Intensive English
Faculty Biographies


Sally Jones, Director of Intensive English
Mrs. Sally Jones earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Wichita State University. She worked in Speech and Hearing Therapy for a few years and then joined Wichita State University’s Intensive English Language Center in January, 1981. Prior to becoming the Director of the program in June, 2005, Mrs. Jones was an ESL Specialist (instructor), a SPEAK Test evaluator, and the SPEAK Test Coordinator from 1999 to August 2013. Over the many years she has been with the Intensive English program, she has counted it a privilege to meet students from all over the world and to learn about their cultures, customs, and traditional foods. She says that her life has been enriched by the diverse student populations she has been able to meet while working at Intensive English.

Sherry Ashworth, ESL Specialist
Ms. Sherry Ashworth has taught at the Intensive English Language Center since 1981. She completed her academic studies at Wichita State University and received both a bachelor's and master's degree in education. Mrs. Ashworth enjoys teaching international students and feels as if she has traveled the world after hearing their stories. Mrs. Ashworth believes that we may all learn from each other by sharing each other's stories.

Andy Bowman, Lab Coordinator
Andy Bowman has been IELC’s Learning Laboratory Coordinator since 1996. Originally an ESOL instructor in Paraguay, Mr. Bowman began developing language-learning software in the early nineties and eventually returned to Wichita where he was born and raised. A graduate of the University of Kansas, Mr. Bowman also has Master’s Degree from Rutgers University. Having lived abroad he knows the challenges international students face when starting a new life while trying to learning a new language.

Nancy Millham, Academic Lecturer
Ms. Nancy Millham has a BA in German from the University of Oklahoma, a Masters in International Marketing from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona, and a graduate TESOL certificate from WSU. She has worked in the International Division at Beech Aircraft Corporation, at Kansas public schools in Wichita, Andover and Towanda, and has taught at Butler Community College.  Ms. Millham joined the Intensive English Language Center (IELC) staff in 2012 to use her love of language learning to help WSU’s international students grow in their understanding and use of the English language through the interconnection of cultures and the daily exchange of ideas.  She strives to provide excellent English language applications so that the students will be well prepared for their future academic and career choices.

Aimee Leisy, ESL Specialist & SPEAK® Test Coordinator
Ms. Aimee Leisy has a BA in History and Spanish from Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas, and a master’s degree in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education from the University of Indiana at Bloomington. She has taught at the Intensive English Language Center since 2008.  In addition to teaching, she became SPEAK Test Coordinator in 2013.  Her other teaching experience includes teaching English to middle school students, teaching community English to adults, teaching at a private English school in New Zealand, as well as teaching English at Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, a well-known Mexican University.  Ms. Leisy speaks some French and is fluent in Spanish, having lived in Mexico for five years.  As a language learner herself, she enjoys finding effective and engaging ways to help students improve their English proficiency.

Barbara Mazza Silhan, ESL Specialist
Mrs. Barbara Mazza Silhan has been teaching at the Intensive English Language Center since 1983. Mrs. Silhan studied at Oklahoma State University for six years where she received a bachelor's degree in history and a master's in teaching English as a Second Language. Mrs. Silhan really enjoys her job because of her love of being in the classroom and working with the students. She has always been fascinated with other countries and their cultures, and believes that she learns as much from the students as they learn from her.

Marsha Webb, ESL Specialist
Twenty-six years of teaching in a variety of settings (middle school, high school, community college, and 29 years at the Intensive English Language Center) has Mrs. Marsha Webb smiling about how lucky she is. Her love of teaching English combines an avid interest in reading, discussion, world cultures, and young people. Also, with five children of her own she is at home with university-age students and tends to "mother" them as well. Her educational background includes an Associate of Arts degree, a BSE from Emporia State University, a MEd from Wichita State University, and a TESOL Teaching Certificate. With a striving for natural communication, varying methods of teaching, and a focus on informality, learning in her classroom is intentionally fun!

Rima Haidar-Duncan, Instructor
Rima Haidar-Duncan grew up in Beirut, Lebanon and travelled extensively in Europe. She went to American Evangelical school for girls (A.E.S.G) which was called later B.E.S.G. Rima is polylingual and lived in the Greek cypress for a period of time during the devastating war in Lebanon. At that time she travelled to Europe specifically Germany and France, then she came back to Lebanon to finish her Bachelor’s degree in Beirut specializing in teaching English Literature and languages. In 1985, She left to the United States to pursue her higher Education and received her Master’s in Public Relations with special attention to corporate management from Boston University. She worked for several years as a freelance researcher for Kuwait University under the supervision of Dr. Behbehani. She has worked for several years as an archivist in Assafir, a prominent Newspaper in Beirut. Rima has taught at Butler County Community College for almost 19 years. She loves to cook Mediteranean food.

Pam Jerome, Instructor
Ms. Pam Jerome graduated from Wayne State University in her home state of Michigan. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in Education, a minor in International Studies, and a Masters degree in TESOL. Ms. Jerome spent years in Brazil at Escola Graduada de Sao Paulo international school and 2 years at Colegio Maya International School until moving to Kansas to teach at the elementary level. She has traveled extensively throughout the United States, South America, and Europe. Creating a risk free environment for her students to thrive is the goal of teaching at IELC- Diversification, communications, and understanding.