PSMLA EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Officers
Ellen Irish
President 2008 – 2009
Ellen teaches French and German at Upper Merion Area High School in King
of Prussia. She was the chair of the 2007 PSMLA Conference in King of Prussia. Ellen is married with two children and
three grandchildren. For more on Ellen, see her About Me page at her school district’s website.
E-mail: eirish@umasd.org
Maryanne Boettjer
First Vice President 2008 - 2009
Maryanne teaches Spanish at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington,
PA. She is a consultant to PSMLA’s Nominations Committee. Her husband is an adjunct professor of German at Philadelphia
University. They have a 20-year old son who is a sophomore at the University of Richmond. Maryanne and her family like
to ski and love to sail. They have a boat on the Chesapeake. E-mail: Maryanne.Boettjer@germantownacademy.org
Thomasina White
Second Vice President 2008 - 2009
Thomasina taught Spanish at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia for 26 years. Her former students include a 2-time NBA champion (Malik Rose) and an Oscar nominee (Will Smith). She is currently the Lead Academic Coach for World Languages for the School District of Philadelphia. Thomasina serves on PSMLA’s Membership Committee and is also the chair of PSMLA’s Advocacy Committee.
E-mail: twhite@phila.k12.pa.us
Debra Wills
Treasurer 2008 - 2009
Debbie teaches Spanish at Franklin Regional Senior High School in Murrysville.
As Treasurer, she serves as a consultant to the Finance Committee. Debbie will also co-chair the 2008 PSMLA Conference in Pittsburgh.
She loves to travel, work on scrapbooks, and spend time with Babe, her eight-year old beagle.
E-mail: dwills721@comcast.net
Phyllis A. Rzodkiewicz
Secretary 2008 - 2009
Phyllis, a lifetime PSMLA member, teaches Spanish at McDowell High School
in the Millcreek School District (Erie, PA). Phyllis serves as a member of PSMLA’s Finance Committee, is a consultant to the
Awards Committee and assumes the duties of PSMLA’s Business Manager, including recording membership. Phyllis was the co-chair
of the 2002 and 2006 PSMLA Conferences, both in Erie. E-mail: przodkiewicz@roadrunner.com
Dr. Bonnie L. Youngs
Immediate Past President 2008 - 2009
Bonnie teaches French at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Bonnie serves as a member of PSMLA’s Finance Committee, the Publications Committee (co-editor of The PSMLA Forum) and will co-chair the 2008 PSMLA Conference in Pittsburgh. She is married and has two kids (11 and 15 years old), one dog and one cat. Bonnie enjoys watching “B” horror movies, reading fiction and fostering kittens for the local shelter.
E-mail: byoungs@andrew.cmu.edu
Council Members
Terms expiring January 1, 2009
Terms expiring January 1, 2010
Terms expiring January 1, 2011
Sister Mary Helen Kashuba
Sister is a professor of French and Russian at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia.
She is the Local Administrator for the National French Contest and is also a member of local AATF, and MLAPV boards as well as a past
member of NECTFL and ACTFL Boards. She serves as the chair of PSMLA’s Awards Committee, and is a member of our Professional
Development Committee. In 2003, Sister was named PSMLA’s Educator of the Year. For more about Sister Mary Helen, click
here for her Chestnut Hill information page. E-mail: kashubam@chc.edu
Dave Kinman
In 2008 Dave retired after 35 years as a French and Spanish teacher at Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School in Foxburg. Dave is the chair of the Professional Development Committee and is also a member of PSMLA’s Publications Committee. E-mail: davekinman@msn.com
Nancy Smith
Nancy is an instructor of Spanish at Allegheny College in Meadville. She has presented at
several conferences, organized 1-act play presentation for the advanced conversation class in Spanish 1. Represented the
Modern Language Department in a pilot program for a new course management system at Allegheny College. E-mail: nsmith@allegheny.edu
Douglas Wolfe
Doug teaches Spanish at South Western High School in Hanover. He is the chair of PSMLA’s Nominations committee,
and Co-Editor of The PSMLA Forum. He will also serve as the chair of the 2009 PSMLA Conference in York.
Linda Kander
Teacher at Bedford Area High School. Working for 34 years with energy, enthusiasm, and excitement. Currently
teaching all levels, pre-K through college, including two online courses and classes for adults learning Spanish for the workplace.
