AmeriCorps Outreach and Systems Coordinator VISTA

Alex received their Undergraduate degree in International Studies with an emphasis in human rights, Scandinavian Area Studies, and a minor in Norwegian this last year from the University of Washington. Previously, they worked as the public policy intern for the university’s Office of Inclusive Design, where they focused on advocacy and improving access for disabled students and visitors on campus. In the future, they plan to continue a career in human rights by studying conflict resolution. Outside of work, Alex can be found knitting hats or playing with their dog.

Community Programs Developer

Allie has over 15 years of experience teaching English to children and adults. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Community and International Development from the University of Vermont and a Master’s Degree in Teaching with an ELL Endorsement from Seattle University. She’s worked at non-profits in the Seattle area, as an elementary school teacher in Bellevue, WA, and spent two years teaching abroad in Chile. At Literacy Source she has taught in the Parent ESL, Ready to Work and Citizenship programs. Allie and her family now live on San Juan Island. She currently spends her free time puttering around in her garden and talking to her chickens with her two kids, husband and fluffy little dog.

Finance Manager

Anshika has enjoyed the opportunity to work in various capacities at Literacy Source, including fundraising, communications, accounting, and financial management. She loves working for an organization with a growth mindset that truly believes that “All adults can learn and grow.” She studied Environmental Studies and Economics at the University of Washington, and is a Seattle native. In her free time you can find her bird watching, flower arranging, volunteering for her spiritual center, and spending time with her friends and family.

RTW South Instructor

Cari is a native born Seattlite. She first got her passion for teaching English in Battambang, Cambodia, where she was the program director for the Youth Development Center. Cari Has her Master's in TESOL from Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon, where she also achieved a Master's in Global Development and Justice. Through her Masters, she has taught and volunteered at multiple organizations including Refugee and Immigrant Hospitality Organization (RIHO) and Parks for New Portlanders with Portland Parks and Rec. In her free time, Cari enjoys time with family, traveling, and learning about other cultures.

Volunteer Program Manager

Starting as an ESOL volunteer at Literacy Source in 2010, Caroline joined Literacy Source staff as an ESOL/Online Learning instructor two years later. She now manages and oversees the 200+ committed volunteers in the Literacy Source volunteer program. Born and educated in the UK, Caroline has many years of experience in management and training, working in London, Switzerland, New Zealand, US and Canada. Caroline moved to Seattle in 1989 and has worked in environmental non-profits managing computer mapping projects, volunteer programs, and as a Development Manager/performer for a local Seattle puppet theater.

Co-executive Director, Educational Director

Cat has been teaching ESOL and ABE in the United States and abroad for over 20 years. Before coming to Literacy Source in 2009, she was the Executive Director of the St. Mark Community Education Program in Dorchester, MA. Her Ph.D. was in Applied Linguistics at Boston University, where she investigated the oral vocabulary acquisition of beginning learners in community-based and academic ESOL programs. She brings a standard of excellence to Literacy Source’s teaching and programs based on her extensive experience teaching English to learners of all levels. She is passionate about creating effective educational opportunities that are responsive to adult learners’ needs and goals, and she excels at teaching teachers, inspiring them to learn and hone their skills. Cat speaks Spanish, German, and French. She lives in Wallingford with her husband, two children, and two chickens.

Citizenship Program Manager

It was on her first tutoring assignment as a volunteer at Literacy Source that Cory developed a particular interest in the legal aspects of the citizenship process. Many hours of training and mentorship later, she became a DOJ Accredited Representative. Cory loves working alongside Literacy Source students to help them become citizens. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from the University of Washington, a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Education from Vassar College, and over ten years of experience in non-profits. When not thinking about citizenship, Cory enjoys her family, friends, and the forest—any forest!

Office Coordinator

Denika started at Literacy Source as an intern in September of 2012 and was later hired as a receptionist and office assistant. She is excited to be working for a non-profit organization. “What we do here changes people’s lives and it is a great experience to be a part of the team!”

RTW Instructional Advisor

Elena Jounina is an international ESL teacher/instructional designer with vast experience in the classroom and online teaching as well as designing and implementing culturally diverse and socially equitable curricula, serving students from various academic and cultural backgrounds. Elena completed her Bachelor of Arts in English Studies at the National University of Mongolia as well as her Masters in Linguistics and Applied Language Studies at Carleton University, Canada. Elena is an enthusiastic education advocate accomplished in administering placement, assessment, and testing for ESL programs, and promoting student growth and self-learning initiatives. Elena’s students know her passion for “unity in diversity” as well as for genuine teaching, on-going research, personal learning, spiritual growth, adventures, and open-minded living. Elena currently resides in Seattle, Washington. She has two children and enjoys travelling and creative writing.

Instructional Advisor

Erik Bodlaender has been teaching ESL/EFL for nearly 15 years. His career has taken him to various places throughout the world: mainland China, Macau, Turkey, and here in Seattle. He is passionate about teaching students and loves to learn about their backgrounds and culture. When not working, Erik enjoys traveling, running, and dancing.

Community Programs Manager

Janet helps to coordinate and teach ESOL programs on site, as well as working with partners in our community programs. She has a Master’s degree from Seattle University in adult education and basic skills and enjoys continually learning alongside her fellow staff and students

Julia discovered her passion for teaching during an AmeriCorps service year in Pittsburgh, PA. She then worked as a case manager supporting refugees and immigrants, a citizenship teacher, and ESOL instructor. She has experience teaching low level students, many of whom did not have access to education in their home countries. She enjoys thinking outside the box to help students learn and achieve their goals. In her free time, Julia enjoys sewing and being active outside with her husband and dog.

