About the LEA Committee

Deborah Wilkes currently services as the ESL Coordinator for Cumberland County Schools, NC. Deborah has been a member of NAEPLA since 2019 and is a former NAELPA Executive Board Member At-Large. Deborah brings 32 years of experience in TESL both nationally and internationally, 23 years of which have been in Public Schools in NC. Deborah holds a Master’s degree in Education with ESL from Meredith College in NC and was named North Carolina’s Migrant Education Teacher of the Year in 2003. Deborah is a National Board Certified Teacher of English as a New Language and received the Carolina TESOL Distinguished Service Award in November of 2021. 

Deborah’s professional experience includes roles such as ESL Lead Teacher, district-wide SIOP Coach, high school SIOP Co-Teacher, district-wide ESL Instructional Facilitator, State ESL Consultant, State Curriculum and Professional Development writer. Deborah Education Instructor and TESL consultant for the University of North Carolina Wilmington, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, and NC State University. 

Deborah has worked extensively with the NC Department of Public Instruction to develop programs and curriculum for EL/ML students and particularly enjoys working alongside classroom teachers to design instruction and materials to meet the needs of EL/ML populations.

Yvonne Oronoz-Williams serves as Vice President of Educator Engagement at the non-profit organization, WCEPS, where she leads national initiatives that support educators and strengthen partnerships with Local Education Agencies (LEAs), with a focus on improving outcomes for multilingual learners. She oversees a team of 35 instructional coaches who work with schools across the country to implement high-impact, sustained professional learning.

With over 30 years in education, Yvonne has extensive experience supporting diverse student populations from PK through high school. Prior to WCEPS, she served as a Professional Learning Specialist at WIDA, contributing to educator development at a national and international level. She is also the architect of WCEPS’s nationally recognized coaching model, designed to provide ongoing, collaborative support that extends beyond traditional professional development.

A first-generation college graduate, Yvonne holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Angelo State University and a master’s degree in Bilingual Education from Nova Southeastern University, along with endorsements in TESL and Bilingual Education. Her work is informed by her own experience as an English learner and reflects a deep commitment to advancing educational equity.

Angela Goetz is a dedicated advocate for multilingual learners with over 20 years of experience spanning PK–Adult education in both public and charter settings. Currently, she leads the development of K–12 Two-Way Immersion Spanish Dual Language programs for the Concept Schools network in Chicago. Throughout her career, Goetz has served in diverse roles including bilingual teacher, adult ESL instructor, and district- and regional-level program administrator. A graduate of Arizona State University (BA) and Aurora University (MA), they hold endorsements in Spanish Bilingual Education, Special Education and Educational Leadership. As a passionate presenter and sheltered instruction trainer, Goetz leverages extensive training in SIOP, Teaching for Biliteracy, and Trauma-Skilled Schools to champion equitable, high-quality instruction for all students.