QUALIFICATIONS PROFILE

Goal-driven and performance-focused professional with well-rounded experience in professional development facilitation, education consulting, and adult learning theory (andragogy).

CORE COMPETENCIES

Training Program Design and Facilitation Curriculum Writing Change Management

Organizational Leadership Public Speaking Training Material Development Regulatory and Standard Compliance

Project/Team Management Performance Evaluation Staff Recruitment and Hiring

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

CONFIDENTIAL, St. Paul, MN

Owner Education Consultant Aug 2019–Present

oManage and provide education consultancy to various schools:

Saint Paul Public Schools, Minnesota (Summer 2019–present): Create and facilitate a comprehensive train-the-trainer program for all English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers and school learning leads; and act as the lead facilitator for steering committee meetings;

Willamette and Inter Mountain Education Service Districts, Oregon (Fall 2019–present): Carry out needs analysis; provide in-person and virtual training to ESL teachers and administrators; draft professional development curricula; and perform virtual training sessions for non-evaluative peer coaching and strategies to enhance instruction for English learners;

Wyoming Michigan Public Schools (January–April 2019; January–April 2020): Planned and conducted virtual training to ESL and general education teachers to improve their instruction for English learners; and

University of Saint Thomas–Dougherty Family College, Minneapolis (August 2019); Assisted in developing and implementing a two-day faculty professional development series entitled ‘Working with Multilingual Learners in Higher Education

CONFIDENTIAL, St. Paul, MN

Director, English Learners in the Mainstream (ELM) Feb 2017–Present

oProvide input in instruction development as well as ongoing support for K-12 teacher leadership trainings

oServe as project manager for Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) responsible in coordinating reporting and overseeing accreditation site visit preparations

oAct as co-facilitator of K-12 teacher leadership trainings, and as academic language instructor during student teaching seminar

oLead all report writing as well as grant evaluation data collection and collaborate with external evaluator

oOversee financial and budgetary aspects of the United States Department of Education National Professional Development grant worth $1.5M

oDevelop and strengthen partnerships with local private, public charter, and public district schools and administration

oEstablish and administer the ELM Project website, and strategize and implement all external marketing efforts

oClosely interact with cooperating teachers and Hamline faculty to guarantee success of pre-licensure teacher candidates

Adjunct Instructor, ESL Spring 2016–Present

oUse Blackboard and Canvas Learning Management Systems in designing and teaching an online section of Linguistics for Language Teachers

oInstruct various courses including Understanding Language and Language Learning and English Learners in the Mainstream

oManage and assess student teaching candidates in the K-12 ESL licensure program

Project Manager, ESL Spring 2018

oHeld responsibility for the English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accreditation report writing process for the Hamline School of Education

University of Minnesota–College of Education and Human Development, Minneapolis, MN

Teaching Specialist, Multiple Pathways to Teaching Programs Spring 2015–Spring 2017

oGuided alternative licensure students during their English Language Learners (ELL) designations at school placement sites

oPresented multiple topics to Alternative Licensure Teach For America’s cohort of ESL teachers such as Principles of Linguistics; ESL Methods for Multilingual Development; Teaching and Assessment for English Learners; Curriculum and Materials Development for English Learners; Academic English for English Learners: Planning, Assessment, Instruction; Second Language Acquisition Basics for Teachers; and Academic Language and English Learners in the Content Areas

oRendered administration support to the Alternative Pathway to Teaching-Teach For America Program

Adjunct Instructor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Summer 2014–Spring 2015

oOffered advice to pre-licensure and alternative licensure teaching students in their work with ELLs

oCoordinated with Elementary Education professors and Second Languages and Cultures instructors to create syllabi content and instructional methods

oFacilitated instruction on Teaching English Learners in the elementary classroom to elementary content area pre-licensure students in the comprehensive licensure program

oEducated Alternative Licensure Teach For America’s cohort of English Language teachers on ESL Methods for Multilingual Development and Teaching and Assessment for English Learners

oProactively worked with the College of Education and Human Development’s coordinator of Alternative Pathways to Teaching to guarantee alignment of course content with the Minnesota Board of Teaching and University of Minnesota standards for teacher licensure

