The TIRF Board of Trustees is an elected board of volunteers who bring their expertise in English language teaching and research, assessment, publications, leadership, international education, fundraising, and a range of other talents to the Foundation. They serve three-year, renewable terms. Officers are elected from among the Trustees and serve two-year, renewable terms.
To further its mission, TIRF completes numerous projects throughout the year, drawing on the expertise of its Trustees as well as colleagues who support TIRF through work on Committees, Working Groups, Professional Services, and Project Initiatives. Colleagues interested in serving as a Trustee or in another capacity should email TIRF Chief Operating Officer Ryan Damerow ([email protected]) to learn about getting involved.
Trustees – Current
Trustees – Former
Staff
Trustees – Current
Anna Krulatz
Anna Krulatz is a Professor of English in the Department of Teacher Education at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She received her M.A. in English from the University...
Barry O’Sullivan
Professor Barry O’Sullivan is the Head of Assessment Research and Development at the British Council. He has undertaken research across a range of areas in language testing and assessment and...
Christine Coombe
Dr. Christine Coombe has a PhD in Foreign/Second Language Education from The Ohio State University. She is currently an Associate Professor of General Studies at Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai...
David Nunan
David Nunan is Professor Emeritus of Applied Linguistics at the University of Hong Kong and President Emeritus and Distinguished Research Professor at Anaheim University, where he also served as President....
Deena Boraie
Dr. Deena Boraie is Provost at The Knowledge Hub Universities. Prior to this position, she was Vice President for Student Life at the American University in Cairo (AUC) and a...
Donna Christian
Donna Christian is Treasurer of The International Research Foundation on English Language Education (TIRF). She has been a member of TIRF’s Board of Trustees since 2005 and was elected Treasurer...
Erik Gundersen
Erik Gundersen is an educational publisher with a proven record of delivering best-selling content and professional services that make a difference in teachers’ and learners’ lives. Erik has worked across...
Evelina Galaczi
Dr. Evelina Galaczi is Director of Research—English at Cambridge University Press and Assessment. She has worked in English language education for over 30 years as a teacher, teacher trainer, materials...
Hanan Khalifa
Dr. Hanan Khalifa (PhD, University of Reading; MA, University of Cambridge; and MSc, Alexandria University & Lancaster University) is an award-winning international expert in education, assessment, and impact evaluation. She...
Joan Kang Shin
Joan Kang Shin, PhD is a Professor of Education and the Associate Dean for Faculty Success in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. She is also...
JoAnn (Jodi) Crandall
JoAnn (Jodi) Crandall is Professor Emerita of Education and former Co-Director of the MA TESOL Program and Director of the PhD Program in Language, Literacy and Culture at the University...
Jun Liu
Jun Liu is the President of TIRF and Rector of City University of Macau. Prior to these positions, he was Vice Provost for Global Affairs, Dean of International Academic Programs...
Kathleen Bailey
Kathleen M. Bailey is a Professor of Applied Linguistics at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and has served as the President of TIRF, TESOL International Association, and...
Lorraine de Matos
Lorraine de Matos is on the Executive Board and a member of the Philanthropy Committee of the Associação Samaritano, and also on the Administrative and Financial Board of the Célia...
MaryAnn Christison
Dr. MaryAnn Christison, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Utah, has been a TIRF Trustee for more than 20 years. She teaches undergraduate courses as...
Michael Carrier
Michael Carrier is an educational consultant and writer based in London and Washington, DC. He has been involved in English language teaching for over 50 years as a teacher, trainer,...
Mina Patel
Ms. Mina Patel is Head of Research – Future of English at the British Council. Her background is in English language teaching and training. She has worked in the UK,...
Nick Saville
Dr. Nick Saville has been involved in English language education for over 30 years. He is currently the Director of Research and Validation (R&V) for Cambridge English Language Assessment, a...
Polina Vinogradova
Polina Vinogradova, Ph.D. is Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer and TESOL Program Director in the Department of World Languages and Cultures at American University (Washington, DC, USA). Her research focuses on...
Spiros Papageorgiou
Spiros Papageorgiou is a Principal Measurement Scientist in the Research Division at Educational Testing Service (ETS), in Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Spiros received his doctoral degree in linguistics specializing in...
Susan Bell
Susan T. Bell is a member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor and is the Director of the Office of English Language Programs in...
Suzanne Panferov Reese
Dr. Suzanne Panferov Reese is the Vice President of TIRF and Chair of the Second Language Acquisition and Teaching Ph.D. program and teaches on the Public and Applied Humanities faculty...
Trustees – Former
Ali Al-Sharhan
Ana Sylvia Ramirez
Ana Sylvia Ramirez Toriello currently works as the CEO at El Instituto Guatemalteco Americano, Guatemala’s Bi-National Center. As an educator, Ana Sylvia serves as IGA’s permanent representative to the National...
Andrew Sugerman
Andy Curtis
Anthony Acevedo
Anthony Acevedo is Academic Manager at Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano (ICPNA), an accredited binational center in Lima, Peru. ICPNA promotes cultural exchange between Peru and the United States through the...
Barbara Hewitt
Barbara Schwarte
Carol Taylor
Catherine Walter
Chris Bernbrock
Dennis Hogan
Donald Freeman
Edward M. Anthony
Frederick Jenks
G. Richard Tucker
G. Richard Tucker is Paul Mellon University Professor Emeritus of Applied Linguistics at Carnegie Mellon University. Prior to joining Carnegie Mellon, he served as President of the Center for Applied...
Gary Ockey
H. Joan Morley
Jack Richards
James Alatis
Joanne Dresner
Joe Bookbinder
Mr. Joseph Bookbinder began working as the Director of the Office of English Language Programs in August, 2017. Mr. Bookbinder joined the United States Foreign Service in 1992. He is...
John Knagg
John Whitehead
Joseph Lo Bianco
Joseph Lo Bianco currently works as a professor of Language and Literacy Education at the University of Melbourne. He serves as the Chair of Language and Literacy Education and Associate...
Joyce Kling
Kees de Bot
Ken Yoshida
Kerri Streng Hannan
Koffi Edoh
Mahesh Ram
Mari Pearlman
Maria Antonieta Abla Celani
Michael Legutke
Michael McCarthy
Michael Milanovic
Neil J. Anderson
Patricia Duff
Reece Duca
Richard Boyum
Richard A. Boyum is a retired Foreign Service Officer. He spent the majority of his career with the State Department in the Office of English Language Programs serving in numerous...
Robert Cullen
Roderick Stokes Pryde
Russell N. Campbell
Terry Toney
Thierry Pedros
Yehia El-Ezabi
Dr. El-Ezabi served as the Chair of the Graduate Program in TEFL and Director of the ELI at the American University in Cairo. He is a Founding Board Member of...
Staff
Ryan Damerow
Chief Operating Officer
Ryan Damerow is TIRF’s Chief Operating Officer. Since 2009, he has been serving the Foundation in various capacities, including helping to oversee TIRF’s programmatic and operational endeavors. For more than a decade, he has helped to grow the Foundation’s international presence and developed programs and services that have assisted TIRF in furthering its mission.
Ryan earned his MA-TESOL at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS, now known as the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey) and his MBA at Western Governors University. His undergraduate degree is in Public Administration and Public Policy from Michigan State University. In 2017, he earned MIIS’ Graduate School of Translation Interpretation and Language Education Young Alumni Achievement Award. Ryan served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer at Sichuan International Studies University in Chongqing, China from 2007 to 2009.
