Danielle Capitan is a German teacher in Ann Arbor Public Schools. After studying German, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese at the University of Michigan, she committed to teaching World Language in public schools in the hope that students would be able to connect themselves to our greater global context both within and outside our own communities. She taught German in Cincinnati, Ohio before returning home to Michigan to teach German at Tappan Middle School in Ann Arbor. 

She instantly found connection and support from other World Language colleagues in Michigan, who then connected her to MIWLA after being hired in Ann Arbor Public Schools. She has attended the MIWLA conference since and was always able to return to the classroom with resources and techniques from talented colleagues across the state. Those same colleagues encouraged her to present and volunteer with MIWLA, which deepened her connections to other World Language teachers and programs.

Danielle has since earned a Master's degree from the University of Michigan in Educational Leadership and Policy and is working toward a Master's degree in TESOL with Western Michigan University. Recent years have shown a trend of devaluing World Language education in the United States and increasing austerity measures that reduce student access to rich electives, such as World Language. Danielle recognizes the hard work that World Language teachers do to provide our students with resources and opportunities that extend beyond our classrooms and our country. Therefore, she is eager to join together with colleagues to resist cuts to World Language and maintain student connections to our global context.