Wendy Belden
I was born in Washington, DC. BA, University of North Carolina; MA, TESOL, San Francisco State University. In writing classes, I like to help students tell their life stories and think about their futures. In my reading classes, I like to share American culture, history, and current events. I’ve traveled in Europe, North Africa, and Mexico. I’m married, with a 12-year old daughter. I write plays; some of them have been produced in New York and other places in the U.S.

Lisa Blampied
I was born in Oakland. BA in Linguistics and Spanish from the University of California, Berkeley; Certificate in TESOL from the University of California, Los Angeles; MA in Phonetics from University College London; Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California. My main professional interest is Vocational ESL. I have been an educator at preschool to community college levels. My hobbies include reading, travel and handwork.

Kaya Cohn, EL Civics Coordinator
I was born in Summertown, Tennessee but have lived most of my life in Nevada City, California. BA in Spanish, Mills College; MA, TESOL, San Francisco State University. I enjoy teaching Community English and computer classes. I have traveled to more than 21 countries. I am married, with 4 clucking hens and 7 fish. On the weekends I race bicycles, snowboard, or explore Northern California.

Daniel Crose
I was born in Los Angeles. BA in English and MA TESOL from California State University, Sacramento. I like teaching all areas of English, but especially grammar, reading, writing, and speaking. I taught English for four years in the Peace Corps in Africa (Zimbabwe and Ethiopia); and five years in Tokyo, Japan at various language schools and at a medical university. I love traveling (77 countries so far!), reading all genres of books, and attending cultural events.

Ruth Crossman
I was born and raised in Berkeley, California. BA in Comparative Politics and French, Columbia University, MA TESOL expected 5/12, S.F. State University. I lived in Strasbourg, France during college, and traveled in Germany and Belgium. I taught in Bratislava, the capital of the Slovak Republic, for six months, and in San Francisco for three years. I am interested in second language socialization theory, and I love learning about different cultures. My boyfriend and I are the proud owners of a rescued American Pit Bull.

James Duncanson
I was born in Pueblo, Colorado. BA in Experimental Psychology from the University of Arizona; Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Princeton University; Certificate in TESOL from The New School University. After a long career in Human Factors Engineering, I got interested in teaching ESL and went back to school to learn how. My world traveling began with a stint in the US Navy and continued thereafter. I did my practice teaching in Prague, Czech Republic, and I took a three-week intensive Spanish course in Guanajuato, Mexico.

Christine Fong
I was born in Hillsboro, Oregon and grew up mostly in Eugene, Oregon. B.A. in Ethnic Studies from Oregon State University, M.A. in TESOL from San Francisco State University. Before I became an ESL instructor, I worked with college university students, helping them learn leadership skills. I decided to work as an ESL instructor because I love being around people from various countries. My father and step-family are immigrants from Hong Kong. Seeing my family struggle to learn English gave me inspiration to help people who have similar experiences. I have experience teaching ESL to “elders” and started teaching at the English Center in May 2011. I love being in the outdoors, which includes hiking, backpacking, camping and being in the water if possible. I also like cooking, gardening, reading and talking with my close friends and my husband.

Linda Johnson
I was born in Mason City, Iowa. RN from Methodist-Kahler School of Nursing, Rochester, Minnesota; BSN from University of San Francisco; MSN from University of California, San Francisco; MS from San Francisco State University. I have been an Instructor in Vocational and Registered Nursing at City College of San Francisco. I have also conducted NCLEX-RN and PN preparation and reviews for groups and individuals; curriculum development and instruction in nursing refresher courses for international and re-entry U.S. trained nurses; clinical research nurse in HIV and AIDS research; curriculum development and instruction in various nursing courses for Certified Nursing Assistants, Vocational and Registered Nursing. I have travelled in South East Asia, Russia, and the Middle East with nursing tours visiting hospitals, schools of nursing, and with nurses in various countries. I enjoy writing, reading, gardening, being with family and friends, and watching and cheering for the San Francisco Giants.

