Nathan Lutz
Past President
The National Network for Early Language LearningClick here to read bio
Nathan Lutz is the Global Learning Coordinator and Primary School French Teacher at Kent Place School, an independent school for girls in northern New Jersey. Nathan is also the World Languages Teaching Community Leader for Teach for America. In addition to his service to NNELL as immediate past president, he is also the Vice President of Programs of Foreign Language Educators of New Jersey (FLENJ), the Vice Chair of the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NECTFL), and a Past President of Language Educators of Central New York (LECNY). Nathan is a frequent conference presenter in addition to a consultant and writer for various language programs, such as Early Advantage, Little Pim, Global Language Project, and Language Together.
Kathleen Priceman
President
The National Network for Early Language LearningClick here to read bio
Kathleen Priceman holds a BA in Spanish Education from the State University of New York at Albany and a MA in Instructional Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has more than 25 years experience teaching English as a Second Language, Bilingual Education (grades K-4), Spanish as a Second Language, and Spanish Immersion. She was selected to be the 2014 Illinois Foreign Language Teacher of the Year in recognition for her efforts to promote language learning and expertise in instruction. Since 1997 she has worked with colleagues to develop curriculum and teach in a very successful Spanish Immersion program for Oak Park Elementary District 97 in Illinois.
Currently she is the FLES Chair of ICTFL and the Illinois state representative for NNELL, National Network for Early Language Learning. She is an Advisory Council member of the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. After returning to Spain in 2001 on a scholarship awarded by the Spanish Embassy, Ms. Priceman was inspired to create opportunities for families and other educators to experience the richness of being immersed and living in another culture. Each July she returns to Salamanca Spain where she lives and teaches graduate courses in Spanish Language and Culture for Educators.
Michelle Olah
President-Elect
The National Network for Early Language LearningClick here to read bio
Michelle Olah — As a former Spanish teacher and a current World Languages administrator working with K-5 World Language teachers, Michelle Olah is committed to advancing World Language education in the PreK-8 setting.
Michelle’s entire career has been in K-8 World Language education, beginning as a 7th and 8th grade Spanish teacher for 8 years. The last 5 years Michelle has worked as a curriculum specialist for world languages in the county district office. This position has given Michelle the opportunity to work closely with K-12 World Languages teachers in developing curriculum and providing instructional support. The last 3 years her primary responsibility has been modeling, mentoring, coaching, and providing professional development to K-5 elementary world language teachers. Helping these dedicated teachers grow in their teaching has been the most satisfying experience of her career.
Michelle has also held leadership roles in the World Languages professional community. She has been an active member and presenter at State, Regional and National World Languages conferences. She has served as a board member, president-elect, president, and past president of the Florida Foreign Language Association and has had the privilege of being a part of ACTFL’s Leadership Initiative for Language Learning (LILL) – first as a participant and currently as a facilitator for the LILL Summer Institute in 2018 and 2019.
Jessica Owens
Treasurer
The National Network for Early Language LearningClick here to read bio
Jessica Owens is the Wisconsin state representative for the National Network for Early Language Learning (NNELL). Jessica serves as NNELL Treasurer, as well as Treasurer for the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Wisconsin Chapter (AATSP-WI). She currently teaches Spanish at Stormonth Elementary School K4-4 in the Fox Point-Bayside School District. She earned her B.A. in Spanish Teaching and B.S. in Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence Education from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. Jessica continues her professional development through participation with the WAFLT board, FLESFEST committee, DPI writing standards committee, and various conferences.
Karen Sasky-Hughes
Advocacy Chair
The National Network for Early Language LearningClick here to read bio
Karen Marie Sasky Hughes, MBA, M.Ed, is an experienced FLES (Foreign Language in the Elementary School) educator and presenter with over twenty years of experience teaching and promoting language learning at all levels from infants to adults. She has taught in public schools (elementary, middle school, high school) and privately, and currently teaches Spanish FLES at Lincoln Elementary School in Lincoln, MA and Hanscom Primary School at Hanscom Air Force in Bedford, MA. Before teaching, she was an international marketing executive working in Europe and the US at companies such as like Leo Burnett Worldwide Advertising Agency, Fidelity Investments and Kraft General Foods International. She lives outside of Boston, where she speaks only Spanish at home with her three USA-born children, her British-born husband, and even her dog Wendel. Her website is TeachLanguagesYounger.org.
M. Cristina Rodríguez-Villa
Membership Secretary
The National Network for Early Language LearningClick here to read bio
- Cristina Rodríguez-Villa holds a B.A. in French from Middlebury College, in Vermont, and obtained an English Teacher Certification for the Elementary School in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She taught English as a Second Language at a primary school in San Juan, and designed and implemented a French language after-school program for novice learners.
Currently, Cristina is the Curriculum Lead and teaches Spanish (FLES) at St. Thomas Episcopal School, an independent school in Coral Gables, Florida. She is passionate about instilling a love for learning a second language in children, and providing fellow world language teachers with opportunities to network and share best practices for effective language teaching. In April 2018, she hosted and co-organized EdcampWLMIA, the first Edcamp in South Florida for world language educators.
Her goal in the classroom is to create a safe learning environment where young learners are engaged and motivated to explore another culture, build new friendships and acquire the skills to communicate in another language.
“El doble de amigos”
Twice as many friends and twice as much fun;
That’s why two languages are better than one.
(Sol y Canto)
Betsy Basom
National Networking Coordinator
The National Network for Early Language LearningClick here to read bio
Betsy Basom is the southern California representative and the National Networking Coordinator for NNELL. Betsy began her teaching career over twenty years ago in the state of Maryland as a middle and high school Spanish teacher, just after graduating from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, with a B.A. in Spanish and French. Ms. Basom has taught Spanish and French, among many other subjects, to grades K-12 in both public and private schools. Ms. Basom holds a Master’s of Arts Degree in Education from Antioch University of Los Angeles. She currently teaches Spanish to elementary students in grades 3-6 at Village School in Pacific Palisades, CA. She is the co-coordinator of the Diversity and Equity Committee and a volleyball coach at Village School. She also serves on the board of the Modern and Classical Languages Association of Southern California.
Marissa Coulehan
Executive Secretary
The National Network for Early Language LearningClick here to read bio
Marissa Coulehan has been an early language Spanish teacher for 13 years. She currently teaches Kindergarten and 1st grade Spanish at The Dalton School in New York, NY as well as the FLES certification course at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY. She serves as the ACTFL Language Learning for Children Special Interest Group Chair and a NYSAFLT co-chair of the FLES Committee. Marissa has previously served as the Northeast NNELL Regional rep, NY NNELL state rep, and is representing NNELL as a member of cohort 2 of LILL, Leadership Initiative in Language Learning. She has a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature and Secondary Education from the University of Maryland, College Park, along with a Master of Arts in Teaching in Early Childhood and Childhood Education from Manhattanville College.
Kelly F. Davidson
Editor of Learning Languages
The National Network for Early Language LearningClick here to read bio
Dr. Kelly F. Davidson is an Associate Professor of French and Foreign Language Education and the Assistant Coordinator of Foreign Language Education at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. She is currently serving as the Journal Editor for Learning Languages and is the Past Chair for the ACTFL Language Learning for Children Special Interest Group. She holds a B.A. in French from Furman University, an M.A. in French Literature from Vanderbilt University, and a dual Ph.D. in French and Educational Studies with a concentration in Foreign Language Pedagogy from Emory University. She has taught French and Foreign Language in the Elementary School Methods for 10 years. Her research interests include FLES teacher development, community engagement through early language learning, and technology use in the foreign language classroom.