Host Brandon Cardet-Hernandez speaks with Mariana Castro, the interim Director of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, Co-Director of the Multilingual Learning Research Center, and a curriculum designer and instructor for The Discussion Project at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She began her career working with students with significant disabilities, before going on to coordinate bilingual programs in Madison. After 15 years in schools, Mariana joined WIDA in 2006, where she led professional learning, standards development and evaluation initiatives. With more than 35 years in education, she brings a deep commitment to multilingual learners, teacher development, and social justice to her research and practice.