Nanci Kim, Tutoring Coordinator
I was born in Seoul, South Korea, raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and the San Francisco Bay Area. BA in English and MA in TESOL from San Jose State University; MA in Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy from Saint Mary’s College of California. I began teaching at the English Center in October 2008. I enjoy teaching English and other skills, and I also work as a marriage and family therapist. I worked at Dankook University as a Visiting Professor of English. At Seoul National University I was an instructor at the Language Education Institute and an editor for the Test of English Proficiency, the Test of Oral Proficiency, and the Test of Written Proficiency. I was an instructional assistant in the ESL and Reading Readiness Program at De Anza College. I wrote curriculum and led English camps for children in the Philippines for Impact Korea and for the programs at Onnuri Community Church in Nagoya, Japan. I’ve also interned at Oxford University Press in the English Language Textbook department for East Asia. Other experience includes technical writing at Cisco Systems and Sun Microsystems and customer service at Netscape Communications and E*Trade Securities. I lived in South Korea and traveled to Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, China, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and England. I am a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern.

Paula Landers
I was born in the Bay Area. BS in Marketing and German (double major) from Santa Clara University; MBA in International Intercultural Management and TESL Certificate from The School for International Training, Vermont. I like to use experiential methods in my teaching to facilitate swift improvement of my students’ English and understanding of the culture of the United States. I like learning languages and learning about the cultures of the 37 countries I have visited. I taught English in Japan for 12 years and like to practice my Japanese and keep up with friends there. I was a guest lecturer in China and the regional manager of the Vermont Adult School in Vermont. In my free time, I enjoy hiking in the mountains and making crafts with recycled materials.

Julia McGurk
I was born in Emporia, Kansas. BA in English Literature and Composition, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obisco; MA TESOL, California State University East Bay. I especially enjoy teaching career skills and English composition. I earned a TESOL certificate and taught in Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, Mexico in 2007. I love reading books, playing the accordion and piano, and listening to music with my wonderful husband and friends.

Katherine Meyer
I was born in Hartford, Connecticut. BFA in Applied Fine Arts from Tufts University, Medford, MA; MATESOL from the School for International Training, Brattleboro, VT. As a teacher, it is important to me that students gain the confidence and language skills they need to advocate for themselves in a new culture. Ever since I taught in Mae La camp on the Thai/Burma border, I have had a particular interest in working with refugees, but I learn something new from every student. In my free time, I draw in my studio and enjoy gardening and yoga.

Barbara Nathan
I was born in Charleston, South Carolina. BA in Education from the University of Florida; MA in Education from the University of North Carolina; MA TESOL from St. Mary’s College. I’m interested in literacy, second language acquisition, and linguistics. I love teaching grammar, reading and writing, speaking and listening to immigrants, refugees and international students. I also like coaching students one-on-one. I’ve traveled to most countries in Western Europe as well as to Israel and Egypt and some parts of Latin America. For relaxation I like to read, do the New York Times crossword puzzle, and spend quality time with my cat, Poco Loco.

Carolyn A. Peipher, Healthcare Careers Instructor
I was born in Wilmington, Delaware. BS in Health Education: Community-Based Public Health from San Francisco State University; MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from San Francisco State University. My three main interests in teaching English are: academic reading/writing for multilingual students, the Plain Language movement, and pronunciation for medical professionals. I've traveled and lived in many parts of the world. However, my teaching style is definitely American. Someday I hope to teach outside of the U.S. I am a Giants baseball fan. When I'm not working, I'd rather be at a Giants game with my family. The best thing about the English Center is the opportunity for people from all around the globe to meet and learn.

Carly Reçi
I was born in Oakland, California. BA in Literature from the University of Puget Sound; MA TESOL, Certified Language Program Administrator, from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. I enjoy teaching grammar, speaking, writing, and computer classes. I taught for one year in the Czech Republic, more than a year in Albania, and one year in Moldova. I am married with a 2-year-old son.

Ashley Richards
I was born in San Francisco. BA from Long Island University’s Friends World Program; MA TESOL from San Francisco State University. I am especially interested in health themes in the ESL classroom, and using learners’ lives as the basis for listening and speaking content. I lived in Costa Rica for seven years. I am married, with a 7-year-old daughter and a cat named Frieda.

Lisa Schliff
I am from Los Angeles, California. BA in Spanish from the University of California at Santa Barbara; senior year abroad at the University of Barcelona, Spain; MA in English/TESL at San Francisco State University. After three years as a legal secretary for immigration attorneys in Santa Barbara and then San Francisco, I returned to school for my MA studies. I taught ESL from 1980 to 1994. In 1994 I changed careers and have been working in a remodeling company that my husband Steve and I own, On the Beam Remodeling, in the Richmond Marina. I began teaching again part-time in 2010. I have two children: Adam, 28, and Rebecca, 23.

