Fabiana Parker is a sixth- through 12th-grade English as a second language teacher at Thornburg Middle School and Spotsylvania High School in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Growing up as an English-language learner who experienced firsthand the accompanying challenges and triumphs alike, Parker traces the beginnings of her education career to her childhood experience of teaching her grandmother to read.

Parker’s higher education path spans vast geographical regions. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in modern foreign language and education at King’s College London in 2001 and earned a Master of Arts degree in education, curriculum and instruction at Boise State University in 2003. Parker has also completed coursework at the University of Virginia, University of Phoenix, University of Granada and Oxford and Cambridge universities.

Diverse community and civic involvement is a natural extension of the mission of a seasoned, global-minded educator such as Parker. She was recognized in the Congressional Record in 2015 for having proudly served the adult literacy needs of the Northern Virginia community. In 2019, she received a Virginia Department of Health Certificate of Appreciation for “her outstanding commitment and translation services to the Virginia Department of Health during the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic response efforts.”

Seeing her students achieve their educational goals and become productive members of society is the driving force behind Parker’s commitment to education. Using her personal and professional experiences to promote cultural diversity while building bridges of trust, respect and understanding across cultures will always be counted among her greatest accomplishments.