Minnesota English Language Program Faculty and Staff

Michael Anderson, PhD, directs the College Pathways unit and has a background in teaching English as a second language and educational administration. Michael has taught English in France and various parts of the United States. His research interests include language assessment and supporting multilingual students in higher education. His second language is French. He enjoys gardening and baking. An interesting fact about Michael: He’s a great fan of the Minnesota State Fair and won the sweepstakes award for best cookies at the Fair in 2005.

David Atterberry has a BA in English from Truman State University and an MA in English as a Second Language from the University of Minnesota. He is also currently a PhD student studying with the Leadership in Intercultural and International Education (LIIE) cohort in the department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD) at the U. of M. David has taught in MELP since 2007 and before that taught at community colleges in the Twin Cities metro area. He also has experience teaching English in Taiwan, China, and Russia. In his free time, David enjoys traveling to new places, reading, gardening, cooking, hiking, and camping. He lives in Saint Paul with his wife, two daughters, and cat.

Cayli has a BA in Spanish and Theater from the New College of Florida, and is currently in her final semester of the MA TESOL program at the U of M. She has worked with both adult and young English language learners since 2016. She enjoys reading, thrifting, going to comic cons and anime conventions, playing trivia and video games, and visiting her family in Florida.

Catherine (Kate) Clements holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, an MA in teaching English as a Second Language, and BA in Spanish and journalism. In addition to teaching English at MELP, Kate has done teacher training for the US Department of State, Hamline University, and the University of Minnesota. Kate has lived in Spain and Ecuador and traveled throughout Europe and South America. For recreation, Kate enjoys traveling, hiking, and horseback riding.

Shannon was raised in Fargo, North Dakota, and has lived in the Twin Cities for over 30 years. She earned her BA in English at Hamline University in Saint Paul and her MA in English as a Second Language at the University of Minnesota. In addition to MELP, Shannon has taught ESL at Augsburg University in Minneapolis. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband, and they have three kids. In her spare time, Shannon likes to read, do crossword puzzles and other word games, do counted cross-stitch and go on long walks with her dog, Daphne.

Troi grew up in Texas, where she attended the University of Texas at Austin. She holds a BA in English and a Master of Education.  Her first experience with teaching English was as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Pacific island nation of Kiribati. She also lived and taught in China and Mexico. Troi spent 10 years teaching in the Intensive English Program at Rice University in her hometown of Houston before moving from Texas to Minnesota in 2019. Her travels have taken her to India, Thailand, Fiji, Ecuador, Peru, Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Troi is married and has two children.  When she isn't teaching, she enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time with her family.

Jon Gill holds a BA in linguistics and an MA in English as a Second Language from the University of Minnesota. He has taught ESL at the U of M and Saint Paul College, and he's made short visits to schools in central Asia. He is distracted by new languages and has dabbled in as many as 16. His travels and military experience have brought him to 24 countries and most of the United States. He has also moonlighted as a server and bartender for more than 20 years. Jon enjoys spending time with his wife and four children, backpacking, taking road trips, smoking meats, sampling drinks, performing as a juggler and musician, or just curling up with a classic book.

LeeAnne has navigated intercultural and bi/multilingual environments her entire life and has lived and worked in France, Spain, Poland, China, Korea, and various US states. LeeAnne has an MA in TESOL and a PhD in Curriculum & Instruction (Second Language Education), both from the University of Minnesota.  She has been involved in language teaching or teacher education for over 20 years. LeeAnne is bilingual in French and speaks Spanish. She loves to travel, cook, be outside, run, and spend time with friends and family. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and three children. 

Carter has a BA in linguistics and an MA in teaching english, both from the University of Minnesota. In addition to teaching ESL, he works at the CLA Language Center. He specializes in world language assessment development, survey design, and data analysis. He has traveled throughout Western Europe and South America. French and Spanish are his second and third languages. In his free time, Carter enjoys cycling, cooking, camping, reading, and playing disc golf (aka Frisbee golf).

Stephanie Hanson has a bachelor's degree in psychology and French and a master's degree in teaching English as a second language. She previously taught ESL at Cornell University and the University of Illinois, and EFL in Greece, China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Turkey. She has trained English teachers in Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil, and Vietnam, and she was a Fulbright Scholar in Mexico to train future English teachers there. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys cooking and trying new foods, reading, hiking, and traveling. She is also an avid salsa dancer.

Mary Jetter has a BA in Latin American Studies and Spanish from Central College and an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Northern Iowa.  In addition to teaching at MELP, Mary has been a teaching consultant at the Center for Educational Innovation since 1999. Mary has also taught English in Japan and at other intensive English programs in the midwest.  Mary enjoys knitting, fostering dogs, cycling, and cooking in her free time. She lives in Saint Paul with her husband, one very fat cat, a grumpy Chihuahua, and a goofy foster dog.

