UF Center for Latin American Studies
National organization promotes the study and teaching of the Spanish and Portuguese languages and Hispanic, Luso-Brazilian cultures at all levels of education
February 2, 2024
Associate Director of Outreach and Business Programs Mary Risner is the newest president of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP).
Dr. Risner has been a longstanding member of AATSP since she taught high school International Baccalaureate (IB) Spanish and was the teacher sponsor of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica and administered the National Spanish Exam. Dr. Risner has also served on the AATSP Board of Directors as Portuguese Representative and in other capacities on a variety of committees. The 2024 annual conference under presidency will focus on Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP) and providing students with authentic learning experiences due to her passion for connecting world languages with the workplace. This year's theme is Spanish and Portuguese as Global Languages: Connections and Opportunities in the Classroom and Beyond. The conference will have one of the first ever keynote panels with K-12 educators to highlight the LSP innovation happening in school districts and hopefully inspire others to introduce LSP on their campus.
Dr. Risner began her term as president in January. The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) was founded in 1917 and has a K-16 membership of close to 10,000 language educators. It promotes the study and teaching of the Spanish and Portuguese languages and their corresponding Hispanic, Luso-Brazilian, and other related literatures and cultures at all levels of education.
Congratulations, Dr. Risner!
