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Cindy MacKersie

Interim Director of International Education
cmacker@pierce.ctc.edu

Cindy MacKersie grew up in the state of Maine in the Northeastern United States, but has been living in Washington for the past 17 years.

She has worked in International Education at Pierce College for 12 years as an ESL instructor, Activities Coordinator, and a Student Advisor. She has a B.A. degree in French with a minor in Japanese, a Certificate in TESL, and an M.A. in Adult Education.

She has lived and worked in France, Japan, and Germany and has travelled to various other locations throughout the world including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, and many European countries.

Mary Meulblok

Manager, International Student Services
mmeulblo@pierce.ctc.edu

Mary is the Manager of International Student Services at Pierce. She has worked in International Education for over ten years.

Mary received her degrees in French and Education from Western Washington University in 1986. Her international experience includes a year as an au pair and student at L'Universite d'haute Bretagne in Rennes, France in 1981-82.

Mary is married to a Dutchman (whom she met while he was an exchange student in college) and together they have three daughters. Her hobbies include travel, reading, and spending time with her family.

Sandy Plann

Manager, International Marketing
splann@pierce.ctc.edu

Sandy has had many years of varied experience in the field of international education. She holds a bachelor's degree in Spanish and a teaching certificate and Master's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from UCLA, and has taught English to international students, immigrants and refugees. As Marketing Manager she has visited many countries, introducing Pierce College to students, high schools, colleges and universities.

In her free time, Sandy enjoys spending time with her family and pursuing various hobbies, including reading, crafts, gardening and sports, especially swimming, biking, and running. She has lived and worked in Mexico, Ecuador, Spain and Wales and is an avid traveler.

Mishelle Pasinato

Intensive English Program (IEP) Manager
mpasinato@pierce.ctc.edu

Mishelle knew that she wanted to be an English teacher by the time she was in the eighth grade. Now, many years later, she finds joy every day with her students as she bounces around the classroom. The words "energetic" and "outgoing" are two of the most-used adjectives to describe her teaching style and her personality.

Mishelle graduated with Bachelors degrees in English, Sociology, and Secondary Education from Washington State University in 1990. She taught for one year in the public schools, and then bought a one-way ticket to Korea to teach English as a Foreign Language. Mishelle loved both Korean food and culture, and learned as much from her students as they learned from her. Three years later, she returned to Washington State to work for the American Cultural Exchange at Pacific Lutheran University, where she taught ESL and ran the Community Interaction section of the program. She also finished her TESOL teaching degree while working there.

She came to Pierce College in 1999, teaching college English composition courses while working on her Masters degree in education, with a focus on reading and literacy, from City University. While at C.U., she concentrated her research on ESL reading comprehension. She now teaches ESL certification courses for City University in addition to her IEP and college composition courses here at Pierce College.

Mishelle's hobbies include reading, making scrapbooks and photo albums for her family, and volunteering at her children's school.

Jennifer Gruver

Student Activities Coordinator/Admissions
jgruver@pierce.ctc.edu

Jennifer Gruver is originally from Baltimore, Maryland near Washington D.C. on the east coast of the US. She moved to Seattle in 1997 and has lived there off and on for 16 years. She really likes to live near the ocean.

She graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor's in Sociology and Liberal Arts. During her college career, she studied abroad in Prague, Czech Republic and she also taught English in Kenya during the summer. After college, she wanted to teach overseas again so she joined the JET program and taught English in Shimane Prefecture, Japan for two years. Upon returning from Japan, Jen earned her Masters in Teaching from Western Washington University in Seattle.

Jennifer has taught ESL for 3 years and has worked in student services for international students for over 6 years. She loves to work with international students because the culture she craves to learn comes right here to her office! She also loves to travel and has been to about 25 countries.
Aside from having fun with students on activities, she likes hanging out with her husband and family, listening to music, yoga, meditation, tennis, badminton, reading, talking, eating, watching movies, hiking, laughing, and learning foreign languages. She can speak a little Spanish, German, Japanese and is now learning Korean.

George Scheffe

International Housing Manager
homestay@pierce.ctc.edu

George is a true Washingtonian who has lived up and down the west coast of the state, making his home in Longview, Bellingham and now Tacoma. He has traveled extensively in Asia, living in Japan for 3 ½ years.  While living with a Japanese family, his world exploded with color, and his appreciation for the amazing diversity and beauty of people was born. He has traveled to Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and the Middle East.

George’s career path has included work as a youth pastor, in sales, carpentry and management in the insurance industry.  He brings strategic thinking, planning,
problem-solving, and communication skills to the table.  He also actively volunteers as a chaperone for youth service work, in school-related activities, and in various neighborhood efforts to bring restoration to Tacoma. 

George met his wife in Japan and moved back to Washington, raising 3 children.  He and his family continue their international enrichment by hosting exchange students in their home. George loves family, travel, gardening and making espresso.  He is grateful for friendship that enriches the adventure called life.