Ms. Gayla Martens teaches Spanish via telecommunication technology. Using the Digital Dakota Network, (DDN), she interacts with high school language students throughout South Dakota from a studio on Northern's campus. Her teaching experience includes face-to-face instruction in parochial and public schools, as well as live interactive video communications, blended learning and asynchronous instruction at the high school and college levels.

She received the South Dakota World Language Teacher of the Year Award in 2010. From 2011-2016, she helped organize CultureFest, an event partnering the city of Aberdeen, NSU and South Dakota high school language students.

An important part of Ms. Martens' life is family – her husband (elementary educator and high school coach in the Aberdeen public school district), three sons and daughter. She and her family enjoy traveling, playing games, and watching sporting events.