Executive Committee
Tara Murphy - Coordinator
Tara Murphy has taught all levels of ESL, business English, VESL, and other support courses at several community colleges in Orange County. Currently, Tara is adjunct faculty in AESL at Irvine Valley College and is a level cohort leader. She was recently appointed to the position of NNES Professional Expert at Mt. San Antonio College's Writing Center where she oversees the NNES tutor program and presents non-credit workshops on issues of grammar, rhetoric, documentation, and academic research. Tara has a BA in International Relations, a minor in Spanish and a Master of Science in Education - TESOL from California State University - Fullerton.
Tara is an active member of the CSUF Alumni Research Group and member of the CATESOL OC board in the position of Social Media Coordinator. Tara feels strongly that in order to advance one's career in the TESOL field, saying yes to every opportunity whenever possible is vital; but success is always defined by the success of one’s students.
Tara is an active member of the CSUF Alumni Research Group and member of the CATESOL OC board in the position of Social Media Coordinator. Tara feels strongly that in order to advance one's career in the TESOL field, saying yes to every opportunity whenever possible is vital; but success is always defined by the success of one’s students.
Jun Li - Past Coordinator
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Jun Li was born and raised in Beijing, China. She earned her MS in TESOL from California State University, Fullerton in 2017. Currently, she teaches ELD and Chinese at JSerra Catholic High School in South Orange County. As an active member, she served as the Coordinator of CATESOL OC Chapter, CATESOL K-12 Award Coordinator as well as the treasurer for both the CATESOL Orange County Chapter and the CATESOL Education Foundation. Now, she is the Past Coordinator of the CATESOL Orange County Chapter.
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Krystal Suh - Secretary
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Krystal Suh completed her bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in Spanish at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. In December of 2017 she graduated from the M.S. TESOL program at California State University, Fullerton. She currently teaches at Orange Coast College, Irvine Valley College, and California State University, Fullerton. Her focus has been on Grammar and Writing instruction; however, she endeavors to incorporate all crucial receptive and productive language skills in each class she teaches. She won the CSUF CATESOL Education Foundation Grant in Spring 2015 and has been a volunteer at many workshops since that time. She served as the Exhibits Coordinator for the Spring 2020 workshop and was elected to be the OC Chapter Secretary in the Summer of 2020.
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Agnes Fu - Treasurer
Agnes Fu is a graduate student currently enrolled in the TESOL program at California State University, Fullerton. She previously earned her Master of Business Administration at University of the West in 2017. She is actively involved in CSUF’s TESOL club as the ICC Representative (Fall 2018), Treasurer (Spring 2019), and President (Fall 2019). As an active member of CATESOL, she has been volunteering for several positions including the OC Chapter Treasurer-Elect, the OC Chapter Treasurer, and the CATESOL Graduate Student Representative. Currently, she teaches ESL and Chinese at several sites in the Orange County area.
Melody Sasis - Historian
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Melody Anne Sasis earned a B.A. in English Language and Literature and completed the undergraduate program for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Language (TESOL) at California State University, Fullerton. Soon after graduating, she provided management and logistical support as an administrative assistant in various advertising, broadcasting, and financial companies. Melody returned to her alma mater in 2019 and began pursuing her M.S. in Education, concentrating on TESOL. In-between academic studies and university duties, she also serves internationally as a volunteer ESL and EFL instructor and Adult Education tutor. When not teaching or working, she relishes in reading, gardening, and idle tea breaks.
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Savyonne Steindler - Past Coordinator
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Savyonne Steindler earned her BA in Cultural Anthropology and Jewish Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz and an MS in TESOL at California State University, Fullerton. She has volunteered teaching EFL and health education, spending the most time in Gondar, Ethiopia. She currently teaches noncredit ESL at Irvine Valley College and Orange Coast College. Along with Marely Cervantes, she is co-author of “ESL for Parents of Elementary School Children: English Skills to Advocate for Your Child’s Success,” due to be published by Kendall Hunt in Spring 2021. She has served in many roles for the CATESOL Orange County Board, including as Coordinator during the 2019-2020 school year.
