America’s Languages Working Group

Convened under the aegis of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the America’s Language Working Group is an informal group of experts and organizations, including representation from the language profession, academia, government, business, NGOs, and heritage and indigenous communities, with a stake in language education. Over the next few years, the group will undertake a series of collaborative activities in support of America’s Languages: Investing in Language Education in the 21st Century, the final report of the Commission on Language Learning.

Mohamed Abdel-Kader, Executive Director, Stevens Initiative - Aspen Institute, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign Language Education, US Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education 

Jurgita Antoine, Native Language Research Director, American Indian Higher Education Consortium

Lenna Aoki, General Counsel, Office of Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI)

Howie Berman, Executive Director, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

Richard Brecht, Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland, Co-Director, American Councils Research Center, American Councils for International Education

Dan Davidson, Director of Research and Senior Academic Advisor, American Councils for International Education; Member, AAA&S Commission on Language Learning

Ruth Davis, Chair, International Mission of Mercy USA, former Director of Foreign Service Institute, former Director General of the Foreign Service, Career Ambassador

Kathleen Diamond, Founder and CEO of Language Learning Enterprises, Inc., Charter Member, Association of Language Companies

Sharon Fechter, Dean of Humanities, Montgomery College

Don Gentile, Senior Language Authority, Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Joel Gomez, President & CEO, Center for Applied Linguistics

Leslie Harper, President, National Coalition of Native American Language Schools and Programs

Stephen Kidd, Executive Director, National Humanities Alliance

Sheri Spaine Long, Executive Director, American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese

Dennis Looney, Director, Association of Departments of Foreign Languages, Modern Language Association

Tommy Lu, Coalition of Community-Based Heritage Language Schools, Chinese Community Schools of Delaware

Gail McGinn, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Planning (retired), Office of the Secretary of Defense

Rita A. Oleksak, President of the Board of Directors, JNCL-NCLIS

William Rivers, President, 7,000 Languages

Antonia Folarin Schleicher, Executive Director, National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages and Indiana University

Katie Steen, Policy Associate, Association of American Universities

John Tessitore, Senior Program Advisor, American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Santiago Wood, Executive Director, National Association for Bilingual Education