Kristin J. Davin is Professor and Program Director of World Language Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her research focuses on language teacher development and language policies related to multilingualism. Her research has appeared in a variety of academic journals and books. She currently serves as co-editor of Foreign Language Annals and the Perspectives editor for the Modern Language Journal. Her scholarship is informed by her prior work as a Spanish teacher at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth is an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher of Spanish and STEAM: Emerging Technology. Rachelle has a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Doctorate in Instructional Technology. Rachelle specializes in Artificial Intelligence, AI and the Law, AR/VR, Cybersecurity, SEL, and STEM. She has more than seven years of teaching and presenting on AI in her classroom and working with educators worldwide.
Rachelle is an ISTE-certified educator and recipient of the ISTE Making IT Happen Award and several presidential gold and silver awards for volunteer service. Rachelle presents regularly at conferences and provides professional development and coaching for educators as well as keynotes with a strong focus on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, AI and the Law, Cybersecurity, SEL, and STEM.
She is the author of nine books, including her most recent book, "How to Teach AI: Weaving Strategies and Activities Into Any Content Area." She is a blogger for CheckIT Learning, Defined Learning, Edutopia, and Getting Smart. Rachelle is also a podcaster. Contact Rachelle via < a href="https://rdene915.com/" target="_blank">www.Rdene915.com or bit.ly/thriveineduPD.
Teresina is a dedicated World Language and Seal of Biliteracy Specialist with a strong background in bilingual education. She has extensive experience in curriculum development and educational technology and is passionate about fostering multilingualism and cultural competence. Holding a master's degree in business administration specializing in Computer Science and a Professional Spanish Teacher Certification from Alabama, Teresina combines pedagogical expertise with innovative strategies to enhance language learning. As a native Spanish speaker, experienced educator, and interpreter, she is committed to empowering students and educators to embrace linguistic diversity and succeed in an interconnected world.
Appointed by Taiwan's Ministry of Education, Ms. Sophie Chou has served as Director of the Education of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States since October 2023 to promote education collaboration between Taiwan and the United States.
Ms. Chou has worked for the Taiwan Ministry of Education since 1991. She received an Honorable Award as Outstanding Officer of the Year in 2007. During her service in the Ministry of Education, she plays a leading role in planning Taiwan's national strategies and policies to promote overseas Mandarin Chinese programs.
She convened the very first “Taiwan–Texas Higher Education Forum” in 2015 when she served as the Education Division Director in Houston. More than 70 representatives from 30 universities/higher education institutes attended this forum to share their views and insights on youth global mobilization which further strengthened the already-strong connections between Texas and Taiwan. In 2018, Director Chou teamed with the Houston Police Department to provide Houston police officers with the Law Enforcement Mandarin Program to bridge language and cultural gaps between Houston police officers and overseas Taiwanese students and immigrants. In 2023, she partnered with the San Francisco Public Library to provide 14 branch libraries with free Mandarin Programs for American communities to fulfill the implications of the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative.
As a professional diplomat, Sophie Chou has successfully facilitated several official partnership agreements between Taiwan's Ministry of Education and the Education Departments of the states of Colorado, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Utah and Maryland during the period of her overseas posts. She is passionate about finding new, creative ways to enhance education cooperation between Taiwan and the United States.
Originally from Kaohsiung, the second-largest city of Taiwan, Sophie received a B.A. in English Literature and a M.A. in European Studies from Tamkang University. A mother of three daughters, Sophie enjoys taking every opportunity to spend with young folks. She believes education is the only way to better our world.
Dr. Fayemi earned a Ph.D. from Florida State University in Adult Education and Human Resource Development and has over twenty-five years' experience in K-12 and university teaching and leadership roles in educational administration and workforce development sectors. A certified cultural intelligence professional and trainer, Dr. Fayemi's national and international professional career spans the Florida State University, State University System of Florida, the Florida Department of Education, the City of Tallahassee and the University of Lagos in Nigeria. Additionally, she is an international education consultant and has made numerous presentations at national and international professional conferences.
Zadie Lakin received her bachelor's degree from Auburn University in Elementary Education, and she is currently working on a master's degree in English for Speakers of Other Languages. During her first degree, she taught and gained experience with diverse schools and communities in the Lee County area. Zadie is passionate about education for all people, intercultural experiences, and assisting in programs, such as workshops and seminars on intercultural competence and language acquisition. Her future aspirations include teaching elementary students both domestically and abroad. She hopes to gain experience educating children from various cultural backgrounds in both content knowledge and language acquisition. Furthermore, she aspires to foster cultural competence and positive intercultural relationships in her future classroom.
