President: Jessica Santiago
jessica.santiago@nbexcellence.org
Jessica Santiago (she/ella) has been teaching Spanish since 2002 at the secondary level, and works at New Berlin West Middle/High School. ¡Le encanta ser bilingüe! She has studied and lived abroad in Mexico and Venezuela, knows she is fortunate to travel, and is a leader of international student study/travel (eight student trips to six different countries). Jessica is Presidenta of AATSP-WI, serves on the WAFLT board, and is an Emerging Leader of ACTFL’s LILL. In addition to Spanish, Jessica teaches a Concepts of Education “future teacher” dual enrollment course of UW-Milwaukee. She is a 2020 Kohl Educational Foundation Fellow, a bilingual wedding officiant, and Spanish tutor for adult learners. Jessica’s biggest accomplishment is being a mother; her bilingual family lives in Milwaukee and loves festivals, art, and music scenes.
Past President: Kathy Varda
k.m.stenlund@gmail.com
Kathy Varda, originally from Roseville, MN, has been teaching since January 2009. After completing her student teaching at Pelican Rapids High School in Pelican Rapids, MN, she was hired as a teacher at Kingsford High School in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where she taught Spanish I, II, III, IV and occasionally English. She attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI for her undergraduate degree and has done some work toward a Master’s degree as well. During her undergraduate she traveled to several different Spanish-speaking countries – Peru, Chile and Argentina, studying abroad at La Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile. She has traveled to Peru and Costa Rica with students. During the 2013-2014 school year she taught at Parkview High School in Orfordville, WI. In 2014-2015 Kathy taught kindergarten – 8th grades at St. John Vianney School and St. Mary School in Janesville, WI. She also taught at Stoughton High School from 2015-2017. Since 2017, Mrs. Varda has been teaching 8th grade Spanish and Spanish 3, 4, and AP Spanish Language and Culture at the School District of Beloit Turner.
President-Elect: Bridget Geboy-Helfenstein
gebob@wawmsd.org
Bridget Geboy-Helfenstein (she/her/ella) has taught Spanish at Nathan Hale High School in West Allis since 1991. For the past 31 years, she has facilitated first-time study abroad /travel trips to Mexico, Spain, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Belize, and Ecuador for more than 220 students. She is a seasoned international traveler as a Rotary Youth Exchange participant her senior year in HS, a junior year abroad student at La Universidad Complutense in Madrid and as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras for 2-½ years. In Central America, she worked in the fields of Primary Environmental Education and AIDS awareness. She chartered the first Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica at NHS in 2008 and continues to encourage and facilitate community service activities and engagement in the Latinx community for her students. Early in her career, she served the WAFLT Board as a political action committee member and later became chair. Bridget has nominated many of her colleagues for WALFT awards and recognitions to show the public the tremendous jobs that we are doing in world language education. She was recognized by her alma mater and was inducted into the Kettle Moraine High School Trailblazer Hall of Fame in 2014 for her education and humanitarian work. Her greatest challenge lately is becoming an endurance triathlete in her 50s. She is currently happily training for her second Olympic triathlon and her second Half Iron in 2022. Bridget looks forward to collaborating again with President Jessica Santiago as they previously worked together for more than 10 years at NHS.
Treasurer: Catalina Cabello
Webmaster: Josh LeGreve
joshlegreve@gmail.com
Josh LeGreve (he/him/él) is a 2nd through 12th grade Spanish teacher and IB Diploma Program Coordinator at Green Lake School District, a small, public International Baccalaureate World School. He additionally serves the district as the MYP Community Project co-coordinator and the Wisconsin Global Scholars Program school coordinator. He holds a BA in Spanish and physics with a minor in secondary education from Ripon College. Josh has served the Wisconsin Association for Language Teachers (WAFLT) as advertising manager for the last 8 years, as WAFLT president for 2015-2016, and as WAFLT Fall Conference Co-Chair from 2019-2020. He currently heads the WAFLT New Visions in Action committee. Josh is also a member of the Wisconsin FLESFEST planning committee and was a writing team member for the newly revised Wisconsin State Standards for World Languages. Josh also served as Local Liaison for CSCTFL 2018 in Milwaukee and currently serves on the CSCTFL Board of Directors.
NSE Coordinator: Victoria Carter
carvi@onalaskaschools.com
Victoria Carter has been teaching Spanish at Onalaska High School, her alma mater, since 2005 after earning a BA on Spanish with a Business Concentration from UW – La Crosse and then her teaching license through St. Mary’s – Twin Cities. She teaches Spanish 1 through AP Spanish Language and Culture and is also the advisor for Spanish Club and La Alhambra Chapter of Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica. Victoria loves sharing her love of the Spanish language and culture and has had the opportunity to take several groups of students to Spain. Victoria is proud to serve on the executive boards for both AATSP-WI and WAFLT.
SHH Coordinator: Jessica Swemke
swemkej@mpsd.school
Jessica Swemke is a National Board Certified Teacher who is passionate about creating global connections for her students and providing them with opportunities to connect with peers around the world. She is a UWEC graduate who, during her junior year, studied abroad in Spain at the Universidad de Oviedo. Jessica has been teaching Spanish at Lincoln High School in Manitowoc since 1997 and primarily teaches Spanish 4 through IB Spanish / Spanish 6. She also began teaching College Credit in High School (CCIHS) Spanish five years ago. Jessica is a 2006 Kohl Educational Teacher Fellow and was also awarded a US Department of State Fellowship to participate in the 2012 Uruguay Educator Exchange Program. Over the years, she established partner school relationships with schools in both Cornellá de Llobregat and Logroño, Spain. She has also organized partner school exchanges and led students on study trips to Spain on eight different occasions as well as chaperoned student trips to Costa Rica, Argentina and Germany. Jessica currently serves as the MPSD World Language Student Learning Liaison for grades 9-12 and Global Scholars Program Coordinator. She is also the advisor of the Global Connections Club and the Asturias chapter of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica at Lincoln High School.
Secretary: Alix Madden
maddeale@pittsville.k12.wi.us
Alix Madden teaches Spanish levels 1 to 6 at Pittsville High School, a small public school in the geographic center of the state. She graduated in 2012 from UW-Stevens Point with a Spanish Secondary Education Major and a Biology minor. During her undergraduate studies, she spent a semester in Valladolid, Spain. She also spent three weeks in Costa Rica studying Tropical Ecology. As the sole world language teacher in her district, Alix enjoys seeing her students progress through all levels. She has led trips to Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panamá and is hoping to lead more trips in the post-pandemic years. She serves as the International Club advisor and Global Scholars Program Coordinator. In her summers, Alix enjoys camping, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two children.
Concurso Oral Coordinator: Jeanne Kasza
jeanne.kasza@pwssd.k12.wi.us
Jeanne Kasza has been involved with AATSP-WI since 2003 and has held various positions (Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, President, Interim President and now Concurso Oral Coordinator). She has been involved with the pronunciation contest since 2000 and has helped to run the contest in-person. She has taught at Ripon College, Marquette University, University School of Milwaukee, West Bend HS, Germantown HS and currently at Port Washington HS. She loves to expose her students to travel as well as other authentic experiences in the language and is excited to bring the Concurso Oral to students virtually!
Wisconsin Chapter 