Nancy graduated from Stanford University with a degree in human biology and went on to complete a Master’s degree in city planning at the University of California, Berkeley in 1981.  She worked in the field of city planning for 10 years before raising her family.   She has been teaching English in the Spanish-speaking community in Seattle since 2009.

Karen earned a B.A. in Social Science Teaching and subsequently taught World Literature and English to teenagers at a public school in Boulder, Colorado. Her TESL certification was motivated by Karen’s desire to work with English language learners of all ages in diverse educational settings.

Danny has been teaching English since 2011 after completing a BA in Spanish, along with a minor in Applied Linguistics and TESOL certificate from Portland State University. He realized that his interest in Spanish was a love of linguistics and turned his focus towards teaching. He will soon complete an MA in TESOL also from Portland State. Danny has taught English in South Korea, and Portland, Oregon to wide variety of age groups and classroom settings. In his free time, he is an avid NBA fan – especially of his home team, the Portland Trail Blazers – and a life-long video game player.

Susan earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Japanese Studies at Guilford College, in North Carolina, and lived and worked in Japan for three years, during and after her university studies. She received her M.Ed. in TESOL in 2010 from Seattle University, in Seattle, WA. While working at City University of Seattle she spent 11 weeks in Hanoi, Vietnam, teaching Academic English through a partner program with the Banking Academy of Vietnam. In 2016, she moved to Madrid, Spain to complete her M.A. in Visual and Digital Media at Instituto Empresa (IE), staying on for another year to study Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, travel, and photography.

Before teaching English at NEI, Rebecca taught at Casa Latina and North Seattle College in Seattle, WA. Besides being an ESL teacher, she is also a novelist and a creative writing teacher. She loves to travel, climb mountains, read, and hang out with her pug, Sugar. Rebecca speaks Spanish and used to speak French, but has forgotten it all. 

Estelle has a B.A. in German Studies and English Literature from Pacific University. She has been teaching English since 2006. Upon graduation, she spent a year in Austria as a Fulbright teaching assistant. After returning to the U.S., she received her Master’s in TESOL from Portland State University and has taught in community, academic, and individual tutoring contexts. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time outdoors and traveling, and has visited nearly 35 countries.

Paul is a native Californian.  He graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor's in Public Relations, and then went on to Golden Gate University in San Francisco for his Master's, also in PR. He enjoyed a long and successful career in pharmaceutical sales and marketing, launching many new products, working in California, Hawaii and Idaho. He retired from the pharmaceutical industry and pursued his life-long dream of adventure and travel.  He went to Guadalajara, Mexico where he obtained his certificate to Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).  In Mexico, he taught English to Spanish-speaking students, as well as teaching English online to Chinese students in Beijing and Shanghai. He left Mexico, traveling to Eastern Europe, and taught English to Russian-speaking students in Eastern Ukraine. He now lives in Turkey, teaching English to Turkish university students and business professionals. 

Erin has had an interest in languages and cultures for as long as she can remember which lead her to study almost a dozen languages. Over her life, she has lived in over 15 different countries on 4 continents, and has taught English in the US and South Korea, and business and English in Saudi Arabia. She obtained her MA in TESOL from Portland State University and is continuing her education toward her Doctorate of Education at University of Liverpool. In her free time, Erin enjoys reading Science Fiction and historical fiction, hiking, and having coffee with friends.

Paige majored in English and received her certificate in teaching ESL from School of TESL/Seattle University. She taught ESL in Ecuador, online, and in San Diego to many levels and ages before joining NEI. She's also a writer and editor who speaks Spanish fluently. Paige loves meeting people of other cultures and traveling and has a passion for healthy eating.

Christopher hails from the United States. Christopher has worked in a variety of settings in the field of international development. His career includes service as a Peace Corps volunteer, and employment with Peace Corps Headquarters and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the areas of information systems development and administration. Learning and training have been important aspects of Christopher’s work, whether it was teaching biology in a government high school in Cameroon (West Africa), managing computer training at Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington, DC (USA) or providing information systems training for FAO staff in Europe or Asia. Christopher is very familiar with the challenges facing adult language learners, having studied Spanish in junior high and high school, as well as French, Italian and Thai as an adult. When not teaching for NEI Christopher volunteers his time teaching English to students from disadvantaged families in Northern Thailand. 

Jason began tutoring foreign exchange, university students in 2005 in his hometown of San Diego, Ca. U.S.A. He graduated from S.D.S.U. with a degree in humanities, history and philosophy.  After teaching in the States for 5 years and receiving his TESOL certificate, he moved to Thailand where he continued teaching students of various nationalities.  Still residing in Thailand, Jason enjoys spending time with his 5- year-old daughter, Naiya Rose, taking her to the sea as much as possible. He enjoys water sports, such as surfing, sailing, swimming, scuba diving, windsurfing, paddle boarding, and kayaking. He is passionate about teaching and helping students reach their individual goals to be the best English speakers they can be.

Katie's love of language and culture was cultivated in Costa Rica where she began teaching in a small village in 2015. As she perfected her Spanish, she was able to better develop English teaching methods and earn her TEFL Certification. Later, she moved to Argentina to complete a Fulbright English teaching assistantship, and her passion for Latin American culture and language acquisition grew even more. She now resides in Ecuador where she leads yoga and meditation workshops.

Michael’s love of language, culture, and teaching led him to move to the Middle East to work with refugees in 2013. Since then, he has taught English in a variety of contexts while living in Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey. His efforts to learn foreign languages, including Arabic and Turkish, have made him sensitive to the needs of English learners. Michael holds CELTA certification that he earned in Izmir, Turkey. In his free time, he enjoys biking, kayaking, lifting weights, and reading.