Our Teaching Faculty

I have been teaching English at UW-Madison since 2012. I grew up in Wisconsin and completed my undergraduate degree at UW-La Crosse. Though my degree was in Fine Arts, I began teaching English as a Foreign Language in 1999 as a Peace Corps volunteer in Moldova. When I returned to the States, I taught Art at a public school in Florida while completing an MA in TESOL at the University of Central Florida. I then studied Italian in Italy, taught English in Turkey, and developed faculty training programs at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. Of all the places I’ve lived and worked, UW-Madison is my favorite. When I’m not teaching or studying (I completed a 2^nd MA in Educational Leadership from UW-Madison in 2015), I like spending time outdoors, working on home improvement projects, and painting.

I’ve been teaching ESL and EFL since 1996. After earning my MA in Applied English Linguistics, I taught in Japan at the university level for eight years. I returned to the UW in 2008, where I’ve been teaching academic and intensive ESL, as well as teacher training courses. I enjoy teaching writing and presentation skills, and I believe vocabulary is an important part of language learning. I’m also interested in how emerging technologies and social media can enhance the language learning experience. When I’m not working, I enjoy cycling, skiing, and other outdoor activities throughout the year.

I have been teaching English at UW-Madison since 2000 and currently serve as the Interim Director of the ESL Program.  I teach a number of subjects and courses here including writing, reading, and pronunciation and academic skills preparation.  Additionally, I am involved with teacher training for international teaching assistants as well as undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing a TESOL teaching certificate.  I am currently part of a collaborative academic writing project between UW-Madison and the Universidad Tecnológica in Uruguay. In the past I have also worked as a teacher trainer with the Fulbright-Hays Program, the National African Languages Resource Center, and the Gyeonggi-do Institute for Foreign Language Education in Korea.  When I’m not teaching, I like to spend time traveling with my wife and playing sports with my sons or pursuing my other passion in life: music.  I regularly perform, record, and tour with a Chicago based blues group called the Cash Box Kings.  I look forward to teaching you and helping you pursue your academic goals.

I have been teaching English for over twenty years and I am still delighted that this is my career.  Many of my teaching years were spent in Minneapolis (where I got my MA in TESOL), and a couple were spent in Buenos Aires.  Reading and writing are areas that interest me, and I’m happy to help you grow in those areas as well.  Having said that, I never pass up the opportunity to teach grammar, speaking (and pronunciation) or listening either; I enjoy it all and look forward to coaching you in any and all skill areas.

I have been teaching ESL since I went to the Yemen Arab Republic as a member of the U.S. Peace Corps in 1983. I loved it so much that I decided to make ESL teaching my career, and I have been enjoying teaching ESL ever since I got my Applied English Linguistics Master’s degree in 1988. I’ve been at UW since 1989, and I especially enjoy teaching grammar, reading, and writing. I spend my free time enjoying and participating in the vibrant arts scene in Madison and am a published poet. I am originally from Wisconsin but, in addition to Yemen, I have lived in Minneapolis and San Francisco. I have traveled to Kenya, Spain, China, Uruguay, and Italy, and I always try my best to speak the native language because it is more fun and the people treat you in a more friendly way. So, come to UW and I’ll help you get the most out of your time here.

I’ve been teaching English since 1977 when I first worked with Hmong refugees in my hometown of Wausau, Wisconsin. After earning my B.S. in English Literature with a Certificate in TEFLA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1980, I taught EFL at Nanjing University in China and at businesses, factories and private language schools  in Kobe and Tokyo, Japan for 12 years. I got a Royal Society of Arts Diploma in TEFLA (with distinction) in 1989 and my MA in ESL from the University of Hawai’i-Manoa in 1995. I’ve been teaching ESL at UW-Madison since 1995. I’m especially interested in teaching academic writing and public speaking, training teaching assistants, exploring issues of text ownership and doing cross-cultural training. I love biking Madison’s great bike trails, reading and ice-skating. Come join me!