People
ALI staff
Monica Mingucci, Ph.D.
Program Director
Phone: 816-235-5399
E-mail
Originally from Brazil, Dr. Mingucci has been working with language teaching and acquisition for more than 30 years. Dr. Mingucci oversees all administrative and academic functions of the ALI.
Hea Kyung Shoemaker
Administrative associate
Phone: 816-235-5435
E-mail
Originally from South Korea, Hea Kyung recruits international students and coordinates all internal administrative and financial functions of the ALI.
Jennifer Selvidge
Administrative assistant
Phone: 816-235-1149
E-mail
Jenny grew up in Hong Kong before moving to the United States as a teenager. Jenny recruits international students, coordinates the application process and manages agents’ contacts.
Elizabeth Bender
Academic adviser
Phone: 816-235-5405
E-mail
Liz has lived and studied abroad. At the ALI, Liz advises students in the intensive English program, and coordinates many of the academic services. She is fluent in Spanish.
Fran Golden
ESL specialist
Phone: 816-235-1233
E-mail
Before joining the ALI in 1995, Fran lived, studied and worked in 7 different countries. Fran is an ESL specialist and coordinates all of the housing, social activities and special programs for the ALI.
Gabriella Baptistella
Student office assistant
Phone: 816-235-1233
E-mail
Originally from Brazil, Gabriella studied at the ALI for two years. Now she is a mechanical engineering major at UMKC, where she helps new students at the ALI front desk.
Tracy Cheng
Student office assistant
Phone: 816-235-1233
E-mail
Tracy is a student at UMKC majoring in studio art. Her father is from Taiwan, her mother is German-American, and she can speak some Mandarin Chinese. She has traveled to China where she did a homestay in Kaifeng, and she has also been to Taiwan.
ALI faculty
Phil Ruggiero
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-5433
E-mail
Phil has worked abroad for 20 years as Director of Courses for a chain of language schools, and has taught English for business purposes internationally.
Adam Shoemaker
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-5436
E-mail
Adam has studied in Brazil, Chile and Germany. He was a guest professor/teacher-trainer at Harbin Medical University in Harbin, China.
Stephen Holland-Wempe
ESL specialist
Phone: 816-235-5438
E-mail
Steve has 20 years of experience in international education, conducting teacher trainings and teaching both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He has taught ESOL, Spanish, French and cross-cultural and diversity studies.
Heather Sheese
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-1186
E-mail
Heather participated in a study-abroad program in Papua, Indonesia and taught in South Korea for 2 years as an English Foreign Language instructor.
Michael Moorman
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-5406
E-mail
Michael lived in Mexico where he worked at the Proulex language school at the University of Guadalajara.
Michael Dix
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-5406
E-mail
Michael has lived, studied or worked in eight countries and has traveled widely, principally through the U.S. Peace Corps as a volunteer, trainer and program director.
Michael Turner
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-5436
E-mail
Michael Turner graduated from Truman State University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in English and from the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon with a Master’s degree in Linguistics in 1999. Michael’s interests include interlanguage phonology and computer assisted language learning.
Tammy Adams
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-5433
E-mail
Before joining the ALI in 2005, Tammy completed her ESL Certification at the University of Texas, Arlington, and she worked with international and immigrant students through non-profit organizations, high schools, and community colleges.
Clint Hughes
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-1186
E-mail
Clint has lived and worked abroad in China and Taiwan for two years, and directed Intrax International Institute for six years before joining the ALI.
Kate DeBenedetti
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-1233
E-mail
Kate has taught in a variety of settings, including English for beginning to advanced students and as a teacher trainer of English Foreign Language. She is fluent in Spanish and taught at the University of Guanajuato in Mexico for several years.
Samantha Farr
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-1233
E-mail
Sam taught at the Orlando Language School for 3 years, where she educated students from all over the world, including South America and Asia.
Pamela Merwin
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-5436
E-mail
Pamela has lived, studied and traveled throughout Central and South America and has enjoyed teaching ESL at the ALI for the past 2 years.
Robert Bohning
Lecturer
Phone: 816-235-1233
E-mail
Rob has extensive international experience having lived and worked in more than 10 countries before joining the ALI.
Kathy Axe
Tutor
Phone: 816-235-1233
E-mail
Dr. Axe has more than 17 years working, teaching, tutoring and advising non-native English speaking students.
Deany Burger-Goode
Tutor
Phone: 816-235-1233
E-mail
Deany has worked for the Grossmont College Tutoring Center and the Grossmont College English Writing Center in El Cajon, California.
Christine Shields
Tutor
Phone: 816-235-1233
E-mail
Christine worked with the Applied Language Institute from its beginnings, retiring as Assistant Director in 2006. She now works part-time for the Institute, does writing and volunteer work, and works part-time for the Educational Testing Service.
Melissa Velazquez
Tutor
Phone: 816-235-1233
While completing her B.A. and M.A. at the University of Kansas, Melissa studied in Costa Rica and Brazil. In addition to tutoring at the ALI, Melissa works for an international non-profit based in Kansas City.