Today's guest is a true gem of the Gem State. Jill Ayabei is the Federal Programs Coordinator for the Multilingual Division at West Ada School District — the largest district in Idaho, serving nearly 39,000 students from 91 countries who speak 85 languages. Jill has led West Ada's multi-year initiative to build an integrated co-teaching model for multilingual learners, moving the district away from a magnet school pull-out approach toward a model where ML specialists and content teachers co-plan, co-deliver, and co-assess instruction together. She was recognized for her work on the grant proposal that secured the Idaho EL Enhancement Grant, first awarded in 2023 and renewed through 2029.
20 Sept 2026
Challenging Educator Mindsets with Melissa Lambert
In this episode we welcome special guest Melissa Lambert. Melissa is a senior district and state-level education leader with more than two decades of experience advancing outcomes for multilingual learners. She partners with state education agencies and districts nationwide to align curriculum, assessment, professional learning, and implementation systems around strong Tier 1 instruction. She is currently the Executive Director in the Office of School Leadership & Engagement for Yonkers Public Schools – New York's fourth-largest school district, serving over 23,000 students across 39 schools. A former teacher, founding principal, central-office administrator, and consultant, Melissa specializes in translating policy, research, and high-quality instructional materials into practical, scalable systems.
13 Sept 2026
Reflecting Holistic Bilingualism with Mario Palma & Jordan Montalvo
Today we welcome on two very distinguished guests. Mario Palma is the founder of Palma Multilingual Educational Solutions and a former Vice President of Multilingual Teaching & Learning at American Reading Company. He has 25+ years of experience across public health and public education, starting as a bilingual teacher in New York City and moving into national-level work helping districts design and strengthen ESL, bilingual, and dual language programs. Jordan Montalvo works alongside Mario as the Director of Research and Innovation at Palma Multilingual Educational Solutions. She is also an instructor at Western Washington University, supporting incoming bilingual teachers. She previously worked at Amplify, supporting their dual language education and curriculum development. Jordan has taught in self-contained dual language and early elementary ELL classrooms and served as a Dual Language Program Facilitator in Everett Public Schools.
6 Sept 2026
Staying Focused On The Mission with Nadia Madan-Morrow
Today's guest is Nadia Madan-Morrow, principal of Place Bridge Academy in Denver – one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse schools in the country. Nadia has spent her entire 24-year career devoted to MLs in Denver Public Schools. She started as a bilingual teacher, became an instructional coach, and led the district's Multilingual Education Department as Executive Director before becoming Chief of Academics for the entire district. As the daughter of immigrants, this work is especially personal to her, and the Academy's success is a credit to the tireless efforts of the dedicated team she leads.
30 Aug 2026
Teaching Language Across Content with Ryan Zak
Today's guest Ryan Zak is the Director of Multilingual Programs and Community Outreach at Township High School District 211 — the largest high school district in Illinois. Ryan's career has spanned the full multilingual pipeline — from biliteracy teacher and instructional coach, to English Learner Program Coordinator, to directing a PreK–8 two-way dual language program. He joined D211 in 2025, and in his first year he assembled a multilingual leadership team, organized a district-wide symposium, got all 16 academic departments engaged in ML professional learning, and expanded the Seal of Biliteracy from five languages to nearly seventy.
23 Aug 2026
Building Cultures of Belonging with Dr. Andrew Fenton
Today's guest Dr. Andrew Fenton is the Director of Teaching and Learning for Lake Forest School District 67 in Illinois, where he leads curriculum and instructional work across the district's K-8 schools. He began his career as a middle school teacher before moving into school leadership roles. He holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Western Illinois University and is a graduate of Lake Forest College. Throughout his career, Andrew's work has centered on strong instruction, student growth, and helping educators build meaningful learning experiences for every student.
26 Jul 2026
Systems, Not Silos with Dr. Melissa Kanney
Our guest Dr. Melissa Kanney is the English Language Development Supervisor for Prince George's County Public Schools in Maryland. Prince George's County is home to America's 12th largest ELD program, supporting over 33,000 Multilingual Learners. Dr. Kanney has served in many roles within the district, including as a teacher, coach, and instructional specialist. She earned both her Master's in Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Development from the University of Maryland, and is currently pursuing her National Board Certification (NBCT) in English as a New Language.
