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TeachersLarryDirector of English Programs
For several years Larry was a reporter on international affairs for a Japanese television station, where he hosted his own series. He came to Honolulu to study at the University of Hawaii, but took leave to join the Economics Department of Shinshu University in order to conduct research on youth employment for a Ph.D. in political science. There, he was granted an audience with Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan to discuss the results of his research, which was subsequently published. Having been thoroughly immersed in the language and culture of another country, Larry is sensitive to the difficulties that students face in living in America and learning English. As director of English programs at Academia, he strives to continue developing courses that meet the varied interests of our diverse student body. LouiseDirector of World Language Programs
With two graduate degrees, one from the University of Iowa and one from the University of Chicago, and further graduate work at Yale University, Louise has a long career in educational administration. She was an Assistant Commissioner of Education for the State of New Jersey and the Assistant Director of the Futures American School in Cairo, Egypt. She has taught in the US and in China. Louise led us in our successful certification effort and has high standards in both curriculum development and staff selection. She has taught in the graduate program of University of Phoenix in Honolulu. BillInstructor
Bill has a BA and MA from the Arizona State University in Language and Literature, French and an MBA from the American Graduate School of International Management. He has studied at the Universite de Geneve in Switzerland and the Alliance Francaise in Paris. He has taught both French and English at the university level. While his first ESL teaching was in Mallorca, Spain most of his ESL instruction was in Japan where taught in universities in Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and at Phillips University in Uji where he was an Associate Dean. While in Japan he published several textbooks specifically targeted for Japanese ESL students. In Hawaii he has been the Publisher, editor and a writer for the Kaua’i News Journal. BobInstructor
Bob has a B.A. degree from Illinois Benedictine University and M.A.’s from Northern Illinois University and the University of Connecticut. He is currently enrolled in a graduate program in Serious Game Design at Michigan State University. He taught English as a Second Language courses to international students at Michigan State University, the University of Connecticut, and Montana State University. He also held an instructor position in university English departments in China and Lebanon, as well as serving as training director for a German company. In the past, he has been fluent in German and Chinese. Bob has published in academic journals and is currently interested in how students learn in online 3D worlds. In his free time he enjoys photography, tennis, hiking, traveling, and eating Chinese cooking, cooked wonderfully by his wife. DanInstructor
After receiving his BA and a MA Daniel worked for the US Department of State. He served in the US military as an officer in Viet Nam and was a Lieutenant in the Infantry in Korea. He later served in the Peace Corps in Nigeria and Uganda. He has taught English in Saudi Arabia, Hirakara, Japan, Thailand, Iran, and California. Dan speaks Japanese and French. JohnInstructor
John is a Hawaiian language specialist with a lot of experience in translating, teaching and editing. He co-authored, along with Dr. Rubellite Johnson, Na Inoa Hoku which is a catalogue of the constellations that have been seen and named by Hawaiian and other Pacific Island peoples. He has done research in and worked on many important projects for cultural groups. His BA from the University of Hawaii is in Asian Studies and his MA is in Pacific Island Studies. He in the US Navy which included three tours in Vietnam. John speaks German, French, Hawaiian, Tagalog and Tahitian. John is known at Academia for his ukulele and guitar skills and has designed English courses with Hawaiian musical themes. KeishaInstructor
After earning her TESOL certificate from Seattle University School of TESOL, Keisha taught English in Seattle, China, and Thailand. Keisha enjoys dancing, singing, and farming. She is happy to be a part of the Academia team. KimberlyInstructor
As our longest tenured teacher, Kimberly has enjoyed meeting and mentoring hundreds of students who have passed through Academia. Now a new Mom, with two young sons, Kimberly teaches part time. Her experience and understanding of students clearly shows in the popularity of her classes. MagdaFounder and Instructor
Madga came to the Hawaiian Islands well trained for teaching French and Spanish. A native speaker of both, she is a graduate of schools in France with diplomas in French, Business and Spanish. She has a BA from Boston University in Education and has studied Spanish and English in continuing education programs at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While living in Boston, she taught in language schools and worked in the French Department of the University of Massachusetts. In Hawaii she taught French for the Alliance Francaise of Hawaii and theYWCA of Honolulu before the founding of Academia. MarshallInstructor
After college, a career as a paralegal and a year at law school, Marshall decided that he wanted a life work with more people involvement. He left for Japan and enjoyed 7 years teaching for Nova in Tokyo and for the YMCA program in Yokohama. In both these positions, as at Academia, Marshall has created original teaching materials and has devised interesting methods to involve students in their learning. Marshall is a student as well as a teacher. He is working on a master’s degree in teaching English as a second language at Hawaii Pacific University. Marshall enjoys the ocean and surfing with friends. MartiInstructor
Marti has wide experience teaching in public schools in Hawaii and California and in a private school in Japan. In addition to a degree in education she has taken many graduate courses in teaching. Marti has developed a program of pronunciation that is unique. Her method is to make the recitations fun and for this she has developed speaking games and rhythms, which make pronunciation a popular course in our school. Marti is known for her excellent decorating taste. She has made the school a warmer place with pictures, furnishings and use of color. Academia’s many successful Halloween parties and annual picnics can be attributed to Marti’s hospitality skills. QuintinInstructor
In Hawaii, Quintin has also taught ESL at the University of Hawaii NICE program and in the Adult Education Division of the Hawaii Board of Education. He has spent 11 years in Japan in various teaching capacities inclusive of private lessons for business executives. He taught classes at Toyo University and Yamawaki Junior College. in Tokyo . He had and an assistant professorship in the Liberal Arts faculty at Saitama National University. His BA is from Magdalene College in Cambridge, England where he majored in modern languages (French, German & Spanish). After receiving his degree he taught EFL at various language schools in Madrid, Spain. RicoInstructor
