Dear OABE Members,

My name is Yuseli Freire, and I am honored to serve as President of the Oklahoma Association for Bilingual Education. It is a privilege to step into this role and continue the work of advocating for multilingual learners, their families, and the educators who support them across our state.

I bring over a decade of experience in education, having served as a classroom teacher, Director of English Language Proficiency Assessments at the Oklahoma State Department of Education, and now as a Title III Coordinator. These experiences have shaped my commitment to ensuring that every student has access to the opportunities they deserve.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma and my master’s in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. I am currently pursuing my doctorate at Southern Nazarene University, where my research focuses on professional development and how it impacts instruction for multilingual learners.

As a former multilingual learner, this work is personal to me. Language is more than communication. It connects us to our families, our cultures, and our identities. When we honor and support students’ languages, we are not only helping them succeed academically, we are affirming who they are.

As President, my focus is simple: support our educators, advocate for policies that recognize the value of multilingualism, and continue building a community where all students and languages are seen as assets.

Thank you for your trust and partnership. I look forward to serving you and working together to uplift our multilingual communities.

Warmly,
Yuseli Freire
President, OABE