19 Jul 2026
Bold Humility & Endless Curiosity with Todd Nesloney
Our guest Todd Nesloney is the Director of Culture and Strategic Leadership for the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA). He's also served as an award-winning principal of a PreK-5th Grade campus of over 775 students in a rural town in Texas. Todd has written six books, including the runaway smash "Kids Deserve It" and his newest book "Building Authenticity: A Blueprint for the Leader Inside You." He has been recognized by the White House, John C Maxwell, the Center for Digital Education, National School Board Association, the BAMMYS, and others for his work in education and with children.
12 Jul 2026
In Pursuit of Justice with Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld
Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld is Professor Emerita in the School of Education and Human Services at Molloy University in Rockville Centre, New York. Before entering the field of teacher education, she was an English-as-a-foreign-language teacher in Hungary, and an English-as-a-second-language teacher in New York City. She also taught Hungarian at New York University. She was the recipient of a doctoral fellowship at St. John's University, New York, where she conducted research on individualized instruction. She has published extensively on working with multilingual learners. She received a Fulbright Award to lecture in Iceland in the fall of 2002. She has published 35 books, 14 of which are US national bestsellers.
5 Jul 2026
Local Instruction, Nationwide Impact with Andrea Bitner
This week's guest is the incredible educator, author and speaker Andrea Bitner. A true champion for kids, Bitner has 26 years of experience in public education. In her career she has instructed K–12 students from around the world, and today she serves as an English Language Learner educator in Philadelphia. She is the author of two books sharing powerful stories about EL students and educators: Take Me Home and When Niagara Falls. Andrea also co-authored The Impact of Influence – Volume 3: 100 No-Nonsense Things ALL School Leaders Should STOP Doing, and contributed to Culture First Classrooms and other works by Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld. Recognized by the state of Pennsylvania for her innovative teaching, she was featured in Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA)'s The Voice for her work with EL learners. A true dynamo in the space, she tirelessly provides a free newsletter to thousands of educators across the country each week, filled with tips, tricks, and resources for their teaching toolboxes.
28 Jun 2026
Building Better Pathways with Yasmin Hernández-Manno
Today's guest Yasmin Hernandez-Manno is a nationally recognized education leader and advocate with more than three decades of experience serving multilingual learners and advancing educational equity. A towering Garden State educational figure, she's held senior leadership roles with the New Jersey Department of Education, Newark Public Schools, and Montclair Public Schools, and is the founder of the New Jersey Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. Throughout her career, she has launched innovative programs for multilingual students, mentored education leaders, and championed opportunities for historically underserved communities. Her work has earned statewide and national recognition, including the Lifetime Leader in Latino Education Award.
21 Jun 2026
Resources vs. Tools with Dr. Merica Clinkenbeard
Our guest Dr. Merica Clinkenbeard serves as President of the National Association of English Learner Program Administrators and as Secretary for MidTESOL. She is the Director of English Language Development for Springfield Public Schools in Missouri, where she leads district initiatives focused on instructional quality, compliance, and professional learning to support multilingual learners. With more than 25 years of experience in education at the local and state levels, she is a certified K-12 Spanish and TESOL educator whose work centers on strengthening professional learning systems that promote language development within content instruction.
A link to the Seven Steps framework reference in this episode can be found here.
14 Jun 2026
Access Without Compromise with Dalila Mendoza & Megan Fernando
Today we are delighted to welcome Dalila Mendoza and Megan Fernando from Taunton Public Schools in Massachusetts.
Dalila and Megan aren't just podcast guests - we've been lucky enough to work alongside them. Taunton Public Schools was one of Medley's earliest district partners, so while this conversation may be biased by how much Brandon admires their work, it's also grounded in collaboration, shared learning, and a deep appreciation for what they're building.
