President, Geraldine Ryan
Geraldine Ryan is from New Zealand and has taught in the field of TESOL for over 20 years including in Russia, New Zealand, and various Asian countries. She earned her Ph.D. in Intercultural Education, specializing in TESOL, from Biola University in 2010. At present she works in the area of teacher training and professional development.
Geraldine Ryan is from New Zealand and has taught in the field of TESOL for over 20 years including in Russia, New Zealand, and various Asian countries. She earned her Ph.D. in Intercultural Education, specializing in TESOL, from Biola University in 2010. At present she works in the area of teacher training and professional development.
President-Elect, Rich Robison
Rich Robison has been educating teachers at Azusa Pacific University since 1991. He currently chairs the Global Studies, Sociology, and TESOL Department, directs the On-Campus TESOL program, and teaches courses on pronunciation, second language acquisition, and assessment.
He is an alumnus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and UCLA (M.A. Linguistics, Ph.D., Applied Linguistics).
Rich Robison has been educating teachers at Azusa Pacific University since 1991. He currently chairs the Global Studies, Sociology, and TESOL Department, directs the On-Campus TESOL program, and teaches courses on pronunciation, second language acquisition, and assessment.
He is an alumnus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and UCLA (M.A. Linguistics, Ph.D., Applied Linguistics).
Past-President, Sharry Andrews
Sharry Andrews is a full-time professor at Showa Boston Institute for Language and Culture, the study abroad campus of Showa Women's University in Japan. She established an ESL program for Japanese women and their young children at Highrock Church in Arlington, Massachusetts in 2011. She has taught English to Japanese business professionals, families and university students her entire career. Sharry completed her MA TESOL online at Biola University in 2012. She lives in the Boston area with her family and is one of three generations of TESOL professionals.
Sharry Andrews is a full-time professor at Showa Boston Institute for Language and Culture, the study abroad campus of Showa Women's University in Japan. She established an ESL program for Japanese women and their young children at Highrock Church in Arlington, Massachusetts in 2011. She has taught English to Japanese business professionals, families and university students her entire career. Sharry completed her MA TESOL online at Biola University in 2012. She lives in the Boston area with her family and is one of three generations of TESOL professionals.
Secretary, Cindy Goforth
Cindy Goforth is the Director of the Academic English Program at Messiah College. Before coming to Messiah, she was the Center Manager for an Adult ESL program at Johnson County Community College in Kansas where she taught for 6 years. Prior to that, she helped start an Adult ESL program at her church. She has taught English to high school students, college students, professionals and adult English language learners in church-based programs as well as academic settings in the U.S., China, and Lithuania. Her areas of interest include academic reading and writing, grammar and teacher training. She received her MBA in Finance from George Washington University and her MA TESOL from Biola University. She currently lives in Mechanicsburg, PA with her family.
Cindy Goforth is the Director of the Academic English Program at Messiah College. Before coming to Messiah, she was the Center Manager for an Adult ESL program at Johnson County Community College in Kansas where she taught for 6 years. Prior to that, she helped start an Adult ESL program at her church. She has taught English to high school students, college students, professionals and adult English language learners in church-based programs as well as academic settings in the U.S., China, and Lithuania. Her areas of interest include academic reading and writing, grammar and teacher training. She received her MBA in Finance from George Washington University and her MA TESOL from Biola University. She currently lives in Mechanicsburg, PA with her family.
Treasurer, Amie Sarker
Amie Sarker, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Literacy Education at the University of Dallas. Amie completed her Ph.D. in Literacy Studies and Linguistics at the University of North Texas, an M.Ed. at the University of Texas at Arlington, and B.A. in Elementary Education at Dallas Baptist University. She spent several years teaching ESL and serving as a literacy strategist in Texas public schools, and she has taught English as a foreign language in South Korea and Taiwan. She is involved with rural education initiatives in South Asia as well. Amie is passionate about affirming and developing competencies of English language learners and their teachers, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Amie Sarker, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Literacy Education at the University of Dallas. Amie completed her Ph.D. in Literacy Studies and Linguistics at the University of North Texas, an M.Ed. at the University of Texas at Arlington, and B.A. in Elementary Education at Dallas Baptist University. She spent several years teaching ESL and serving as a literacy strategist in Texas public schools, and she has taught English as a foreign language in South Korea and Taiwan. She is involved with rural education initiatives in South Asia as well. Amie is passionate about affirming and developing competencies of English language learners and their teachers, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Communications Coordinator, Amanda Dago
Amanda Dago earned her B.A. in French Secondary Education from North Dakota State University and her MA TESOL from Biola University in 2006. Over the past 10 years, she has worked in the field of TESOL in varying capacities. While the bulk of her time has been spent as an ESL instructor, she has also worked as an ESL Resource Room Coordinator, Academic Coordinator, and until recently she was the Director of IEP at California Baptist University in Riverside, CA. Amanda, her husband, and two boys currently reside in Georgia where she is working as an online instructor in Language Program Administration for LCC University.
Amanda Dago earned her B.A. in French Secondary Education from North Dakota State University and her MA TESOL from Biola University in 2006. Over the past 10 years, she has worked in the field of TESOL in varying capacities. While the bulk of her time has been spent as an ESL instructor, she has also worked as an ESL Resource Room Coordinator, Academic Coordinator, and until recently she was the Director of IEP at California Baptist University in Riverside, CA. Amanda, her husband, and two boys currently reside in Georgia where she is working as an online instructor in Language Program Administration for LCC University.
Member At-Large, Debbie Nelson
Debbie Nelson has been teaching EFL in Russia and Ukraine with One Mission Society for 20 years. She earned her B.S. in Elementary Education at George Fox University and MA TESOL at Azusa Pacific Unversity. Debbie currently lives in Kiev, Ukraine where she loves teaching English to professionals.
Debbie Nelson has been teaching EFL in Russia and Ukraine with One Mission Society for 20 years. She earned her B.S. in Elementary Education at George Fox University and MA TESOL at Azusa Pacific Unversity. Debbie currently lives in Kiev, Ukraine where she loves teaching English to professionals.
Member At-Large, Robin Gingerich
Dr. Robin Gingerich, Parnell, Iowa, USA, is passionate about teaching students. She loves seeing students interacting in the classroom for purposeful language learning. Robin moved to Lithuania in 1994, and since then has been serving at LCC International University. She is an associate professor and currently chairs the English Department, which includes undergraduate programs in English, a graduate program in MA TESOL, an Intensive English Program, and community English programs for adults, teenagers and children. Robin has given professional development workshops for English teachers in Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Russia, Albania Turkey, Estonia and Congo. LCC hosts a Summer Language Institute, an intense program of English classes for nearly 250 students at all levels of English. In spring 2016, Robin received the Earl W. Stevick Award for service to the TESOL profession.
Dr. Robin Gingerich, Parnell, Iowa, USA, is passionate about teaching students. She loves seeing students interacting in the classroom for purposeful language learning. Robin moved to Lithuania in 1994, and since then has been serving at LCC International University. She is an associate professor and currently chairs the English Department, which includes undergraduate programs in English, a graduate program in MA TESOL, an Intensive English Program, and community English programs for adults, teenagers and children. Robin has given professional development workshops for English teachers in Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Russia, Albania Turkey, Estonia and Congo. LCC hosts a Summer Language Institute, an intense program of English classes for nearly 250 students at all levels of English. In spring 2016, Robin received the Earl W. Stevick Award for service to the TESOL profession.