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Active Volunteer Members
Bentley Cavazzi
Bentley Cavazzi received his B.A. in Political Science at UC Santa Cruz and his M.S. in Education (emphasis in TESOL) from Cal State University, Fullerton (CSUF). He has taught ESL community college adult non-credit and credit courses, for Intensive English Programs (IEP), and graduate and undergraduate courses at CSUF in TESOL and German. He has piloted and taught VESL and CTE/iBEST courses bridging ESL and CTE Business courses in marketing, management skills, business presentations, business writing, finance courses for AESL students, and computer literacy programs. He has also piloted dual enrollment credit writing classes, working with college and high school ESL students.
Bentley grew up in Switzerland, and having been an ESL student himself, he now enjoys being able to give back to the ESL community that once helped him adapt to a new environment. He is an active member of the TESOL community and is a member of the event promotion committee for the OC Catesol chapter as well as the Interest Group Chair and Teaching English in the Workplace (TEW) Coordinator for Catesol. With an interest in the role of technology in the classroom, he also enjoys presenting and attending workshops focusing on digital tools that promote student engagement and interaction in his synchronous and asynchronous courses.
Before transitioning into education, he worked in marketing and business development, which gave him the opportunity to travel extensively and work with his colleagues teaching Business English. He continues this type of work with international corporate clients to help them improve their Business English skills.
He currently teaches at Saddleback College, NOCE, and CSUF.
Bentley grew up in Switzerland, and having been an ESL student himself, he now enjoys being able to give back to the ESL community that once helped him adapt to a new environment. He is an active member of the TESOL community and is a member of the event promotion committee for the OC Catesol chapter as well as the Interest Group Chair and Teaching English in the Workplace (TEW) Coordinator for Catesol. With an interest in the role of technology in the classroom, he also enjoys presenting and attending workshops focusing on digital tools that promote student engagement and interaction in his synchronous and asynchronous courses.
Before transitioning into education, he worked in marketing and business development, which gave him the opportunity to travel extensively and work with his colleagues teaching Business English. He continues this type of work with international corporate clients to help them improve their Business English skills.
He currently teaches at Saddleback College, NOCE, and CSUF.
M. Guadalupe Espinoza
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Professor Espinoza has a Master's Degree in Education/TESOL. She has taught all levels of ESL/EFL in credit & non-credit programs in the US and abroad. She is adept at ESL curriculum development as well as course and testing design. She has been an active member of MEXTESOL & CATESOL throughout her career. She is currently a faculty member of NOCE, CSUF & CSULB. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgespinoza
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Victoria Myers
Victoria Myers is an ESL instructor at an offsite location. She possesses 16 years of progressive teaching experience as a Non-Credit ESL Instructor at NOCCCD. She is an enthusiastic innovative ESL Instructor who is passionate about teaching essential practical English skills to a diverse student body which will help them to integrate into American Society. She has been teaching a successful ESL/Family Literacy course at North Orange Continuing Education for the past sixteen years. Many of her students pursue A.A. degrees or a vocational certificate programs. She constantly implements the most current effective textbook materials along with various ESL software programs, and teach skills that her student population will need to know when they transition to higher levels of English, High School diploma, or academic credit programs. She has also been teaching at Santiago Canyon College Continuing Education for the last six years. Teaching is her passion. She has also participated in professional development events such as CATESOL conferences, the Great Teacher Seminar, strategic planning events, workshops, technology training session and online webinars since she started working at School of Continuing Education, NOCCCD. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in TESOL and a California Clear Teaching Credential in English as well as CLAD certificate. She enjoys working for NOCE and SCC OEC. She works well with culturally and ethnically diverse groups of students and staff. She has been a board member of the CATESOL Orange County Chapter for the past four years.
Neda SahranavardMy name is Neda Sahranavard. I enjoy and value teaching. My career as an educator for the past 15+ years has been extremely gratifying. My passion for the English language, literature, and teaching led me to pursue my B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in English. I also hold my TESL, Basic Skills Initiative, and Online Educator Certificate. I am currently serving as an Academic Coordinator/Lecturer at UCI’s Academic English Program and an ESL Instructor at Saddleback College. My goal as an educator has always been providing the best assistance to all of my students.
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Femia Scarfone
Femia Scarfone received an M.S. in Education for TESOL from California State University, Fullerton and a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of California, Berkeley after transferring with honors and an A.A. Degree from Orange Coast College. She has been involved in the field of ESL since 2006, and currently teaches full-time for California State University, Fullerton’s American Language Program and part-time for Orange Coast College, as well as Saddleback and Irvine Valley Colleges. At CSUF, in addition to her teaching during the semester, she coordinates a short-term program for high school students from Brazil in the summer, and also works with the TESOL Department on campus to serve as a Master Teacher for graduate students in their practicum. She has been a member of the Orange County Chapter of CATESOL since 2009 while VP and President of the TESOL Club at CSUF. She has actively served on the OC Chapter Board as Secretary, Coordinator Elect, Coordinator, and now Past Coordinator.