Dalila Mendoza is an educational leader with more than two decades of experience supporting students, teachers, and multilingual communities. She currently serves as Director of Multilingual Programs and Director of Title I in Taunton Public Schools. Throughout her career, she has worked as a teacher, literacy coach, assistant principal, adjunct professor, and instructor supporting educators across Massachusetts. As the daughter of Portuguese immigrants and an English learner herself, her personal journey navigating school while learning English has deeply shaped her passion for multilingual education and advocacy.
Her colleague Megan Fernando has dedicated more than two decades to Taunton Public Schools and currently serves as the Instructional Coach at Martin Middle School. Born and raised in Taunton to Portuguese immigrant parents, she is a first‑generation American with deep roots in the community she now supports. Throughout her career in Taunton, Megan has served as a 4th, 5th, and 6th grade teacher, a math coach, and now an instructional coach, a role that allows her to support educators, strengthen instructional systems, and advocate for all students.
7 Jun 2026
Research, Policy & Practice with Okhee Lee
Today's guest Okhee Lee is a professor and Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. She is a committed research, policy, and practice advocate who promotes STEM and language learning for all students, particularly multilingual learners. Lee was a member of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) writing team and served as leader for the NGSS Diversity and Equity Team. She also was a member of the Steering Committee for the Understanding Language Initiative at Stanford University. Her important work involves integrating science, language, and computational thinking with a focus on multilingual learners.
31 May 2026
Technology Beyond Translation with Mariana Castro
Host Brandon Cardet-Hernandez speaks with Mariana Castro, the interim Director of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, Co-Director of the Multilingual Learning Research Center, and a curriculum designer and instructor for The Discussion Project at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She began her career working with students with significant disabilities, before going on to coordinate bilingual programs in Madison. After 15 years in schools, Mariana joined WIDA in 2006, where she led professional learning, standards development and evaluation initiatives. With more than 35 years in education, she brings a deep commitment to multilingual learners, teacher development, and social justice to her research and practice.
24 May 2026
Pioneering Assessment with Dr. Margo Gottlieb
Today's guest is a monumental figure in the world of multilingual standards and assessment. Dr. Margo Gottlieb is an inaugural inductee in the Multilingual Education Hall of Fame, a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Chile and holds a PhD in Public Policy Analysis. Dr. Gottlieb has over 125 publications and has authored or co-authored 25 books, including seven bestsellers. Perhaps most impactfully, she co-founded WIDA and was instrumental in developing the first published edition of their English language development standards.
20 May 2026
A New Generation of Service Models with Molly Hegwood
Today's guest Molly Hegwood is the Executive Director of the Office of English Learners at Metro Nashville Public Schools. A former classroom teacher in Knox County and Nashville, she now oversees services for 24,000 multilingual learners speaking 135 languages across her district, and has led the shift from traditional professional development to embedded coaching models.
Under her leadership, Metro Nashville Public Schools has expanded service models to meet the needs of one of the fastest-growing English Learner populations in the American Southeast. Her pragmatic approach and steadfast commitment to forging partnerships within her diverse community have garnered impressive results, and have made her a leader among multilingual learning advocates nationwide.
17 Apr 2026
Advancing Language through Content with Dr. Tim Boals
Dr. Tim Boals is one of the most important voices in multilingual education. He is the founder of WIDA, a preeminent educational organization supporting K-12 multilingual learners through research-based language development language, development standards and professional resources.
Dr. Boals holds a PhD in Curriculum from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with an emphasis in the education of multilingual learners. At WIDA, Tim currently serves as senior principal investigator, helping multilingual education professionals and learners alike better understand the most crucial areas of focus.
11 Apr 2026
Building Multilingual Foundations with Kathy Escamilla
Kathy Escamilla is one of America's foundational voices in multilingual education. A professor emerita at the University of Colorado Boulder, she helped define the concept of the Bilingual Continuum, reshaping how educators understand language development in multilingual learners. She is best known for her work across the field of biliteracy development. In her decades-long career she has deeply influenced how schools nationwide approach both instruction and assessment, and has pushed the field into asset-based practices that build on students' full linguistic repertoires.
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