Our teachers are highly-qualified professionals with master’s degrees in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, or a related field. In addition, they have experience in teaching young students with limited English proficiency and their goal is to help students feel comfortable speaking in English and understanding a new culture.
Our staff has an average of 15 years experience working at the former UC Berkeley Extension English Language Program (ELP) and they bring great dedication and enthusiasm to the new English Studies Institute.
Mimi Ritzema, M.A., Academic Director Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mimi received a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Michigan and an M.A. in language studies and certificates in teaching of composition and adult education from San Francisco State University. She has taught English composition and EFL for over 12 years. She was the Academic Director at the English Language Program for over 15 years. She has lived as an exchange student in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has taught English in Ecuador, Nepal, and Japan, and participated in linguistic research in India and Mexico. Her hobbies include skiing, sailing, backpacking, ceramic sculpture and jewelry design.
Chris Carlisle, B.A., Administrative Manager Chris was born and raised in northern New York state. He studied for a year in France and Spain and taught English for two years with the Peace Corps in Poland. Chris was program assistant at the UC Berkeley Extension English Language Program (ELP) for eight years, prior to its closing. During that time, he traveled to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Egypt, Tunisia, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy. In addition to travel, he likes to play most sports and his interests include politics and metaphysics.
Bonu Ghosh, M.A.
Marketing Director, Instructor, Teacher-trainer
Bonu Ghosh got her B.A. in Cultural Anthropology at UC Berkeley and her M.A. in TESL/TEFL at San Francisco State University. At ESI her main focus is on marketing and communication with overseeas representatives and clients. She also helps in course coordination, teacher supervision/training, and oversight of courses. She has been an ESL instructor and Teacher Trainer since 1990. She was a full-time instructor for the English Language Program for over 10 years, specializing in oral communication, accent reduction, business English and TOEFL preparation.
Stephen Dalton, M.A. An 8 year veteran of UC Berkeley Extension ELP, Steve has taught Spanish, African-American Culture, U.S. History, and Latin American History at the collegiate level. He is recently earned an M.A. in TESOL at San Francisco State University. He enjoys bicycling, yoga, swimming, and discussing culture and politics. He also likes to travel and has visited former ESI students in Brazil, Taiwan, and Japan
Sarah MacKay Lynch, M.A. Sarah is a native of Berkeley, California. She received her B.A. in Political Science at UC Berkeley with a focus on Southeast Asian studies and has completed her M.A. TESOL coursework at the School for International Studies (SIT) in Brattleboro, Vermont. Sarah is an experienced ESL/EFL instructor, and has taught in Thailand, Mexico and in the English Language Program’s short courses. She enjoys hiking, traveling, and sharing tea and conversation with international visitors.
Geoff Reinhard, M.A. Geoff was born in Washington, D.C. He received a B.A. in European languages and literature from Princeton University, an M.A. in South Asian Studies from the University of Illinois, and an M.A. in teaching English as a Second Language from San Francisco State University. In addition, he has studied at the Sorbonne and Benaras Hindu University and has done doctoral course work in Asian Studies at UC Berkeley. He has also studied acting and theater arts for many years. He likes teaching all aspects of English, especially listening and speaking skills and accent correction. He has traveled extensively, teaching in France, Sweden, Greece, India, and Morocco (where he served in the Peace Corps.) Geoff’s many interests include literature, languages, theatre and finance.
Melody Noll, M.A. A core ESI instructor, Melody has taught at ESI since its start in 2004. Formerly she taught at the English Language Program for many years as well. Melody is a Teacher Trainer and a pronunciation specialist and consultant as well. Melody has lived abroad and taught English in France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Czech Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Hong Kong. Her hobbies include ballroom dancing, singing and photography.
Jim Seger, M.A. Jim was born in Oakland, California. He has a B.A. in English from Stanford University and an M.A. in English from the University of California at Berkeley. He has taught in the Ivory Coast with the Peace Corps, in France at the National Center for Scientific Research, in Russia.. He was a founding teacher of the English Language Program and is a very well liked and popular instructor in the classroom. His interests include trips abroad, skiing, swimming, magazines and movies.
Cynthia Pike, M.A. Cynthia was born in Bethesda, Maryland and grew up in Maryland and California. She received her B.A. in Geography from San Francisco State University and her M.A. in TESL from Cal State Hayward. Cynthia has extensive experience teaching short courses for 16 years at the English Language Program. A talented and dedicated instructor, Cynthia is very familiar with the Communication Skills course content.
Veronika Fukson, M.A., M.S.W. Veronika received her B.A. in German Literature and International Relations from Wells College and an M.A. in Germanic Languages and Literature from the University of Colorado. She has completed a doctoral course in German Literature and Linguistics at UC/Berkeley. She also holds an M.S.W. from San Francisco State University. Veronika was a member of the faculty of the American University of Beirut, Lebanon and taught at several schools in Hungary and the Balkans. She taught composition at UCB before joining the English Language Program. She likes teaching writing and speaking skills and enjoys her time with her students.
Stephen Donwerth, M.A. A 13 year veteran of UC Berkeley Extension ELP, and a very popular teacher at ESI, Stephen has taught all the main courses as well as content based courses in American history, art history and literature. He earned an M.A. in TESOL at San Francisco State University. He enjoys collecting Native American Art and lecturing on Native American Culture of the Southwest. He also likes to travel, read and has lived and taught English in Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Washington DC, and Arlington Virginia to name a few.
