Ben McMaine is a Spanish Immersion Facilitator at Bryan Station Middle School Spanish Immersion Program in Lexington.  He believes that our work of inspiring multilingualism, multi-literacy and multiculturalism in Kentucky’s students makes us true visionaries and that it takes collaboration to make that vision become a reality.

Sara Merideth taught French and Social Studies to Middle School students at The Lexington School since August 2002, and currently teaches French at SCAPA at Bluegrass. She earned her B.A. in French & International Relations with a minor in Foreign Politics from Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. She earned her M.A. in French Language & Literature from the University of Kentucky. She also earned her M.A. in Education and Rank I Certification from Georgetown College. Sara has served on the KWLA Board since 2008 in the roles of Regional Representative, Regional Representative Board Liaison, Treasurer, and President-Elect. She has been a Board Member of the KY AATF chapter, and currently serves as the Grand Concours Administrator for Kentucky. Sara was the French Teacher of the Year in 2012, and proudly represented KWLA at the ACTFL Assembly of Delegates that year. Sara is the mother of three, two daughters and one son. She looks forward to continuing her work in furthering the vision and mission of KWLA.

Tanya was born in Melbourne, Florida, where she grew up a fifth generation Floridian. She graduated from Morehead State University in 2000 majoring in Spanish and minoring in English. She obtained her Masters degree in Special Education at MSU as well. She currently teaches at Wolfe County High School.

Lydia Kohler is a National Board Certified Teacher who has been employed by the Clark County School District in Winchester, Kentucky, for over a decade. Prior to that, Lydia taught in Pendleton County, Kentucky, and represented Rotary International as an Ambassadorial Scholar during the 2002-2003 school year. Lydia is a graduate of Transylvania University with a double major in French Language & Literature and Education. She holds a Masters\’ Degree in Teaching Secondary French from Georgetown College and completed the National Board qualifying process in 2011. She is a member of AATF and KWLA.