Meet our NICE Teachers
 Alice Lachman
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in education with focus on international higher education, University of Oregon; Master of Arts (MA) in French and education, University of Wisconsin; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Modern Language, Ohio University; TESL Certificate, University of Haifa and Ministry of Education, Israel.
Alice has taught ESL/EFL extensively in the USA and abroad including Japan, the Middle East, and Brazil. In the USA, she has taught with the UH College of Education, the University of Oregon, Harvard University, and Lewis and Clark College in collaboration with Waseda University, and in other colleges and universities in Hawai‘i. She enjoys teaching students and teachers of all ages and cultural backgrounds, and she has served as the Chair of the Intercultural Communication Interest Section of TESOL. For fun and challenge, Alice participates in the annual Tinman and NaWahine Triathlon events.
 Ash Ruggiero (ECP Academic Coordinator)
MAT in ESL, School for International Training; BA in English literature & French, Providence College
Ash has taught English around the world—Switzerland, South Korea, Japan, Mexico, Thailand and Martinique. He has been with NICE since 1984. He's especially interested in program and curriculum development, cross-cultural communication and teacher training. He led the first group of NICE teachers and Interchangers in the annual Nihon University summer program in Japan, and became academic coordinator of the English for Conversational Purposes (ECP) course in spring of 2004. He enjoys meeting all the different kinds of people he comes across in his work, and is proud to have a hand in the improvement of understanding among cultures. In his free time he enjoys swimming, reading, gardening, and beautiful Hawai‘i.
 Bob Lipske
Master of Arts (MA) in Second language studies, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa; Juris Doctor (JD) in law, University of San Diego; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in political science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Bob began with NICE in the fall of 2004. While working on his MA, he taught several semesters at the English Language Institute at UH Manoa. He also worked at the UH Medical School as a writing tutor, and spent 1 1/2 years in Saudi Arabia and 3 years in Japan. His academic interests include academic writing, online learning, and using English for authentic purposes. He loves to help students achieve their English goals, and enjoys creating fun lesson plans for his students. When he's not teaching, he loves to go horseback riding and body surfing with his girlfriend. In his car, he turns up his stereo really loud and listens to hip hop and reggae music. On vacation, he wants to hike in the mountains and deserts of Utah and Arizona. Finally, he goes crazy for delicious chocolate!
 Carole Omura
Master of Arts (MA) in Teaching English as a Second Language, University of Hawai'i at Manoa; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Sociology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Carole has taught English as a Foreign Language for over 12 years in Japan, mostly to university students and adults and has taught for the Special English Program (SEP) at the University of Hawai'i since 2003. In addition, she has tutored reading in the public school system to young first language learners. Her academic and professional interests include seeing how culture affects second language learning, curriculum development and content-based learning. She enjoys interacting with the students and seeing how they can successfully figure out the second language using their knowledge and skills. During her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and camping. She has a special interest in the American tax system and is a qualified tax specialist. Carole has been teaching at the NICE program since Spring 2007.
 Cary Torres
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in education with focus on curriculum instruction and design, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, in progress; Master of Arts (MA) in Second Language Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in International Studies with a professional concentration in ESL and minor in Japanese, University of Oregon
Cary has taught English to junior high and elementary school students in Japan for 2 years. After coming to Hawai‘i, she taught ESL for two years at the Hawai‘i English Language Program (HELP) at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. Her teaching experience also includes teaching ESL to high school students in Hawai‘i and to adults at the Mckinley Community School for Adults. Her professional interests include curriculum development and using media in the classroom. She believes that learning should be fun! In her free time she likes going to the beach, listening to music, and dancing. Cary has been at NICE since July 2007.
 David Faulhaber
Master of Arts (MA) in Second Language Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, in progress; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in American Studies, University of California at Santa Cruz
Before coming to Hawai‘i, David served as an Assistant Language Teacher in Japan (Kurume, Fukuoka) and taught English as a Second Language at the Hawai‘i English Language Program (HELP), before coming to NICE in April of 2008. He loves interacting with students in class and enjoys looking for new ways to make learning English fresh and relevant. In his free time, you can find him on his bike headed up Tantalus, trying to keep up with his wife in the swimming pool, working on a new guitar lick, or—as if often the case—seated behind his computer working on some project or other.
