Meet Our Staff
TESL Centre employees are very experienced and all are dedicated to meeting the needs of our students. Here are some of our staff:
Administrators: |
Some TESL Instructors: |
|
| Michael Armour | ||
| Denise De Long | ||
| Thomas Higgins | ||
Tomoo Noguchi |
Colleen Swinemar | |
| Dr. Rory Leitch | ||
Karen Luther |
Guylaine Williams | Bruce Hartlin |
| Robert Townsend | ||
Suzan Staszko |
Mary Tobe | Nancy Colpitts |
TESL Centre Administrators
Bachelor of Arts, University of Western Ontario, Canada
Master of Education in Educational Leadership, Northcentral University, Arizona
RSA Diploma, Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults, University of Cambridge, ESOL Examinations
Michael began as Director of the TESL Centre in June, 2009. He oversees both the academic and the administrative side of Centre operations. Prior to coming to Halifax, Michael worked in educational management for 9 years in the United Arab Emirates. He has also spent time working in Istanbul, Vancouver and Montreal.
Michael enjoys tennis and the Beatles. He is a big supporter of the Saint Mary's Huskies and the Toronto Maple Leafs!
Denise De Long –Academic Services Manager
BA Dalhousie University
Post Graduate Diploma TESL/Adult Education University of Alberta
Masters in Educational Policy (International Global Education) University of Alberta
Denise assists with the overall planning, program development and supervision of the TESL Centre. She has worked in post-secondary managing projects and coordinating faculty, staff, and students for seven years. In Guangzhou, Lethbridge, Edmonton and Taoyuan, she also delivered EAP, teacher training and intercultural communication courses.
Denise happily returned home to Halifax in 2008. She loves her comical children, international film and other peoples' cooking.
Adrian Lake - Student programs Coordinator
Bachelor of Arts, Saint Mary's University, Canada
TESL Certificate
Under the direction of the Academic Services manager, Adrian assists in the planning and administration of all programs with particular focus on the Intensive English Program and Sociocultural Activity Program. He has tutored and taught English for three years, mainly in South Korea.
In his spare time, Adrian volunteers for Nova Scotia Restorative Justice as a RJ facilitator. He loves to cook, hike and watch movies.
Cate Carlyle – Instructional Resources Assistant
Masters of Library and Information Science, University of Western Ontario, ON,Canada
Bachelor of Education-University of Windsor, ON, Canada
Bachelor of Arts- University of Western Ontario-Kings College, ON,Canada
Cate is a native of Southwestern Ontario and now lives with her family in Prospect, Nova Scotia. Prior to moving to the Maritimes, Cate worked as a public library assistant in London, Ontario, and also as a primary school teacher and elementary school teacher-librarian.
Cate makes sure that students and instructors have the resources they need to be successful in their academic programs. She purchases and processes textbooks and library materials, and is eager to help both instructors and students find and borrow the materials they need.
Tanya Killam - Registration/Financial Manager
Bachelor of Commerce, Saint Mary's University, NS, Canada
Business Administration, Compu College, NS, Canada
Tanya grew up in Nova Scotia and is a proud SMU Alumnus. She has worked at the TESL Centre as the Registration/Financial Manager since 2002. Tanya is happy to assist students with their Intensive English Program application and any financial questions or concerns they may have.
Tanya enjoys meeting people from around the world and learning about their countries and culture. In her spare time she enjoys travelling, entertaining and playing golf.
Nicola MacNevin - Academic Coordinator
Bachelor of Arts, Saint Mary's University, Canada
Diploma in Travel and Tourism, Scotia Career Academy, Canada
Certificate in TESL/TEFL, Saint Mary's University, Canada
Certificate in Criminology, Saint Mary's University, Canada
Nicola graduated with a BA and Certificate in Criminology from Saint Mary's University and in 2002 she completed the TESL Centre's Certificate in TESL/TEFL. Nicola also holds a Diploma in Travel and Tourism and spent a number of years working in the tourism industry in Nova Scotia.
Nicola has worked with Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia as Program Manager, Halifax Regional Municipality, and with the Terry Fox Foundation as Nova Scotia School Coordinator.
In addition to her Canadian experience, Nicola worked and lived in South Korea, Ecuador and Costa Rica teaching English. Cherished experiences include preparing Ecuadorian teens culturally and linguistically to attend high school abroad and volunteering with The Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation.