Recent Leadership includes: presenting countywide in-service sessions focusing on Instructional Technology for World Languages,
developing two online courses, coordinating World Language Festival events for Bedford County students; leading workshop sessions
on Differentiated Learning Strategies; developing themed active learning units for elementary grades; providing ESL services for Title
I; coordinating Spanish in the Workplace lessons for a mix of adult learners, including local businesses; developing a summer camp
program; developing an IU course for educators.
E-mail: lkbean@pennswoods.net
Cindy Dotto
Cindy teaches French, grades 1 – 8, at the Erie Day School, Erie, PA. She also serves
as the chair of PSMLA’s Membership Committee and as a member of the Nominations Committee as well as the Awards Committee. E-mail: cdotto@eriedayschool.com
Colette Ballew
Colette teaches French at Honesdale High School. She has also been a presenter at the Latin
American Symposium of Edinboro University, a negotiations team leader for school union-education association, acting department
chair, mentor for colleagues in school, as well as Department Chair of the International Club. Host of Foreign
Language Film Festival. Creator and co-chaperone of Service Learning trip to Costa Rica. Coordinator of field trips for
department.
E-mail: ccballew@yahoo.com
Mina T. Levenson
Teacher at Allderdice High School. NBCT (National Board Certification) 2005. ITL (Department
Chair) of World Languages at Allderdice since 2005. Reviewer for Foreign Language Annals. Governor’s Institute for World
Language Educators. Presenter at AATSP Annual Meeting in Salamanca, Spain. Presenter at PSMLA. Sponsor and 1 of
the teachers of the Overall Trophy winner at the Slippery Rock World Languages Competition. Translator for published article
in Preventive Medicine (a second article is currently pending). Allderdice H.S. recipient of Silver Globe and Gold Globe awards.
E-mail: mlevenson1@pghboe.net
Andrew Richards Term: 2008 - 2010
Drew is a German Teacher and is the World Language Department Chair in the Fox
Chapel Area School District. During the 2005-06 school year Drew was a participant in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program,
teaching in Berlin. He has been on the Executive Council since 2005 and is currently serving on the Professional Development Committee,
the Publications Committee, the Conference ’08 Committee and is the PSMLA Historian. He lives in Oakmont with his wife Colleen
(also a German teacher!) and their cats Tristan and Isolde. In his spare time, he enjoys mountain biking and nordic walking.
E-mail: drew_richards@fcasd.edu
Non-Voting Members
Dr. Thekla Fall: Past President
In 2007 Thekla retired as the Curriculum Specialist
of the Pittsburgh Public Schools World Languages Department. Thekla, who is also a Lifetime Member, serves as consultant for
the PSMLA’s Advocacy Committee. E-mail: thekla.fall@gmail.com
Frank Mulhern: Past President
In his K-12 career, Frank worked for the Wissahickon and Wallingford-Swarthmore
School Districts where he taught Spanish and ESL and served as District Supervisor of Foreign Languages. Currently he teaches
Spanish at Chestnut Hill College and teaches FL Methods at St. Joseph’s University and LaSalle University where he also supervises
student teachers.
He is also a Past President of PSMLA and Past Chair of the Northeast Conference. Frank, a lifetime PSMLA member,
also serves as consultant for PSMLA’s Professional Development Committee, as our representative to ACTFL, and as our Parliamentarian.
E-mail: fjmulhern@erols.com
Pamela M. Kolega: PA Department of Education World Language Advisor
Robert & Denise Hall: Advertising Managers
Bob teaches French at Fairview High School, just outside of Erie.
He has been PSMLA’s Ad Manager since 2003. In 2006 his wife Denise agreed to join him as Co-Ad Manager. Together they
coordinate the exhibitors you see at our conferences, as well as solicit ads for the PSMLA Forum, and the conference brochure.
The Halls also serve on the Publications Committee, and the Finance Committee and they operate the PSMLA website. Bob &
Denise have a daughter, Courtney, 16, and a son, Brandon, 14.
E-mail: Bob: fhsmonsieur@roadrunner.com
Denise: dbcbhall@roadrunner.com
Devin Browne: Technology Committee
Devin is a teacher of French and Russian for the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Devin
is PSMLA’s Technology Advisor and e-mail List Serve Manager. Perhaps you’ve been fortunate enough to participate in one of his technology
workshops.
E-mail: dpbrowne@mac.com