 David Terada
Master of Arts (MA) in TEFL/TESL, University of Birmingham, UK; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in history, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
David first taught at NICE for two terms in 2000, and then returned in 2003. His experience includes teaching EFL in Japan for 10 years in high school, corporate, university, and private school settings. He also taught ESL for two years at a technical college and a university in Seattle, Washington. David is interested in online language learning; content-based teaching using authentic videos; idioms & slang; and Hawaiian Creole. He spends most of his free time with his wife and three young daughters.
 Greg Nakai
Master of Arts (MA) in Second Language Studies, University of Hawai’i at Manoa; Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology, University of Washington; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in International Studies, University of Washington.
Before joining the NICE faculty in 2006, Greg taught ESL on the UHM campus for three years in the English Language Institute (ELI), and at the Hawai’i English Language Program (HELP). He also taught English to junior high and elementary school students in Japan for three years. His academic and professional interests include critical approaches to second language teaching, second language literacies instruction, online language teaching, and content-based language instruction. Greg’s personal interests include hiking, backpacking, camping, bicycling, soccer, travel, film, architecture, and urban design. He also would like to learn how to cook delicious vegetarian dishes!
 Saori Ishida Doi
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Educational Psychology, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, currently in progress; Master of Arts (MA) in English as a second language; Advanced Graduate Certificate in second language studies, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa; Bachelor's of Education (BEd) in English education with teaching license, Nagasaki University, Japan
Before coming to Hawai‘i to study, Saori taught English for several years to elementary, junior high, and high school students in Japan. She studied at UHM as an undergraduate study abroad student in 1998-1999, and then returned to Hawai'i for graduate studies in 2000. While an MA student, Saori taught ESL in both the English Language Institute and the Hawai‘i English Language Program on the UHM campus. Her academic interests include proficiency assessment, program evaluation, vocabulary acquisition, and language learning in culturally diverse settings. Saori has been at NICE since fall, 2005.
 Shanti Krauss
Master of Arts (MA) in Teaching English as a Second Language (T.E.S.O.L), University of Guam. Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Sociology and Psychology, University of Bombay.
Before coming to Hawaii in September 2006 Shanti taught in Jordan for the American Language Center a department of the American Embassy. Prior to that she taught English at the English Language Institute of the University of Guam, and also writing classes in the Department of English and Applied Linguistics. In addition, she has taught English in Qatar andRussia. Her academic interests include second language teaching methodologies and pedagogy, issues and philosophies among culturally diverse students. She takes a personal interest in her students and finds it extremely rewarding when she can be instrumental in helping them achieve their language and career goals. In her free time Shanti enjoys reading, entertaining and exploring Hawaii with her family.
Shira Smith (ISE Academic Coordinator)
Master of Arts (MA) in TESOL, Monterey Institute of International Studies; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in French, University of Texas-Austin
Prior to 1989, Shira taught English at universities in Mexico and Japan. Since then, she has been with the NICE Program and is now the academic coordinator of the Intensive Spoken English (ISE) course. Her specialties are teaching integrated skills, materials and test development, content-based learning, and teacher training and development. She likes everything about her job, but most of all, seeing that "Ah-Hah!" moment on students faces when they really understand something for the first time. When she's not in the classroom or office, she's at home, either at her computer working on materials for classes, or in the kitchen, whipping up some of her other "specialties" for her husband Thom or for the staff and other teachers at NICE.
 Terri Menacker
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in second language acquisition, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, ABD (all but dissertation); Master of Arts (MA) in English as a second language, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa; Master of Education (MEd) in educational studies, University of Illinois at Chicago; Bachelor of Science (BS) in psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana.
Before joining the NICE faculty in 2005, Terri taught ESL/EFL in Japan, Chicago, IL, and other schools in Hawai‘i. She also worked for the Center for Second Language Research and the National Foreign Language Resource Center at the University of Hawai‘i as a graduate assistant. She has presented numerous papers at conferences and has published several articles in publications related to language education. Her academic interests focus on language awareness and education, especially as they relate to standard English and Hawai‘i Creole English in the home and classroom.
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