Meet Our Language Acquisition Team

Email = First Initial + Last Name@wihi.org

Trisha Matelski

Spanish and Hispanic Culture

Since becoming a teacher in 2005, I have had the opportunity to teach every level of Spanish from Spanish 1 to Spanish for native speakers.  I came from teaching Native Speakers in Southwest Detroit to come be a part of the WIHI program because I believe so strongly in the IB mission of creating global citizens.  I received my Bachelor's in education from the University of Michigan and hold a Master of Arts in the Spanish language from Eastern Michigan University.  I also have had the opportunity to study abroad, spending one summer in Spain and one summer in Mexico as well as having participated in over a dozen trips to Spanish speaking countries, either for service trips or for pleasure.  Teaching and service are the two things that absolutely make me come alive and I am so excited to share that passion with the students here at WIHI and to broaden their horizons both within the classroom and within the context of international service trips.  I could not be more thrilled to be part of the WIHI community and hope to instill my passion for the Spanish language and culture into all of my students. 

Kendall Buie

Spanish 7, Spanish I,II

I received my Bachelors of Arts in Education from the University of Michigan. My past teaching experiences include teaching Spanish levels one through four in Manchester Community Schools. I completed my student teaching at Tappan Middle School in Ann Arbor. During my undergraduate career I taught Spanish to third graders twice a week at Pittsfield Elementary. I also spend my time teaching dance at a local dance studio in Saline. I am currently working on my Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Policy, as well as, my Master of Business Administration at the University of Michigan.  I enjoy working at WIMA/WIHI because of the incredible culture built within the school and community. I value their commitment to promoting social justice, inclusion, diversity, and equity. I believe in the power and importance of a balanced, globally-focused education, and am thankful for the opportunity to help foster a passion for learning and growth. 

Charles Posigian

French and Francophone Culture

I received my undergraduate degree in French and Francophone Studies with a minor in Political Science from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I received my masters degree in Educational Studies from the same university. I have previously taught 6th grade Introduction to French, 7th grade French 1, and 8th grade French 2 at Parcells Middle School in the Grosse Pointe Public Schools System. I also taught French 3 to a mix of Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior students at Grosse Pointe North High School. Out of the classroom, I spend my time with friends and family. I enjoy rollerblading, cooking, and watching reruns of Golden Girls and Living Single. I believe that education is about taking risks and making mistakes that we can learn and grow from, especially in a language acquisition classroom. One of the best characteristics for language learning is being unafraid to make errors in the target language and being open-minded to different perspectives and approaches.​

Miriam Roth

MYP French 1, French IB2, Francophone Culture

I am a graduate of Hope College, where I earned my BA in French and History Secondary Education. After spending the 2017-2018 school year teaching English in France, I am ecstatic to be in my second year with the incredible community here at WIHI! I am passionate about cultivating a student-centered, intercultural, and uplifting learning environment where students are empowered as learners, individuals, and citizens of the community, the country, and the world. Beyond the classroom, my interests include travel, fantasy novels, and musical theatre. 

Maritza Parrott

Spanish and Hispanic Culture

I was born and raised in Colombia. I moved to the United States in 1998, and after raising my two children I decided I could better serve my community by teaching my native language and culture.  I am Certified Expert in Spanish language and Hispanic Culture.   I have over 6 years of experience working in an educational setting.
I teach the “Hispanic Culture” course and assist the Spanish language teachers.  My main goal is to reinforce written and auditory comprehension, also to promote the student's verbal fluency through an authentic interaction with the language in a fun way. That’s why everyday I strive to make my classroom a total immersion environment under just one rule, “respect”.  I am very honored to teach at WIHI and to work with such wonderful and motivated students, and with the most incredible cooperative and supportive staff.  

Connor Kamm

Spanish 6, Spanish 8, Spanish 10, Spanish Ab initio

I  received my B.A. in Spanish Literature and International Studies from Williams College in 2010. I then went on to the University of Michigan and completed a M.A. in Secondary Education.  I taught for my first 6 years at Montgomery Bell Academy, an independent school in Nashville Tennessee. I began at WIMAHI in 2017 and love being part of the Ypsilanti community!  In my free time I love biking, running, playing board games, cooking, and traveling.  I love working at WIMA and WIHI because it has the most dedicated staff, caring administration,  and inquisitive student of any school in the world!

Kristi Shaffer

DP Spanish Teacher

I received my Bachelor's Degree from the University of Michigan and my Master's Degree from Eastern Michigan University. I have over 17 years of experience teaching Spanish to middle and high school students. Most recently, I taught Spanish for 15 years in Dexter. I also spent 2 years in S. Korea teaching English as a Fulbright Teaching Assistant. In my previous district, I served as an instructional coach and in 2020 I will serve as the Vice President of the Michigan World Language Association (MiWLA). I frequently present sessions and workshops with MiWLA. In addition, I have led teacher training in Beijing, China and for the Ann Arbor Public Schools. I believe that language learning is for everyone and that my role is to facilitate the language acquisition process for all of my students. I enjoy working at WIHI because this environment provides me with opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and students and I can explore new ways to approach teaching and learning. I enjoy traveling, especially to Spanish-speaking countries and S. Korea. My hobbies include reading, listening to music and podcasts, running, and playing the piano and guitar. My husband is from Korea and together we have 3 children: 12 year old twin daughters and a 10 year old son.