TESL Centre Instructors
Fe Baculi
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Education, St. Paul University, Philippines
Master of Arts in Public Administration and Supervision in English, St. Paul University, Philippines
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a Specialization in TESL/TEFL, Mount Saint Vincent University and Saint Mary's University, Canada
National Professional Board Examination for Teachers, Philippines
TESL Canada Professional Certificate Level 3 Permanent
IELTS Writing Assessor
Born in a multi-lingual/-cultural setting in the Philippines, Fe Leonor has, with major interruptions, been in Canada since 1985. She has taught ESL/EFL/ESP to university students and adult learners in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America. In Africa, she also taught ESL and Methodology to English teachers. She is a licensed IELTS Writing Assessor. Fe has been teaching at Saint Mary's University since 2000.
Fe speaks English, Spanish and six Macronesian languages and has a working knowledge of French, German, Hausa and Arabic. Her linguistic abilities help her inspire students to learn English with confidence. She loves teaching, reading, writing (prose and poetry), grammar, traveling, art, music, fashion, interior decorating, gardening and mothering her relatives. In thought, she is a Westerner; in love/passion, a Latino; in her values, an Asian. Her motto: "Live each day as though it were your last; learn as though you lived forever."
Alison Boyer
Bachelor of Arts, University of Victoria, Canada
Bachelor of Education, Queen's University, Canada
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a Specialization in TESL/TEFL, Saint Mary's University, Canada
TESL Canada Professional Certificate Level 4 Permanent
Alison Boyer received her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Victoria, her Bachelor of Education at Queen's University and her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in TESL at Saint Mary's University. Alison has also received TESL Canada Professional Certificate Level 4 Permanent.
Alison has been teaching ESL for over 20 years now and still loves it! She has taught in Libya, Cyprus, and Canadian cities of Halifax, Kingston, Calgary and Toronto.
Alison is also involved in teaching classes for practicing ESL/EFL teachers. When she is not teaching, Alison enjoys running, biking, walking her dog and playing soccer. She has three children, a dog and a cat.
Alison believes everyone should never give up on their dreams.
Kathleen (Kate) Brookes
Bachelor of Arts, Saint Mary's University, Canada
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a Specialization in TESL/TEFL, Saint Mary's University, Canada
Kathleen Brookes is a mother and a traveller. Her two daughters and experiencing other cultures are her delights. Born in England, she worked in France and Austria before coming to Canada in 1975. In 1984 she returned to school and delighted in studying Egyptian hieroglyphs. After working in the field of archaeology, she was employed with the Mi'kmaq Native Learning Centre where she learnt their rich history while assisting the development of a Native Education Program. She became interested in the acquisition of English as a second language and completed a Masters degree in Education with a specialization in TESL while teaching at the TESL Centre. Upon graduation, Kate taught in the United Arab Emirates and The Sultanate of Oman for eight years, taking advantage of holidays to visit many countries. Presently, Kate has come full circle, and is again at the TESL Centre where she started her ESL career.
Gail Crossman
Bachelor of Arts, Mount Allison University, Canada
Master of Arts in TESL, University of Birmingham, England
Gail has been enjoying teaching English for about 13 years. She started teaching in South Korea where she lived, worked and enjoyed Korean food and culture with her husband Joe for 6½ fantastic years. Gail has been at the TESL Centre since 2002 engaging students from all over the world in lively conversations.
Originally from Toronto, Gail now lives in Halifax with Joe and awesome children Adam and Rachel. Gail especially loves traveling to places far and near, meeting people from different countries, cooking, and trying to become more flexible by practicing yoga.
Joseph (Joe) Crossman
Bachelor of Arts, Saint Mary's University, Canada
Master of Arts in TESL, University of Birmingham, England
Joe has been working as an ESL instructor since 1995. He has taught in South Korea at a variety of different locations. He didn't know that teaching was going to become his career when he started, but interacting with different cultures and learning more about the world made him decide to get his Master's degree in TESL/TEFL in order to continue teaching when he returned to Canada.
Joe was born in New Brunswick and grew up in Prince Edward Island, but now calls Halifax, Nova Scotia his home. He lives there with his instructor wife, Gail, their son, Adam, and daughter, Rachel. Other than spending time with his family, Joe enjoys watching movies, reading and photography.
Andy de Champlain
Bachelor of Arts, Concordia University, Canada
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a Specialization in TESL/TEFL, Mount Saint Vincent University and Saint Mary's University, Canada
Originally from Brantford, Ontario, Andy earned a BA in linguistics at Concordia University in Montreal in 2002. He then moved to Nova Scotia and completed the Masters in Education (TESL) offered through the Mount (MSVU) and Saint Mary's. Keen on language and teaching, Andy has been helping students with grammar and academic writing since 1993, when he first volunteered to tutor high school peers in English, French and German. He still tutors students one-to-one. Andy has been across Canada and all over the eastern United States, the Caribbean and Western Europe. He plays bass guitar for the Halifax Shriners Dance Band, “The Smoothies,” a volunteer group that brings nostalgic music to homes for senior citizens. He also plays billiards, chess, Risk and cards, but Andy now spends most of his spare time with his son, born June, 2008.
