Speaker Bios

Rose Huynh is graduating with an M.A. in Composition from San Francisco State University. As a Graduate Teaching Associate, she implemented a teaching philosophy that values flexibility, kindness, collaboration, critical thinking, and student-centered learning. To help students become informed participants in a democracy, her curriculum is inspired by her research about the promotion of students’ media literacy. After graduation, she wants to teach composition at a community college and continue her exploration of media literacy.

Golsanam (Sanam) Compani is a devoted English teacher pursuing her master's degree in TESOL at SFSU. She also holds a master's degree in Linguistics from Iran, with a focus on ancient languages. She is a translator of children's books and a co-author of several university English textbooks. With 22 years of experience, she has served as a general English instructor and an English lecturer, specializing in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in Tourism and Hospitality management. Her current research investigates the effects of oral corrective feedback, feedback engagement, and other factors on willingness to communicate (WTC) in English learners.

Yuka Higashino completed her MA in Japanese Pedagogy at Columbia University in NY and is currently completing her second MA in Linguistics at San Francisco State University. She was a Teacher’s Associate at Columbia University and a former tutor at City College of San Francisco. Her research interests are language education, how language affects society, and Japanese short poetry. Her poetry has been published in Asahikadan 2020 and 2021. She is presenting her capstone research on how memes in Japanese TV influence Japanese language learning at both CATJ30 in April 2024 and the SFSU MA English conference in May

Isabella Billik is graduating with her MA in English Composition at San Francisco State University where she received her BA in Communication Studies. She currently teaches one-on-one English courses to middle and high school students at Lydian Academy. In her current role, she develops individualized Language Arts curriculum for students with learning disabilities. This work inspired her graduate focus on radically inclusive curriculum for the First Year Composition classroom. She is a passionate advocate for students who have been traditionally marginalized within the education system. 

Andrea Martín is graduating with her MA in TESOL and currently works as a substitute teacher for the San Francisco Unified School District. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a BA in Mass Communications, focusing on magazine journalism. Her graduate work explores English for Specific Contexts, including a curriculum for professional athletes learning English. As a first-generation Cuban American, Martín is fascinated with baseball as a cross-cultural community. Martín hopes to work as an ESL teacher for the MLB upon graduating. This semester, Martín was awarded the Grant Family Pathways to MA TESOL Award.

Julia Stahura is graduating with an MA in Linguistics from San Francisco State University. She received her BA in Applied Linguistics and Multilingualism from UC Santa Cruz where she became interested in the relationship between language and the mind. Her graduate work explores the conceptual frameworks and semantic inferences that create the concept of gender. She is interested in the bidirectional relationship between language and reality; how language and reality co-construct each other.

Jacqueline Cao, a first-generation college student, is finishing her master’s degree in Composition at San Francisco State University (SFSU) where she also completed her undergraduate degree in Linguistics and a Certificate in Postsecondary Reading. This year she has taught a Composition course Graduate Teaching Associate at SFSU. Previously at 10,000 Degrees, a non-profit organization that supports first-generation college students, she mentored low-income students in several areas related to college access. For her culminating experience project, she will address compassionate and sensitive approaches to teaching first-generation college students.

Hui Yu Wu (Hana) is a seasoned TESOL educator with 23 years of teaching experience, currently completing her second master’s degree in TESOL at SFSU, awarded the TESOL Convention Scholarship and TESOL Legacy Fellowship. Before teaching in the USA, she was a university lecturer and managed her own language school in Taipei, while pursuing doctoral studies. Her pedagogy emphasizes scaffolded and student-centered instruction, with a research focus on improving L2 learners’ academic reading and writing skills through intertextuality. This reflects her dedication to developing L2 learners’ literacy with her assistance, students’ efforts and increased resilience through student-teacher collaboration.

May Reese is completing her master’s degree in linguistics at San Francisco State University, where she also received her bachelor’s degree in comparative literature. She currently lives in Japan where she is working with a small town on curriculum development and community outreach to improve English education. Her primary academic research is in computational linguistics on Large Language Model benchmark tests adapted for non-English languages, particularly Japanese. Other areas of interest include syntax, phonology, Japanese linguistics, and language education.

Lorry Guastalla is a graduate student pursuing an MA in TESOL at San Francisco State University. Her experience working in nonprofits abroad and in the SF bay area has helped emphasize the importance of building community in the classroom. More importantly, her narrative as an American-born daughter of a Khmer Rouge survivor enables her to build a transformative learning environment where language learners can integrate the complex dimensions of their linguistic, psycho-social, and cultural identities. Her interests include digital storytelling and project and narrative-based instruction that promote social justice and transformative learning.

Molly Downs is graduating with an M.A. in Linguistics and a Graduate Certificate in Computational Linguistics. Throughout her master’s program, she’s developed a keen interest in the relationship between language and cognition. Her current research focuses on the semantics of modals and investigates their roles in expressing hypothetical situations. With a background as an ESL instructor, she’s interested in integrating Cognitive Linguistic theory into language teaching and NLP research. 

