Meet the Faculty

Your TESOL master’s degree program features the following outstanding faculty.

Program Directors

• Tasha Bleistein, PhD

  Faculty Director, Assessment, Graduate Studies & Research; Director, Online TESOL Programs; Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages

  • Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2414
  • Email: tbleistein@apu.edu
  • Office Location: Ronald Building, Room 116
• Richard Robison, Ph.D.

  Director, On-campus TESOL Programs; Chair and Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages

  • Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 3416
  • Email: rrobison@apu.edu
  • Office Location: Ronald Building, Rooms 142/165
• Mary Shepard Wong, PhD

  Director, Field-based TESOL Programs; Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages; Fulbright Program Advisor

  • Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 3483
  • Email: mwong@apu.edu
  • Office Location: Ronald Building, Room 169/165

Adjunct Professors

• Denzil Barnett, MEd, MAT

  Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages, and American Language and Culture Institute

  • Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 3069
  • Email: dbarnett@apu.edu
• Gena Bennett, PhD

  Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages

  • Phone: (626) 815-3844
  • Email: gbennett@apu.edu
• Abby Kleier, M.A.

  Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages

  • Phone: (626) 969-3434
  • Email: abbykleier@gmail.com
• Manar Metry, M.A.

  Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages

  • Phone: (626) 815-3844
  • Email: mmetry@apu.edu
  • Office Location: Ronald Building, Room 165
• Jerry Ruth, Ph.D.

  Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages

  • Phone: (323) 919-4560
  • Email: jruth@apu.edu
• Erin Thorp, M.A.

  Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages

  • Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 2752
  • Email: ethorp@apu.edu
• Kimberly Todd, M.A.

  Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages

  • Phone: (717) 826-4634
  • Email: ktodd@apu.edu
• Rita Van Dyke-Kao, MA TESOL

  Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages, and American Language and Culture Institute

  • Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 3569
  • Email: rkao@apu.edu
• Merari Weber, Ed.D.

  Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, TESOL, and Modern Languages

  • Phone: (626) 815-3844
  • Email: mlweber@apu.edu