Just 6 days to go! Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with fellow bilingual educators—register today to secure your spot!

2026 MinnABE Spring Conference

Saturday, April 18th
8:00-1:00 PM 
LILA-Upper School
19850 Fenway Ave. North
Forest Lake, MN

Registration Open
$45 Individual

Conference registration + 1 year membership in MinnABE.

Accepted to present? Use your discount code for $10 off

$40 Group of 5 or more
$100 Exhibitor Hall 

Spring Conference 2026

Your presence isn't just appreciated — it's powerful.

MinnABE Executive Board Election Announcement

MinnABE is proud to present a strong and diverse slate of candidates for the upcoming Executive Board election. Each candidate brings a deep commitment to bilingual education, advocacy, and community engagement across Minnesota.

Voting will take place at the start of the opening session of the Spring Conference on Saturday April 18th. Election results will be announced that afternoon during the Full Board meeting.

Vice President
Yacoub Aljaffery is a multilingual educator, professor, and longtime advocate for refugee and immigrant students. With over 20 years of experience in ESL and bilingual education, he brings expertise in translanguaging, asset-based pedagogy, and policy advocacy. His vision focuses on elevating MinnABE’s visibility, strengthening partnerships, and advancing linguistic justice—including collaboration with Indigenous communities.

Read Yacoub’s statement

Secretary
Dolly Mariucci, an ESL educator with Saint Paul Public Schools, has spent nine years serving multilingual learners across early childhood, K–12, and adult education. She is deeply committed to supporting immigrant communities and expanding access to bilingual education. She envisions increased participation, expanded dual-immersion programs, and broader opportunities for learners statewide.

Read Dolly’s statement

Webmaster
Liliana Rodríguez, Assistant Principal at Emerson Dual Language School, currently leads MinnABE’s website and social media efforts. She aims to further develop a dynamic digital platform that highlights Minnesota’s leadership in bilingual education and amplifies innovative practices at both local and national levels.

Read Liliana’s statement

Communications Director
Dr. Alejandra Estrada-Burt, Principal of Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion School, brings extensive leadership experience, including service on the MinnABE Executive Board and statewide networks. Her vision centers on growing membership, strengthening storytelling and social media impact, enhancing statewide connections, and deepening ties with the national NABE organization.

Read Alejandra’s statement

Treasurer
Dr. De Zhang, an EL teacher in Saint Paul Public Schools, has extensive experience teaching multilingual learners from kindergarten through higher education in both the U.S. and China. As current Treasurer, she has overseen MinnABE’s financial management and reporting. She seeks to continue strengthening financial transparency, expanding professional learning, diversifying the educator workforce, and building stronger family and community partnerships.

Read De’s statement

We encourage all members to review the candidates and participate in the election. Your voice helps shape the future of bilingual education in Minnesota!

Get Involved with MinnABE’s Full Board

Are you passionate about bilingual education and looking for a meaningful way to make an impact beyond your classroom or organization?

MinnABE is inviting members to join our Full Board in a variety of roles, including Outreach Coordinators, and other leadership opportunities.

Full Board members play a vital role in strengthening our network by supporting outreach, engaging educators across the state, helping plan events, and amplifying the voices of multilingual learners and communities. Whether you’re interested in communications, advocacy, event planning, or community engagement, there’s a place for your skills and interests.

Joining the Full Board is a great way to grow your leadership, connect with like-minded educators, and contribute to the continued growth and impact of MinnABE.

We welcome new voices and perspectives—consider stepping into a role and helping shape the future of bilingual education in Minnesota!

If you are interested in becoming more involved with MinnABE and exploring membership on the Full Board, we warmly invite you to join us for our Full Board meeting immediately following the conference from 1:00–3:00 PM. Lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP by Friday, April 10 by clicking on the RSVP image below.