Ryan Offield is graduating with an MA in Composition and is a seasoned high school teacher with ten years of experience working with seniors. His passion for poetry and satire has led him to invite as many students as possible to participate in academia through training in collegiate writing and reading. A coach, club moderator, ed tech expert, and conference speaker, he has experience in many facets of the education community and seeks through engendering inclusion, inquiry, and reflection to contribute to the expansion of academia

Bobby Nawbary is a devoted and enthusiastic English language and Literacy teacher currently finishing a master’s degree in TESOL at San Francisco State University. His professional experience includes working with culturally diverse communities in the Bay Area. His interests have led him to work and volunteer in various international positions ranging from State department cultural exchanges, International Student Internships, and various nonprofits. With his love for Languages he hopes to use his various language proficiencies to teach globally and help students become lifelong language learners.

Jennifer Guerrero Sandoval is currently a TASC Tutor at San Francisco State, where she helps multilingual students with their courses, assignments, and projects. She is also a devoted student finishing her MA TESOL degree. She has seven years of tutoring experience, including working with community college students and as a  literacy coach for the  Project SHINE program. At Project SHINE, she helped City College of San Francisco students practice their English and assist in groups.  Her current research interest focuses on the inclusion of graphic novels and cartoon media in the ESL classroom.

Kevin Young is completing his MA in Composition at SFSU. He currently teaches English and ELD at a San Fransico middle school, blending digital literacy with traditional teaching to enhance student engagement. His research focuses on digital literacy integration in first-year composition. He aims to revolutionize English composition by incorporating pedagogical strategies and multiliteracies, underscoring his commitment to a classroom where technology elevates student voices and facilitates a deeper understanding of language's power and potential.

Manpreet Kaur Manpreet Kaur is graduating from SFSU with an M.A. in Composition. She completed her BA in Sociology at Fresno State and works as a Suicide Prevention Specialist in the Central Valley Suicide Prevention Hotline. She intends to use this background to teach in a community college classroom centered around students’ experiences. She hopes to teach a class including critical thinking, reflection, and to explore their power of expression.

Saramanda Swigart is a Sally Casanova scholar who teaches English literature, composition, and rhetoric at the College of San Mateo. She begins a PhD program at UCSC in the fall in the Film and Digital Media department. Her graduate work investigates video games as relics of culture and the problematics of the artform as seen through various literary lenses.

Andrea Cruz is a MA English Literature graduate student at San Francisco State University and is anticipating her graduation in May 2024. She received her bachelor’s degree in English Literature with a minor in Theatre Arts from San Francisco State in 2022. Her master’s thesis, “This House Is Not A Home: Navigating Latinx Women’s Survival in Mexico” explores the navigational route of Latinx women in the domestic space of home in the novels, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas. Inspired by her Chicana background, Andrea has a deep interest in the ways that the English discipline can integrate diverse literature into the course curriculum.

Sam Hyder is proudly a first gen community college transfer whose passion for education extends beyond the confines of the classroom. Currently pursuing a Master's Degree in English Literature & Certificates in Post-Secondary Reading and Composition Instruction from SFSU, Sam combines academic rigor with a genuine enthusiasm for creating meaningful contributions in educational settings. With a foundation in administrative support and tutoring, Sam prioritizes the holistic growth & empowerment of every individual. Forever fostering her skills in adaptability, cultural competence, and collaboration, Sam is dedicated to the democratization of information access and championing equity and social justice in the creation of inclusive spaces for learning.

Vero Jardeleza is a graduate student pursuing her M.A. in English Literature and Teaching Certificates in Composition and Post-Secondary Reading at SFSU, where she also earned her BA in Literature. She is also a former community college transfer and arrived here in the Spring of 2019. She currently works as a Reading and Writing / Embedded Tutor at TASC for almost two years, focusing on lower-division writing and First-Year Composition students. After graduating this semester, Vero hopes to return to her roots and teach composition at a community college, and even pursue her PhD in English Literature in the future.

Donna Fotoohi is completing her Masters in Comparative and World Literature at SFSU along with the Composition certificate. Her language focuses are English and Persian, and her research compares the significance of literary spaces in modern Iranian women's literature. She is an educator currently teaching at San Francisco State and hopes to continue to teach at community colleges local to the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Gurleen Babra is an MA Literatures student at San Francisco State University. She is also a middle school teacher of English Language Arts and Punjabi at The New Village School in Sausalito. Gurleen did her Masters and M.Phil. in English from Panjab University, India. Her research interest revolves around critical race theory, ethnic studies, and biopolitics. Her M.Phil. Dissertation was titled, “Revisiting Foucauldian Biopolitics: Roberto Esposito’s Concept of Immunization in Selected Dystopic Fiction.’ Her scholarly work has appeared in Contemporary Literature in English: Recent Perspectives (2018), Trends and Issues in Contemporary Literature (2016), New Horizons: A Multidisciplinary Research Journal (Volumes: XV and XIII).