In 2026, English Language Programs proudly joins the nation in Freedom 250—Celebrating the Triumph of the American Spirit—as we honor the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. In the lead‑up to this historic milestone, we are highlighting the remarkable contributions of our participants and alumni, who share America with the world while bringing global perspectives back home.
In February, our focus turns to the Midwest Heartland, a region shaped by expansive prairies, fertile fields, pioneering traditions, and the enduring strength of its communities. From Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota, alumni have carried the values and outlook of this heartland into classrooms and communities across the globe. Their work advances English language education abroad and supports vibrant learning communities throughout the Midwest. Collectively, their stories illustrate how regional character and international engagement come together to strengthen U.S. leadership, influence, and educational excellence.
Iowa Alumni
Jennifer Jae Boyd – Jennifer Jae Boyd is an English language educator dedicated to expanding opportunities for multilingual learners. Now an ELL Literacy teacher with Des Moines Public Schools, she brings more than a decade of experience designing student‑centered, tech‑forward learning environments across K–12 and university settings. During her English Language Fellowship at l’ESEF in El Jadida, Morocco, she supported national efforts to strengthen pre‑service English teacher training—a priority as the country prepares thousands of new educators to introduce English earlier in public schools. Beyond the classroom, she founded a women’s running club that encouraged participants to stay active, build confidence, and prioritize their health. Her work supported future teachers in their preparation and offered women in the community new opportunities to stay active and connected.
Angela Hakim – Angela Hakim is an English Lecturer at Iowa State University whose work bridges applied linguistics, writing instruction, and English for academic purposes. As an English Language Specialist in Kumamoto, Japan, she led a content‑based instruction (CBI) demonstration lesson for students and instructors in a new semiconductor course, showing how technical content and language learning can be integrated effectively. She then facilitated follow‑on training to support instructors in developing CBI and EMI‑aligned practices. Her project strengthens Japan’s emerging semiconductor workforce and supports deeper U.S.–Japan cooperation in a sector vital to global supply‑chain resilience.
Missouri Alumni
Farrah Littlepage – From Missouri to the Himalayas, Farrah Littlepage brings more than twenty years of experience in education and TESOL to her current English Language Fellowship at Mahendra Ratna Campus, Tribhuvan University in Nepal. Her project focuses on strengthening future English teachers’ skills in methodology, materials design, and critical‑thinking‑based instruction while broadening cultural perspectives and engagement with American educational practices. Previously an English Language Development Facilitator in the Grandview C‑4 School District in Missouri, she supported teachers as an instructional coach and curriculum lead. As a former Fellow in Laos, she led nationwide teacher‑training initiatives and created a Medical English workshop for doctors by observing hospital rounds and designing tasks rooted in real clinical communication. Her work in Nepal continues her commitment to building teacher capacity and fostering positive connections with the United States.
Adrienne Johnson – From Missouri, Adrienne Johnson brings more than two decades of TESOL expertise to her role as Full Professor at Missouri Western State University. An Alumni Ambassador and English Language Specialist, she has led projects in Egypt, Taiwan, Kuwait, and Türkiye, training teachers of young English learners in content‑based instruction and active learning methodologies. Johnson’s work has ranged from mentoring educators in Egypt to designing STEM‑focused workshops in Taiwan and virtual teacher training in Kuwait. Her global collaborations enrich her teaching in Missouri, where she prepares future educators and strengthens cross‑cultural connections through English language education.
DJ Kaiser – A leader in TESOL innovation, DJ Kaiser serves as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he has directed the TESOL program since 2011. His English Language Specialist projects in Honduras and Brazil advanced teacher training and inspired new approaches to pronunciation instruction. Most recently, Kaiser delivered keynote talks on artificial intelligence in language teaching at the UNAH English Teachers’ Conference, highlighting both opportunities and challenges of AI in ESL/EFL classrooms. A Fulbright Scholar to Uruguay, he continues to expand global English education while mentoring educators and integrating emerging technologies into cross‑cultural learning.
Kansas Alumni
Josh Gaston — Josh Gaston, an instructional designer at the University of Kansas, brings extensive experience as an English language instructor, teacher trainer, and curriculum developer. During his English Language Fellow project in Uzbekistan, he trained teachers, revised courses, and organized a national English‑language teaching symposium that drew more than 100 participants. After his Fellowship, he served as curriculum developer, coordinator, and lead instructor for the U.S. Embassy–sponsored English for Professionals in Mass Media (EPMM) program, supporting journalists in strengthening advanced communication skills. He also led nationwide virtual workshops on active learning, writing, and educational technology that reached more than 1,200 teachers. Today, Gaston applies his instructional design expertise to support faculty across disciplines—including civil engineering, political science, and educational leadership—in developing effective synchronous and asynchronous courses.
Cary Chappell – Alabama native Cary Chappell launched a lasting academic exchange between his host institution in Indonesia and Kansas State University following his English Language Fellowship at Tanjungpura University in Pontianak. During his fellowship, he taught speaking, phonology, and cross‑cultural communication while building deep ties with colleagues and the local community. Inspired by those connections, Chappell has returned to Pontianak nearly every year, fostering collaboration between UNTAN and Kansas State in fields such as TEFL and anthropology. His efforts have included faculty exchanges, joint research, and student projects, advancing intercultural understanding and strengthening U.S.–Indonesia educational partnerships that continue to grow today.
Patrick Russell – Patrick Russell of Wamego, Kansas, has over 20 years of ESL/EFL experience, teaching learners from Taiwanese kindergartners to Ivy League PhD students. He currently serves as an online academic advisor at Pace University. As a Virtual English Language Educator, Russell designed a 44‑hour course for the Colegio de Periodistas del Perú, strengthening journalists’ communicative English skills for reporting and international engagement. His interactive approach fostered cultural exchange, with participants sharing traditions, cuisine, and regional identities. Russell often connected these discussions to his own life in Kansas, where he contributes to his family’s agricultural operations and helps care for a farm with 64 cows.
