ACTR Committees

Bridge-building Committee (Advocacy)
develops materials for Russian programs to use in proactive advocacy, including flyers, interviews with alumni, and more

Julia Denne, chair (By the Onion Sea Program)
Olga Klimova (University of Pittsburgh)
Olga Mukhortova, non-board member (Defense Language Institute, The Defense Threat Reduction Agency)
Lee Roby (Friends School of Baltimore)
Debra Solomon, non-board member (emerita, Hollidaysburg High School)

Bridge-building Committee (Graduate Student Outreach & Support)
organizes professional development, networking, and meet-up events for graduate students

• Aselle Almuratova, chair (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
• Emil Asanov, non-board member (Florida State University)
• Natalia Petrova, non-board member (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
• Susan Kresin (UCLA)

Bridge-building Committee (K-12 Outreach)
works on K-12 outreach and advocacy and on strengthening ties between K-12 and college programs

• Olga Gotta, co-chair, non-board member (Glastonbury High School)
• Lee Roby, co-chair (Friends School of Baltimore)
• Katya Cooke, non-board member (Mill River Union High School)
• Tommy Tabatowski, non-board member (The Noble Academy)

Bridge-building Committee (Mentorship Program)
connects secondary teachers and post-secondary instructors with a regular teaching mentor who can offer advice and insights on various aspects of teaching and career development

• Maria Khotimsky, chair (MIT)
• Jillian Costello, non-board member (AATSEEL representative)
• Olga Klimova (University of Pittsburgh)
• Heather Rice (University of Texas at Austin)
• Lee Roby (Friends School of Baltimore)
• Jose Vergara (Bryn Mawr College)
• Nataliya Ushakova (Staten Island Technical High School)

Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion Committee
is responsible for ensuring that the DEAI principles permeate all aspects of ACTR’s work

• Raquel Greene, chair (Grinnell College)
• Lauren Nelson (Pritzker College Prep)
• Heather Rice (University of Texas at Austin)
  
• Lee Roby (Friends School of Baltimore)
• Jose Vergara (Bryn Mawr College)
  
• Kristen Welsh (Hobart and William Smith Colleges)
  

Professional Development Committee
organizes webinars, roundtables, Teachers’ Lounges, and other professional development events throughout the academic year

• Olga Klimova, co-chair (University of Pittsburgh)
• Lee Roby, co-chair (Friends School of Baltimore)
  
• Maria Khotimsky (MIT)
  
• ​Irina Kogel (Boston University)
• Susan Kresin (UCLA)
• Alexandra Shapiro, non-board member (University of Georgia)
  

Newsletter Committee
solicits materials for the Newsletter and edits, publishes, and distributes it

• Elena Farkas, chair (Project Light of Manatee, Inc., University of Alaska Anchorage)
• Paavo Husen, non-board member (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy)
• Jane Shuffelton, non-board member (emerita, Brighton High School)
  

Nominations Committee
organizes the Board elections (nominations and online voting)

• Olga Mesropova, chair (Iowa State University)
  
• Susan Kresin (UCLA)
  
• Nataliya Ushakova (Staten Island Technical High School)
  

Olympiada Development Steering Committee
directs and oversees the adaptation and development of materials for the national Olympiada contests

• Ben Rifkin, chair (Fairleigh Dickinson University)
  
• Brooke Ballenger (Central High School)
• Julia Denne (By the Onion Sea Program)
• Heather Rice (University of Texas at Austin)
  
• Lee Roby (Friends School of Baltimore)
• Betsy Sandstrom, non-board member (emerita, Thomas Jefferson School for Science & Technology)
  
• Tommy Tabatowski, non-board member (The Noble Academy)

Service Award Committee
manages the annual selection of the recipient of the ACTR Service Award

• Ben Rifkin, chair (Fairleigh Dickinson University)
  
• Irina Dubinina, non-board member (Brandeis University)
• Elizabeth Ewaskio (University of Utah)
• Jane Shuffelton, founder and honorary chair (emerita, Brighton High School)

Pre-college Teaching Awards Committee
manages the annual selection of recipients of the Excellence in Teaching awards for middle school and high school teachers of Russian

• Julia Denne, chair (By the Onion Sea Program)
• Tony Brown, non-board member (Brigham Young University)
• Olga Gotta, non-board member (Glastonbury High School)
• John R. Rook (Smith Middle School)
• Tommy Tabatowski, non-board member (The Noble Academy)
  

Post-secondary Teaching Awards Committee
manages the annual selection of recipients of the Excellence in Teaching awards for post-secondary instructors and graduate students

• Susan Kresin, chair (UCLA)
• Aselle Almuratova (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
  
• Evgeny Dengub, non-board member (University of South California)
• Irina Dubinina, non-board member (Brandeis University)
• Kit Pribble, non-board member (West Forrest University)
• Alexandra Shapiro, non-board member (University of Georgia)

Public Relations Committee
promotes the organization's image, creates promotional materials, communicates key messages to collaborators, and fosters relationships with other professional organizations, the media, and the public to enhance visibility and support for the organization's goals and initiatives.

• Olga Klimova, chair (University of Pittsburgh)
• Olga Mukhortova, non-board member (Defense Language Institute, The Defense Threat Reduction Agency)
• Kaylin Land, non-board member (University of Minnesota)
  

Web Services Committee
maintains and updates the organization's website, ensures its functionality, accessibility, and security, and provides digital resources to support communication, engagement, and professional development for members

• Olga Klimova, chair (University of Pittsburgh)
• Kaylin Land, non-board member (University of Minnesota)
• Irina Kogel (Boston University)

Summer Language Teachers' Program Selection Committee
reviewing applications and selecting the finalists for The Summer Russian Language Teacher (SRLT) professional development program at Al Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU)

• Dan Davidson (Emeritus Professor, Bryn Mawr College)
• Raquel Greene (Grinnell College)
• Susan Kresin (UCLS)

2025 ACTR Virtual Conference Organizing Committee
is in charge of organizing the ACTR 50th Anniversary online conference (April 25-26)

• Olga Klimova, co-chair (University of Pittsburgh)
  
• Lee Roby, co-chair (Friends School of Baltimore)
  
• Dan Davidson, co-chair (Emeritus Professor, Bryn Mawr College)
• Richard Brecht (ACCEL)
• Evgeny Dengub, non-board member (University of Southern California)
  
• Irina Dubinina, non-board member (Brandeis University) 
  
• Maria Khotimsky (MIT)
  
• Olesya Kisselev, non-board member (University of South Carolina)
• Irina Kogel (Boston University)
• Susan Kresin (UCLA)
• Olga Mesropova (Iowa State University)
• Olga Mukhortova, non-board member (Defense Language Institute, The Defense Threat Reduction Agency)
• John Rook (Smith Middle School)
• Alexandra Shapiro, non-board member (University of Georgia)

Fundraising Committee
organizing and implementing fundraising initiatives, securing financial support through donations, grants, and sponsorships, and ensuring sufficient resources to support the organization's programs, events, and long-term goals.

• Ben Rifkin, chair (Fairleigh Dickinson University)
• Elena Farkas (Project Light of Manatee, Inc., University of Alaska Anchorage)
• Kristen Welsh (Hobart and William Smith Colleges)