Gina Marie Lalena
Euless,TX
Summary
Industrious & passionate educator with solid history of successfully stepping into diverse classroom environments, both domestic & international and supporting students with solid lectures, discussions and activities. Course design & implementation to enhance student success in-person & virtual. Engaged students by organizing and leading travel abroad experiences guiding them through fund-raising, grants, & scholarships.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work History
Latin Instructor & Curriculum Writer
International Schools In China-Contractor
Shanghai & Beijing, China
08.2022 - Current
- Curriculum development & course designer
- Tested and evaluated students on materials presented in workshops and classes.
- Communicated student progress to parents and guardians for collaborative approach to educational goals.
- Observed and adopted new techniques from skilled instructors and lecturers.
- Facilitated learning with creation of engaging written and oral assignments.
New Instructional Program & Curriculum Desgin
St Philip's School & Community Center
Dallas, United States
08.2022 - Current
- Mentored and coached students in groups of up to 10 in academic national and international assessments.
- Established professional relationships with parents and other teachers to increase rapport and support.
- Developed tailor-fit lesson plans to cater to individual needs of each student.
- Offered student support through special accommodations, extra assistance, and assessments.
World Language Chair/Latin Instructor
FORT WORTH INDEPENDENT SCHOOL
01.2009 - 01.2020
- Actively organized and led international student exchanges to Japan, United Kingdom, Spain, France, and Italy
- Personally funded one scholarship per year for an economically challenged student and fundraised for disenfranchised students
- Notable Contributions:
- Successfully recruited and coached academic teams in over a dozen classical categories, resulting in multiple first and second place awards by local, regional, and national classical associations
- Concisely developed, built, and chaired a successful, award-winning Latin program at a previously low performing Title 1 campus, bridging the educational gap across disciplines among culturally diverse economically challenged students
- Well-rounded knowledge base in teaching, designing, and aligning Latin curricula with interdisciplinary targets.
- Implemented curriculum and instruction by supporting lesson planning processes and providing feedback to other content creators on lessons.
- Worked with parents, families and caregivers to build and maintain strong relationships throughout course of school year.
- Implemented strategies to increase student recruiting, engagement and retention.
- Conferred with educators to rebalance classes, increase resource utilization, and integrate new technology.
- Participated in team projects, demonstrating an ability to work collaboratively and effectively.
Global Ambassador/Delegate Leader
FORT WORTH SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL
01.2014 - 01.2018
- Built welcoming community as I managed cultural exchange briefings and lessons for students traveling to Japan and Europe promoting teamwork and collaboration among large group of students
- Notable Contributions:
- Professionally and passionately showcased student delegation talents in various educational and cultural settings
- Mentored and nominated deserving students for fully funded grants to study abroad in Japan,
- Germany, and Hungary
- Promoted study abroad programs via one-on-one connections, group sessions and social media postings.
- Led orientations for over 23 international students each year.
- Managed team communication and developed cohesive talking points for events and actions.
Accounts Payable Specialist
XTERRA COMMUNICATIONS
01.2002 - 01.2004
- Successfully verified and executed over $2 million dollar payments to government vendors and contract employees for a telecommunications company.
- Reached out to vendors and customers to verify information and follow up on client issues.
- Investigated daily variances and corrected errors to resolve discrepancies.
- Applied proper codes to invoices, files, and receipts to keep records organized and easily searchable.
- Processed invoices and journal entries with efficiency and accuracy, resulting in decreased discrepancies.
- Maintained good working relationships with vendors and resolved disputes.
Credit Research Analyst
DUN & BRADSTREET
01.1995 - 01.1997
- Determined customer needs and interests to recommend financial products and services to customers.
- Increased revenue with strategic upselling of products and services to existing customers.
- Informed customers of sales and promotions to build customer base, boost traffic and increase customer loyalty.
- Promoted new products and services to existing customers, driving revenue growth and satisfaction.
- Built client list and strengthened customer relationships through consistent communication via phone and internet.
- Conducted financial review of customer lines of credit by assessing company financials and initiating credit application reviews.
- Assessed credit risk and analyzed financial statements.
- Analyzed customer data such as financial statements to determine level of risk involved for extending credit.
Project Manager
ADAMS GROUP ADVERTISING
01.1992 - 01.1995
- Initiated projects and monitored performance.
- Planned and scheduled phases for large projects.
- Achieved project deadlines by coordinating with copy and art departments, production & delivery to manage performance.
Education
Administrative, Immigration, ADR, Corporate
Pepperdine University School of Law
Malibu12.2022
Certification in Russian Language & Culture - Russian Language
Talinn University
Talinn, Estonia01.2023
A&M System - European History
Texas
12.2010
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature, Russian/Latin
Louisiana State University
Paralegal Certification - undefined
University of North Texas
Skills
- AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND STUDY
- Archaeology
- History and Law
- Material Culture
- Linguistics (Slavic & Classical Languages)
- Studied Ancient Roman and European History/Culture/Geography in situ, in Switzerland, Malta, Germany, Russia, Estonia, Ukraine, France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Turkey, Japan, Denmark, Morocco, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway & Finland
- World Language Instructor (Latin & Russian)
- Curriculum Development, Implementation, Instruction & Text Selection
- Differentiated Instruction
- Diverse Student Populations middle school - graduate school (including student seeking entry to study in Benedictine Monastery where Latin fluency was a requirment), domestic & international, virtual and on location
- Complex Problem-Solving
- New Academic Program Development & Course Design
- Liaised with governmental agency on new instructor testing for certification in teaching Latin - AP 12th grade
- Specialist in mentoring students, innovative lesson planning, team-building, and diverse approaches to linguistic and academic success, in diverse classroom settings
- Current research for presentation/publication focuses on Roman Law’s intersection with western law and its application in improving modern legal systems with special interest in property, contracts, criminal law, and Roman treatment of non-Romans
Affiliations
- Society for Classical Studies
- Vergilian Society
- American, Texas & Florida Classical League Sponsor
- Eta Sigma Phi Lifetime Member of Classical Honor Society
- CASA - Court-Appointed Special Advocate
- Appointed & Commissioned Notary Public by Secretary of State of Texas PACT Committee for Texas Education Association
- Catholic Charities Refugee Services and International Rescue Committee
- Pepperdine Law Alumna
- American Bar Association
- International Ombudsman Association
- Fort Worth Sister Cities Trier Committee Member – International Mentorship and cultural orientation for student and professional foreign exchanges
Languages
Latin
Full Professional
Russian
Limited Working
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Latin Instructor & Curriculum Writer
International Schools In China-Contractor
08.2022 - Current
New Instructional Program & Curriculum Desgin
St Philip's School & Community Center
08.2022 - Current
Global Ambassador/Delegate Leader
FORT WORTH SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL
01.2014 - 01.2018
World Language Chair/Latin Instructor
FORT WORTH INDEPENDENT SCHOOL
01.2009 - 01.2020
Accounts Payable Specialist
XTERRA COMMUNICATIONS
01.2002 - 01.2004
Credit Research Analyst
DUN & BRADSTREET
01.1995 - 01.1997
Project Manager
ADAMS GROUP ADVERTISING
01.1992 - 01.1995
Administrative, Immigration, ADR, Corporate
Pepperdine University School of Law
Certification in Russian Language & Culture - Russian Language
Talinn University
A&M System - European History
Texas
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature, Russian/Latin
Louisiana State University
Paralegal Certification - undefined
University of North Texas