Rico has a BA cum laude from Harvard University and a MA in Public Administration from the University of Rhode Island. He also studied in the PHD program at the University of Pittsburgh School of International and Public Affairs. He lived in Tokyo for almost 30 years where he worked with NCH, Nippon DuBois and Pacific Projects in several executive capacities. While in Japan, he taught ESL and American business culture classes for Fujitsu Laboratories, Fujitsu Systems Engineering and the Okura Hotel. Rico is a retired US Navy Captain Reserve Officer and is fluent in Japanese and Italian. RobinInstructor
Robin has had an enriching experience teaching nearly everyone under the sun. He as been a preschool teacher, has taught Special Education as well as being a Title One teacher, and has taught ESL at McKinley and Kaimuki Community Schools for Adults. In Japan, he has taught English at various language schools in Hiroshima, Saitama, and Tokyo, which included teaching at businesses, kindergartens, intermediate schools, junior and seniour high schools. He has taught at the University of Tsukuba in Ibaraki and at many of the research institues in Tsukuba Science City. He has a BA in History from the University of Hawaii- Manoa and a Masters Degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Southern Queensland in Toowomba, Australia. SeanInstructor
Sean recently spent three years in Japan where he taught English to both adults and children in Chiba, Tokyo and Kawasaki. This was his second teaching trip to Japan. Prior to this he taught adults and children in Tokuyama. He has also been a sports instructor in Saipan. Sean is from Kansas where he received a BA in General Studies from the University of Kansas. StaffRyanDirector
Ryan is the Director and Owner of Academia. He loves his “job” and believes strongly in Academia’s mission of contributing to the improvement of cross-cultural communication and understanding. Prior to joining Academia, Ryan worked in the fields of management advisory and finance. In various capacities, he has helped guide high-growth companies from start up through IPO. Ryan graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Economics from the Wharton School of Business and a BS in Systems Engineering from the School of Engineering. He is conversant in Spanish, is learning Japanese, and always appreciates informal lessons in all world languages from Academia students and teachers! JosephFounder and Consultant
When Joseph left his native Massachusetts for Hawaii, he never would have thought that 40 years later he would be the owner of a language school, but that is just what happened. His initial work in Hawaii, a manager for transportation services, gave no clue either for his future. Along with Madga, he began part time teaching Italian, French and German in Honolulu. More and more students came to study, and by 1969, Joseph was the General Manager of a fledgling language school. Given Joseph’s drive and entrepreneurial skill, this small part time avocation grew into a school with over 300 students, a translation service for all major world languages, and a government contractor. YumiDirector of Operations
Yumi has associate’s degrees from the Tokaigakuen Women’s College of Nagoya, Japan in Japanese literature and from the Grant McEwan Community College in Edmonton, Canada in accounting. She studied at Grant McEwan as a recipient of an Aaron Michael Memorial Scholarship and graduated with First Class Standing. Yumi is fluent in English and Japanese and has done considerable translation work. She has taught both English and Japanese in public junior high schools and English at the Evergreen English School in Kochi-city Japan. Also in Kochi-city, she was the Sales Manager for a fashion service. In Hawaii, Yumi has worked for First Hawaiian Bank and Academia Language School. BrandonOffice Manager/Marketing Coordinator
Brandon graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a BA in Graphic Design. Before Academia, he owned a promotional products company that supplied companies with imprinted products for their marketing needs. Brandon lives on the windward side of Oahu. The nice side of the island. He enjoys fishing, hiking, and going to the beach. KatieOffice Staff
Katie recently received her BS from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, and has since returned to Hawaii where she grew up. She is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in the New Media Arts program at KCC, and she spends her free time surfing and enjoying the beautiful weather in Hawaii. Katie is fluent in Spanish and has visited Peru and Mexico on multiple occasions. She loves the friends she has made at Academia and is already making plans to visit them in their own countries. KarenFront Office Staff
Karen is currently a junior looking to major in International Business and Finance at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is also looking to minor in Korean. During the Fall 2007 semester, she studied abroad at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea. Karen is also bi-lingual in written and spoken Korean and has taken the equivalency of three year of high school Spanish. She was born and raised on Oahu and loves the beautiful beaches Hawaii has. MakotoFront Office Assistant
Before arriving in Hawaii, Makoto was a purchasing assistant for a shoe retailer in Ishikawa, Japan and a ski instructor at a ski resort. As a licensed ski instructor, he has been on rescue teams and has had the satisfaction of helping people in danger. Makoto is a positive thinker, focusing on improving his English and computer skills. MikiFront Office Assistant
After graduating from JTB (Japan Travel Bureau) in Tokyo, Japan, where she majored in international travel and business, Miki worked in the Processing, Payment and Credit Monitoring Departments of the Citicorp Diners Club in Tokyo. In the US she served as an intern at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, learning routines of the reception desk, and the means of providing food, beverage and general hospitality for guests. Also in Honolulu, she received training as a land operator and learned to evaluate hotel service and quality at R & C Tours at the Pacific Beach Hotel. Miki is a graduate of Academia’s Travel and Tourism Program. NaokoFront Office Assistant
After graduating from Outemongakuin University in Osaka, Japan with a major in English language and literature Naoko worked for an office machine dealer as a sales assistant. While working there, she attended a conversation school in Hyogo. Since arriving in Hawaii Noako has enjoyed surfing at Waikiki and Barbers Point and playing tennis. She enjoys hanging out with both English and Japanese speaking friends. |
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