Marjeta Bejdo ’17
Marjeta is an Albanian-American educator located in Seattle, Washington. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education with English Language (EL) and Special Education endorsements from Elmhurst College (now Elmhurst University) in 2017. She then pursued her Master’s degree in Teaching and Learning with a focus on Experiential Learning at Clemson University, graduating in 2019. Most recently, she completed her Doctorate in Leadership in Education at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell in 2024. In her doctoral work, Marjeta applied improvement science methodologies to boost teacher self-efficacy in fostering literacy among multilingual students, using structured co-planning and equity-minded assessments. As an immigrant and multilingual speaker, she is deeply committed to promoting equitable education for multilingual students, bringing a vital perspective to her advocacy and educational practices.
Esther Pereira ’18
Esther Pereira is a dedicated bilingual educator with a passion for promoting multilingualism in schools. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree from Elmhurst University in Elementary Education with both ESL and BIL endorsements. She is currently an ELPT at Haugan Elementary, located in Albany Park. She recently obtained her Masters degree in Instructional Leadership with a principal endorsement from Roosevelt University. She is committed to empowering teachers to embrace bilingualism as a tool for cognitive growth, cross-cultural understanding, and academic success.
Nicole Neumann ’19
Nicole is a second-grade teacher at Desert Heights Elementary School in Reno, Nevada. She graduated from Elmhurst University with my Early Childhood Education degree, ESL endorsement, and Special Education Letter of Approval in June 2019. Over the last few years, Niki has lived and taught abroad in several countries including Indonesia, Costa Rica, and Hungary. She has a strong passion for using my students’ funds of knowledge in the classroom and during instruction.
Natalie Garcia ’23
I am a Latina educator based in Addison, IL, dedicated to creating inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments for all students. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education with endorsements in English as a Second Language (ESL) and Special Education from Elmhurst University in 2023. Currently, I am pursuing my Master’s degree in Special Education with a Teacher Leadership endorsement through the Excellence in Multilingual Personnel in Illinois Schools (EXCEMPILS) Scholarship program. This school year I’ve had the honor of presenting at the Multilingual Illinois Statewide Conference and the Pump Up Primary: Pre-K–2nd Grade Conference, where I shared insights on implementing the evidence-based strategy Total Physical Response (TPR) to support language development in young learners. As a daughter of immigrants and a multilingual speaker, I am deeply committed to honoring and affirming my students’ diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. My goal is to uplift the voices of students and families often underrepresented in our systems, and to lead with empathy, purpose, and a deep respect for each learner’s identity and potential.