I’m passionate about guiding a client through the process of transforming his or her accent. Working with people from around the world, from doctors, dentists, engineers, geologists, inventors, broadcasters, designers to C-Suite executives, is fascinating. Finding just the right technique to help a client make a transformative breakthrough is fun. Client results, often life-changing, are gratifying and rewarding.

Here's my experience.

My clients sound better after working with me. They speak English conversationally, with more confidence and ease. They understand how to fix the mistakes they were making and integrate new pronunciation habits. Their accent no longer holds them back from fully expressing themselves in English. They're able to contribute more confidently and powerfully in meetings and in presentations. Connecting with others socially becomes easier and more enjoyable. They're happy they chose to work with an experienced professional rather than relying on untrained friends, self-study programs, or YouTube. They are thrilled with the positive changes they experience in developing connections with other English speakers in their daily lives.

Here's how I developed my expertise and created my systematic approach to accent reduction.

After adventures in language learning, living, and traveling in Europe and the Middle East, I ended up with a B.A. in Business and French from Michigan State University, a Certificate in French Language and Culture from the Sorbonne, and a Master’s in Teaching English as a Second Language from San Francisco State University. I’ve loved teaching all aspects of ESL but have always been particularly fascinated by teaching pronunciation. 

Along with my theoretical, pedagogical, and linguistic training, my expertise comes from the breadth and depth of my decades of experience teaching speakers from a wide variety of languages. What sets me apart from other coaches is a form of sensitivity that allows me to hear subtle nuances of accent, quickly find just the right technique to create change, and explain it so the student can make and integrate important new articulation habits.

I provide honest, detailed feedback in a kind and respectful manner. I've designed my own systematic approach to accent work and have created my own materials that target the specific challenges faced by speakers of a variety of languages.

I’ve transformed the English of students from around the world, from teens to senior citizens, pure beginners to advanced students, refugees to government officials. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, CEOs, management consultants, and clergy. Designers, actors, artists, animators, a glaciologist, and even an FBI agent. I was a technology trainer and coordinator at Cornell University, which informs my work with clients in the tech world.

I taught at Cornell University, at an adult education program in Ithaca, NY, and at the American Language Center in Rabat, Morocco. I was also the private tutor of the Moroccan Minister of Commerce and Industry.  I learned enough Arabic to be able to bargain “better than a Berber princess,” as I was once told while bargaining in Marrakesh.

In San Francisco, I was an English for Arts Purposes instructor and ESL Support Instructor at Academy of Art University (AAU) for 11 years. Supporting international students by attending their art and design courses with them taught me industry jargon and practices in every field of design, which has informed the coaching of my many designer clients. I incorporate acting and improv training in lessons. I also developed media skills in broadcasting classes as I trained international grad students to speak clearly and expressively on camera. Examples of how I apply these media skills include coaching a tech company founder to present a keynote address, preparing tech inventors to testify in a patent infringement trial, and transforming the accents of broadcasters.

For 10 years, I taught the popular Refining Pronunciation class for San Francisco State University's College of Extended Learning. For 2 years, I taught a popular Pronunciation class at Las Positas College in Livermore, CA.

I've trained ESL faculty in Morocco and at AAU in my techniques for teaching pronunciation. 

My customized workplace accent class clients include fuseproject, Net Power and Light, California College of the Arts. Current and former private clients from the tech world are from Apple, Google, Facebook, Salesforce, Intel, LinkedIn, Twitch, OVHCloud, SAP, Stripe, Okta, Airbyte, Invasivecode, Twilio, Autodesk, Airbnb, among others. Design clients are from BoxClever, Gracenote, 17seconds, Ripple. Management and financial consultant clients are from Mercer, McKinsey, Deloitte, Korn Ferry, PwC, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo. Media clients are from Telemundo and ARD (German public radio).

Academic, medical, non-profit, and government clients are from Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley, University of California-San Francisco, Fort Mason, Canal Alliance, the United Methodist Church, the U.S. Senate, and the White House.

Information about client results and how I work can be found on the FAQs page. Click here to check out Testimonials and listen to before-and-after student Speech Samples here.

Let's set up a time to discuss working together. I'd love to help you transform your English.