Faculty/Staff

Ellen Anderson (Emeritus)
Education: M.A., Syracuse University

I love to learn as I teach. For me, that's what the Language Institute is all about. Students bring us the world, and we offer English instruction in return. My teaching career has taken me from my home in New York City to the Caribbean, Middle East and Hawaii. Now, I live in Downtown Atlanta, where my husband and I enjoy city life, from museums and plays, to professional sports. I majored in Latin, which I read for pleasure and minored in English, which I teach for pleasure. In my spare time, I enjoy dancing and monitoring the fascinating development of my grandchildren’s speech. My 3-year-old grandson’s pronunciation of “bird” and “bud” is exactly the same. I’m working on it!

Kurt Belgum
Education: M.A., University of Wisconsin

I grew up and went to college in the Midwestern state of Iowa, famous for corn, cows, soy beans, and pigs. From 1980 to 1983, I taught high school English in Minnesota. I got married in 1982 and received my master’s degree in applied English linguistics from the University of Wisconsin in 1985. My wife, Gretchen, and I moved to Atlanta in September 1985 when I began teaching at the Language Institute. The Belgum family consists of two parents, two teenage kids, and various pets. In my free time, I enjoy playing golf or any kind of racket sport.

Lisa Berman
Education: M.S., Northern Illinois University

A California native, I moved to Colorado to get my bachelor’s degree in English. While in college, I spent a semester completing an urban studies minor in Chicago and fell in love with the city.  I relocated there, eventually attending graduate school at Northern Illinois University while working as an ESL teacher in community colleges and nonprofit organizations. After many years, ready for an adventure, I moved to Mexico, where I married, had my daughter, and taught English in a university. Since our return to the United States, we have been living in Georgia. I began working at the Language Institute in January 2006. When I have free time, I like to read, run, listen to live music, garden and spend time with family and friends.  

Jennie Brown
Education:  M.S., Georgia Institute of Technology

My professional background blends both teaching and technology. In 2001, I moved from my hometown, Indianapolis, to Atlanta for graduate school at Georgia Tech. The degree I earned is related to computers in education. After graduating, I worked for the teaching center at Tech, and, at the same time, I began teaching English to refugees through a literacy program. I started at the Language Institute in summer 2005 and spent the following two school years in Turkey teaching ESL and developing computer-based language learning programs. Interests outside of teaching and technology include writing, vegetarian cooking, photography, improving my Turkish, and, of course, travel!

Mo Burke
Education: M.S., Florida International University

International travel and adult education are my passions. I have traveled to more than 30 countries on six continents, and I love experiencing other cultures. My favorite sports are rock climbing, skiing, scuba diving, and mountain biking. I have two young children who keep my life fun and busy. I have worked in English language programs since 1990, in Canada, Bahamas, Jamaica, and here in the United States. I have taught university courses to undergraduates and master’s level students. I have a M.S. in international intercultural development education. I am writing my dissertation for my Ph.D. in adult education.  

Jane Chisholm
Education: M.A., University of Michigan

Growing up a child of the snow in frigid Minnesota, I longed for warm weather, so I moved to Gainesville, Fla.,, where I worked and went to the University of Florida. Then I moved to Cali, Colombia, and discovered a love for both dancing and teaching English. After returning to the United States, I got a M.S. in linguistics from the University of Michigan and then moved to Atlanta, where I have taught English for more than 20 years. I love to travel, but I would rather climb a mountain than be on a beach. My main interests are backpacking, skiing, and running, but I mostly enjoy my family and my home.

Dana Clark
Education: M.A., San Francisco State University

After spending more than 16 years away from Atlanta, 15 years in the San Francisco Bay Area and the last year in Mexico, I am happy to be returning to the place where I spent the first two decades of my life. After graduating from Furman University, I headed out west to San Francisco where I later received my M.A. in TESOL from San Francisco State University and spent many years teaching in the community college system there. In Mexico, I lived in the beautiful city of Guanajuato and taught English at a local university. In addition to lots of memories, I have brought back to Atlanta two cats from California, Sami and Kitty, and one from Mexico, Mochi, all of whom will be residing with me in the house I share with my brother in Cabbagetown. Besides keeping my cats happy, I enjoy improving my Spanish, making mosaics, and dreaming of my next trip.

