Maria Carreira, Executive Director of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP), embodies the heart and soul of language education. With a career rooted in her own experience immigrating to the U.S. as a child, years as a professor of Spanish, and as co-founder of the National Heritage Language Center at UCLA, serving as its co-director for 16 years, Maria’s leadership is driven by a deep passion for supporting educators and advocating for the future of language learning.
The teachers that are out there and that really want to help you succeed at your work, they’re not just teaching for the sake of teaching, but because they really love what they do.
Maria Carreira
Reflecting on her journey, Maria shares the profound impact of teachers who truly care about their students’ success. “The teachers that are out there and that really want to help you succeed at your work,” she says, “they’re not just teaching for the sake of teaching, but because they really love what they do.” This love for teaching has been a guiding force throughout her career.
Maria’s own story as a child immigrant, a heritage language speaker of Spanish, arriving in the United States deeply informs her perspective. Navigating a new language and system at such a pivotal age was no easy feat.
To have teachers that supported me and recognized that if they helped me out, I could get ahead… that’s life changing,
Maria Carreira
“To have teachers that supported me and recognized that if they helped me out, I could get ahead… that’s life changing,” she reflects. Her personal experience shapes her understanding of the challenges that both language learners and educators face, and it fuels her commitment to making a difference in the field.
At the helm of AATSP, Maria remains laser-focused on supporting language educators who face increasing demands in the classroom. “There are a million other challenges that now come with teaching languages,” she notes, and addressing these challenges is a top priority for her leadership at AATSP. Her dedication to educators stems from a lifelong understanding of their critical role in shaping futures.
Maria recognizes the value Avant brings to language education as a long time collaborator, particularly when it comes to meaningful assessment. “You’ve been studying language. Now, how do we attest to what you can actually do with language?” Maria says, underscoring the importance of proficiency assessment in validating language skills. Avant’s assessments provide the trusted data that educators need to measure real-world language proficiency—an essential tool for empowering both teachers and learners.
But Maria sees Avant’s contribution as extending beyond assessments. “They are a very strong supporter of language organizations, the AATSP, for example, and of language learning in general,” she says, emphasizing Avant’s broader commitment to advancing the field. For Maria, it’s clear that Avant is always looking to the future, asking, “Where are we now, and where do we need to be in a decade? In two decades?”
This future-focused mindset is critical as language education continues to evolve. Maria knows firsthand the importance of long-term vision and partnership. “The challenges are real, and everybody needs support, teachers in particular, because so much is demanded of them,” she says.
For Maria Carreira, leadership in language is about more than guiding an organization—it’s about lifting up the educators who shape the future of language learning. Through her work with AATSP and her collaboration with Avant, Maria continues to champion the critical role of teachers, ensuring they have the resources, tools, and support they need to inspire and empower the next generation of language learners.
At the heart of her leadership is a simple yet powerful belief: when educators are supported, they can change lives—just as they changed hers.
AATSP Member Benefits with Avant
AATSP and Avant have partnered to offer premium benefits for AATSP members. These benefits include gaining access to exclusive discounts on the Avant STAMP for Spanish and Portuguese. These assessments provide valuable tools for measuring real-world language skills.
In addition to discounts, AATSP members receive ongoing support from Avant through professional learning resources and expert insights on integrating assessments and their data into their curriculum. This partnership empowers educators with the tools they need to track and validate student progress, while also staying informed about the latest trends in language education.
Learn more and register to take advantage of these benefits.
