Centropa is thrilled to introduce our newest staff member, Emily Bollinger, who will be working part-time as our US Midwest & West Coast Coordinator.
Emily brings 22 years of experience in education, including 17 years teaching English/Language Arts in both traditional and alternative high school settings. Throughout her career, she has also worked as an adjunct professor, staff development and assessment specialist, and instructional coach, designing and facilitating professional learning for educators across a wide range of settings. In her current role, Emily supports educators across her district, focusing on literacy, high-quality instruction, culturally responsive pedagogy, and student agency. She holds bachelor’s degrees in English and Secondary Education, a master’s degree in Effective Teaching – Urban Education, and an Educational Specialist degree with Principal Licensure.
Emily has designed and facilitated professional learning at the local, regional, national, and international levels. Her work brings together literacy, global education, empathy, and culturally responsive pedagogy, and her presentations have explored topics such as cultivating classroom community, examining displacement through an interdisciplinary lens, and using stories across content areas to help students build connections and understanding.
Emily is deeply passionate about global education and the power of stories to help people see themselves, their communities, and the world differently. She believes that meaningful encounters with the experiences of others can cultivate curiosity, empathy, and a willingness to understand perspectives beyond our own.
Emily has a longstanding relationship with Centropa and has participated in two Centropa Summer Academies: Berlin in 2022 and Vienna, Prague, and Terezín in 2026. These experiences have had a lasting influence on her teaching and professional growth. She is particularly drawn to Centropa’s use of individual stories to illuminate history, challenge assumptions, and create opportunities for students to connect with people and experiences beyond their own.
Emily is thrilled to join the team and to continue to build relationships with educators throughout the region, share Centropa’s powerful resources, and help more teachers discover the possibilities that emerge when history is taught through the lives and stories of real people.
You can reach her at bollinger [at] centropa.org
