Ben Whitmore

Who’s the dapper fellow with the spring in his step and a twinkle in his eye? It’s Ben, SCEL’s Beginner class instructor! On any given day, you’ll see Ben working patiently and diligently with novice students, all while sporting a grin behind his fashionable beard. Ben especially enjoys sharing new vocabulary and insight into American culture. Outside of the classroom, you might spot Ben rattling the ivories with his band or sweating it out on his home farm with his lovely wife and son close by.

Neal Hallgarth

Neal Hallgarth is a teacher here at SCEL who is a nerdy kind of guy. His love affair with the English language began with comic books, and he has never looked back. He still loves to read and loves to play video games. In fact, when he was younger, Neal was a video game tester for Nintendo, where he tested the classic video game The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time. Neal brings a solid background in literature and a beautiful smile to SCEL, as well as a great pair of aviator sunglasses.

Carey Jackson

ESL Teacher by way of Gonzaga by way of Korea by way of Ballet, Carey Jackson is a nimble dancer, bold globetrotter, staid student, and stalwart educationalist. Having lived, traveled, and studied along the Pacific Coast, she has called Alaska, California, and Washington State home. Carey is also a proud graduate of Scripps College where she majored in English Literature with Honors. Her panache for fashion is exceeded only by her dedication for imparting English instruction. Her penchance for wit, springing from a font of ready knowledge, elucidates, illuminates, educates, entertains, and amuses both students and co-workers.

Nicole O'Brien

From New Mexico to Japan and finally Spokane, Nicole O'Brien has been teaching her way through the world. With an energetic teaching style, a love for cats and a very cute sneeze, Mrs. O'Brien will be a teacher you never forget. Displaying skills she learned while studying one of her two master degrees, Nicole will be the captain of your SCEL English 110 ship. When Nicole isn’t educating the world with her amazing grammar and pronunciation skills, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their cats watching cartoons and science fiction. Don’t worry if you are in her class, Nicole’s passion to teach will assist you with any problems in your English and help you continue your goal of mastering the language.

Tera Ray

Tera Ray is the epitome of an ESL professor. A Spokanite local, Tera has traveled the globe, including Mexico, Spain, Morocco, Argentina, Russia, Finland, and Uruguay. Recently, she spent a month teaching in Russia. It is quite possible to see Ms. Ray riding her bike around Spokane (saving the Earth!), with her recently adopted dog, Dash, along for the ride. Earning her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Washington State University and her Master of Arts in English (Teaching English as a Second Language) from Eastern Washington University, she truly is a master. She loves being outdoors and running, but she can be found tsking (utter `tsk,' `tut,' or `tut-tut,' as in disapproval) students who are late to class. If one (me) had to compare her to an American iconic hero, one (me) would compare her to Molly Shannon in the blockbuster film Superstar and nominate her SCEL’s cheerleader.

Shannon Genzone

Shannon Genzone was born in Alabama, although she spent most of her childhood in California, soaking up the sun and living the good life. She graduated from Paso Robles High School and continued her education at Whitworth University in beautiful Spokane, Washington, studying Writing and Literature, with an emphasis in Early and Medieval Studies. After completing two BAs at Whitworth, Shannon went on to pursue her Masters of English Literature at Eastern Washington University, where she taught college composition and also earned a Certificate in the Teaching of Writing. She's a big fan of Beowulf and is also known for her love of vocabulary. If you need a quirky word of the day, Shannon's your gal. When she's not at school teaching, rocking out to top 40s, encouraging her staff and students with jokes, or otherwise holding down the fort, she enjoys spending time with her son Dominic, a creative paper artist who is all around smarter than your average bear.

Scott Michel

An avid reader before the age of five, Scott was reading tomes like Huckleberry Finn and The Lord of the Rings in third grade. Originally from Waupaca, Wisconsin, Scott earned his B.A. in English Studies at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing with a focus on fiction at Eastern Washington University. Scott has worked for two literary journals: the Wisconsin Review at UW Oshkosh and Willow Springs at EWU. He also has written two—as of yet—unpublished novels. Steeped in English from a native speaker and creative writer’s point of view, Scott says that teaching ESL forces him to think about his own language in new and different ways, providing him with a fresh perspective on the English language. Being able to meet and learn about learn about people from vastly different cultures is another reason Scott enjoys his job. Aside from being a lover of words, Scott is a die-hard Green Bay Packers fan and placed fifth in the nation as an All-American Sprinter in the 400-meter dash while at university. Scott lives with his wife Rebecca (who is 6’4”) and is currently in the process of adopting a kitten.