West Valley College - English as a Second Language Department
Instructors
Gail Ann Barta
came to West Valley in 1991 and has been teaching ESL since 1974. Her interest in teaching and working with
people from other cultures has given her the opportunity to travel to various parts of the world, including
Europe, Africa, and Asia. She was a foreign student in France, a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia, and an ESL
instructor in Japan. Originally from the Chicago area, Gail's interests include traveling, cooking, movies,
and baseball. It is her fervent desire that the Cubs win the World Series in her lifetime. (408)741-2482;
Office LA 3e. |
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| Kathy Dang (408) 741-2045, x3387 |
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| Mary Ellen Farwell (408) 741-2045, x2053. ESL Skills Lab Coordinator |
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| Ty Khuu (408) 741-2045, x3440 |
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 Margarita Mitevska started teaching EFL in 1994 at a
private school for foreign languages in her native country, Bulgaria. She received her MA in English
Philology from Plovdiv University (Bulgaria) and her MA in TESOL from San Jose State University. She is
currently teaching at West Valley College and San Jose City College. Margarita enjoys reading and learning
about different cultures, walking, and spending time with her family and friends. She speaks Bulgarian,
Russian, and Italian. She has traveled in Russia, Austria, and Switzerland and hopes to travel more. (408)
741-2045, x3644 |
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| Katy Ordon (408) 741-2045, x3113 |
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 Sylvia Ortega has been teaching at West Valley
since 1997 and was recently hired as a new full-time instructor. She was born and raised in California by
immigrant parents from Michoacan, Mexico, where she lived and studied for over 2 years. She enjoys visiting
family and friends there as often as possible. Sylvia received a Bachelor's degree in Spanish with a Special
Emphasis (minor) in Ethnic Studies from Santa Clara University and a Masters degree in TESOL from San Jose
State University. She enjoys it when her students share their culture, customs and food. Sylvia currently
lives in San Jose with her husband and two young daughters. Her spare time is spent at local parks with the
girls. (408) 741-2465. |
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 Suzanne
Overstreet has been teaching ESL at West Valley since 1995. She also teaches in the English for Foreign Students program at Stanford every
summer. A native of Houston, Texas, she has over 20 years of experience in teaching ESL in Texas,
Massachusetts, California, and Mexico. She received her BA from Texas A&M (Gig 'em Aggies!) and MA in
TESL from UCLA. She was a foreign student in Spain and has traveled in Europe and Mexico. Suzanne's daughter
is a constant source of joy in her life. (408) 741-2638; Office LA4h. |
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| Lisa Pampuch (408) 741-2045, x3389 |
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| David Ryan was recently hired as a full-time instructor. He has received a B.A. in Comparative Literature from UCI (Irvine,California); several certificates from Paris, France; an M.A. in English and TESL Certificate from Holy Names College in Oakland, CA. (408) 741-2488. |
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Tonia Trombetta began her ESL teaching career in 1978 in Mallorca, Spain,
where she developed a curriculum for Spanish-speaking bank employees. Her work in Vocational ESL blossomed
into academic ESL when she co-taught with her father in an adult education program in Santa Clara. Later she
taught at San Jose City College, Mission College, and now West Valley; she has also taught in Japan. In
addition, she has a private Accent Reduction business and currently has clients including IBM, Synopsis, and
Martech. Tonia is a native Californian, despite growing up mainly in Monrovia, Liberia (West Africa),
Okayama, Japan, Guadalajara, Mexico and Rome, Italy. She speaks Spanish, Italian, and Japanese. She's married
and has a wonderful son. (408) 741-2045, x3694 |
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 Ann Marie
Wasserbauer is the Department Chair for the ESL Department. She has been teaching at West Valley
College since 1994. She received her training in teaching ESL at the Monterey Institute of International
Studies. She is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. Her hobbies are dancing, doing handwork such as knitting and
sewing, traveling, and learning languages. (She already knows German, some French and Polish, and a few
phrases in Czech, Thai, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese and Arabic.) (408) 741-2486; Office LA3e. |
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Sue Wilson has been working
with ESL students since 1995. She has taught at Studies in American Language at San Jose State University and
at Mountain View Adult Education. She currently teaches at both West Valley College and San Jose City
College. Sue enjoys reading, walking, bicycling, and spending time with her family (and her 2 cats). She has
studied Spanish and French and has traveled in Spain, England, and Jamaica. Sue loves teaching ESL because
she gets to meet students from so many different countries and cultures. (408) 741-2045, x3709. |
To contact us by US mail, write us c/o ESL Department, West Valley College, 14000 Fruitvale Avenue,
Saratoga, CA 95070.
last updated: June 18, 2010