A proactive educational leader, David is passionate about innovation and quality in the language learning and edtech space. Having managed and trained language teachers, written coursebooks and designed learning apps, David leverages more than 30 years of experience in teaching and educational management with academic research and e-learning tool design.
Mike Penny supports Japanese-language learners and educators across the United States through his work at The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles (JFLA), where he has spent the past decade in roles such as Grants Specialist and Japanese-Language Education Advocacy Specialist. His biggest motivation comes from advocating for programs and teachers of the language that has opened so many doors in his own life.
In his role at JFLA, Mike regularly communicates with educators about the challenges they face—such as limited funding for programs and classes—and works to find solutions through JFLA's various grant programs and other resources. Outside of JFLA, Mike keeps busy as a musician and shamisen performer. His interest in the shamisen is what first inspired him to study Japanese language. Now, at JFLA, he enjoys sharing his passion and offering his unique perspective on Japanese-language learning with others. He is excited to connect with others, answer questions, and share more about JFLA's many resources available to support Japanese-language education nationwide!
HYUNGMI AN has been actively engaged in promoting Korean language and culture abroad since 2012 through various initiatives at the King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF), a public institution under South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. The King Sejong Institute is a leading educational brand established by the Korean government to spread the Korean language and culture worldwide, and the KSIF is responsible for its overall designation and management.
Currently, HYUNGMI AN is stationed at the KSIF's U.S. office in Los Angeles, where they oversee the operation of King Sejong Institutes across North America (the United States and Canada). Their work focuses on expanding the KSIF's presence by identifying and consulting new King Sejong institutes, collaborating with government and educational organizations, and developing localization strategies. Through the promotion of Korean language and culture among local communities in North America, they aim to enhance global awareness of Korea. Additional efforts are devoted to strengthening the capacity of Korean language instructors and providing a wide range of educational content and materials.
In line with the KSIF's mission to “connect the world through the Korean language and culture as a professional institution for international cultural exchange,” she is committed to building a sustainable Korean language education environment.
Dr. Susanne Rinner is a teacher-scholar and the author of The German Student Movement and the Literary Imagination:Transnational Memories of Protest and Dissent (Berghahn Books, 2013). In 2012, she edited a special issue of International Poetry Review with a focus on poetry written in German by multilingual authors. From 2007-2019, Susanne worked at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro as an Associate Professor of German Studies. In 2018 and 2019, Susanne served as the president of the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG). She is the Program Director for SPARK for German, a joint project of the AATG and the Goethe-Institut. She is also the Program Director for the Goethe-Institut Summer Academy. Susanne's goal is to strengthen and build German programs across K-16 institutions. She wants to encourage all students to study languages and their cultural contexts and to consider a career in teaching. As an advocate for public education, Susanne supports the implementation of language education as part of the core curriculum in the U.S. She volunteers as a translator for the project Migrants of the Mediterranean.
Michael Thompson is the Language Program Officer for the SPARK program at the Goethe Institute in Washington, DC. Michael was raised in Omaha, Nebraska where in 2019 he completed a double major in sustainability and German as a foreign language with a minor in philosophy at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Putting what he has learned into action has always been important to Michael, therefore during his time at university, he owned a furniture restoration business while continuing to pursue interests in language and intercultural exchange. His continued interest in cultural exchange and the German language led him to become a cultural representative for the US government in the CBYX for Young Professionals. Being a part of the CBYX program further fueled his desire to advocate for access to German language programs and resources for learners from all different backgrounds.
Todd Shipman is the Education Librarian and subject librarian for World Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Auburn University Libraries. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Education (Foreign Languages) at the University of Alabama and his Master of Arts in Religious Studies (Biblical/Theological studies) at the University of Mobile. Later he completed a Master of Arts in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida. Having joined the Auburn University Library faculty in 2010, he has worked to support student, faculty and community research via library resources and services along with instruction in information literacy and other service and support opportunities.
Alex Luther looks after some of EF Education First's newest programs in our Middle- and High School division, including Language & Culture, STEAM and Career Readiness Programs. He is also responsible for new program research and development. His main focus lies in creating engaging and authentic opportunities for US students to experience other cultures through travel and short-term exchange.
Alex's own international experience started as an exchange student in the United States almost four decades ago. He returned to his native Germany after a fantastic year with a host family in Kentucky, now conversant in a second language and forever hooked on travel.
