Teachers and Staff

Kristyn has a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction in TESOL and has taught English in a variety of settings in the US and abroad. She especially enjoyed being an international student and English teacher while living in Japan. Meeting people and sharing stories are her favorite parts of working in international education. In her free time, she enjoys reading, drinking good coffee, and exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her family.

Miwako was raised in Kumamoto, Japan. She has master’s degree in TESOL and has taught ESL classes. She has a passion for the field of international education and worked as the Assistant Director of the Office of International Students at The University of Texas at San Antonio before moving to Oregon in 2015. She loves reading, crocheting, and walking with her dog.

Abigail is a teacher for the core English classes as well as for Service Learning. She has a Master of Arts degree in TESOL from Portland State University and enjoys speaking Spanish and a little Hebrew and Chinook Wawa. Abigail loves to learn new languages.

Estefanía also known as Nia is a PIA alumna and has a background in accounting and marketing. Nia manages PIA’s social media accounts and coordinates activities, using her expertise to engage students and enhance campus life. Outside of work, Nia enjoys hiking, playing volleyball, and reading.

Diane has a Master of Arts degree in linguistics with a specialization in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She has taught in West Africa, Michigan, and Colorado. She is married and has two children. She and her family enjoy visiting beautiful places in Oregon and camping at national parks in the US.

A native of Portland, Oregon, Sarah Shoemaker has taught English and French for over 25 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, a Master of Arts in Teaching degree in French, and a Magistère in French language, literature, and civilization from the Sorbonne in Paris. She has traveled extensively, usually for work or study. She has taught English in Switzerland and West Africa and French in US high schools and colleges. Her interests include playing the piano and singing in a university choir.

Lily has a Master of Arts in Linguistics from the University of Colorado Boulder. She grew up in Portland but lived in and traveled to many other places before moving back to Oregon in 2017. She is married and has three kids. Lily enjoys traveling, camping, and hiking with her family.

Steve has a Master of Arts degree in TESOL as well as a Bachelor of Arts in history. He lived for several years in Japan teaching English and greatly enjoys spending time with international students. Among his favorite activities are reading, travel, discussing ideas, and collecting good stories.

Sonya has a Master of Arts degree in TESOL from Portland State University and has taught English in Thailand, Estonia, and the U.S. She enjoys exploring other cultures and languages. She likes to sing and is learning to play the cello. Twice a week she can be found paddling up and down the Willamette River with her dragon boat team.

Amanda earned her bachelor’s of arts in psychology from the University of Oregon in 2018. She has an affinity for language learning, specifically Spanish, which inspired her to pursue a certification in teaching English. Her teaching journey began in Portland with a non-profit organization that taught adults. Additionally, she has taught in Brazil to ages ranging from pre-k to adult. In her free time, Amanda loves to go for walks around the neighborhood, read, and watercolor.

Andrew earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Goshen College, and later a Master of Education degree with a focus in teaching English learners from the American College of Education. His teaching journey began with a semester abroad in China, teaching English to high school and middle school students. After graduating, he returned to China to teach English at the university level. Back in the United States, Andrew taught English at elementary schools in Indiana before relocating to Portland. In his free time, Andrew enjoys board games and fantasy novels.