Nebraska Alumni
Crystal Bock Thiessen – Dr. Crystal Bock Thiessen is an ESL instructor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has been a part of English Language Programs beginning in 2011 with her Fellow assignment in Ukraine and continuing with Specialist projects in Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Pakistan, Vietnam, and most recently, Egypt. Her teaching and scholarship expertise has focused on integrating photography, video, AI, and emerging technologies in English language education and in teacher training. In 2021-2024, she co‑led Specialist projects in Vietnam with Kansas‑based Specialist Summer Peixoto. Their project, Project‑Based Learning in the Age of AI in Vietnam, trained teachers and included presentations at VietTESOL on integrating PBL with AI‑enhanced learning. Her current Specialist project in Egypt advances teacher development and youth language access nationwide, strengthening U.S.–Egypt educational cooperation.
Draper Kirke – Draper Kirke, from Nebraska, is an experienced teacher and trainer with a strong background in TESOL and educational technology. He has integrated technology and intercultural communication into classrooms worldwide. As an English Language Fellow in Lublin, Poland, Kirke led the “Discover America” workshop series at the American Corner, engaging 360 secondary students and teachers in topics ranging from national parks to American food. Through creative activities and cultural exchange, he strengthened English skills while fostering democratic values and cross‑cultural understanding, contributing to the U.S.–Poland partnership and inspiring the next generation of leaders.
South Dakota Alumni
Betsy Divine – Born and raised in South Dakota, Virtual English Language Educator Betsy Divine led a three‑month course for engineers at Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. Her program, ESP Communication and Writing for Civil Servants, featured bi‑weekly sessions that strengthened professional English skills for writing, presentations, and international engagement. Engineers practiced scenario‑based roleplays—navigating airports, restaurants, and transportation—enhanced by creative use of virtual backgrounds, props, and humor. Divine also emphasized technical vocabulary for water management and data analysis, guiding participants in presenting charts and describing trends. Her learner‑centered approach built cross‑cultural competencies and advanced U.S.–Egypt collaboration in addressing water challenges.
Charity Stahl – Virtual English Language Fellow Charity Stahl expanded her global reach from her rural South Dakota homebase to classrooms across Kazakhstan and Central Asia. From 2020–2021, she taught 385 learners through Yessenov University, the Access Program, and Paralympic English classes, with students joining from nine Kazakh cities as well as Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Stahl strengthened communication skills for academic, social, and international contexts—guiding Paralympians preparing for Japan, leading scenario‑based practice, and introducing volunteerism during Summer Access Camp. Her virtual fellowship demonstrated how meaningful connections and far‑reaching impact are possible even during a global pandemic, inspiring her continued commitment to global education.
North Dakota Alumni
Michelle Lange – With a B.A. from North Dakota State University and an M.A. in Instruction from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, Virtual English Language Educator Michelle Lange led an eight‑week virtual Business English microcredential course for 20 advanced students in Türkiye. Through the Izmir University of Economics Power Path Micro‑Credentials Program, she helped learners build professional communication and workplace readiness skills for competitive internships and future careers. Her project‑based curriculum—from STAR‑method interview practice to a project‑management unit where students designed internal company initiatives—immersed participants in practical, real‑world tasks. Using Padlet and breakout rooms, students collaborated, applied prior experience, and stepped into leadership roles, demonstrating how effectively job‑ready training can thrive in a virtual environment.
Anne Walker – Dr. Anne Walker served more than nineteen years at the University of North Dakota as a professor and Associate Dean before joining Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. As an English Language Specialist in Saudi Arabia in 2017, she conducted intensive professional development workshops for teachers and supervisors from rural regions, focusing on student‑centered instruction, classroom engagement strategies, and technology‑supported teaching aligned with national reform priorities. In 2021, she led an American English webinar on effective vocabulary instruction, offering practical, research‑informed techniques for teachers worldwide. In 2022, Walker delivered virtual keynote and workshop sessions for English teachers in Russia on strengthening young‑learner instruction through authentic literature and digital learning approaches, reaching more than 160 educators and supporting practical classroom implementation.
Minnesota Alumni
Linda Lorenz – Linda Lorenz, from Minnesota, is the daughter of a U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran and brings 24 years of K–12 teaching experience—primarily focused on English Language Learners—to her English Language Fellow project in Mexico City. She is leading a major national initiative to prepare security, stadium, and civil protection personnel for the 2026 World Cup, delivering up to 200 hours of English for Specific Purposes training to hundreds of participants across Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara. Her work strengthens listening and speaking skills for real‑world, high‑stakes scenarios and includes a Virtual Educator component that expands access and continuity of learning. By improving English proficiency among Mexico’s security workforce, Lorenz supports cross‑border collaboration, enhances communication with American visitors, and contributes to a safer, more welcoming global sporting event.
Maureen Smith Martindale – Maureen Smith Martindale, from St. Paul, Minnesota, taught English in Minneapolis Public Schools for more than 12 years before bringing her journalism expertise into international classrooms. A former reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and widely published writer, she also taught journalism and mass media at the university level. As a Virtual Educator in Belarus, Martindale designed intensive English courses for journalists and media professionals, focusing on four skills and ESP journalism. Through targeted readings, vocabulary development, and discussions on topics such as data journalism and artificial intelligence, she strengthened participants’ English proficiency while supporting Belarusian independent media as a voice to report objectively. Her work also increased the number of journalists using English‑language reference articles to diversify their sources and continue higher‑level study.
