“Leaders become great not because of their power but, because of their ability to empower others.”
— John Maxwell
Dr. Natalie Mullen Leisher is the director of the Institute for Cross-Cultural Training where she works with Christian non-profits…
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
— Proverbs 15:22
“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.”
— William Pollard
Riley Finn runs the social media for TESOL Ministry, displaying public services and increasing outreach. She loves using digital platforms…
Joanna comes to the Board with a 25+ year history of leadership in the biopharma industry and as a former board member for several private non-profit charities. During her professional career, she has held clinical compliance roles of increasing responsibility for large companies such as Amgen and Genentech, as well as smaller companies such as Allogene Therapeutics and Halozyme. She currently owns and operates her own consulting firm, Statmetrics LLC, in partnership with her husband, David. In addition to professional positions, Joanna has been a valued board of directors’ member for patient advocacy charities such as the Center for Bioethics and Culture, Landon Pediatric Foundation and, was a founding board member for the local Conejo Valley chapter of the JDRF.
Joanna completed her bachelors in biological science from the University of California at Irvine and her Master’s in Public Health, with a focus on health services, from the University of California in Los Angeles. She also completed coursework in Spanish literature through the Universidad de Granada, in Spain.
Joanna and her husband David attend Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Encinitas, CA. Living in a highly diverse area in Southern California, they are strong supporters of global missions and recognize the importance ESL in furthering the mission of Jesus by “loving your neighbors”. She considers it a privilege to serve on the inaugural board of TESOL Ministry.
Dr. Natalie Mullen Leisher is the director of the Institute for Cross-Cultural Training where she works with Christian non-profits and their workers who are learning and teaching languages all around the world. She was an ESL teacher to adults in university settings for over 10 years, specializing in listening, speaking, and pronunciation, and has lived and served in China and Spain. Her doctorate is in Education Policy and her research interests include language policy, multilingual populations, language justice and inclusion, internationalization of higher education, and second language acquisition.
Lilian Choy is a Programs Coordinator in a regional government agency in Los Angeles, California that serves multicultural and multilingual families. Her primary responsibilities include procurement and grant development, contract management, intergovernmental cooperation, and emergency management. She holds a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning. Lilian also serves as Coordinator for her Community Bible Study class.
Jasper Harris is a Sr. Manager at Blue Cross Shield of North Carolina where he leads a team that facilitates healthcare transformation. He has worked in the healthcare industry for 20 years designing hospital system quality incentive programs aimed at improving patient care coordination, health outcomes, patient experience, and health equity. Jasper holds a bachelor’s degree in Biostatistics and master’s degree in Health Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Lastly, Jasper has a passion for refugee ministry. He has served with World Relief and local churches for 4 years helping families from Myanmar settle in the community.
Billy has an M.Div. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) and an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Alabama. Billy serves as an adjunct instructor at in the ESL certificate program at SEBTS. He has taught ESL for Westminster Theological Seminary in the Mastering Theological English Program, for North Carolina State University in the Intensive English Program, and for Messiah University in the TESOL certificate program. Billy and his wife, Mary Jo, and their three children, lived in Taipei, Taiwan for nine years, where he served at Overseas Radio & Television, Inc., a Christian media ministry.
Burdened by the reality that academic resources and expertise often remain out of reach for many volunteer ESL programs, ministries and individual tutors, Shannon Mann started TESOL Ministry in 2022 with the aim of bridging this gap by fostering partnerships to provide high-quality resources and training for community based ESL programs. Under her leadership, TESOL Ministry works with a variety of partners to enhance these vital ESL/EFL programs, improving communication and cultivating stronger, more vibrant communities. With an unwavering commitment to innovative teaching strategies and a passion for engaging diverse learners, Shannon works to empower and equip volunteer educators around the world with online resources, workshops, and collaborative projects. In addition to leading TESOL Ministry, she is currently serving as the Facilitator for CELEA’s Community-based ESL Group. She teaches ESL at Durham Technical Community College and in the TESL Certificate Program at Judson College and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Riley Finn runs the social media for TESOL Ministry, displaying public services and increasing outreach. She loves using digital platforms to find new volunteers such as herself for service projects and spread TESOL Ministry’s values online.
