About Us

Board Member Bios

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Kara Mac Donald is a full professor at a higher education institute, where she conducts pre-service and in-service faculty training, and offers academic support to students through a self-employed service, Academic Solutions, through a tutoring service for K-12 and university students. Her background consists of over twenty years in English and foreign language teaching, teacher training, and faculty development across elementary, secondary and higher education. Her research interests focus on NNEST issues, intercultural language competencies and equitable education. 

 

Noemí Castelo-Veiga is a doctoral student at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Her lines of research are oriented to multi- and intercultural education, teaching and learning of second languages, and employability of social educators. She is also a California TESOL (CATESOL) member and has participated in some of their events and shared issues in its newsletter. 

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Dang Thanh Huong is a graduate of California State University, San Marcos, and ULIS Vietnam National University, and the founder of the Vietnam School of Global Opportunities. She is currently a future doctoral candidate at a university in Singapore, with research interests in international and intercultural education. Her work focuses on fostering global learning opportunities and cross-cultural understanding. 

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Sayed Rafiqul Hasan Milon is an Associate Professor at Rajshahi College, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. His research focuses on educational technology and language learning, particularly the use of digital tools in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction. Additionally, he is interested in fostering equitable access to quality education in the global south. 

 

Jonas Vilaire serves as an Adjunct Professor at Webster University and as a Grade 8 French Immersion Language Instructor at Saint Louis Language Immersion School in Missouri. He holds a doctorate in Educational technology and an MA in TESOL from DaVinci University in Mexico City and has extensive experience in teacher training, having previously operated his own TESOL teacher training business in Mexico. His professional interests focus on educational technology, language immersion, and intercultural pedagogy. 

 

José Franco serves as a middle school teacher for Multilingual Learners (MLLs) in Lexington School District, South Carolina, United States, where he supports linguistically diverse students through inclusive, student-centered instruction. With lived experience in Venezuela and the United States, his research interests have centered on Students with Interpreted Formal Education (SIFEs), equitable learning opportunities and strengthening local community and global connections for students.

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Aslan Kydryrkan is a Kazakh-born student at Pacific Grove High School, in Pacific Grove, California, USA, who is passionate about language awareness, multilingualism, and making English education more accessible to underprivileged families. He advocates for greater understanding of students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and is dedicated to using education to help create more inclusive communities. He is particularly interested in sharing his experiences as a Kazakh ESL/EFL learner and encouraging educators to recognize the value of every student’s language and culture.