Rosemary Loughman, M.A. Rosemary is a native San Franciscan. She has a B.A. from the University of Detroit an M.A. from Georgetown University, and has done German studies at the University of Munich in Germany. She has taught far and wide, from Michigan to Munich, and from the American Univeristy in Washington DC to UC Berkeley. She is interested in exchanging information on the values of different cultures. Mother of a son, Gregory, her hobbies include traveling and experience the outdoors.
Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mimi received a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Michigan and an M.A. in language studies and certificates in teaching of composition and adult education from San Francisco State University. She has taught English composition and EFL for over 12 years. She was the Academic Director at the English Language Program for over 15 years. She has lived as an exchange student in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has taught English in Ecuador, Nepal, and Japan, and participated in linguistic research in India and Mexico. Her hobbies include skiing, sailing, backpacking, ceramic sculpture and jewelry design.
Chris was born and raised in northern New York state. He studied for a year in France and Spain and taught English for two years with the Peace Corps in Poland. Chris was program assistant at the UC Berkeley Extension English Language Program (ELP) for eight years, prior to its closing. During that time, he traveled to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Egypt, Tunisia, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy. In addition to travel, he likes to play most sports and his interests include politics and metaphysics.
Bonu Ghosh got her B.A. in Cultural Anthropology at UC Berkeley and her M.A. in TESL/TEFL at San Francisco State University. At ESI her main focus is on marketing and communication with overseeas representatives and clients. She also helps in course coordination, teacher supervision/training, and oversight of courses. She has been an ESL instructor and Teacher Trainer since 1990. She was a full-time instructor for the English Language Program for over 10 years, specializing in oral communication, accent reduction, business English and TOEFL preparation.
An 8 year veteran of UC Berkeley Extension ELP, Steve has taught Spanish, African-American Culture, U.S. History, and Latin American History at the collegiate level. He is recently earned an M.A. in TESOL at San Francisco State University. He enjoys bicycling, yoga, swimming, and discussing culture and politics. He also likes to travel and has visited former ESI students in Brazil, Taiwan, and Japan
Sarah is a native of Berkeley, California. She received her B.A. in Political Science at UC Berkeley with a focus on Southeast Asian studies and has completed her M.A. TESOL coursework at the School for International Studies (SIT) in Brattleboro, Vermont. Sarah is an experienced ESL/EFL instructor, and has taught in Thailand, Mexico and in the English Language Program’s short courses. She enjoys hiking, traveling, and sharing tea and conversation with international visitors.
Geoff was born in Washington, D.C. He received a B.A. in European languages and literature from Princeton University, an M.A. in South Asian Studies from the University of Illinois, and an M.A. in teaching English as a Second Language from San Francisco State University. In addition, he has studied at the Sorbonne and Benaras Hindu University and has done doctoral course work in Asian Studies at UC Berkeley. He has also studied acting and theater arts for many years. He likes teaching all aspects of English, especially listening and speaking skills and accent correction. He has traveled extensively, teaching in France, Sweden, Greece, India, and Morocco (where he served in the Peace Corps.) Geoff’s many interests include literature, languages, theatre and finance.
A core ESI instructor, Melody has taught at ESI since its start in 2004. Formerly she taught at the English Language Program for many years as well. Melody is a Teacher Trainer and a pronunciation specialist and consultant as well. Melody has lived abroad and taught English in France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Czech Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Hong Kong. Her hobbies include ballroom dancing, singing and photography. 
Jim was born in Oakland, California. He has a B.A. in English from Stanford University and an M.A. in English from the University of California at Berkeley. He has taught in the Ivory Coast with the Peace Corps, in France at the National Center for Scientific Research, in Russia.. He was a founding teacher of the English Language Program and is a very well liked and popular instructor in the classroom. His interests include trips abroad, skiing, swimming, magazines and movies.
Cynthia was born in Bethesda, Maryland and grew up in Maryland and California. She received her B.A. in Geography from San Francisco State University and her M.A. in TESL from Cal State Hayward. Cynthia has extensive experience teaching short courses for 16 years at the English Language Program. A talented and dedicated instructor, Cynthia is very familiar with the Communication Skills course content.
Veronika received her B.A. in German Literature and International Relations from Wells College and an M.A. in Germanic Languages and Literature from the University of Colorado. She has completed a doctoral course in German Literature and Linguistics at UC/Berkeley. She also holds an M.S.W. from San Francisco State University. Veronika was a member of the faculty of the American University of Beirut, Lebanon and taught at several schools in Hungary and the Balkans. She taught composition at UCB before joining the English Language Program. She likes teaching writing and speaking skills and enjoys her time with her students.
A 13 year veteran of UC Berkeley Extension ELP, and a very popular teacher at ESI, Stephen has taught all the main courses as well as content based courses in American history, art history and literature. He earned an M.A. in TESOL at San Francisco State University. He enjoys collecting Native American Art and lecturing on Native American Culture of the Southwest. He also likes to travel, read and has lived and taught English in Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Washington DC, and Arlington Virginia to name a few.
Rosemary is a native San Franciscan. She has a B.A. from the University of Detroit an M.A. from Georgetown University, and has done German studies at the University of Munich in Germany. She has taught far and wide, from Michigan to Munich, and from the American Univeristy in Washington DC to UC Berkeley. She is interested in exchanging information on the values of different cultures. Mother of a son, Gregory, her hobbies include traveling and experience the outdoors.