Britt Dean
Education: M.A.T., Georgia State University

I have been teaching in the Language Institute since January 1989. Prior to that, I owned a music club, played in a rock and roll band, and taught high school social studies. I am the proud father of two grown children, am married to Sally Wylde, and the step-grandfather to her three grandchildren. I can’t seem to be able to quit trying to be a better golfer. I regularly perform with Old Enough to Know Better, an eclectic vocally-driven quartet. I love teaching and being with family and friends.

Roger Drury
Education: M.A., University of Florida

I was born in Kentucky and did most of my undergraduate work there; then I moved South to Florida for graduate work. My study was continually interrupted by my working in West Africa (Mali) and in Paris. I like the outdoors, either hiking or working in my garden; this is probably a leftover from my family’s farm experience. I also like music, movies, reading and figuring out how to use technology in my teaching. I’m also a big traveler. I had a Fulbright grant to Colombia in 2001 and spent summer 2004 working in the United Arab Emirates on a Georgia Tech project.

C.A. Johnston Folds
Registration Coordinator
Education: M.Ed., Georgia State University

For the past 18 years, I have been an instructor and also the registration coordinator at the Language Institute. I love my job because both teaching and working with the new students in their application process are rewarding. Outside the workplace, my interests include traveling with my husband, Butch, reading, cooking, and taking care of our two Persian show cats, Mango and Sweet Pea. Butch and I are fans of blues music, and we often go out to hear live music.

Cathy Hill
Education: M.A., San Francisco State University

I grew up in San Francisco, where I received my M.A. in TESOL from San Francisco State University. I have worked at the Language Institute for three years. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, cooking, reading books, and swimming. I have always enjoyed meeting people from around the world, so teaching at the Language Institute has been an interesting and educational experience.

Vanessa Spiva Jones
Education: M.A., West Virginia University

I grew up in Ohio, California, and Florida and lived on a number of college campuses, which prompted my interest in education.  I received my B.A. from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., and earned my M.A. in teaching English as a foreign language from West Virginia University. After working as a teacher and counselor in Virginia, North Carolina, and Texas, I came to the Language Institute in 1992.  In my free time, I enjoy collecting materials for my reading and listening classes, watching movies, visiting historic sites, and going to restaurants with students, friends, and my husband, Paul. 

Tracie Justus
Education: M.A, Georgia State University

Originally from New Haven, CT, I found my way to Atlanta to attend college. Like many who come here for a short while, I fell in love with the city and decided to stay after graduation. I later received my graduate degree and have been teaching ESL ever since. In 2004, I represented Georgia Perimeter College as a Fulbright Scholar to Argentina and Chile. Besides enjoying the company of my family and friends, my interests include cooking, reading, dancing, and attending the theater. But I most enjoy traveling which I document in an online travel blog. Some of my favorite destinations include Buenos Aires, Argentina, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, Santiago, Chile, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Susan Keenan
Education: M.A., University of South Carolina

I started teaching international students shortly after moving to Atlanta in 1978 and joined the faculty of the Language Institute in 1987. Having come from a long line of teachers, I found the opportunity to combine learning and cultural diversity a fascinating experience. I especially enjoy keeping in touch with former students after they leave Atlanta.

Jason Litzenberg
Education: MA, University of Florida
Magister, Universität Leipzig

The majority of my younger years were spent in South Florida. In 1996 I moved to Leipzig, Germany, where I first began teaching English at a private school and completed a degree in German Language Education. I later obtained TESOL certification from University of Florida, followed by three years teaching English at the national university in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. At the end of 2007 I returned to the United States, where – in addition to teaching at Georgia Tech -- I am currently working on a PhD in Applied Linguistics at Georgia State University. I’m a bit of a nerd: My free time away from planning lessons and marking papers is generally spent reading goofy sci-fi novels or collecting records (yes, they still make those).

