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 At Abbey Road, we take great pride in our faculty and staff. Our full-time and summer staff directors, coordinators, instructors and resident advisors are experienced, dedicated and caring individuals carefully selected and screened. Our summer staff are outstanding high school teachers, university professors, college administrators and graduate students, as well as highly qualified college graduates. We maintain a minimum ratio of one staff member for every eight students, giving us unparalleled quality attention to detail and safety. |
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Dr. Arthur Kian Managing Director and Founder Arthur has been directing pre-college and summer programs in the U.S. and in Western Europe for nearly 20 years. His areas of expertise include foreign languages, European and Eastern history and culture, political science and international relations. He is a former Instructor with the Stanford Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) and an Academic Consultant with the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE), as well as a member of the National Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Arthur has had the privilege of working with top security advisors to presidents Bush Sr., Clinton and Obama and is a Senior Consultant with the Cypress Fund for nuclear non-proliferation, security and peace building. Arthur earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from Stanford University. Arthur is fluent in French, Italian, Russian and Armenian. |
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Derek Yarborough
Co-Founder, Advisory Board Member Derek received his M.A. and B.A. in Sociology from Stanford University. Throughout his years at Stanford, Derek developed and directed educational programs for high school and college students. Derek also worked with local NGO-s to provide educational opportunities to disadvantaged communities. One of the founders of Abbey Road, Derek has extensive experience in Education, Social Sciences and Management, Foreign Languages and Overseas Travel. |
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Heather Allen
Academic Advisory Board Heather is one of the most prominent young experts on study abroad and foreign language education. She holds an M.A. in French Literature from Louisiana State University (1998) and a Ph.D. in Educational Studies and French from Emory University (2002). Her research on motivation and language learning during study abroad has appeared in several journals, including Foreign Language Annals (2003 and 2010), the Journal of Studies in International Education (2010) and an edited volume entitled Identity and Second Language Learning (2007). Heather has been instrumental in conducting a special University-level study on the Abbey Road Educational Method, publishing her findings and presenting them at academic conferences around the world. |
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Ellen Spindel
Director of Admissions Ellen completed her undergraduate studies at the State University of New York, where she specialized in Early Childhood Development. Ellen brings over 20 years鈥 Admissions experience working for some of the nation鈥檚 most prestigious Theatre, Film and Youth Academies including the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. She has an immense appreciation and passion for the performing arts and has produced, edited and directed over 40 stage productions for children and teens in New York and Los Angeles. She is particularly passionate about her work with the Abbey Road alumni network, for which she provides mentoring and college guidance. |
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Emily Tzouanakis
Student Relations, Summer Programs Manager Emily graduated cum laude from Scripps College and holds a B.A. with honors in Foreign Languages and European Culture and Civilization. While attending Scripps, she spent her junior year abroad in both France and Spain. The research she conducted on contemporary trends in youth autonomy and political movements during this time culminated in the successful defense of a senior honors thesis. Experienced in curriculum development and lesson planning, her 2005-2006 research in the field of foreign language pedagogy resulted in the 2007 classroom resource, 100 Games and Activities for the Introductory Foreign Language Classroom (Boucquey et. al.). In addition, Emily has directed experiential foreign language workshops in the United States, France, Greece and Cuba, as well as cultural seminars for the World Humanitarian Organization. She is fluent in Greek, Spanish and French and speaks conversational Italian. |
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Fabien Tracco
European Public Relations Fabien is a native of Antibes, France where he lives and works coordinating Abbey Road鈥檚 French Immersion programs in Nice, St-Laurent-du-Var and Aix-en-Provence. He received his M.A. from Nice University in 1996 and brings over 12 years experience in European Program Development and High-School Foreign Language Instruction in addition to his expertise in French culture through his work with St-Laurent鈥檚 Association de Gestion et d鈥橝nimation Soporative et Socio-Culturelle. Fabien works closely with Abbey Road鈥檚 French homestay families fostering excellent relationships from which Abbey Road students benefit year after year. In addition to his native French, Fabien is also fluent in English, Italian and Indonesian. |
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Chris Bond
Western Civilization Chris completed his M.A. in Latin American Studies at Cambridge University and holds a B.A. from Penn State University in Spanish. Since completing his Master鈥檚 degree in 2002, he has worked as a university instructor of Spanish language and literature at NYU, Fordham and USC. He loves traveling around the world and has spent significant time in South America, Europe and Northern Africa. Chris is fluent in Spanish, Italian and French. |
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John Lansdowne
Western Civilization John received his B.A. from Boston College in Classical Studies and History, with a minor in Art History. In 2010 he earned a Master鈥檚 in Archaeology from the University of Oxford. While an undergraduate, John participated in study abroad programs in Athens, Greece and Venice, Italy and also spent two summers working on excavations in Jordan. An AmeriCorps alumnus, John also holds an M.A. in Education from the City College of New York. He has extensive travel experience in Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. |
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Karl Haloj
St-Laurent-du-Var Karl currently teaches French language at the University of Vermont, where he is also completing a Master鈥檚 thesis examining nationalism in the literary works of Belle 脡poque author Louis Pergaud. Karl developed an interest in Pergaud鈥檚 unique writings while studying at the Universit茅 de Franche-Comt茅鈥檚 world renowned Centre de linguistique appliqu茅e 脿 Besan莽on (France). He also holds a B.A. in French language and literature from Stony Brook University. In addition, Karl is an expert in foreign language pedagogy, for which he has been developing and teaching language programs for nearly twenty years. He is fluent in French and Japanese. |
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Lindsay Mapes