Minnesota Literacy Council, St. Paul, MN

Children’s and Family Literacy Program Director Spring 2014–Spring 2015

oMaintained engagement as an active member of the Grant Writing Team and representative of the organization during meetings with foundation donors

oSpearheaded early literacy and families’ programs involving the Open Door Preschool at Arlington Hills and parenting classes; children’s tutor training; Literacy VISTA AmeriCorps Program; and Summer Reads VISTA AmeriCorps program

oAided in launching an extended parent education pilot curriculum at the Open Door Lake Street site

oGenerated and executed children’s tutor trainings in collaboration with the senior training manager

oCreated department budgets and coordinated with the Finance Manager to maintain budgets according to grant guidelines

oCoordinated with VISTA program manager, senior training manager, and parent mentoring manager to ensure collection and collation of outcome-based data for grant reporting and continuous improvement efforts

oProvided hands-on supervision to six direct reports from the Children’s Program Department

Earlier Positions Held:

University of Minnesota–College of Education and Human Development, Minneapolis, MN

Teaching Specialist/Graduate Assistant – Department of Curriculum and Instruction

University of Saint Thomas–College of Education/Saint Paul Public Schools, St. Paul, MN

Teaching Specialist

University of Saint Thomas–College of Education, St. Paul, MN

Teacher Supervisor

Saint Paul Public Schools, St. Paul, MN

English Language Learner (ELL) Teacher – Chelsea Heights Elementary

Minneapolis Public Schools, Minneapolis, MN

ELL Teacher – Holland Elementary

Teach For America, New York, NY

English and Spanish Teacher – East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools and Belaire High School

Documint, Inc., Bloomington, MN

Training Coordinator

OTHER EXPERIENCE

Breakthrough Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN

Executive Director Summer 2012–Spring 2014

Development Director Summer 2011–Summer 2012

Minnesota Children’s Museum, St. Paul, MN

Individual, Direct Mail, and Events Coordinator Fall 2010–Spring 2011

University of Minnesota–College of Education and Human Development, Minneapolis, MN

Graduate Assistant, TEAM UP II Grant – Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Grant Evaluator – Department of Curriculum and Instruction

EDUCATION

Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership (Fall 2020)

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

ASU-GSV 2020 Conference Scholarship Recipient

Master of Education in English as a Second Language (Jul 1998)

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies, Minor in English (Jun 1994)

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

License: Teaching License: K- 12 English as a Second Language, State of Minnesota (For Renewal)

Training: Blackboard, Canvas, Canvas Catalog, Moodle, and Various Online Applications

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

National Association of English Language Program Administrators (NAELPA)

Minnesota Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (MinneTESOL)

Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

International Dyslexia Association

American Education Research Association (AERA)

AWARDS

Harold B. Allen Award (2020)

Minnesota Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (MinneTESOL)

Faculty Inclusive Excellence Award in Education Research (2019)

Hamline University–College of Liberal Arts, School of Education

Alumna of Notable Distinction

University of Minnesota: College of Liberal Arts

Fellowship Recipient

University of Minnesota–College of Education and Human Development

ACTIVITIES

Member, Minnesota Department of Education English Learners Stakeholder Input Group (ELSIG) (Sep 2020–Present)

Silent Auction Chair, Annual Minnesota Teachers of English Education Conference – MinneTESOL (2017 and 2018)

Member, Leadership Giving Society Committee – Saint Paul Academy and Summit School (2018–2019)

Secretary, Parent Teacher Organization – Mounds Park Academy (2011–2013)

Member, Development Committee – Sunny Hollow Montessori (2010–2011)