Robert Lyle
Education: M.S., Indiana University

It is extremely gratifying to make a living doing something you love, even more so when you are surrounded by people you like, trust and respect. After taking a Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics from Indiana University, I left for my first ESL teaching job in a Polish high school. Curiously enough, Poland is the homeland of my maternal grandparents and dear but distant relatives. After that, my wife, Janet, and I were employed by the U.S. Department of Overseas Schools in Gabon and Mauritania, countries on the west coast of Africa. Arriving home in 1984, we settled in North Carolina where I taught at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. In 2000, we moved to Richmond, Virginia and I was employed by the ESL department at Reynolds College. On January 1st, 2008 we moved to Atlanta, where we have enjoyed the city’s cosmopolitan atmosphere and explored its varied and diverse culinary attractions

Beryl Martinson
Education: Ph.D., University of South Carolina

Growing up in a village in Ohio, I did not expect to work with fascinating people from other countries. However, I have greatly enjoyed teaching English as a Second Language for many years, including 11 at the Language Institute. I also taught for four years in Central America and have traveled to all 50 states in the United States and more than a dozen countries around the world. My B.A. is in speech, my M.A. in English, and my Ph.D. in higher education administration. Besides traveling, I like cooking, dancing, and listening to classical music, especially opera. My teenage son and I live very close to Georgia Tech, and I spend a lot of my free time attending his soccer games.

Karen Peterson
Education: M.S., Georgia State University

I am one of the few native Atlantans.  Although I spent my pre-school years in Seattle, I was born and raised in Atlanta.  Ironically, I did not meet a person from another country until I got to college because while I was growing up, Atlanta was not as culturally diverse as it is now. During college, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting people from different countries and got to take my first trip overseas to China my junior year of college. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in world missions, I went on to pursue my graduate degree in teaching English as a Second Language.  I just finished my 20th year of teaching and I have had the privilege of traveling to a variety of countries, including Japan, Russia, and Brazil. I have spent the last four summers in Tajikistan, one of the poorest countries in Central Asia.

Brent Poole
Education: M.A., University of Wisconsin
M.Ed., Temple University

I was born in Minnesota and have lived in a host of different countries (mainly in Asia). I received an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin and an M. Ed. from Temple University. I enjoy working with international students both inside and outside of the classroom because they always have a unique perspective. In addition to my teaching, I serve as the Student Council advisor, which involves helping students plan social events for the Language Institute. In my free time, I like to read, kayak, go out to restaurants with my wife, and play with my son.  

Ruth Schowalter
Education: M.S., Georgia State University

I was born in Augsburg, Germany, and since my dad was a Army soldier, we moved almost every two years. I’m what you call an “Army brat.” While living in Heidelberg, Germany, my sophomore year of college, I fell in love with internationals and travel. I have studied French, German, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish over the years, some languages more seriously than others. I have visited France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Russia, Thailand, Japan, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Australia, and Guatemala. When I’m not teaching English as a Second Language, I am a serious folk art influenced artist and exhibit my work througout Atlanta. Tony Martin, a paleontologist in the Department of Environmental Studies at Emory University, is my husband. We have a cranky Siamese cat named Misha.

Lorri Shipp
Education: M.A., Georgia State University,
M.A., Bowling Green State University

Before I gladly joined the faculty at the Language Institute, I taught German to kids for five years. And five years previous to teaching German, I was an English instructor in the Czech Republic and Germany. When I’m not teaching English, I’m gardening, painting gourds, watching good films, listening to music, trying to keep up with my German, and reading books about history. By the way, I also have two cats, a puppy, and a husband, Les, who’s from Manchester, United Kingdom.  

