Intercultural awareness and navigation started in my childhood home. With parents from two different foreign countries, I grew up listening to discussions unpacking American culture around the dinner table. Frequent and prolonged trips to other countries taught me early the importance of being able to pick up on and adapt to other cultures’ cues and expectations.

After completing my master’s degree in education with an emphasis in ESL (English as a Second Language), I started a private language and cross-cultural adaptation school in 1998, As sole proprietor, I created tailored plans and curriculum for visiting scholars and families, enabling them to adapt to and thrive in American academic culture.

In 2009 I began work as a university professor focusing on international MBA and Engineering master’s students on track to enter Oregon State University. Over the next 15 years, I had the opportunity to develop cultural integration programs for students as well as teaching cross-cultural communication and language.