KEYNOTE SPEAKER - KIA JOHNSON

Kia Johnson has spent 15 years supporting multilingual learners, families, and educators across the United States. She is currently the director of PreK-12 Language and Literacy at the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), overseeing professional development services nationwide and internationally. Prior to joining CAL, Kia served as the English Learner Assessment and Title III specialist for the Virginia Department of Education. She is well-versed in language instruction and educational policy and administration, with experience providing services in the areas of research, policy, practice, and innovation in integrating language and student identity and culture into education. She is currently a doctoral candidate at Loyola Marymount University, pursuing a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership for Social Justice. Her research focuses on the equity and quality of language acquisition services provided to specialized ML populations in low-incidence schools.