Board Member, Breakthrough Twin Cities

Chair, Grand Family Ball and Gala Silent Auction Committee – Minnesota Children’s Museum

Member, Parent Teacher Association – Horace Mann Elementary School

Chair, Silent Auction Donations Committee – Horace Mann Elementary School

Coordinator, PTA Document Translation – Horace Mann Elementary School

Committee Member, Silent Auction – Horace Mann Elementary School

Room Captain, Family Service Night – Horace Mann Elementary School

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Microsoft Office Applications Google Drive Canva

Learning Management Systems (Canvas, Canvas Catalog, Moodle, Blackboard, and 2U)

Learning Applications (Google Jam Board, Flipgrid, and Poll Everywhere)

PUBLICATIONS

Journal Article

Schornack, M., Benegas, M., and Stolpestad, A. (2020). How Dispositions Are(N’t) Addressed in the English Learner Case Study Assignment. MinneTESOL Journal, 36(1).

Book

Benegas, M. and Stolpestad, A. (2020). Teacher leadership for school-wide english learning. Alexandria, VA: TESOL International Association.

Paper

Stolpestad, A. (2008). Teaching ELLs Action Model to Unite Professionals Grant Evaluation. United States Department of Education National Professional Development Project.

PRESENTATIONS

Benegas, M. and Stolpestad, A.O. (2017). The ELM project at Hamline: Coach your colleagues to work with English learners. Minnesota English Language Education Conference, Bloomington, MN.

Benegas, M. and Stolpestad, A.O. (2018a). The ELM project: Coach colleagues to work with English learners. 2018 WIDA Annual Conference. Detroit, MI.

Benegas, M. and Stolpestad, A.O. (2018b). The ELM project: Positioning ESL teachers as peer coaches. Minnesota English Language Education Conference, Minneapolis, MN.

Benegas, M., and Stolpestad, A.O. (2018c). The ELM project: A panel discussion on implementing a peer teacher coaching model. Minnesota English Language Education Conference, Minneapolis, MN.

Benegas, M. and Stolpestad, A.O. (2020). School-wide English language learning and teacher leadership. National Association of English Language Program Administrators Conference, Las Vegas, NV.

Benson, M., Benegas, M., and Stolpestad, A.O. (2019). The role and identities of ESL teacher leaders. Minnesota English Language Education Conference, Saint Paul, MN.

Edstam, T.S., Walker, C.L., and Stolpestad, A.O. (2009). Teaching Math to middle school ELLs. Annual MinneTESOL Conference. Minneapolis, MN.

Mabbott, A., Benegas, M., and Stolpestad, A.O. (2017). The ELM project at Hamline: Positioning ESL teachers to be school-based teacher coaches. Minnesota English Language Education Conference, Bloomington, MN.

Mabbott, A., Benegas, M., and Stolpestad, A.O. (2018). Coach your colleagues to work with English learners. Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Chicago, IL.

Reynolds, K., Benegas, M., Stolpestad, A.O., Crosby, C., and Petz, A.P. (2019). Changing lanes: Preparing K-12 ESL/ELL teachers to provide resources. Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Atlanta, GA.

Stolpestad, A.O. and Benegas, M. (2019). The ELM project: ESL teacher leaders share their experiences. Minnesota English Language Education Conference, Saint Paul, MN.

Stolpestad, A.O. and Benegas, M. (2019). The ELM project: What we’ve learned about ESL teacher leadership. Minnesota English Language Education Conference, Saint Paul, MN.

Walker, C.L., Edstam, T.S., and Stolpestad, A.O. (2010). Teaming up to build good teaching. Minnesota ESL, Bilingual, and Migrant Education Conference, Saint Paul, MN.

Walker, C.L., Edstam, T.S., and Stolpestad, A.O. (2010). Teaming up to build professional teaching skill. The 44th Annual TESOL Convention and Exhibit, Boston, MA.

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