Jason Doucette
Bachelor of Arts (First Class), University of Prince Edward Island, Canada
Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA), Canada
Jason Doucette has been teaching ESL at Saint Mary's for the last three years. Prior to Jason's appointment at Saint Mary's University, he worked a variety of jobs including tour guide, teaching assistant, bartender, and substitute teacher in his home province of Prince Edward Island (PEI). One of Jason's majors, anthropology, has particularly facilitated his enjoyment of the many cultures he has had the opportunity to meet. Jason hopes he has the chance to meet you, too!
Jason's hobbies include reading, writing, cooking, and watching hockey games.
Bachelor of Arts, Fitchburg State College, United States
Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in TESL, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Certificate of Adult and Continuing Education, University of Victoria, Canada
TESL Canada Professional Certificate Standard 2 Permanent
Chris first came to Canada to study Russian at the University of Toronto. She met a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, married and immigrated to Canada. Since many of her relatives had moved down to “the Boston States” from Quebec and Prince Edward Island, she feels like she has just come home.
Chris loves to learn and has studied at over a dozen universities and colleges in the US and Canada. She is presently working on a Masters in Adult Education, specializing in older language learners at St. Francis Xavier University.
In addition to teaching English at the TESL Centre, Chris is the Coordinator of ESL Support Services at Saint Mary's. She is thrilled to be in a position to help others succeed in their studies.
To relax, Chris enjoys biking, kayaking, hiking, sewing, making jewelry, making and refinishing furniture, reading Russian poetry and painting.
Katrin Henkelmann
Bachelor of Arts, Mount Saint Vincent University, Canada
Certificate of Bilingualism, L'Université Laval, Canada
Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a Specialization in TESL/TEFL, Mount Saint Vincent University and Saint Mary's University, Canada
Katrin is a language lover. Growing up in a bilingual community (Moncton, New Brunswick) with German parents, she experienced three languages simultaneously.
As a child she spent summers in Germany where she developed her love of chocolate, as well as her love of that culture. She participated in a French exchange program in Québec City and enjoyed it so much she lived there for more than two years. Katrin has traveled to many European countries, working in a variety of jobs including translator. She feels at home at the TESL Centre where she hopes to motivate and inspire every student she teaches.
Katrin loves being outdoors, snowboarding during the winter and surfing during the rest of the year. She can also be found reading, baking, fishing or skeet shooting with her husband. She is currently expecting her first child whom she hopes will be born with a love of languages.
Bachelor of Commerce- Saint Mary's University
Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults- (Cambridge CELTA)
TESL Canada Professional Certificate- Standard One (Permanent)
Certificate in TESL/TEFL- Saint Mary's University
Thomas began teaching at the TESL Centre in August, 2007. Prior to that he taught for 8 years in Seoul, South Korea, where he worked for 2 years at a private school and 6 years at a university.
Born and raised in the Halifax area, Thomas maintains his home here in HRM now, but occasionally, he admits to feeling like the proverbial "bird on the ground". He believes that learning never stops and one of his favourite expressions is: "It is a poor day, when you do not learn something." If Thomas were asked for a piece of advice to impart to students, it would be a quote from Dale Carnegie; "Do not let the thief called negativity creep into your life."
In his free time, Thomas loves to travel most of all and also enjoys reading, exercise, eating out and supporting the greatest hockey team on the planet, the Montreal Canadians (Go Habs, Go!!).
Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Saint Mary's University
Certification in Teaching the English Language to Adults, Halifax.
Having a business background before teaching, Colleen co- founded, owned, operated and managed several restaurants since the age of eighteen. Though she enjoyed her business ventures, she always had an itch for higher education because of her love of reading and writing.
Saint Mary's University is where she decided to pursue her English degree (although one course was taken in England from The University of Birmingham). While studying, Colleen was fascinated with ideas and knowledge, and she wanted to combine her education with her love of other cultures. This is how she got into teaching ESL.
She looks forward to her time in the classroom, but when not teaching she will periodically write for a local newspaper as well as write text book reviews for an international magazine. Spending time with her family (especially her grandkids), kayaking near her beach, putting on rubber boots to work in her vegetable gardens, and investigating the next place to travel are just some of the things she loves to do.
This page last modified Friday, 27-Jan-2012 16:21:58 AST