ESOL Instructional Advisor

Kaeyoung received a master’s degree in TESOL at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. Before coming to LS, she was an Adult Literacy Program Specialist at Fox Valley Literacy in Wisconsin. Also, she volunteered to teach ESL at several places including public schools and learned it in many adult education classes. Before coming to the US in 2006, she was a middle school English teacher in South Korea. Kaeyoung is so pleased to work with multicultural and multilingual students by sharing her teaching skills and learning experiences and also learning many new things from them. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family including her husband and two children.

ESOL Instructional Advisor

Laura has over four years of experience teaching ESOL. Most recently, she was a vocational ESL instructor in San Jose, California. She enjoys making immigrants feel welcome in her home country and empowering them in the employment sphere. Outside of teaching, Laura enjoys learning about plants, gathering around food, and learning languages.

AmeriCorps ABE & Digital Literacy Instructional Support

Leesy grew up in Southern California before moving north more than a decade ago to attend Western Washington University, where she studied journalism. Since moving to Seattle, she has worked as a copywriter and editor, freelance writer, and as a professional baker for several years after also attending pastry school. She most recently spent time living and studying in Mexico City as a student in a Spanish immersion program and hopes to support her students with the same care and encouragement she has received as a language learner herself. A typical day in Leesy’s life also includes pampering her cat, reading, and spending time with her loved ones.

Communications Coordinator

Liz joined the team in January 2016, after serving as a volunteer in our ESOL & Digital Literacy Classes at El Centro and Asian Counseling and Referral Services. Originally a small town girl from the South, she moved West as soon as she could to enjoy the great outdoors! A relative newbie to Seattle, she has spent many years abroad working, volunteering, and studying in South and Central America, Europe, and the Middle East, but has quickly fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest. An elementary and high school teacher throughout her twenties, Liz moved into the non-profit realm after completing a Masters Degree in Public Policy.

AmeriCorps ESOL & Citizenship Instructor

Megan is a native Washingtonian. She studied at Western Washington University, where she earned a B.A. in Linguistics and completed a TESOL Certificate program. She enjoys crocheting, learning new crafts, and playing video games. She currently lives with her family and their two cats.

Ready to Work Lead Instructor

Megan is from San Jose, CA and moved to Seattle in 2009. She started working with English language learners as a volunteer in school and non-profit settings, then got her Master’s in TESOL from the University of Washington in 2015. She began at Literacy Source in 2018 as an ESOL instructor in the Ready to Work program. Megan has also taught ESOL classes for local community organizations and college programs. In addition to teaching, Megan enjoys spending time with her family, exercising outdoors, and creative vegan cooking.

Ready to Work North

Niusha began her teaching journey while living and studying in Iran. There she worked with various ages, teaching EFL and TOEFL writing. In 2010, she found herself in small town New Hampshire to pursue her Master’s degree. She holds a MALS degree from Dartmouth College and wrote a collection of fiction short stories that explored the social-political climate of contemporary Tehran and its affects on the younger population’s daily underground lives. Since moving to Seattle, Niusha has taught at both ESL and Intensive English college programs. She enjoys sharing the classroom with and learning from her multicultural and multilingual students. She is excited to be a part of a team that works towards equity in the community.

Data Manager

Originally from Oklahoma, Sarah graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2009 with her BA in Psychology. She has over 10 years of experience in adult education- both as an instructor and administrator. Volunteering as an ESOL conversation facilitator at the Seattle Public Library led her to Literacy Source, and she is excited to be joining a dynamic and passionate team. Her professional mission is taking bad Word documents and turning them into useable Excel sheets. In her free time, she can be found on the water in her kayak or on her paddle board.

Co-Ed, Managing Director

Shira Rosen, MSW, joined Literacy Source in August, 2020 and is excited to be a Co-Executive Director. Shira has over 20 years of experience in nonprofits, primarily in youth development and education. She has been an Executive Director, Program Director, Development Director, and teacher at a community college. Most recently she was Executive Director of Communities In Schools of Seattle and was previously a Co-Founder and former Co-Director of Camp Ten Trees. Shira lives in Seattle with her husband, 3 stepdaughters, and James the dog. She enjoys the outdoors, soccer, reading, and playing board games.

Employment Case Manager/Transitions Navigator

Halfia is from Ethiopia. She speaks Oromo and some Amharic. She didn’t speak English when she first came to the USA, so she understands her clients’ struggles and barriers daily. One of my main goals and focus is to help people and see the positive outcome. Seeing people smile means everything to her. She loves what we do here at Literacy Source and is grateful to be part of the team that makes a difference in people’s lives every day. Previously she worked at an assisted living agency and volunteered at girls and boys club. In her free time, she likes to spend time with family, cook and enjoys going to the park and a water view.

Fund Development Manager

Stacey studied Communication: public relations and advertising at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA. She was formerly the Director of Business Development at a nonprofit in Everett where she oversaw fundraising, marketing, and communication. She’s taught in private schools for 6 years. Teaching Spanish, computers, and being a substitute teacher during that duration for grades Pre-K-12. Stacey and her Husband Aaron own two businesses together; A home inspection business where Stacey is the Director of Marketing and an online curriculum that teaches conversational Spanish. They enjoy serving with their church, finding good tacos, dancing, and travelling.