Renaissance Spanish and Biliteracy Advisory Council

Samuel Aguirre is the Director of WIDA Español for WIDA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He manages the research, development, and delivery of WIDA resources focused on Spanish-language instruction. His oversight includes a framework for Spanish language arts, standards for Spanish-language development, professional learning, and Spanish-language assessments. Sam is a former emergent bilingual, teacher of bi/multilingual learners, and served as director of multilingual student services for the Illinois State Board of Education. He continues to advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in his daily work.

Dr. Arteagoitia specializes in bilingualism and biliteracy development in Spanish-English bilingual students. As Project Director for the Oregon K-12 Biliteracy Pathways project, she supported the development and evaluation of dual language programs in the state. Dr. Arteagoitia conducts language and literacy research and provides workshops and trainings for teachers globally, focusing on literacy, metalinguistic awareness, academic vocabulary, and language assessment. Holding a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics, her research spans psycholinguistics, language and literacy development, and intervention studies, with publications in peer-reviewed journals and reports for the U.S. Department of Education.

Kathy Escamilla, a professor emerita, continues to focus on educational concerns for Spanish-speaking language minority students in U.S. schools. Her research centered on bilingualism and biliteracy development in early grades. and her investigation of assessment practices and the impact of high-stakes testing contributed significantly to the field. Dr Escamilla has served as a two-term president of the National Association for Bilingual Education, a co-editor of the Bilingual Research Journal, Chair of the Bilingual SIG for the American Educational Research Association, and was a contributor to the National Committee for Effective Literacy.

Dr. Manuel Escamilla was the director of the BUENO Equity Assistance Center for Region VII at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He received his Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Kansas and has been a professor of Bilingual Education in California and Arizona. He served as the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of Arizona and at Metropolitan State College of Denver. He has also directed Head Start programs in Denver, Conejos-Costilla County, and Huerfano-Las Animas Counties in Colorado.

Elizabeth Jiménez Salinas, CEO of GEMAS, leads an educational consulting firm dedicated to enhancing English Learners’ education and community impact. Holding an MBA from Claremont Graduate University, she earned teaching credentials and taught in California public schools. Elizabeth served as Legislative Aide, advocated for EL legislation, and led statewide training initiatives. A speaker at national conferences, she has played a key role in bilingual education in California and Puerto Rico. As an accomplished writer, advisor, and evaluator, Elizabeth has influenced curriculum development and educational startups in the US.

Dr. Guerrero is Associate Superintendent Fort Worth ISD in Texas and is an accomplished educator whose career spans nearly 30 years from classroom teacher to superintendent. Dr. Guerrero has been not only a fierce advocate for emergent bilinguals, she also has a proven record of expanding and enhancing dual language programming to support this growing population of students.

Dr. Leigh Mingle serves as the Senior Director of Strategic Operations for Ensemble Learning, a nonprofit with the mission of equity for multilingual learners. She supports business operations and conducts research and data analysis for partner schools. She holds a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Previously, Leigh served as a data scientist for a large, urban school district and curriculum development company. She specializes in student learning and cognition as well as motivation in education.