April Shandor
I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. BS in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh; TEFL Certificate; current MA in Linguistics student at San Francisco State University. I taught English for one year in Kecskemét, Hungary, where I discovered my passion for teaching and learning languages. In my free time, I enjoy yoga, photography, and hiking.

Sonia Slutzki, Programs Assistant
I was born in Caracas, Venezuela. BS in Journalism from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; MA in Women and Gender Studies and CTESOL Certificate from San Francisco State University. I enjoy teaching cross-cultural communication in the ESL classroom. I have lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, worked as a field producer for NBC News in Mexico City, Mexico, and studied French in Paris, France. I’ve worked for the Jazz Studies Department at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, coordinating national and international jazz concerts and seminars. I have also worked for various non-profit arts and education organizations in Los Angeles, California.

Janice Tolman
I was born in Los Angeles, California. BA in English from Pitzer College; MA in English Literature from the University of California at Irvine; Professional Certificate in Applied Linguistics from California State University, San Diego. I enjoy teaching speaking, grammar, reading, and writing. I especially like to bring the studies of literature, civics, and law into ESL classes.

Sally Wong, Technology Education Coordinator
I was born in Hong Kong. BA in Linguistics, Rhetoric & Communication from the University of California at Davis; MA TESOL from Biola University, La Mirada, California. I like to teaching writing & pronunciation, integrating technology into the ESL classroom, and the notion of “thinking in English.” I have taught English during summer trips to Hong Kong and Taiwan. I grew up in the Bay Area, enjoy baking desserts, scrapbooking, and playing board games.

Qais Ahmadi, Admissions Officer
I was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. BA in English Language and Discourse and MA in English-TESOL (due 2012) from California State University East Bay. I enjoy serving immigrant resident students and international students. My family and I arrived in the Bay Area in 1987 from Afghanistan as refugees during the Soviet Invasion. I have traveled to Canada to visit family, to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage, and to Jordan for sightseeing and studying the Arabic language. I enjoy bonding with my family at home, going on family outings and trips, hosting friends for dinner, exercising, weight-training, basketball, Xbox 360 video games; football, baseball, and basketball season; and sightseeing in nature.

Sima Brodskaya, Financial Aid Coordinator
I came to the U.S. from Ukraine in February 2001, I began my English studies at the English Center in May 2002 and graduated in May 2003. I have a twenty-six year old son. I love movies, reading Danielle Steele novels, and spending time with my family. I like working with numbers and I like my friendly and supportive colleagues. The English Center feels like home to me.

Angelica Garcia, Career Center Counselor
I was born in Guatemala. I studied English at the English Center from May to October 2007. I joined the staff of the Center in January 2008. I have been trained as a Global Career Development Facilitator. I really enjoy working with people from different cultures and seeing their success. I am married with a beautiful daughter named Victoria. In my free time I like to go to parks, play basketball, and watch movies with my family.

Jeff Issenberg, Associate Director of Operations
I was born in Michigan and grew up in Rhode Island. BA in Cultural Anthropology from UC Berkeley and a Social Science Teaching Credential from Mills College. I’ve been working in education for twenty years, first as a program coordinator for youth leadership programs where I led anti-oppression trainings on building alliances across race and gender and students reclaiming their inherent strength. More recently I’ve been a high school teacher here in Oakland, where most of my students were immigrants or the children of immigrants. I’ve traveled through many countries in western and eastern Europe and parts of the Middle East and have spent even more time in Mexico and Guatemala. My wife is an immigrant from Mexico and my 5 year old son is fully bilingual. In my spare time I hike in Redwood Park getting in shape for backpacking in the High Sierra of California. I’m in my second year as the Associate Director of Operations here at the English Center and am very pleased to play this role in an institution dedicated to transforming the lives of adult immigrants and refugees.

