For the past 10 years, I have been working as the Director of the Bil/ESL/WL at Irvington PS. Working with a large Spanish and Haitian population. Previous assignment I was the Assistant Commissioner and State Coordinator of the Office of Bil/ESL/WL at the NYS Education Department, working with over 400,000 Multilingual Learners (ML) assuring they receive the best and most up to date resources in their transition to learning English. Advocacy leadership roles include: Current Founding Board Member of the NJ Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (NJALAS), Founder, Past-President, and current board member of the NAELPA - National Association of English Language Program Administrators (State Title III Directors), Past-President, and Current board member of National Association of Bilingual Education (NABE), Past President of current board member of the New York State Association of Bilingual Education (NYSABE) and Director of The Bilingual Special Education Academy - NYC Board of Education. In addition, I have participated in many National/State committees - National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), Center for Equity and Excellence at George Washington University - English Language Learners (ELLs) guidelines for Response to Intervention; Center on Instruction Advisory board on the issue regarding English Language Learners. When asked why the field of bilingual education? “The most exciting aspect of being in the field is the opportunity to create an environment where learning can happen at all levels. I have had the privilege of working with some of the best and brightest, local and national district/state staff and nationally recognized leaders in the field of bilingual education. But most of all, I have learned the importance, and understand the genuine commitment it takes, to create conditions under which all teachers can teach and all students can learn”.