Michele Anciaux Aoki has a Ph.D. in Slavic Linguistics and taught Russian and English as a Second Language at the University of Washington for a number of years. She speaks a variety of Slavic and Balkan languages, including Romanian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian/Montenegrin, and Russian. She spent a year as a Fulbright English lecturer in Iași, Romania in 1976-77, and six months as a US Information Agency Exhibit Guide in Romania in 1979. After graduate school, she had a long and successful career in Information Technology before returning to the field of education in the 1990’s. From 2008 until 2014, she served as World Languages Program Supervisor at the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, where she helped develop the World Languages Competency-Based Credit Program to award high school credits to students with demonstrated language proficiency. From 2014-2019, Michele served as International Education Administrator for Seattle Public School, supporting Seattle’s ten International Schools and Dual Language Immersion programs in Spanish, Japanese, and Mandarin, as well as all World Language programs in the district. Michele has consulted with the UW STARTALK programs since 2011 and helped organize the annual Heritage Language Symposium since 2014. In retirement, she volunteers for the Washington Association for Language Teaching Testing Team and Advocacy Team and serves on the Steering Committee of the Washington State Coalition for International Education. She is also active with the National Council of State Supervisors for Language and is an advisor to the Global Seal of Biliteracy.

Eduardo Viana da Silva received his Ph.D. in Luso-Brazilian Literature with an emphasis in Applied Linguistics from University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). He holds an interdisciplinary degree in teaching “Certificate in College and University Teaching” from UCSB, a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) graduate certificate from Brigham Young University (BYU) and an M.A. in Luso-Brazilian literature, also from BYU.

Before coming to University of Washington in 2015, Eduardo taught language courses, Luso-Brazilian literature, and topics on Brazilian culture at UCSB, BYU, University of Utah, and the Salt Lake Community College. He also taught English as a Second Language in a private school (ILAC) in Vancouver, Canada, between 2007 and 2010. His main areas of interest are Critical Pedagogy, Applied Linguistics, Luso-Brazilian literature and culture, curriculum development, and Global Citizenship.

Eduardo is currently working on a textbook for Portuguese - Bate-Papo - An Introduction to Portuguese as an Open Educational Resource (OER). This book has been supported through a UW Libraries Award, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, the Language Leaning Center, and the Center for Global Studies at the UW. This e-text is available at https://uw.pressbooks.pub/batepapo/

Before coming to Seattle in 2000 from Romania, Otilia worked as a literary journalist and published short-fiction, translations and articles. She holds university degrees in French and English literatures from Romania, Switzerland, and the US. She has a Ph.D. on the politics of translation from the University of Washington, where she taught French language and literature for 17 years, and where she is currently co-teaching a course on Romanian literature and film. In 2013, she co-founded ARCS and was President of the Board for five years before becoming ARCS’ first Executive Director. For Otilia, ARCS has been a wonderful opportunity to remain connected with the vibrant culture of her birthplace, while contributing to the artistic and cultural vitality of the Pacific Northwest. As part of her work, Otilia has been managing the Romanian Film Festival in Seattle and ARCS community-based school for Romanian heritage students, as well as more than 300 cultural and educational events over the past 9 years. Her priorities are to create sustainable, community-building programs and partnerships, as well as develop ARCS' brand identity in accordance with its mission and values. Most of all, Otilia hopes that her work will have a direct, long-lasting impact on the ways in which future generations will define, celebrate and pass on their heritage. Otilia is also the President of the Ethnic Heritage Council of the Pacific Northwest and a board member of Romanian United Fund.

Ileana Marin teaches interdisciplinary courses at the University of Washington in Seattle and at the Center of Excellence in Image Studies at the University of Bucharest. Her long-standing academic career on both sides of the ocean has given her the opportunity to establish contacts between Romanian and American scholars, artists, and institutions. She, thus, initiated the first UW Exploration Seminar to Romania, and to Eastern Europe, and opened the fund for Romanian Studies, hoping that Romanian language will be taught regularly in Seattle. With a BA in Romanian and a PhD. in Comparative Literature from the University of Bucharest (2000), and one in Textual Studies from the UW (2011), Ileana is a strong believer in the power of education and bilingualism. In ARCS, she advocates the expansion of the Romanian language programs in the US and for disseminating the most recent Romanian cultural achievements. On her agenda as president, Ileana Marin has two major tasks: board development and recruitment to ensure the successful implementation of ARCS mission through meaningful programs.