Susanne Peña, Ph.D. (President, 2023-2025)

Ms. Peña has been an educator in the K-20 setting for over 16 years. She started her career as a teacher in Title I schools in the New York City Department of Education. She has served as District Coordinator for ESL, Bilingual Program & World Languages for the Amityville Union Free School District. She also served as an instructional coach, supervisor, and evaluator of bilingual and ENL (English as a New Language) teachers at Amityville School District and was the Dual Language Program Coordinator (PK through 8th grade) at PS/IS 180M in Harlem, NY. Ms. Peña has also held the position of Adjunct Instructor at Brooklyn College for Bilingual and Multicultural Education. She has also held the position of Director/Project Manager for the Dual Language STEPS (Support Through Technology Enhanced Programs and Strategies) Grant at the University of Central Florida. Ms. Peña is the lead education consultant at SMP Education Consulting.

Ryan W. Pontier, Ph.D. (Past-President, 2023-2025)

Dr. Pontier is assistant professor of bilingual education and TESOL at Florida International University in Miami. A former two-way dual language elementary school teacher in Texas and Florida, his research interests include teachers’ language ideologies, teacher education for teachers who will be working with bi/multilingual students, and effective instruction for bi/multilingual students. Dr. Pontier and his wife are raising two bilingual daughters.

Idalina Orta (Secretary, 2024-2025)

Idalina is a Dual Language Educational Specialist in the Department of Bilingual Education and ESOL for School Board of Broward County.  

Edwidge Bryant, Ed.D. (Treasurer, 2024-2025)

Dr. Bryant is an Associate Professor of Education and ESOL Coordinator at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. She received her doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York. She is a native Haitian Creole speaker and advocate and author of two books with Dr. Joyce Nutta (Show, Tell, Build and Educating English Learners: What Every Classroom Teacher Needs to Know).