Faculty and Staff

The IEI full-time faculty are experienced professionals who are trained in ESL teaching methods. Our faculty have either a Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Teaching English as a Second Language, Linguistics or a related field.

Karen Hilgeman Karen Hilgeman, International Student Advisor, Faculty // hilgeman@illinois.edu
Karen is the international student advisor at the Intensive English Institute, and she also teaches ESL classes. She has a master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Central Missouri. She has taught students at colleges and universities in several states as well as in Japan. She has also conducted teacher training in Illinois, in China, and at many local and national conferences.
Anna Anna Kasten, Student Services Coordinator, Faculty // a-kasten@illinois.edu
Anna has a master's in TESL from the University of Illinois. Her first experience abroad was as an exchange student in Austria. Before coming to the IEI in 1993, she taught EFL at universities in Japan and Venezuela. Anna coordinates Student Services for the IEI and enjoys being part of the IEI “support system."
Debbie Debbie Foster, Office Administrator // dmackerm@illinois.edu
Debbie has been at the University of Illinois for 30 years. She is the office administrator responsible for the tracking and billing of all income and expenses, along with agent information and other administrative tasks.
Kristin Kristin Bouton, Faculty // bouton@illinois.edu
Kristin has been with the IEI since 1996 and oversees teacher supervision. She is also the technology coordinator. She has an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Illinois and has been an ESL/EFL teacher since 1984. She first began teaching English in Spain where she lived for 12 years.
Peter Peter Chiligiris, Faculty // chiligir@illinois.edu
Peter has been teaching ESL for over 15 years, including seven years in Asia, and has taught every age group, subject, and skill level. He has two master’s degrees from the University of Illinois: one in Education, the other in TESL. Peter is the testing coordinator for the IEI.
Colin Anderson

Colin Anderson, Teacher // candrsn3@illinois.edu

Colin holds a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Colin first worked at the IEI as an undergraduate intern and has since returned in a teaching capacity. He taught university-level EFL in Guayaquil, Ecuador for one year with the Fulbright program. His interests include World Englishes, L2 accent and identity, and best practices in teaching oral skills.

Jennifer Brown

Jennifer Brown, Teacher // jabrown7@illinois.edu

Jenny Brown holds a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is currently pursuing M.A. degrees in TESL and Applied Linguistics. Jenny taught English at the elementary and junior high school level in Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program for three years, and ESL to adult learners in Canada. Jenny's teaching interests include vocabulary, motivation in second language learning, e-learning, and feedback.
Jeanette Pyne

Jeanette Pyne, Teacher // perry5@illinois.edu

Jeanette holds a B.A. in Spanish and Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She recently finished her Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is interested in teaching abroad and helping students achieve their personal and professional goals.