About
Our History
The New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers was founded in 1917. Its purpose was, and remains, to serve the needs of the profession dedicated to the development of second language skills and cultural awareness among students. The creation of NYSAFLT marked an important step in enabling schools to give their students an informed and sensitive global perspective in an era of international turmoil.
Since that time the same spirit has motivated world language teachers and served as the basic inspiration for this vibrant organization.
Each year the Association offers its members:
- A network of communication with colleagues throughout the state.
- Opportunities for professional growth through conferences and workshops regionally and statewide.
- A direct link with the State Education Department.
- An advocate’s voice among the members of the Board of Regents and the state’s legislators.
- Various support services designed to enrich teachers’ professional lives.
 Robert J. Ludwig | First Executive Director of NYSAFLT |
 John D. Carlino | Second Executive Director of NYSAFLT |
 William C. Anderson | Interim Executive Director of NYSAFLT | 2022 |
 Michael T. Mitchell | Third Executive Director of NYSAFLT | 2022- Present |
PAST PRESIDENTS OF NYSAFLT
| 1946-47 | Winthrop H. Rice | 1992 | Mary Champagne Myers |
| 1947-50 | Charles Choquette | 1993 | Al Martino |
| 1950-52 | J. Allen Pfeffer | 1994 | Helene Combopiano |
| 1952-54 | A. Harold Bagg | 1995 | Carol Reed |
| 1954-56 | Glenn Waas | 1996 | Elizabeth Bossong |
| 1956-58 | Lincoln Canfield | 1997 | Michelle Bloom |
| 1958-60 | Lucy A. Massey | 1998 | David Graham |
| 1960-62 | Robert M. Browning | 1999 | Janine Manley |
| 1962-63 | Judah Lapson | 2000 | Don King |
| 1963-69 | Robert J. Ludwig | 2001 | Marie Guillet |
| 1969 | Sr. Rose Aquin Caimano | 2002 | Joan Militscher |
| 1970-71 | Sharon Moore | 2003 | Dawn Santiago-Marullo |
| 1972-73 | Joseph Tursi | 2004 | Patricia Ann Ryan |
| 1973-74 | Gladys Lipton | 2005 | Linda Zusman |
| 1974-75 | Paul Cincinnato | 2006 | Louis Baskinger |
| 1976 | Warren Born | 2007 | Joanne O’Toole |
| 1977 | Maryalice Seagrave | 2008 | Paul Sabatino |
| 1978 | Marcella DeMuth | 2009 | Sue Barnes |
| 1979 | Robert Sherburne | 2010 | Susanne Hochmuth |
| 1980 | Patricia Sweet | 2011 | Nancy Ketz |
| 1981 | Kay Lyons | 2012 | Mary Holmes |
| 1982 | George Castellanos | 2013 | Deborah Carlson |
| 1983 | Anthony Papalia | 2014 | William Anderson |
| 1984 | Russell Webber | 2015 | Francesco L. Fratto |
| 1985 | Paul Wood | 2016 | Candace R. Black |
| 1986 | Shirley Sherburne Zimmer | 2017 | Marie J. Campanaro |
| 1987 | Anthony DeNapoli | 2018 | Michelle Shenton |
| 1988 | Brenda Benzin | 2019 | Beth Slocum |
| 1989 | Nancy McMahon | 2020 | Leslie Kudlack |
| 1990 | John Webb | 2021 | Sally Barnes |
| 1991 | Nancy Wallace | 2022 | Jenny-Lynn Delfini |
NYSAFLT exists:
- to promote the acquisition of languages and the exploration of cultural products, practices, and perspectives, as well as to support articulation at all levels of instruction
- to provide opportunities for high-quality professional development and networking, by collaborating with local, state, and national organizations, while responding to the changing needs of the field
- to include and embrace multiple perspectives, fostering student growth as global multilingual citizens
- to advocate for the preservation and expansion of language acquisition programs
- to recognize excellence in the world language education field
NYSAFLT Vision
- NYSAFLT strives to empower its members in supporting learners, as their authentic selves, on their multicultural journey to acquire languages.
For more information about NYSAFLT’s Strategic Planning goals for the future, please click here.