Florence Pre-College Lindsay received her BFA from San Francisco Art Institute and a Post-Bacc. Degree from SACI in Florence, Italy. She then earned an MFA in painting from The Slade School of Fine Arts in London. After completing her BFA, Lindsay moved to Europe and has lived there for four and a half years. She has a wide range of experience in the fields of arts and design. This experience includes working for the MTV Music Awards and other events in the fashion world and teaching art workshops to inner-city youth in London. Lindsay enjoys studying Italian lifestyle, culture, food and the arts, while continuing with her own painting practice. She speaks Italian fluently. |
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Andrea Pallaoro Florence Pre College Andrea is an award-winning film and theater director whose recent work investigates the human perception of alienation. He is interested in further exploring the complexities of human behavior through the language of theater and through the art of image making. His last film, Wunderkammer, won six international awards and has been selected for over fifty film festivals around the world, including Sundance 2009. Andrea holds an MFA in Film Directing from the California Institute of the Arts. He was born in Trento, Italy and currently resides in Los Angeles, where he is working toward the realization of his next film projects. |
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William Binnie Florence Pre College William was born and raised in Dallas, Texas where he currently lives and works as a professional artist specializing in oil painting and drawing. William obtained his B.A. in Studio Art and Art History from Pitzer College and since graduating, he has exhibited his work in New York, at the Whitney Museum of American Art's 2010 Art Party, as well as in Los Angeles and Dallas. William has worked for Abbey Road for two years, teaching drawing and Tuscan cuisine in Florence and managing the Abbey Road blog. Alongside his art practice, Willie can often be found riding his beloved bicycle or playing guitar. |
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Hannah L. Welch Florence Pre College Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, Hannah studied photography at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston and earned a B.A in Art History at California State University. Hannah spent significant time in Florence, Italy living, working and using the city as inspiration in her artistic practice, something that greatly aids her during her experiential courses in Digital Photography with Abbey Road. For the past two years, she has worked as a freelance photographer and photography assistant. Her passions are photography, Italy and soccer. Hannah is fluent in Italian. |
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Encarnaci贸n Cruz C谩diz Homestay Encarnaci贸n received her B.A. and M.S. from the University of Seville in English Language and Literature. She is currently serving as a professor of Spanish at the University of North Carolina 鈥 Chapel Hill, where she will complete an M.S. in Spanish Literature in 2010. Encarnaci贸n loves the culture of Spain, particularly flamenco music, and has lead many workshops in Flamenco dance during her summers with Abbey Road. She is fluent in Spanish. |
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Staci Hyman
C谩diz Homestay Staci received her M.A. in International Relations from Columbia University and also holds an M.A. in Bilingual and Dual Language Education from Bank Street College. Staci has worked and studied abroad in several Spanish speaking countries, including Mexico, Honduras, and Spain. She is an alumna of Teach for American and Amigos de las Americas and has worked for six years as an educator and advocate for immigrant families in New York City. Staci is fluent in Spanish. |
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Grant Gearhart
C谩diz Homestay Grant is currently working towards his Ph. D. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in Spanish Medieval and Early Modern Literature. In addition to studying in Spain and working with high school students abroad, Grant instructed high school Spanish and coached cross-country and basketball for four years. With many years鈥 experience working for Abbey Road鈥檚 Spanish programs, Grant considers the Experiential Learning Method an essential part of the program鈥檚 success. He is fluent in Spanish. |
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Jos茅 A. Gregory
C谩diz Homestay Jos茅 is originally from Puerto Rico, but grew up in the U.S. He obtained his B.A. in Latin American and International Studies from Yale University and his M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Jos茅 currently teaches at a magnet school for the Arts in Atlanta where he is also the school鈥檚 tennis coach. He has worked for Abbey Road for over five years first as an instructor and then as a Program Director for several programs including Florence and C谩diz. His main interests are traveling, foreign languages and films, international foods, and tennis. In addition to his native fluency in Spanish, Jos茅 also speaks Italian and Portuguese. |
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Ilene Squires C谩diz Homestay Ilene was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She earned a dual B.A. in International Communications and Spanish from San Diego State University and a Master鈥檚 of Science and Teaching in Bilingual Education at Fordham University. Ilene has worked in various educational settings, most notably on the founding staff of a start-up charter school in Harlem, where she was later the Dean of Students, and through Teach for America. She is now a teaching artist in Manhattan, working with adults and children, coaching them through the intricacies of creating stellar images. In her spare time, she shoots events and portraits while running her own photography business. Ilene is fluent in Spanish. |
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Patricia Monticello Kievlan
College Prep Patricia is an experienced classroom teacher and college counselor who specializes in college essay guidance and conducting a fit-centered college search. She obtained her B.A. in Plan II Honors and English from the University of Texas at Austin, where she minored in French and Classics, and her Ed.M. from Harvard University in the Mind, Brain, and Education program at the Graduate School of Education. Patricia has used her expertise as an instructional designer and curriculum consultant for corporations and non-profits across the United States and was instrumental in the development of Abbey Road鈥檚 College Prep Program Curriculum. Patricia currently lives and teaches in San Francisco. She is fluent in French and speaks conversational Russian and Spanish. |
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Paul Cooley
College Prep Paul is a guidance counselor at the Academy of Urban Planning in Brooklyn, NY. He also works as the school鈥檚 co-director of fundraising efforts and as the assistant basketball coach. Paul obtained his B.A. from Tufts University and later went on to complete his M.A. in School Counseling from N.Y.U. A native of Boston, Paul thoroughly enjoyed his work on the College Prep Program at Emerson College in 2010. A dynamic and enthusiastic academic with experience in the entertainment industry, Paul uses his diverse background and personal experience when working with students. |
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