Marcy Jackson, Executive Director
I was born in Washington D.C. and grew up on the eastern seaboard. BA in Anthropology from George Washington University; MA in Linguistics from the University of California at Berkeley. I have traveled widely, especially in Asia. My interest in education and English began with teaching conversational English to Japanese high school students while I was a high school student in Japan. I continued volunteer teaching in San Francisco Chinatown after college, and then decided to major in linguistics in graduate school. I taught at the University of San Francisco and was one of the “founding mothers” of the English Center for International Women (ECIW) at Mills College in 1977. In the early 1980s, I began ECIW’s Immigrant Women’s Program which developed into today’s Career Readiness Program. I have seen the English Center expand its mission, programs and funding base so that the Center can serve an economically as well as culturally and linguistically diverse constituency. "On a personal level, when a student comes to me and says, “I love the English Center. This is my second family. The English Center has changed my life forever,” it gives my own life deeper meaning.

Alyson Jessee, Career Center Counselor
I was born in Auburn, California, USA and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. BS in Environmental Education from Humboldt State University; MA Candidate in Intercultural Relations, University of the Pacific. I enjoy working with people to achieve their professional and academic goals. I have been fortunate to travel, live, work, and study in East and West Africa, Mexico, South Pacific, and the Caribbean. I love dance, music, and food from all over the world. I have studied traditional dance from Guinea, West Africa for over 12 years. I enjoy hiking, gardening, and spending time with friends and family.

Huiying Li, Admissions Officer
I was born in China. I went to high school and the first year of university in China. In China I did some part-time work as a translator at “The China Import & Export Fair.” I attended the English Center from May to December 2009, and now I’m attending community college. Since December 2009, I have worked for the English Center as an Admissions Officer. I like to work with people and use my English and Chinese language skills. I’m interested in the social aspects of my work, helping people overcome problems and make their lives better. I’d like to have my own special theme snack store some day. I like outdoor activities where I can get close to nature!

Magdalena Montalvo, Coordinator for Healthcare Careers Program
I was born in Zacatecas, Mexico. BA in Human Development from California State University, East Bay. I started working at the English Center in January 2011 as the Health Care Careers Program Coordinator. I enjoy my work because it gives me the opportunity to help internationally-trained healthcare professionals from around the world obtain licensing and fulfill their career dreams. Before working at the English Center, I worked at non-for-profit organizations, including five years at The Unity Council and three years at Rubicon. I lived in Mexico for my first 10 years before immigrating to the U.S. I have traveled to Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Italy, France, Hawaii, and many U.S states. I am a mother of two great children, a boy of 15 and a girl of 11. I enjoy dance, creative arts, yoga and reading.

Iris Powell, Receptionist
I was born in Oakland. BS in Occupational Therapy from San Jose State University. I started working as a receptionist at the English Center in July 2009. I have previously worked in floral design and in decorating (staging) houses for resale. I have traveled to Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and around the United States. I like learning new dances (especially salsa, tango, and rumba). I’m an avid gardener and like taking “herbal walks,” identifying edible plants in the outdoors.

Gerardo Romo, Student Affairs Officer
I was born in Teocaltiche, Jalisco, Mexico. I started studying at the English Center in January 2008. My English was very poor and I struggled to communicate to non-Spanish-speakers. I was soon given a position as an office assistant, answering telephone calls, checking inventory, and communicating with students from all over the world. After 8 months of studying and 6 months of working as an office assistant, my ability to speak English improved really fast, thanks to the intensive courses and assignments I was given by outstanding teachers. A month after I graduated from The English Center I was offered a position as a Student Affairs Officer, and I have been in the same position ever since. I hope in the future to study graphic arts and videogame design. I have four sisters; two of them are former English Center students and one is a current student; my other sister is a dietitian in Mexico. My mom and & dad also live in Mexico. My favorite things to do when I'm not working are skateboarding, playing drums, hanging out with my friends and family and spending as much time as possible with my girlfriend. I also like to read about space and time and I like to watch documentaries about our planet, famous musicians, and technology.

Sharon Schuyler, Employer Relations Liaison
I was born in San Francisco and have lived my entire life in Northern California. With a background in Sales and Marketing I love “people to people” contact. I really enjoy exploring various careers and businesses—finding what makes each unique. When I am able to find the right person for the right job...we all win! I love time with my best friend and husband Greg, precious moments with my family and grandchildren and anything on the water. I am active in many civic and community organizations.

