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 President
Rose Blessing, Board Member
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 began serving as ELLA President in December 2019.
Abbie Klein, Board Member
Abbie has worked with English language learners since 2002. Having spent several years living in Southeast Asia, Abbie is in tune with the daily challenges of being a non-native speaker. She is passionate about helping individuals from other cultures thrive here in the U.S. Abbie holds a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Bowdoin College and has a background advertising, marketing and personal-growth coaching. She founded educational companies in Vietnam and Seattle. Currently Abbie is a learning specialist focused on neuroscience-based language acquisition.
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.
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.
Rose Blessing, Board Member
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 began serving as ELLA President in December 2019.
Abbie Klein, Board Member
Abbie has worked with English language learners since 2002. Having spent several years living in Southeast Asia, Abbie is in tune with the daily challenges of being a non-native speaker. She is passionate about helping individuals from other cultures thrive here in the U.S. Abbie holds a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Bowdoin College and has a background advertising, marketing and personal-growth coaching. She founded educational companies in Vietnam and Seattle. Currently Abbie is a learning specialist focused on neuroscience-based language acquisition.
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.
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.
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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) |
