Gregg Roberts-Aguirre
Gregg Roberts-Aguirre is the Executive Director of the Dual Language Multilingual Alliance. Before working for the DLMA, he was the Dual Language Innovation Coordinator for Avant Assessment, the Director of Dual Language Studies for American Councils of International Education in Washington DC., and the World Language & Dual Language Immersion Specialist for the Utah State Board of Education.
His work with the Utah Legislature and Governor’s office led to groundbreaking changes in the way world languages are viewed and funded within the state’s K-16 schools. The K-16 program he designed with his team is being used as a model of innovative world-language education nationally. As part of this program, he gathered and lead a group of K-12 educators, in collaboration with the state’s institutions of higher education, in the design and implementation of Utah’s highly successful Critical Language, Dual Language Immersion (DLI) and Bridge programs in Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. In the process, he directed the development of K-12 immersion curricula, the establishment of proficiency targets for all grade levels and DLI languages, a comprehensive assessment program comprised of internal and external assessments, and a job-embedded professional learning program for teachers and administrators, and a support system in those languages.
Gregg has taught at both the secondary and university levels. He also served as the Granite School District’s World Language Specialist. He was named the 2009 National Council of State Supervisors of Foreign Language State Supervisor of the Year, the 2015 ACTFL Leo Benardo Award for Innovation in K-12 Language Education, and he is a recipient of two, (Knight and Officer), Palms Académiques from the French Government.
Mara S. Cobe
Mara S. Cobe is the Partnership Relations Manager for Avant, The Language Proficiency Company, where she began a new chapter after retiring from a 33+ year career in K-12 World Languages and Dual Language Immersion. Previously, she was the K-12 World Languages Specialist for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for nearly two decades, where she supervised World Language programs in seven languages for a school district with over 140,000 students. These programs included FLEX, dual language immersion (in five languages), heritage, traditional, AP, Cambridge and IB courses.
In addition to years of curriculum and supervision at the building and district level, she has taught French in grades 6-12, and Spanish in grades K-12. Her personal classroom experiences include FLEX, traditional World Language courses and immersion transition courses. She worked closely with Queens University of Charlotte to support seven successful STARTALK student summer programs and served as a STARTALK proposal reviewer for several years.
Ms. Cobe has served on the board of FLANC, and was named as a FLANC Honorary Life Member in 2014. She was the recipient of the 2020 SCOLT Leadership Award. In addition, she has served on teams to revise and implement the North Carolina World Language standards.
At the national level, Ms. Cobe served as a member of the ACTFL Task Force on Interculturality, and Chairperson of the ACTFL Global Engagement Initiative Award committee. She served on the National Association of District Supervisors For Languages (NADSFL) for 12 years, wrapping up as Past-President in December 2024. She was named the 2025 NADSFL Supervisor of the Year, and is one of the co-authors of NADSFL’s Principles of Effective World Language Programs.
Danette Meyer
Danette Meyer is the Lead Partner at With Partners, an educational consulting firm committed to partnering with districts to create positive, inclusive school experiences and advancing academic achievement for multilingual learners.
Danette previously served as Assistant Superintendent for Language and Culture in Schaumburg School District 54, the largest elementary district in Illinois, serving approximately 16,000 students. In this role, she led the implementation and continuous improvement of dual language, immersion, and English Learner programming across 28 schools, supporting more than 3,000 English learners and 1,600 dual language and immersion students. District 54 was named the 2019 Exemplary Foreign Language Program by ACTFL American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages and awarded District of Distinction by District Administration Magazine for the EL targeted assistance writing program
Earlier in her career, Danette served as principal of MacArthur International Spanish Academy, where she played a key role in expanding and strengthening the dual language program while cultivating a strong, internationally focused school identity. During her tenure, the school doubled its dual language enrollment and earned national and international recognition, including being named Spanish School of the Year by the Spanish Ministry of Education and ranked #2 elementary school in Suburban Cook County by Chicago Magazine.
In addition to her consulting work, Danette co-leads the New Multilingual Directors’ Alliance, a statewide network that provides mentorship, collaboration, and strategic guidance for new multilingual program leaders navigating the complexities of their roles.
Across all of her work, Danette is committed to building educator capacity, strengthening systems, and ensuring that multilingual learne
Carolyn Schubach
Carolyn Schubach is a longtime Utah educator whose five-decade career has spanned parochial and public schools, classroom teaching, and district- and state-level leadership. After completing her undergraduate studies at the University of San Francisco, circumstance and love brought this California native to Salt Lake City, where the University of Utah helped launch and solidify her lifelong commitment to education.
In the mid-1980s, Carolyn returned to school to pursue educational administration, a turning point that opened opportunities for her to serve as a principal at both the elementary and junior high levels. She also contributed at the state level as a leader in Utah’s school accreditation process, helping to shape and uphold standards for educational quality.
Her work in school leadership led naturally into broader instructional roles, including serving as director of curriculum in Murray School District and as director of Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs in Granite School District. As an active member of the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL), she spent many years interviewing teachers in China and facilitating their placement in U.S. schools to support Utah’s growing DLI programs.
Most recently, Carolyn served as the Utah Dual Language Immersion Administrators Director, supporting school and district leaders of DLI programs statewide. In this role, she championed multilingual education, guided the implementation of high-quality immersion programs, mentored administrators in developing language-rich, culturally responsive schools, and developed an online Utah DLI Administrators Handbook that continues to serve as a key resource for leaders.
Carolyn’s career has also included notable international and professional experiences. She was honored as a Fulbright-Hays scholar to India and China, and served as director of the Utah Principals Academy, where she helped prepare and support school leaders across the state. In recognition of her sustained impact and advocacy, she received the Utah YWCA Outstanding Achievement Award in 2015. Throughout her varied and exciting career, Carolyn has remained deeply committed to improving teaching and learning for all students and expanding access to high-quality dual language immersion programs.
