Olga Padilla-Falto

Olga Padilla-Falto is a Teaching Professor of Spanish and Coordinator of Elementary Spanish at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte). She belongs to the Department of Languages, Cultures and Translation within the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences (CHESS). Her academic journey includes a PhD in Applied Linguistics from Georgetown University (1996), alongside MS and BS degrees in Linguistics and Spanish from the same institution. She has held roles such as Assistant Professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (2000–2007), and served as President of the Blacksburg New School’s Board of Directors (2007–2012).

Dr. Padilla-Falto’s research focuses on second language acquisition, language variation, heritage learners, and inclusive pedagogy. She has been recognized for her teaching excellence, including a Certificate for Teaching Excellence from Virginia Tech (2006–2007). Her work emphasizes curriculum development, hybrid teaching models, and equity in language education.

Her professional history spans over three decades, with roles in academia, K-12 education, and research. Notable awards include the Cuca Esquinazi-Mayo Award (2000) and membership in Phi Beta Kappa. She currently leads elementary Spanish curriculum at UNC Charlotte, blending traditional and online instruction methods.