Our Team

Dr. Carola Oliva Olson is a nationally recognized leader in early childhood education with over 30 years of experience in bilingual teaching, educator preparation, and workforce innovation. As the founder of Multilingual Promise, she leads a professional learning and research organization committed to establishing bilingualism as a standard of child development.
Carola has launched transformative programs, including the first fully Spanish BA in Early Childhood Studies in the U.S., and co-authored widely used strategies such as Personalized Oral Language Learning (POLL). Her leadership continues to shape state and national efforts to expand high-quality multilingual education from birth to age five.

Ilyssa Foxx is a seasoned leader in early childhood education with over a decade of experience in program management, budget oversight, strategic partnerships, and systems development. As the former Director of Quality Start Los Angeles at the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles, she led major quality improvement initiatives supporting more than 1,200 early learning programs each year.
She also played a key role in advancing the Dual Language Learner Initiative in Los Angeles County, strengthening access to language-rich tools and professional learning for educators and families. With a background in classroom teaching, home visitation, and coordination across agencies, Ilyssa brings a deep understanding of instructional quality, family engagement, and early childhood systems.
She holds an M.Ed. in Reading Education from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. in Elementary Education/English from Boston College.

Educator Preparation Research Fellow
Gabriella Soqui is a doctoral student in the Department of Human Development and Psychology at UCLA and a Cota-Robles Fellow. Her research focuses on early childhood education policy and professional development, with a strong emphasis on expanding bilingual education and supporting adult learners entering the field.
Gabriella brings over a decade of experience in early childhood and higher education settings. She holds a BA in Child and Adolescent Development and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education from San Francisco State University. Her work is grounded in advancing preparation pathways that equip educators to meet the needs of multilingual children and families.

Lizelle Wulff brings deep expertise in early learning, with academic credentials in Early Childhood Education and TESOL, and certification through the Program for Infant-Toddler Care (PITC). She has designed and led dynamic professional development experiences across topics such as dual language learning, instructional practice, and early childhood well-being.
Lizelle specializes in guiding educators through reflective learning, helping them strengthen their practice using research-based approaches. She is dedicated to

AI Advisor and Strategist

Dr. Lillian Duran - University of Oregon
Dr. Lisa White - American Institutes for Research (AIR)