Hélade Scutti Santos received her PhD in Hispanic Linguistics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013. Her dissertation research focused on the acquisition of Portuguese as a third language by learners who already know English and Spanish. Her work contributes to a better understanding about the acquisition of additional languages beyond the second language. In conjunction with her PhD, she also earned a Certificate of Advanced Study in Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education.

Prior to coming to the U.S., Hélade taught Spanish for fourteen years in a variety of instructional contexts in Brazil. As a researcher and a language educator, she is interested in all aspects of nonnative language learning and teaching and in how to make language learning tightly connected to a more diverse, inclusive, equitable and socially just world. As a language instructor, she strives to give her students the linguistic and cultural tools that can help them explore and experience the Lusophone world with curiosity, respect and critical awareness. As a director of CLIC, she is constantly encouraging innovation, collaboration and excellence.