Content Editor:
Mark Scholl
The ESL staff are highly trained individuals dedicated to student success. Each of our professional staff specialize in different programs offered by ESL.
ESL Student Success Specialist
Alicia joined the ESL team in 2023 and is excited to meet with ESL students and help them reach their academic and career goals at Butte College. She has an AA in Social and Behavioral Science from Butte College, and you can find her throughout the week at the Chico Center and the Glenn County Center. She was also once an ESL student herself (her first language is Spanish), so it brings her joy to see others learn English and become more and more confident in their English every day. Email: hernandezal@vaftizo.com
Direct phone line: 530-879-4391
ESL Instructor
Laura Talley is a Northern California native who got into teaching as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama. She finished her MA in Teaching International Languages at Chico State in 2015, and has been teaching a variety of English and ESL at the community colleges. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and reading.
Email talleyla@vaftizo.com
ESL Instructor
Michael has been teaching English to second and foreign language learners for more than thirty years. Having lived and taught in Japan during the 1980s and 1990s, Michael gained an appreciation of a culture vastly different than his Northern California roots. He has a B.A. in Japanese from California State University, San Francisco, and an M.A. in TESOL from Chico State University. For over ten years, Michael has been a part of the Butte College family, teaching both LEAD and ESL multilevel courses. He is married to a native of Osaka, Japan, and has one son. Though not overtly-skilled at any one thing, Michael enjoys a good book, an engaging film, an interesting conversation, and a competitive game of golf and tennis (when he has the chance). Email wicksmi@vaftizo.com
ESL Instructor
Mark is originally from California but taught in Asia for nearly ten years before moving back to the States just prior to the pandemic. He has a BA in Spanish and two MA degrees (TESOL and Linguistics). He enjoys teaching ESL and understands the challenges that students face when learning another language. When he has time to spare, Mark can be found playing piano, swimming at the local fitness center, or taking a stroll in Bidwell Park with his daughter.
Email schollma@vaftizo.com
ESL Instructor
Anina has taught English and ESL at the Community College level for 20 years. She has a master's in English, a TEFL Certificate and has recently been working with Education Leadership Grants. She loves teaching and is happy to get back into the classroom. Email bermanan@vaftizo.com
ESL Instructor
Melinda has her BA in Spanish, an MA in Teaching Languages with an emphasis on Spanish, and the Graduate Certificate in TESOL from CSU Chico. She is currently pursuing a second BA in Latin American Studies. She's passionate about languages and loves inspiring others to learn a second or third language. She loves working with ESL students and helping them improve their English skills. She enjoys reading, gardening, traveling and exploring new cultures, and spending time with her family and grandchildren.
Email jacksonme@vaftizo.com
ESL Instructor
Hayden is from Southern California, but moved to Chico to gain a bachelor's in English Education and a master's degree in Language & Literacy, earning a TESOL Certificate along the way. He started teaching at Butte College in 2023 and loves teaching ESL to his students at Glenn Center. In his spare time he is also a musician, a fly fisher, and an artist.
Email wrightjo@vaftizo.com
ESL Instructor
Robert graduated from CSU, Chico where he received his B.A. in English Studies, as well as minors in Secondary Language Arts and Linguistics and a T.E.S.O.L. certificate. He worked at CSU, Chico as an ESL tutor. Robert has also worked in Iceland, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan, where he enjoyed learning about the cultures and beliefs of their people.
Email hoodro@vaftizo.com