Ruta Couet
Throughout her career, Ruta has maintained a strong personal and professional commitment to plurilingualism.
After more than two decades in the classroom, Ruta joined the South Carolina Department of Education as World Languages Specialist. In this role, she led statewide efforts to expand access to early language learning. With federal funding and in partnership with ETV, she directed the development of Bringing New Languages to Young Learners, a telecourse based on the book by Helena Curtain and Carol Ann Dahlberg. This initiative coached early language elementary educators as well as laying the groundwork for dual language immersion programs in South Carolina.
Ruta has played a key national leadership role in advancing proficiency-based language education. She collaborated with colleagues from the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL) to develop early “Can-Do” statements for language and interculturality, inspired by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This work helped shape the now widely-adopted NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements. She also led South Carolina’s early adoption of LinguaFolio®, the U.S. adaptation of the European Language Portfolio, and continues to contribute to its evolution through LinguaGrow®, a learner-centered tool that supports goal setting, self-assessment, and reflection.
Her contributions have been recognized with honors, including France’s Palmes Académiques (2004), NCSSFL Supervisor of the Year (2011), the Southern Conference on Language Teaching Founders Award (2015), and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the South Carolina Foreign Language Teachers Association (2017).
In retirement, Ruta remains actively engaged in national initiatives through NCSSFL, continuing to advocate for equitable access to high-quality language learning opportunities for all students.
Michael Bacon
Michael Bacon led the development and implementation of 12 new dual language immersion programs in 5 different languages for Portland Public Schools (PPS) over the course of 20 years. As a Teacher On Special Assignment (TOSA), Assistant Director and then Director of the Department of Dual Language oversaw program, professional and curriculum development for 16 dual language immersion (DLI) programs in Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, and Vietnamese across 26 schools PreK-12. With a strong equity lens applied to his work, Michael collaborated with university partners, researchers, national DLI experts, community partners, teachers and families to position DLI in PPS as an academic necessity to serve all students, especially multi-lingual learners and students of poverty. In collaboration with the RAND Corporation, Michael teamed with researchers to conduct and publish a 3 year study on the impact of DLI on student achievement that demonstrated significant positive effects even when controlling for self-selection bias.
As a teacher he taught English in Japan for three years in a junior high school and then Japanese as a world language at middle and high school in Portland. He then taught Japanese and Social Studies for eight years in immersion designing, planning and implementing innovative practices and curriculum for one of the first Japanese DLI programs in the country. In fall of 2021 Michael made the decision to step back into the heart of the education school system as the principal of Rose City Park Elementary, home of the 2nd Vietnamese DLI program in the country. He retired from PPS in July of 2025 and currently serves on the Advisory Board for the International Conference on Dual Language and Immersion Education.
Carmen Henninger
Carmen Henninger retired from Prince George’s County Public Schools, Maryland, where she served as Immersion Programs Supervisor. With more than 30 years in education, she has served as a World Languages teacher, Assistant Principal, Principal, and Instructional Specialist in Central West Virginia and Prince George’s County.
Carmen holds a Bachelor’s degree with double majors in International Studies and French and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from West Virginia University. She also earned a Graduate Certificate in English as a Second Language from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and completed graduate programs specializing in Educational Administration and Educational Technology Leadership.
Carmen has received numerous awards for her leadership and advocacy in immersion education. In 2019, she was named the National District Supervisors of Foreign Language Supervisor of the Year. In 2017, she was inducted into the Society of the French Academic Palms in the United States in recognition of her promotion of French immersion programs. She also received a Governor’s Citation from the State of Maryland for her dedication to immersion students.
A passionate advocate for language education, Carmen has worked to expand opportunities and recognition for students in immersion programs. She served on the Maryland State Department of Education committee that developed guidelines for the Maryland Seal of Biliteracy and advocated for its legislative passage. She also served on the MSDE Dual Language Workgroup, supporting the expansion of immersion programs throughout Maryland.
Carmen remains committed to advancing immersion education for today’s students and future generations.
Toni Theisen
Toni Theisen is a nationally recognized leader in world language and dual language education with over five decades of experience advancing multilingual learning, proficiency-based instruction, and equitable access. A 20-year National Board Certified Teacher, she holds Master’s degrees in Foreign Language Teaching, French and Education of Diverse Learners.
She serves as the Dual Language Curriculum Specialist for the Thompson School District in Colorado. In this role, she collaborates with educators and leaders to support program development, curriculum alignment, and assessment practices from elementary through high school. Previously, she taught French and Spanish in the Thompspn School District for over 40 years, serving as department chair and district World Language Coordinator. She helped pioneer the district’s Dual Language Immersion program and continues to support its growth through curriculum design, mentoring, assessments, and program evaluation.
Theisen is a past president of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the 2009 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year. She has presented extensively worldwide on differentiated instruction, dual language development, and proficiency-based assessmentHer national and state policy contributions are extensive. She served on the Colorado World Language Task Force for the 2018 state academic standards revision, co-chaired the revision of the NBPTS Teacher Standards for World Languages, and chaired the ACTFL 21st Century Skills Map Committee. Her leadership roles include serving as President of the Colorado Congress of Foreign Language Teachers (CCFLT), chair of the ACTFL Dual Language Immersion Special Interest Group, and board member for ACTFL, SWCOLT, and the Central States Conference.
Her honors include the ACTFL Nelson H. Brooks Award, the ACTFL Florence Steiner Award, the JNCL-NCLIS J. David Edwards Power of Advocacy Award, and the Colorado Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. She remains a passionate advocate for multilingualism, multicultural understanding, and global competence for all students.