Yvonne De Gaetano, Principal Investigator

Dr. Yvonne De Gaetano, (32 years experience), will serve as the Principal Investigator (PI) of the M/SI BETAC. Professor De Gaetano is the coordinator of the Hunter College programs, Master's Degree in Childhood and Early Childhood Education with a bilingual extension. Dr. De Gaetano directed a five-year bilingual teacher development program at Hunter and was PI for the an arts program to teach literacy to English language learners. As an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching, she teaches the bilingual courses as well as non-bilingual courses. Dr. De Gaetano has had extensive experience directing funded programs. The following were among the many programs she directed at the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Teachers College: The Early Childhood Resource and Training Center, The Cross Cultural Development Project, and the Cross Cultural Training for Social Service Staff Project. Recently at Hunter, Dr. De Gaetano was the PI for a pilot videotaping project that preceded the practice of videotaping of all student teachers at Hunter. Presently, she is in charge of the program development of the Bilingual Teacher Fellows at Hunter. Dr. De Gaetano is the co-author of Kaleidoscope: A multicultural approach for the primary school classroom and ALERTA: A bilingual multicultural approach to teaching, as well as the author of numerous articles on language development, multiculturalism and school improvement.

Dr. Yvonne De Gaetano
Tel: (212) 772-4768
Fax: (212) 650-3815

Maria E. Torres, Resource Specialist

Maria E. Torres joined the M/SI Regional BETAC staff as a Resource Specialist in February 2005. She had previously served as the Bilingual Resource Specialist at the BETAC at Lehman College. In addition, Maria is presently an adjunct lecturer at Lehman College's Middle and High School program, teaching graduate level classes in TESOL. She retired from the New York City (NYC) Department of Education in 2003, and brings over 30 years of experience in the areas of Bilingual/ESL, Multicultural, Technology, Special Education as well as Parental Involvement. She has served at the school, district and central levels within the NYC public school system. Among her many responsibilities throughout her career, she has served as a paraprofessional, bilingual teacher (grades K-8), staff developer, project director, curriculum developer, PASE (Program Alternative to Special Education) resource specialist, District Parent Involvement Coordinator and technology specialist. In her last assignment with the Department of Education in Community School District 6, she coordinated programs for newly arrived English Language Learners identified as SIFE (Students with Interrupted Formal Education). Maria holds a M.S. in Education from City College (focus on Bilingual Education) and an Advanced Certificate in Computers in Education from the New York Institute of Technology, in addition to over 30 graduate credits in special education with a concentration in learning disabilities from Hunter and City Colleges. Maria is dedicated to serving educators in building their knowledge and competencies in order to provide programs of academic excellence for English Language Learners.

Maria E. Torres
Tel: (212) 772-4762
Fax: (212) 650-3815
maria.torres@hunter.cuny.edu

Gloria Zuazua, Resource Specialist

Gloria Zuazua, (35 years experience), will again join the M/SI BETAC as a Resource Specialist. Recently she directed two staff development programs at Hunter College: Using the Arts to Teach Literacy to English Language Learners and Pathways to Literacy. She has vast experience developing, coordinating, and directing educational programs for English language learners at the Department of Education (DOE), Brooklyn College, Teachers College, Hunter College, Hostos Community College, and Lehman College. At the DOE, she developed and directed the Bilingual Resource Center which served as a Clearinghouse, Resource Library, and Dissemination Center. At Teachers College, she developed and directed a staff development program to train administrators and teachers on effective foreign language teaching strategies and programs for grades K-8. Recently, she wrote a monograph on the potential impact of charter schools on the education of Latino students and a monograph on the impact of teachers on the educational outcomes of Latino students. Gloria has taught both graduate and undergraduate courses full time at Brooklyn College and at Hunter College.

Gloria Zuazua
Tel: (212) 772-4765
Fax: (212) 650-3815
gloria.zuazua@hunter.cuny.edu

Deborah Vila-Tricomi, Resource Specialist

Deborah Vila-Tricomi has joined the M/SI BETAC team as a Resource Specialist. Formerly, she worked as a consultant throughout the New York metropolitan area schools for the Department of Education and Bank Street College.  She provided on-site literacy support to administrators, teachers, and parents through workshops, conferencing, and modeling of instructional strategies.  When she worked as an assistant principal, Deborah was responsible for the design, development, and supervision of a K-5 balanced literacy program.  Her extensive knowledge and her continuing involvement in both urban and suburban educational settings has given her a broad understanding of the strengths and challenges facing bilingual and ESL students and programs. At Hunter College, Deborah has taught both graduate and undergraduate courses that included supervisory components for teachers.

Deborah Vila-Tricomi
Tel: (212) 772-4767
Fax: (212) 650-3815

Xiomara Rodriguez, Administrative Assistant

Xiomara Rodriguez
Tel: (212) 772-4768
Fax: (212) 650-3815
xrodrigu@hunter.cuny.edu