Julia Weidmann
Education: M.A., San Francisco State University

My interest in language instruction began in 1991 when I volunteered for an immigrant and refugee ESL program. Since then, I have taught ESL almost continuously in various programs in the United States and abroad. Recently, I decided to move to Atlanta in order to be near family and pursue a job at the Language Institute. My favorite thing to do outside of teaching is gather family and friends for a meal in my home. In addition, I like to hike, write, cook, dance and play music.

Carlos Valdes
Education: M.A., University of Florida

Born in Cuba, I came to the United States in 1968 and went to school in New York and Florida. I've been teaching at Georgia Tech since 1987, with grammar being my favorite subject. I'm interested in literature, history, film, and sports and enjoy walking and throwing the occasional Frisbee or football.  

Alfred Bacon
Computer Support Specialist

I was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., but I have lived in Atlanta almost all of my life. I attended Georgia Tech and majored in computer science. I have worked in many departments at Tech including the College of Computing and the Office of Information Technology. In 1999, I began working at the Language Institute. I enjoy meeting all the students from different parts of the world and learning about their cultures. I also enjoy traveling and learning different languages. I have studied French, Japanese, Hindi and Portuguese.

Linda Dougherty
Program Coordinator

I was born in Wisconsin, but my father was in the Army, so as a child I lived in Germany, Italy, Georgia, New Jersey, and Maryland before settling down again in Wisconsin. I received my B.A. in theatre from the University of Wisconsin and worked in Atlanta and Chicago. I have been married for 26 years and have five children.We have been renovating our old house in Midtown for most of that time! I enjoy singing in a number of choirs, baking, entertaining, scrapbooking, and of course, working at the Language Institute.

Jackie Ramezani
Student Advisor

I grew up in Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. I have lived on both coasts as well as in the Midwest. I began working with international students when I was a student at California State University-Northridge. After completing my degree in sociology, I moved to Atlanta with my husband Hossein, who is from Iran. I came to Georgia Tech 10 years ago and have thoroughly enjoyed my work with international students at the Language Institute. In my free time, I enjoy being with family and friends, traveling, and outdoor recreation, particularly at the beach and in the mountains.

Karen Tucker
Director

I came to Georgia Tech in September 1987 as an instructor in the Language Institute. Prior to that, I spent two years in Cairo, Egypt, teaching English at the American University in Cairo. During my time in the Middle East, I had the opportunity to travel extensively in the area. At the Language Institute, I have taught a variety of subjects and levels, but I especially enjoy teaching grammar. In July 2004, I became the director of the Language Institute. As director, I have had the opportunity to travel to a number of countries including Turkey, Korea, the UAE, and Japan to tell students about our program and Georgia Tech. I enjoy working with the faculty, staff, students, and with various departments across campus.

Mary Ellen Whelan
Assistant Registration Coordinator

While I've been in Atlanta for more than 20 years, I also lived in New York, Denver, and Los Angeles (an actual Valley Girl).  I graduated from Santa Clara University with a B.A. in psychology. I followed my father's footsteps and started to work for an airline after I graduated from college. Working for Delta Air Lines brought me to Atlanta, and I later joined Worldspan, a Delta affiliate.  I retired from the travel industry in 2003.  I started to work for Georgia Tech's Professional Education in early 2006 and happily made my way to the Language Institute later that year. My traveling days have been significantly reduced because of the new job and two adorable miniature poodles, Lucy and Opie.

Peg Wyse
Associate Director of Business Operations

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, I began my career with Delta Air Lines in 1973. In 1990, I joined Worldspan, which until 2003 was jointly owned by Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Northwest Airlines. After spending more that 31 years in the travel industry, I took an early retirement package in 2004. I began working a the Language Institute in February 2005 and have thoroughly enjoyed meeting students from all over the world. My interests include travel, gardening, music and volunteer work in my church and community. My immediate family includes my husband Dave, my son Andrew and his wife Lori and my daughter Molly. The newest addition to our family is my granddaughter, Allison.