About Us
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The English Language Learners Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Bellevue, Washington.
Our mission is to connect non-native speakers with opportunities for improving their English skills and their knowledge of American culture through educational, cultural, social, and community events. People of all origins and skill levels are welcome. Please join us! We are run entirely by volunteers who enjoy helping others learn about the U.S. and the English language. If you'd like to help us by donating, you can click here to a make tax-deductible contribution! |
If you have any questions, comments, or ideas for events, please contact us.
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Our Leadership
Board Members and Past Presidents
Rose Blessing, Past President
Rose moved to the Bellevue area in 2017 from New Jersey and made friends by joining ELLA’s conversation groups. Rose has previously lived in four US states and two overseas countries and is now appreciating beautiful Washington State. Rose has a BA in English Literature and has held professional and volunteer positions in writing, editing and tutoring. She served as ELLA President from December 2019 to December 2023.
Cinthia Lopez Lopez, Board Member
Cinthia moved from Mexico to the Bellevue area in 2019. In Mexico she worked at a family textile and apparel company. She joined ELLA to practice English and while still learning English, she is pleased to be able to provide assistance through ELLA to other newcomers to the USA. She joined the ELLA board in January 2023 and became Vice President in December 2023.
Victoria Scavezze, Board Member
Victoria has been volunteering for the Thursday Parent/Child playgroup since 2016. She values making connections with other parents and helping them to find community resources. Victoria earned a degree in Architecture and has worked as a custom jeweler and goldsmith. Her hobbies are gardening, reading, video games, and origami. She and her husband live in Bellevue and have two young sons. She began serving as ELLA Secretary in December 2019.
Suzanne Sievert, Founder & Past President
Suzanne founded ELLA in 2011. She has taught ESL locally at Bellevue College and North Seattle Community College and at private ESL schools and community colleges in California and North Carolina. She earned a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in Education from Harvard University, and a Teacher of English as a Second Language certification from Seattle University. Though she retired from the ELLA board in 2019, she still contributes her considerable experience and expertise to both ELLA and the local Bellevue community. She and her husband live in Bellevue and have two adult sons.
Bob Turner, Board Member
Bob is a retired fund raiser for non-profits who began assisting newcomers to the USA with English conversation in 1980. He started volunteering with ELLA’s Tuesday morning conversation group in 2014. He enjoys meeting with non-native English speakers and learning about their cultures and their lives in the U.S. Also, Bob brings a camera to ELLA’s special events. He began serving as Treasurer for ELLA in December 2019 and continues in that position while also becoming President in December 2023.
Talya West, Board Member
Talya West moved from Turkey to USA in 2013. She joined the play dates organized by ELLA with her little daughter in 2018 to meet fellow immigrant families. Ultimately she took law classes and passed the bar exam to become a practicing lawyer. She is licensed to practice law in WA State. She joined the ELLA board in January 2023.
Tao Yang, Board Member
Tao Yang, known by most of us at ELLA as James, worked as a marketing director at a phone manufacturer in China. He earned a BA in Solid Mechanics from Zhejiang University and a master’s degree in Administration Science from USTC (University of Science and Technology of China). James moved from China to the USA in 2015. He is a strong supporter of ELLA who enjoys continuing to improve his English. James brings a strong knowledge of history and an appreciation for American culture to ELLA meetings. He joined the ELLA board in January 2023.
ELLA also gratefully thanks previous board members Nadya Obraztsova, Denise Taylor, and Charlotte Thompson, who founded ELLA along with Suzanne and served for eight years, and Abbie Klein, who both served for four years from 2019 to 2023.
Rose Blessing, Past President
Rose moved to the Bellevue area in 2017 from New Jersey and made friends by joining ELLA’s conversation groups. Rose has previously lived in four US states and two overseas countries and is now appreciating beautiful Washington State. Rose has a BA in English Literature and has held professional and volunteer positions in writing, editing and tutoring. She served as ELLA President from December 2019 to December 2023.
Cinthia Lopez Lopez, Board Member
Cinthia moved from Mexico to the Bellevue area in 2019. In Mexico she worked at a family textile and apparel company. She joined ELLA to practice English and while still learning English, she is pleased to be able to provide assistance through ELLA to other newcomers to the USA. She joined the ELLA board in January 2023 and became Vice President in December 2023.
Victoria Scavezze, Board Member
Victoria has been volunteering for the Thursday Parent/Child playgroup since 2016. She values making connections with other parents and helping them to find community resources. Victoria earned a degree in Architecture and has worked as a custom jeweler and goldsmith. Her hobbies are gardening, reading, video games, and origami. She and her husband live in Bellevue and have two young sons. She began serving as ELLA Secretary in December 2019.
Suzanne Sievert, Founder & Past President
Suzanne founded ELLA in 2011. She has taught ESL locally at Bellevue College and North Seattle Community College and at private ESL schools and community colleges in California and North Carolina. She earned a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in Education from Harvard University, and a Teacher of English as a Second Language certification from Seattle University. Though she retired from the ELLA board in 2019, she still contributes her considerable experience and expertise to both ELLA and the local Bellevue community. She and her husband live in Bellevue and have two adult sons.
Bob Turner, Board Member
Bob is a retired fund raiser for non-profits who began assisting newcomers to the USA with English conversation in 1980. He started volunteering with ELLA’s Tuesday morning conversation group in 2014. He enjoys meeting with non-native English speakers and learning about their cultures and their lives in the U.S. Also, Bob brings a camera to ELLA’s special events. He began serving as Treasurer for ELLA in December 2019 and continues in that position while also becoming President in December 2023.
Talya West, Board Member
Talya West moved from Turkey to USA in 2013. She joined the play dates organized by ELLA with her little daughter in 2018 to meet fellow immigrant families. Ultimately she took law classes and passed the bar exam to become a practicing lawyer. She is licensed to practice law in WA State. She joined the ELLA board in January 2023.
Tao Yang, Board Member
Tao Yang, known by most of us at ELLA as James, worked as a marketing director at a phone manufacturer in China. He earned a BA in Solid Mechanics from Zhejiang University and a master’s degree in Administration Science from USTC (University of Science and Technology of China). James moved from China to the USA in 2015. He is a strong supporter of ELLA who enjoys continuing to improve his English. James brings a strong knowledge of history and an appreciation for American culture to ELLA meetings. He joined the ELLA board in January 2023.
ELLA also gratefully thanks previous board members Nadya Obraztsova, Denise Taylor, and Charlotte Thompson, who founded ELLA along with Suzanne and served for eight years, and Abbie Klein, who both served for four years from 2019 to 2023.
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ELLA Advisory Board:
Ann Breese, USA Aurelien Chanot, France Ben Grossblatt, USA Cheryl Wang, China Chieko Suhama, Japan Kelly Almeleh, USA Leyla Reshetnikova, Uzbekistan |
Lionel Archdale, USA Lucy Liu, China Lydia Margoldova, Slovakia Lynn Colwell, USA Maryna Dudarenko, Ukraine Phuong Pham, Vietnam Tanya Savchenko, Ukraine Teri Harmeyer, USA |
Founding Advisors:
Dilek Andersen, Turkye Gamze Sezgin, Turkye Joanna Wybranska, Poland (logo design) |
