Event Program – 2023 Joint Fall Meeting

Art and Architecture in the K-16 German Curriculum

September 22-23, 2023
Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX

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Presenter Biographies

Meet our presenters from across the state.

Lorna Sopcak

Our featured guest presenter holds an MA and PhD in German and Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Minnesota. She recently retired from Ripon College in Wisconsin, where she taught for 18 years and served as department chair and director of the Bonn study abroad program. Dr. Sopcak participated in the AATG TrainDAF program and was a Goethe-Institut Midwest Trainer Team member.

Lauren Davis

Lauren is in her 7th year in the classroom, teaching levels 1 through 4 AP in Sugar Land, TX. In 2019 she received the AATG German Embassy Award for Excellence in Teaching, one of her proudest moments! In addition to teaching, she sponsors the German Club, a GAPP exchange, and a SPARK! for German program together with her amazing colleagues in Fort Bend ISD.

Ute Hoefel

Ute got her M.A in German Studies from the University of Vienna/Austria and studied German as a second Language (DaF) at the Free University of Berlin. She has taught German in Europe, Asia, and in Texas. Ute teaches at the German Institute for the Southwest and works as a coach and German Educational Multiplier for the Goethe Institut, where she also serves as testing chair for the Houston area.

Suzy Holland

Suzy holds a BA in Art History and MA in Education. She started her teaching career as an art history TA at Syracuse University, and went on to teach German and Art 1 in San Antonio’s Northside ISD for 27 years.

Jennifer Martin

Jennifer holds a BA in German, Museum Studies, and Archaeology from Baylor University, and an MA from Texas Tech University.  She currently teaches at Jordan High School in Fulshear, TX. Having taught in many Texas schools for 23 years, Jennifer has been a member in all three Texas AATG chapters.

Nella Spurlin

Nella taught at Temple High School for 38 years. She has served as Professional Development Director for TFLA and on the boards of AATG and TFLA. She is a past President of the South Texas AATG chapter and was the SWCOLT Teacher of the Year in 2009 and AATG Outstanding Secondary German Educator in 2011.  Currently, Nella serves as a regional coordinator of SPARK! for German and a part-time temporary lecturer at Baylor University.