Join us Wednesday, February 28th from 12:00-1:00
Click here to view the event flyer
Dr. Ester de Jong
Dr. Ester de Jong is a Professor in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education at the University of
Colorado Denver. Her research interests include two-way bilingual education and other integrated
models for language minority schooling, educational language policy, and teacher preparation for
bilingual students. Her academic work has been funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the
Spencer Foundation. Her book, Foundations of Multilingualism in Education: From Policy to Practice
published by Caslon Publishing, considers a principled approach to school, program, and classroom
decision-making for bilingual learners. Dr. de Jong was President of TESOL International Association
(2017-2018). She is co-editor of the Handbook of Research on Dual Language Bilingual Education
(Routledge, September 2023) and co-Editor of the Bilingual Research Journal.
Dr. Erica Holyoke
Erica is an assistant professor in Responsive Literacy Education. Prior to coming to CU Denver, Dr.
Holyoke was an assistant professor in Elementary and Special Education at Keene State College in New
Hampshire. She previously worked as a classroom and special education teacher, literacy coach and
coordinator, and school administrator. Her research has focused on early literacies in classrooms and
teacher preparation. She investigates justice and equity-centered literacy learning and examines agency
and activism in children’s literature, classrooms, and preparation programs. Dr. Holyoke’s work has been
published in peer-reviewed journals and co-authored books.
Dr. Renee Wilkins-Clark
Dr. Wilkins-Clark is an assistant professor in the Human Development and Family Relations & Learning,
Developmental, and Family Sciences program. She earned her PhD in health and human sciences and
certificates in social justice education and conflict resolution from Kansas State University. Her research
program, which explores family relationships during and after times of transition and trauma, is inspired
in part by her experiences and observations growing up in west Tennessee.