Bio's - Executives
1. Chapter President
Chosun University
Gwangju
Email: gwangju@koreatesol.org
Maria Lisak creates safe environments to encourage learners for risk-taking and growth. Currently at Chosun University in South Korea, she has diplomas and certificates in business, technology, education, and meditation. She is a lifetime member of KOTESOL and AsiaTEFL. Her research interests include funds of knowledge, cosmopolitan literacies, and autoethnography.
2. Vice President
Gwangju International Center
Chosun University, English Language Department (rtd)
Gwangju
David Shaffer has been a KOTESOL member since the beginnings of the Jeolla Chapter in 1993. He has been a professor of English at Chosun University throughout his career in TESOL/applied linguistics. He holds a doctorate in theoretical linguistics and post-graduate certificates in TESOL. At Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter, Dr. Shaffer served a number of years as Chapter advisor and as Chapter conference officer before becoming Chapter president (2009-16). At the National level, he has...
3. Treasurer
Gwangju National University of Education
Gwangju
Lindsay Herron has been a visiting professor at Gwangju National University of Education in Gwangju since 2008. Prior to that, she taught English on a Fulbright grant at Seogwipo High School in Jeju-do. She has a master’s degree in literacy, culture, and language education from Indiana University, a master’s in cinema studies from New York University, bachelor’s degrees in English and psychology from Swarthmore College, a CELTA, and the CELTA YL Extension. She is presently pursuing her doctorate at Indiana University. At the...
4. Immediate Past President
Jeollanam-do Foreign Language High School
Naju, Jeollanam-do
Bryan Hale is from Australia. After graduating, he spent a chunk of life in an office job in Sydney, wondering what you do with a BA in English. Then he got a CELTA and discovered that he loves English language teaching. Bryan has been in Korea since 2011. He currently teaches at the Jeollanam-do Foreign Language High School in Naju. His previous experience includes both public school and hagwon teaching, working with all age groups but middle school and high school students in particular. Bryan completed a Master of...
5. Officer-at-Large
Mokpo National University
Muan, Jeonnam
Jocelyn Wright, assistant professor in the English Language and Literature Department at Mokpo National University in Muan, specializes in practical English. She obtained an honor’s degree in linguistics, has done graduate studies in the field of education, and is also CELTA certified. She began teaching English in 1999 and has taught EFL in a variety of contexts, not only in Korea but also in France, French-Canada, and the Dominican Republic. At the chapter level, she has served as an officer for a number of years, has helped found our...
8. Gene S. Shaffer
Officer-at-Large
Dong-gu, Gwangju
Gene Shaffer graduated from the English Department of Korea Soongsil Cyber University after studying at The Pennsylvania State University (USA). Being born and raised in Korea in a bilingual environment, he is fluent in both English and Korean. Gene has been a KOTESOL member since 2007 and has volunteered service to the International Conference Committee since that time -- first with their Registration Committee and since 2011 as Financial Affairs Manager. He has also served as an assistant to the National Treasurer, handling KOTESOL...