Custom Program Staff
Judy Ensing, Acting Director
Master of Arts (MA) in English as a Second Language, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Secondary Education and Spanish, Calvin College; Secondary Education Teaching Credential (Michigan)
Judy first joined the program back in 1984 as a NICE Program instructor. In 1987, she stepped into the position of NICE program coordinator, which over the years evolved into her current position overseeing the entire International Programs of Outreach College. She has enjoyed playing a key role in the development of the various programs over the years. Judy enjoys programs administration because it allows her to work with everyone involved in the organization, including students, teachers, university administrators, and foreign sponsors. Watching new ideas come alive is her favorite part of the work. Before coming to Hawai‘i to study for her MA, Judy taught English to Hispanic immigrants in Michigan, taught for a year in Guatemala, and traveled to several Spanish-speaking countries. When she's not at work, she spends time with her husband and two teenage children, or working on projects at her church and her children's school.
Phone: (808) 956-3414; Fax: (808) 956-3421; Email: ensing@hawaii.edu
Michiko Seki Kahmann, International Programs Coordinator
Master of Arts (MA) in English as a second language, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English and American literature from Rikkyo Univ. (or St. Paul's Univ.), Tokyo, Japan; Certificate in Teaching English, Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education; Certificate in English/Japanese-Japanese/English Interpretation and Translation, UH Manoa
Michiko has worked as international programs coordinator since 1996 and works with sponsoring organizations on special international programs for groups coming to UH for English programs and seminars. Prior to joining our staff, Michiko taught English, Japanese, and interpretation courses at universities in Honolulu and at private schools in Japan. She also worked as an interpreter/translator in Honolulu and program coordinator in Tokyo. Her academic interests include language acquisition, bilingual education, and program planning and development. Michiko enjoys meeting and working with interesting people and creating opportunities for people to learn and grow. She enjoys going to movies, concerts, and plays; reading books; listening to music; and working out at the gym; but most of all she enjoys spending her free time with her two young children and husband.
Phone: (808) 956-3416; Fax: (808) 956-3752; Email: michikos@hawaii.edu
NOTE: Contact Michiko to arrange a Special English Program or Seminar!
Jan Bigalke, Special Programs Coordinator
Master of Arts (MA) in applied linguistics, Northeastern Illinois University; Bachelor of Arts (BA) in French, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
Jan has worked with our International Programs since September of 2002. She is responsible for planning and implementing Special English Programs and also coordinates our NICE at Night program. Before coming to Hawai‘i, Jan taught ESL and ESL teacher education at Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin for 13 years. In her last year there she also functioned as international student advisor. Prior to that, Jan taught EFL in Jakarta, Indonesia and ESL in Madison, Wisconsin. She loves working with and learning from colleagues and students from other countries and providing positive and stimulating study-abroad experiences for them. She enjoys her variety of responsibilities and the people with whom she works. Traveling and reading are favorite pastimes, but her greatest pleasure comes from spending time with her husband and two grown children and their extended families.
Phone: (808) 956-3650; Fax: (808) 956-3752; Email: jbigalke@hawaii.edu
Laura Ranney, Interchange Coordinator/Academic Support Specialist
Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), San Diego State University; Teaching Credential in Elementary Education, California State San Marcos; CELTA Certificate (Certificate of English Language Teaching Adults), Cambridge University, England; ESL Certificate, San Diego State University
Laura has worked at International Programs since 2003. She works behind the scenes hiring and scheduling university students to meet with NICE and SEP students as conversation partners in our popular interchange program. She also arranges for classrooms, receptions, and graduations for our Special English Programs, and she makes sure teachers and interchangers get paid! Before coming to NICE, Laura lived in Japan for seven years, working as an English teacher for Japanese students of all ages. (She tells us entertaining stories about her experiences during lunch!) She's also taught Elementary school age children in San Diego, California. In addition to living in Japan, she has also lived in Italy and Australia as well as traveled extensively around the world. Laura loves being the catalyst for American and foreign students to meet for conversation and friendship. She likes to help make students' time in Hawai‘i and at the University of Hawai‘i as enjoyable as possible.
Phone: (808) 956-6824; Fax: (808) 956-3752; Email: lranney@hawaii.edu
Office Assistants
Phone: (808) 956-6834; Fax: (808) 956-3752; Email: seps@hawaii.edu
Yoko Nagao
Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biology, graduating 2011
Hobbies include: Shopping, going to the beach, and looking at anatomy books.
Jana Shiraishi
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology, graduating fall 2010
Hobbies include: Shopping and Reading
Mizuho Suzuki
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Second Language Studies, graduating fall 2008
Hobbies include: Talking, Watching movies, and going to the beach.
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