International TEFL Academy Staff

What's your role at International TEFL Academy?

I am the Senior Marketer and chief writer here at ITA. Our goal is to provide the most comprehensive and accurate information anywhere on teaching English abroad & TEFL certification. We understand that by providing great information, we are empowering people from all walks of life to realize their dreams of teaching abroad and we have published more than 600 articles from our staff & alumni in addition to more than 200 videos.

NOTE: John is a recognized expert who has published numerous articles on the topics of TEFL certification & teaching English abroad. As an author, his articles have appeared across many of the field's top websites, including: Goabroad.com, InterExchange, GoOverseas.com, StudyAbroad.com, AdventureTeaching.com & many others. He has also spoken as an expert on Teaching English Abroad & TEFL certification at major conferences like MeetPlanGo (San Francisco) and Lessons From Abroad (LFA) in Portland & San Diego.

What's your story?

I'm originally from Southern California (Malibu), but I had the great fortune of growing up in Cairo, Egypt, one of the World's truly colorful & historic cities. I was lucky that my parents were avid travelers and growing up I was fortunate to travel not only throughout Egypt, but across Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and later Asia (my folks later to moved to Vietnam where they have lived for 20+ years).

I got the travel bug and leaped at a great opportunity to write for the Let's Go! guidebook series (Egypt-Israel edition) during my student days at Harvard. I later got a Masters in Journalism (MSJ) from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and have worked in the fields of international education, journalism & travel throughout my career.

I have been with International TEFL Academy since 2010, and as a father of two daughters, I value international travel & education more than ever.

Where did you go to college & what did you major in at college?

I earned my BA in Middle Eastern History from Harvard and I also hold a Masters in Journalism (MSJ) from Northwestern University.

What countries have you visited?

I have traveled to more than 50 countries worldwide, primarily in Europe, the Middle East & most recently, Latin America. As one of the more "senior" members of the team, I have been to quite a few countries that don't even exist any longer including Czechoslovakia, East Germany, North/South Yemen and the old USSR.

What is your favorite international cuisine?

Asking me to pick a favorite cuisine is like asking me to pick my favorite child - it just can't be done. That being said, some of my favorite cities to eat include Lyon, Florence, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore & Portland, Oregon.

Why do you like working at ITA?

1. I love helping others experience the adventure of a lifetime & help others by teaching English abroad. Nothing makes me happier and more proud than to learn & read about the successes of our students on their blogs, in their articles, emails, Q&As, and videos. It absolutely makes my day.

2. The Team at International TEFL Academy. It's a requirement that every staff member at ITA has lived and traveled abroad extensively. That means everybody has seen and done interesting stuff and that we can all share fantastic stories and insights with each other and with our students. It also means that everybody here understands the challenges of moving to and living in a foreign country.