We are pleased to announce that Dr. Suzanne Panferov Reese has been elected to serve on TIRF’s Board of Trustees!

Dr. Suzanne Panferov Reese is the Chair of the Second Language Acquisition and Teaching Ph.D. program and teaches on the Public and Applied Humanities faculty at the University of Arizona (UA). Previously, she served as the Associate Vice President for Global Initiatives at UA and for over a decade she was the Director of the Center for English as a Second Language there. Additionally, she has served in a variety of other administrative roles as the Director of the University of Arizona National Center for Interpretation and of the Writing Skills Improvement Program. She teaches courses in applied humanities, on various topics in second language learning, and in language program administration and has published on topics ranging from teachers transitioning into professional leadership roles, ESL program marketing, and parental support for K-12 ELL students.

Suzanne has given presentations in numerous countries on professionalism, teacher training, leadership, and language initiatives in internationalization at TESOL, NAFSA, AIEA, and other conferences. In 2009, she participated in a Fulbright Administrator Exchange in Jalisco, Mexico. Additionally, Suzanne has served as the President of TESOL International and as the 2007 TESOL Convention Program Chair, as well as the President of UCIEP and as the UCIEP Professional Development Chair.

When asked what she why she wanted to join TIRF in the capacity as a Board member, Suzanne replied, “When I advise my graduate students, I tell them to pursue a research topic that they are passionate about and to do all that they can to connect to a professional network that they can learn from and collaborate with.” She continued, “So, when I was presented with the opportunity to join the TIRF Board of Trustees, I heeded my own advice. I am excited to join the TIRF Board because I see this as an opportunity for me to continue to support research in English language education, which I am quite enthusiastic about, and to collaborate with an ever-expanding circle of researchers and policy influencers. I know that TIRF is a motivated group working towards positive change, and I look forward to working with such an esteemed group.”

Please join us in welcoming Suzanne to the TIRF community!