NAELPA Advisory Members

ACooper Consulting

Ayanna Cooper, Ed.D. is an educator, author, storyteller, and keynote speaker whose passion for advocacy centers around primary and secondary linguistically diverse student populations. She is also a U.S. Department of State English Language Specialist alumna. As a lifelong learner she's earned advanced degrees in education including a Certificate of School Management and Leadership (CSML) from Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard Business School. Ayanna is the author of several publications including the bestseller And Justice for ELs: A Leader’s Guide to Creating and Sustaining Equitable Schools, Black Immigrants in the United States; Essays on the Politics of Race, Language and Voice (co-edited), and as founding editor of Language Magazine’s Pass the Mic series.

Center For Assessment

Molly Faulkner-Bond is a national leader in English learner policies, programs, and research. She currently leads several multistate initiatives focused on English learners, including a 30-state study of entrance and exit policies and a cross-REL working group on multi-language, bilingual, and heritage language learners. She has collaborated with SEAs across the country to support them in evaluating, implementing, and updating or changing state-level English learner policies related to language instruction, reclassification, and assessment implementation. She currently leads multiple federally funded research grants and contracts focused on English learners and also regularly contributes products, thought partnership, and technical advising to various federally funded centers including Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs), regional Comprehensive Centers (CCs), the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA), the National Charter School Resource Center, and the National Research & Development Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners. 

UC San Diego

Dr. Megan Hopkins’ research focuses on policy and leadership with a specific emphasis on the education of multilingual learner students in the K-12 education system. Over the last decade, she has engaged in numerous applied research projects that examine the implementation of state policies related to bilingual education programming and the preparation of teachers of multilingual learners. She co-leads a research-practice partnership that leverages and conducts research to build state education agency leaders’ capacity to advance equity for multilingual learners in their unique contexts. Dr. Hopkins serves as co-advisor to the English Learner Collaborative of the Council of Chief State School Officers, the largest professional association for state education agency leaders in the country. Her work has been published widely in the form of academic journal articles, books, and policy reports and briefs. 

Executive Director, TESOL International

Danielle Staudt, CAE, is an association management executive with more than 20 years of experience leading mission-driven membership organizations. She currently serves as Executive Director of TESOL International Association, where she works with the Board of Directors, staff, members, and partners to advance the organization's global mission, strengthen strategic partnerships, and expand professional learning, advocacy, and member engagement.

Prior to TESOL, Danielle served as Executive Director of the Population Association of America and held senior leadership positions with the National School Transportation Association and the United Motorcoach Association. Throughout her career, she has partnered closely with volunteer leaders to build organizational capacity, develop sustainable strategies, and support long-term growth.

Danielle holds a B.A. in English from Xavier University, an M.S. in Nonprofit and Association Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus, and earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 2019.