Darren LaScotte holds an MA in TESOL and a PhD in Second Language Education from the University of Minnesota. Darren has taught courses in English, French, and language teacher education since 2011, and he has authored several books and research articles on language teaching and learning. For hobbies, Darren enjoys cooking and long-distance running.

Tiana (Tianhui) Liu is a graduate student in the MA TESOL program at the University of Minnesota. She is originally from Hubei Province, China, and has lived in the United States since 2017. Her experience in both countries has deepened her appreciation for languages and cultural diversity. She speaks Mandarin and English and has also studied Spanish for a year. She hopes to continue learning Spanish and improve her proficiency in the future. Tiana enjoys connecting with people from different backgrounds and believes in the power of language as a bridge between cultures. In her free time, she loves traveling, trying new foods, and cooking.

Annie Marrin received her MA in English as a Second Language from the University of Minnesota. She has taught language learners in a variety of international and local contexts since 1999 and has worked with multilingual learners at the University of Minnesota since 2007. Annie enjoys reading, running, and long-distance hiking. 

Sam Miller has a BA in Computer Science from Bethel University in St Paul. He is currently an MA student studying Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) here at the U of M. Sam has taught in MELP since the summer of 2024. Before moving back to Minnesota in 2022, he spent over 20 years living abroad in Taiwan and China, where he learned to speak Mandarin Chinese. During that period, he also gained experience in English tutoring, teaching students ranging in age from elementary school up to adult. Sam enjoys sports, music, and spending time with his wife and son.

Rania was born and raised in Morocco, where she earned her BA in Linguistics. She speaks three languages: Arabic, French, and English. She moved to the US to pursue her Masters in TESOL at Southeast Missouri State University. After completing her studies, Rania returned to Minnesota, drawn by her strong ties to her host family and friends from her 2014 exchange year. In her free time, Rania enjoys hammocking, hiking, and painting.

Eric Nelson likes words, and that led him to a BA in linguistics at the University of Minnesota. At the U, he discovered that he also likes people, and that led him to a master’s in ESL. He retired in 2009. In his free time, he likes to read (words), listen to podcasts (more words), do crossword puzzles (words again), and ride his bike around town (no words). Because he still likes people, he continues to teach occasionally.

Nick Reishus holds an MA in ESL and a BA in Communication Studies. He joined MELP as a part-time adjunct in 2023, and he works full-time as a Senior Technical Officer at a large nongovernmental organization where he supports the development of online professional development programs for English language teachers worldwide. Nick has previously lived and taught in India, China, and South Korea, and he has taught remotely to learners from India, Afghanistan, and Mongolia.

Anne has a BA in management, as well as an MATESOL from the Middlebury Institute at Monterey, and has taught English to international learners in California, Japan, and Minnesota. She grew up in Minneapolis. This is her second year at MELP, having previously taught language learners and teachers at Minnesota State Colleges & Universities and Hamline University. Anne speaks some German, French, Spanish, and Mandarin. When not teaching, she loves to hike, cook, read, travel and spend time with her two children and husband.

Diego Sanchez-Chavarria holds a BA in English and Japanese as well as an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Born in Peru, he immigrated to Minnesota with his family when he was four years old and loves it here despite the long winters. He has taught learners in Japan and in the US from 2011 to 2019. Thanks to his parents, he was able to maintain his Spanish while growing up in the US and fell in love with Japanese while he was studying at the U of M. During his free time, he loves traveling, running, playing video games, and spending time with his wife and daughter.

Margaret Scheirman has taught ESL at several institutions of higher learning in the United States and Japan. Her academic background includes a BA in Spanish and an MA in applied linguistics, both from the University of Kansas. In addition to her extensive experience as a college-level instructor, she pursued a second career as a copywriter in the corporate world before returning to academic life. She loves to travel, learn about other cultures and help international students of many backgrounds to maximize and improve their English language proficiency.

Christine has a BA in Cultural Anthropology and an MA in ESL, and has taught English to international learners in Austria, France, China, and Thailand. She grew up in Austria and still speaks German fluently, despite living in the United States most of her adult life. She has been at MELP off and on since 2007 and loves interacting with students from around the world. Besides German, she also speaks French and has dabbled in Arabic, Thai, and Zulu. Other languages and cultures are among her favorite things in the world, along with good food and, above all, chocolate. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two kids, and she enjoys spending her free time cooking, reading a good book, or just being with family.