MEET THE ITA
ADMISSIONS TEAM

 

Your First Point of Contact

An Admissions Advisor is the first point of contact for learning about your options for TEFL certification and teaching English abroad.  All of the ITA Admissions Advisors have spent time living, traveling and/or teaching abroad.

Your assigned advisor will work with you throughout the research and enrollment process.

ITA Admissions Advisors are rigorously trained to answer questions on up-to-date teaching market information, hiring procedures and timelines, average salary and living costs, education requirements, visa eligibility, and more.

We're Here To Help, Every Step of The Way

As an ITA alum, you benefit from our lifetime job search assistance, our expert tips and thorough advice, and have exclusive access to our Student Affairs Department and prime resources.

👩‍💻Join The ITA Team! Check out our Open Positions. 👨‍💻

ITA's Admissions Advisor will help you with your project of teaching English abroad & online

Primary Admissions Advisor Responsibilities:

  • Provide personalized information regarding hiring procedures, international English teaching job markets, and timelines.
  • Assist students with creating plans of action to accomplish their goal of teaching abroad.
  • Offer realistic expectations for what teaching English abroad will be like.
  • Inform prospective students on TEFL course framework and responsibilities.
  • Explain TEFL certification admission requirements and registration procedures.

Learn More:  Why You Need to Speak with a Professional TEFL Admission Advisors

MEET OUR TEAM

Mike Keefer
Admissions Manager

Mike Keefer | Admissions Manager

Mike studied abroad outside of Sydney, Australia while completing his Communications degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. After college, he taught English abroad in Chiang Mai, Thailand for two years before returning to the USA. Prior to joining the ITA team, Mike worked at Greenheart International.

Matt Birgy
Admissions Advisor

Matt Birgy

Originally from a small town in Michigan, Matt first lived abroad in Germany to learn the language. He later spent two years teaching English in Seoul, South Korea, traveling the region and visiting countries like Japan and India.

Michael Kunik
Admissions Advisor

Michael Kunik

In 2009, Michael became TEFL Certified and moved to Madrid, Spain to teach English. Invariably, whenever asked how he feels about the time he spent living and teaching there, his answer is the same: “Choosing to move abroad was the best decision I have ever made in my life.”

Andrew Hines
Admissions Advisor

Andrew Hines

Born & raised in Chicago, Andrew is an International TEFL Academy grad and taught English in South Korea. When he's not working, you can find him hanging around the lake with his pup!

Liz Dellapenna
Admissions Advisor

Liz Dellapenna

From China to Denmark, Liz is an avid world traveler who has lived abroad extensively and traveled to over 50 countries. Liz left her job in the film industry in Los Angeles to join the team at ITA in Chicago!

Erica Overbeek
Admissions Advisor

Erica-Overbeek-Bio

Erica was raised in a small town in Michigan, which inspired her desire to discover what the rest of the world had to offer. Erica spent over four years living abroad all over Spain!

Sandra Wagner
Admissions Advisor

Sandra Wagner | Admissions Advisor

An ITA alum herself, Sandra spent five years teaching English in Changhua, Taiwan, before returning home to start her role here at ITA in October of 2021. She attended the University of South Florida where she majored in Criminology.

Ambrosia Maddox
Admissions Advisor

Ambrosia Maddox | Admissions Advisor

After teaching in Georgia through the Peace Corps, Ambrosia headed to China to teach for a year before returning home to get TEFL certified right here at ITA. She later went on to teach English in South Korea before moving back to the USA to join Team ITA in October of 2021.

Shelby Marlowe
Admissions Advisor

Shelby Marlowe | Admissions Advisor

Hailing from smalltown Montgomery, AL, Shelby had big dreams of traveling the globe but was never surrounded by examples of how to do it. An ITA alum herself, Shelby lived and taught in Spain for 4 years; 2 years in Madrid, 1 year in Tenerife, and 1 year in Gran Canaria before Covid-19 cut her travel plans short!

 

Abriana Smith
Admissions Advisor

Abriana Smith | Admissions Advisor

Abriana's travel addiction stemmed from her move to New York for college. After graduating, she took a backpacking trip through Vietnam, and through meeting other travelers, she learned about teaching English abroad. Abriana was soon TEFL certified and spent 1.5 years teaching English in Taiwan followed by ESL tutoring while traveling around Thailand.

Ashley Althouse
Admissions Advisor

Ashley Althouse | Admissions Advisor

During her senior year at WSU, Ashley participated in a study abroad program for conservation biology in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest... and the rest is history! Shortly after, she spent the following 5 years exploring Peru while completing her graduate studies remotely and working for a virtual travel agency where she met her now husband! Ashley joined team ITA in January of 2023.

Kristi Skinner Sabóia
Admissions Advisor

Kristi Skinner-Sabóia | Admissions Advisor

Coming from a generational airline family, travel is in Kristi's blood! A post-grad trip through Europe left Kristi not wanting to creturn home. Less than a year later, she was TEFL certified through ITA and ready to begin her adventure. She's lived in Japan, Brazil, and Spain, and taught English online while traveling the world!

Ryan Gottschall
Admissions Advisor

Ryan Gottschall | Admissions Advisor

Studying in London for a semester of college is what opened Ryan's eyes to the possibilities of living abroad. He still considers his time in London as his jumping-off point for his lifelong interest in education abroad. He went on to spend over ten years teaching English in China and now he wants to encourage others to pursue life-changing experiences overseas, similar to the one he had!

Eileen Mark
Admissions Advisor

Eileen Mark | Admissions Advisor

Inspired as a child by the National Geographic and Ernest Hemingway novels, Eileen knew that the world was her oyster and that she had to explore as much of it as possible! She studied abroad in Spain for over two years, served in the Peace Corps, Dominican Republic, in 2022, and taught English while volunteering in Zimbabwe with African Impact in May of 2018. She joined Team ITA in June of 2023.

Kenneth Parris
Admissions Advisor

Kenneth Parris | Admissions Advisor

After not studying abroad and just staying local for college, something clicked for Kenneth after graduation. He saw a childhood friend galavanting through Thailand on Instagram and wanted to do the same! He immediately got TEFL certified and spent a year each teaching in the Czech Republic, South Korea, and Spain and the rest is history!


Becca Largacha
Admissions Advisor

Becca Lagarcha | Admissions Advisor

From pioneering organic farming in Madison to shaping iconic festivals in New Orleans, Becca's journey evolved through career shifts and unexpected turns. COVID paused her vibrant life as a marketer but opened the doors to her digital nomad adventures teaching English in Costa Rica and Chile, where she met her Colombian husband. Now settled in rural Florida, she and her husband embrace the thrill of farming life.

Alexsander Peña
Admissions Advisor

Alexsander Pena | Admissions Advisor

Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Alexsander has always been craving the world. A 10-day trip to Germany in high school ignited his passion for traveling and chasing new experiences. He went on to study abroad in Germany and later taught English in Austria. Now back in the United States, he's craving helping you see the world, just like he did.








Peter Kersting
Admissions Advisor

Peter Kersting | Admissions Advisor

Originally from wine country in Napa, California, Peter's first experience outside of the U.S. was when he studied film abroad in The Netherlands, and he never looked back. An alum of ITA himself, Peter taught in South Korea and Japan and is now back in the United States. Now able to help others create their own teach-abroad experience, he's excited to help people live out their best lives all over the world. 

 

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