Meet the Team

Anne's Bio

Anne Henry is a seasoned educator with extensive leadership experience in K–12 education and beyond. Most recently, she served as the Director of Continuing Medical Education at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she played a pivotal role in enhancing educational opportunities for healthcare professionals by developing systems to improve operations and fostering partnerships to address issues like patient engagement and equitable care. As the Director of Leadership and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Erie 2 BOCES, Anne led the development of a districtwide DEI plan, facilitated important conversations about structural inequities, and guided professional development programs for educators across the region. Anne also has a strong background in school and district leadership, having held roles such as Instructional Specialist to lead the turnaround of three underperforming high schools including Lafayette International Community School. As Director of Registration and Student Placement, she focused on improving student placement processes and ensuring equitable access to high quality programming for all students.

Anne has made significant contributions to the multilingual education field through her work as an English as a New Language (ENL) Teacher Supervisor within Buffalo Public Schools and as BETAC Director at Erie 1 BOCES. Her work involved providing professional development and coaching to educators, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations, providing technical assistance, and being a thought partner on the development of effective ENL/bilingual programs. her teaching experience spans roles as an ESL teacher, Sheltered Instruction Coach, and Model Induction Mentor/Coordinator. She has also served as an adjunct lecturer at D’Youville, Niagara, and SUNY Fredonia Universities. In addition to their administrative and teaching experience, Anne has held leadership roles in several professional organizations, including as President of the New York State Association for Bilingual Education (NYSABE) and New York State Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (NYS TESOL).

As the RBERN West Executive Director, Anne is looking forward to leveraging her skills and experience to continue advocating for diverse learners and equitable access to high-quality education. With a strong commitment to collaboration, professional development, and community engagement, she aims to work with districts and communties to enact meaningful and continuous enhancement of services and supports for multilingual learners across the region.

Melissa Duquette has been in education since 2004 specializing in English and a New Language (ENL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Melissa traveled and worked around the world as an EFL teacher in Japan, Vietnam, and Poland before returning to Buffalo to earn a Master of Education, TESOL. 

Her career at Erie 1 BOCES began as an Adult ESL Teacher before taking on her current role in 2016. In her role at Erie 1 BOCES, she enhances the knowledge and competencies of educators, parents and community members to promote academic excellence for English Language Learners through professional development, technical assistance, and community connections. 

Claribel González joined the RBERN West team in 2017. She supports school districts in achieving academic excellence for multilingual learners through professional development, technical assistance, and instructional coaching.

She currently serves as an adjunct professor at SUNY Buffalo State, and as an illustrator for several books.

Claribel earned both a Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences and a Master of Education in Childhood Education with a Bilingual Extension from the University at Buffalo. She also holds an Educational Leadership Certificate of Advanced Study from SUNY Buffalo State. 

Elizabeth Kuttesch has been an educator since 2015 specializing in ENL. In her role at Erie 1 BOCES, she provides districts with technical assistance and resources to support high quality academic programs for multilingual students.

Before joining the team in 2022, Elizabeth spent 6 years as an ENL teacher for Buffalo Public Schools. During this time, she had an article published in the journal PDS Partners and served as Lafayette High School’s liaison with SUNY Buffalo State’s Professional Development Schools Consortium.

Elizabeth earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and a post-baccalaureate certificate in Social Studies 5-12. She holds two Master of Science degrees; one in ED Literacy, and the other in Multidisciplinary Studies that includes a TESOL certification. Elizabeth is a proud life-long Buffalonian. She enjoys cooking and reading on her porch.  

Anastasiya Titarenko is the newest member of the RBERN West Team!

Before becoming a Bilingual/ENL Coordinator, she served as an English as a New Language Teacher and Coordinator at the Elementary School Level.

A first-generation Ukrainian-American, she is passionate about education as the practice of freedom, and is guided by justice and equity in her work.

She is a graduate of Canisius College with a Masters in Urban Education and Specialization in Childhood Education and TESOL, and lives with her partner in Buffalo.