Virginia Dual Language Licensure work group.