Following college and serving in the German Armed Forces as an infantry platoon leader, Alex worked with the International Olympic Committee as a language agent manager during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. After university and student-teaching in Europe, he found himself back in the U.S. teaching German and History at both the high school and middle school levels. His graduate work at the Universitaet Augsburg was in German contemporary history and holocaust studies, and he has worked as a docent at a number of holocaust remembrance sites in Central Europe.
Alex spent almost a decade as a tour director/guide, leading North American teacher and student groups all over Central and Eastern Europe. He has been at EF Education First in Boston for 20 years, serving in a variety of capacities, designing and curating unique comparative education and language learning programs in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Outside of work, Alex enjoys trail running, reading, the great outdoors, and quality time with his family.
Retired after 30 years in the United Nations system, Mr. Coutts's most recent assignment was serving as the UN Resident Coordinator, UN Development Programme Representative (UNDP), and UNFPA Representative in the Union of the Comoros Islands in Africa. Currently, he has returned to Auburn University as an occasional guest lecturer and speaker.
Comoros is a multiple-island country in the South West Indian Ocean. Post-conflict Comoros is considered “fragile,” food insecure and severely climate-change affected with a highly vulnerable population and little resilience in the event of natural disasters. As Head of the UN system in Comoros Mr. Coutts oversaw and managed UN “Delivering as One” country programme with 19 various UN resident (including Unicef and WHO) and non-resident agencies. He was also Chair of the National Donor Aid Coordination Committee on behalf of the Government of Comoros.
From 2008 to 2012, on sabbatical assignment from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Douglas Casson Coutts developed and taught Auburn's undergraduate course "World Hunger: Causes, Consequences and Responses" as well as the first Hunger Studies Capstone Senior Seminar. During this period, he designed a new Hunger Studies Minor, helped establish the Institute for Hunger Solutions at Auburn, and supported Universities Fighting World Hunger (UFWH), a joint partnership with WFP and Auburn University as well as 180 university members in North America and around the world. While posted at Auburn University, he also managed WFP's partner role with UFWH.
In 2020 the World Food Programme was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its work ending hunger around the world. As Special Advisor on Child Hunger to WFP's Executive Director, Mr. Coutts was based from 2005-08 in Washington, D.C. and charged with working with institutions in North America as part of the new global Child Hunger Initiative developed by WFP in conjunction with UNICEF and the World Bank. He was also part of a team formulating a strategy for corporate partnership and fundraising development with the private sector in North America in support of WFP humanitarian and development operations worldwide.
Mr. Coutts has 27 years of experience with WFP, including as Country Director for Bangladesh, where he oversaw the organization's single-largest development operation in the world – embracing integrated food security, school feeding and refugee operations, nutritional support and HIV/AIDS awareness/community health programs. He has represented WFP all over the world, including a stint as the UN's first Humanitarian Coordinator for North Korea, responsible for implementing what at the time was WFP's biggest emergency operation. He has worked with UN peacekeeping operations in Africa. He served as WFP Country Director in Nepal and Namibia and as WFP's Representative to the United Nations, USA and Canada based at UN Headquarters in New York.
An Eagle Scout, he has been active in the Boy Scouts of America for many years as Scoutmaster of BSA troops abroad in Kathmandu, Nepal and Dhaka, Bangladesh. Mr. Coutts has also coached ice hockey and rollerblade hockey in Westchester County, NY, North Korea and Nepal. He is a musician, regularly playing Irish traditional music in sessions.
Before joining the United Nations, Mr. Coutts worked as a founding member on the professional staff of the Select Committee on Hunger in the US House of Representatives and as an economist with the US Department of Agriculture. He managed international education programmes at both Carnegie Mellon University and Georgetown University. He holds Masters degrees from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University and Université Laval in Québec, Canada and a Bachelor's Degree with honour from Michigan State University (Justin Morrill College). Mr. Coutts is the founding President of the “Friends of WFP” now known as “WFP USA”, a USA-based NGO in Washington, D.C.
Secondary Education teacher since 2002 in the Community of Madrid. Over the years, he has served as assistant principal at different High Schools in Madrid, as well as principal for the past four years. Currently, he works as an advisor at the Education Office of the Consulate General of Spain in Miami. He studied English Philology, Foreign Language Teaching, and holds a Master's degree in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language. He has also completed training in applied linguistics and various methodologies for foreign language instruction.