Femia was born in Orange and grew up in Huntington Beach, California. She is trilingual in English, Spanish, and Italian, and in her free time, she loves to read, explore new places, and spend time outdoors. Femia comes from a family of teachers, and her passion for teaching ESL not only stems from the fact that she loves to travel, but also that she is a first-generation American, with parents who immigrated to the US from Italy with their families and had to assimilate into a new culture. She strives to create an environment in the classroom that is comfortable for her students, supportive, respectful, and motivating.
Femia was born in Orange and grew up in Huntington Beach, California. She is trilingual in English, Spanish, and Italian, and in her free time, she loves to read, explore new places, and spend time outdoors. Femia comes from a family of teachers, and her passion for teaching ESL not only stems from the fact that she loves to travel, but also that she is a first-generation American, with parents who immigrated to the US from Italy with their families and had to assimilate into a new culture. She strives to create an environment in the classroom that is comfortable for her students, supportive, respectful, and motivating.
Christopher Stillwell
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Dr. Christopher Stillwell has MAs in TESOL (Teachers College Columbia University), and Education (UC Irvine), as well as a PhD in Education (UC Irvine). He has worked as an English as a Second/Foreign Language educator in Spain, Japan, and the US, and he has worked as a teacher educator in such places as Egypt, Peru, and Laos. He has also been assistant director of a university language program in Japan. He is the editor of two books for TESOL Press on Language Teaching Insights from Other Fields, the first volume of which was shortlisted for an ELTon Award for Innovation in Teacher Resources. Currently, he is an instructor and advisory board member for UC Irvine’s online TESOL certificate program, he is a professor of ESL at College of the Sequoias, and he serves as an English Language Specialist for the US Department of State. His new e-single for University of Michigan Press is titled Teacher Observation: What Every ESL Teacher Needs to Know.
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Brent Warner
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Brent has been teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language for over a dozen years to students from students from all over the world. Brent received his MAT in TESOL from the University of Southern California and double-majored in Japanese Language and Asian Studies for his undergrad degree at San Diego State University. Brent is an Associate Professor of ESL at Irvine Valley College where his work focuses on Academic Writing for ELLs. Before accepting his position at IVC, he worked as a full-time lecturer at USC and worked as an adjunct professor at Orange Coast College and Saddleback College.
Brent is EdTech enthusiast who enjoys discussing incorporating the latest technologies into lessons as well as the times when tech isn't the answer. Brent blends technology into his lessons and often shares what he is exploring at CATESOL conferences. Brent talks about many of these ideas on his podcasts, DIESOL (Digital Integration in ESOL), and The HigherEdTech Podcast. He is the webmaster for the Orange County chapter of CATESOL. |
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In Memoriam - Carol Bander
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On November 10, 2018, a strong advocate for CATESOL, Dr. Carol Bander, PhD, passed away. Carol was the 1999-2000 president of CATESOL and received the CATESOL Sadae Iwataki Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 for her dedicated service to the organization. After serving on the Board of Directors, Carol then dedicated her time and efforts to her local CATESOL Orange County (OC) She generously opened her home for yearly events and for board meetings where she served as a mentor to all in the field of language learning.
Carol was a professor of German and ESL and taught 39 years at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA. . She loved cooking and world travel, having visited over 100 countries. |
Thank you for your service!
Past Coordinators |
Members at large |
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Jun Li 2020 - 2021
Savyonne Steindler 2019-2020 Denise Schumaker 2018 - 2019 Christie Sosa 2017-2018 Natalya Dollar Femia Scarfone Helen Nam Karen Dennis Carol Bander |
Raymond Carson
Bentley Cavazzi Rachel Cerdenio Natalya Dollar Fatema Fakhreddine Debbie Goss Katalin Gyurindak Sara Haghighi Mike Hein Judy Hu Alicia Jaqubino Eun Jung Lee Chelsea Lo Chris Meza Jennifer Nolasco Sonya Park Gizelle Ponzillo Noosha Ravaghi Silenia Ried Don Sillings |
