As Immersion Specialist at the Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre, Ballena supports Immersion programs in northern community schools by conducting professional development and training for Immersion and Native Language teachers.  Ballena is also an author and illustrator of many children's story books published in Syllabics and English. She has translated books into Oji-Cree, Cree and Ojibwe, and she has developed teaching materials for 23 northern community schools in the Sioux Lookout district area.