Rimma Shchukina, Business Officer
I was born in a small town in the Ukraine, but I ended my career as an Assistant Controller in Minsk, Belarus. My family arrived in the US in July 2001, and I began my English studies at the English Center (then called ECIW) in August 2001. The next year I started to work at ECIW as a part-time EL Civics Program Assistant, then as the EL Civics/ Administrative/Student Records/Finance Assistant, and since September 2003 I have been the English Center’s Business Officer. I love my job because I love numbers, and they are sometimes like a like a song to me. Accounting is my major interest in this position, and the payroll part is my favorite. I like to see the happy faces of my co-workers when they have everything thing they need to do their jobs. My family and I traveled a lot in the former Soviet Union. My husband and I have traveled to Mexico, Germany, Luxemburg, and France. I have two daughters who have graduated from university, and I’m proud of them. I like to spend time with my family. We have a family dinner every week, so we can share news and thoughts. I love to read, watch movies, cook and bake, and go to museums and concerts.

Angelica Vera, Registrar
I was born in Guadalajara, Mexico. I came to the U.S. in November 1987 and started studying at the English Center in Fall 1999. I graduated in Spring 2001. I have a husband, a stepson, and three daughters. With my family, I like to go to the movies, go sightseeing, and sometimes visit Mexico. I love to see our students moving forward in life, and this makes me feel that I am part of something important—making a difference in someone’s life. I really appreciate my job as registrar; the English Center has taught me that I can work at a higher level.

Tony Vigo, International Student Coordinator
I was born in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up there, except for some years in Puerto Rico and high school years in the San Francisco Bay Area. BA English, Stanford University; MA English and PhD studies in English Linguistics (dissertation not completed) at the University of California, Berkeley. I am a member of the English Center’s Board of Trustees and a volunteer at the Center working primarily with our international students. I was a founder of the English Language Program at UC Berkeley Extension in 1974, and its director until retirement in 2000. I have lived in France as a student and in Eritrea as a Peace Corps teacher; I have also traveled extensively in Asia and Europe. I have two daughters and three grandchildren. I love movies, reading, cooking, camping, and backpacking.

Melissa White, Director of Development
I was born in Alexandria, Virginia. BA in Philosophy from University of South Florida; BA in English from San Francisco State University; MFA in Writing from Mills College. During graduate school, I was a writing tutor and assistant teacher. For three years after graduation, I taught English in the SF Bay Area and in Japan. Through volunteer work in the community, I became very interested in the connections between activism, writing, and fundraising. I transitioned into the fundraising field in1999 and completed the two-year training program of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Golden Gate Chapter Multicultural Alliance. In the community, I volunteer on the planning committee for “Money for Our Movements”, a national conference that trains social justice activists in fundraising. I joined the English Center staff in January of 2011. I like that my profession allows me to do my small part to make the world a better place, every day. I raise money to support non-profits whose social change work matches my values, and I teach others about fundraising so they can support the work that matches their values. I've traveled to Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, Italy, France, Switzerland, England Korea and China. I lived in Puerto Rico for four years and in Kyoto, Japan for two. I am both a cat person and a dog person. I enjoy sharing time with my family, friends, and their children. I often bicycle, do yoga, read and cook.

Lynne Bierer Wilkins, Associate Director for Programs,
Director of Corporate Training for Industry
I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. BA in Second Language Pedagogy, Minor in Hispanic Studies from Mills College; MA in English – TESL/TEFL from San Francisco State University. I joined the English Center in 2001. I have taught in Bay Area adult schools, intensive English programs, universities, community colleges, and corporations. I have traveled in northern Spain, Portugal, central and southern Mexico, El Salvador, central Italy, England, Scotland, and Australia. I’m married and have 3 children and one grandson. I like cross country skiing, hiking, cooking, salsa and zydeco dancing, traveling, reading good books, and lively discussions about current events. The English Center has enabled me to achieve the goals I set when I decided to become an ESL/EFL teacher: to make a difference for people and the community and to train individuals who are confident and ready to participate.

Robert was born in Louisiana. He received his BA in Japanese from San Francisco State University; MA TESOL from San Francisco State University. He enjoyed teaching career readiness to immigrants, as well as pronunciation and accent reduction. He was a chef for many years before becoming a teacher. He spent part of his childhood in Japan and went back there several times. His wife is from Hong Kong, and they loved to travel there, shop, and go restaurant hopping. He loved cooking Creole and world cuisine. What he liked the most about the English Center: the students!