Eli Casas is a 2024-2025 Teach Plus Illinois Affinity Group Facilitator and 2nd grade Dual Language teacher at Chesak Elementary School in Huntley, Illinois. She focuses on teaching Spanish to dual language students to help cultivate bilingualism, biliteracy and biculturalism. She is also the Dual Language Team Lead where she supports the K-2 teachers by providing leadership and fostering collaboration among educators to enhance the effectiveness of bilingual instruction. Eli had the opportunity to be a presenter at a National Bilingual Conference, TABE, in 2022. Eli began her culturally diverse work during her undergraduate career at Northern Illinois University when she was an Executive Board member for Alpha Psi Lambda, a Co-ed Latino Fraternity an organization which prides itself on the values of Familia, Culture, Academics, Service and Leadership. She earned her BA in Elementary Education with an ESL and Bilingual Endorsement from Northern Illinois University, and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Bilingual Education.