Meet the team
Helping you live the life you want to live
mission
You have the potential to live the life you want. We help you unlock it. Whether your dream is to travel the world and teach or set your own hours working from home, our mission is to get you there. We help connect dreamers, doers and risk-takers with the best TEFL employers to learn about captivating cultures, see unforgettable sights and make lasting memories. Where will TEFL take you?
Who Are We
We’re a bunch of like-minded TEFL experts… We’ve been there and done it all. Well, almost! The captivating world of TEFL seduced us all, and it’s what we have in common. That’s why we’re passionate about TEFL and committed to helping aspiring teachers succeed. With over 20 years of combined experience in TEFL, we’ve got a well-seasoned team to help you launch your teaching career.
Sales & Marketing
Shauna
TEFL qualified and with a Bachelor of Business, Shauna has taught English in Brazil and online for the past few years. Now back In Ireland she wants to help people get started on their own TEFL journey. Shauna is keen to share her own experiences with our students and help and advise them on course options and job opportunities.
Ola
As our Head of Marketing, Ola is the best person to keep you all updated on all our upcoming events and TEFL course news. She listens to our students’ needs and makes sure we run the most relevant, valuable webinar and info sessions.
Ola is also highly knowledgeable about the legalisation of certificates and visas and is our encyclopedia on the subject.
Emma
Emma is our brilliant Enrollment Officer, dedicated to helping aspiring teachers choose the right course and reach their TEFL goals. Whether you want to teach English abroad or online (or need help deciding!), Emma is on hand to guide you in the right direction. Need assistance? You can catch Emma and her team on our live chat system or by requesting a call.
Annelies
Our course enrolment advisor is Annelies. She moved to Ireland from Holland in 2016 and because Dutch is her first language, she understands the significance of English for non-native speakers. Annelies enjoys working with people and assisting others, which has allowed her to meet people from all over the world throughout her life.
Leo
Leo is our sales and marketing specialist. He has a business and marketing degree from UCFB in Manchester. A love of travelling inspired him to spend a year in New Zealand. He devotes and prides himself in ensuring that every student starts the perfect TEFL journey whether its a TEFL course or paid internship. He is always happy to guide you!
Aisling
Aisling is our Marketing Assistant. She is currently a 3rd year marketing student at Munster Technological University. Aisling is the face behind our social media and a star of our Tiktok. She will keep you all updated on all things TEFL. In her time off, she loves singing, and her beautiful voice can be heard on several occasions e.g. friend’s weddings. She loves travelling, and so far, she has visited Spain, Portugal, France, Italy & Florida, and her travel adventure will continue after her studies.
Partnership & Development
Katie
With teaching experience and a degree in education, Katie has a vast amount of knowledge to help our team grow and succeed. Her love for teaching has taken her to Zambia and Abu Dhabi to teach young learners. Katie’s educational and professional background means she’s an asset to our academic team and liaises with them daily to ensure the best possible journey for our students.
Caroline
The idea behind The TEFL Institute of Ireland originated in 2001 when founder Caroline Keevers and her husband travelled to Costa Rica to voluntarily teach English. Caroline was inspired to work in an industry where she could change and improve the lives of others and give them the opportunity to travel the world and gain lifelong experiences.
Jessica
Jessica is our Partner and Recruitment Specialist. She has a business degree with TEFL and CELTA qualifications, as well as TEFL educational placements in Thailand and Italy. She has firsthand knowledge of the experience, which means she has the skills and understanding to assist you in finding the top quality jobs and internships to meet your needs.
Assessment & Academic Support
Jacob
As Head of Assessments, Jacob oversees our courses and grades to ensure they’re of the highest quality for our students. Jacob is DELTA trained, and his international career has taken him across Thailand, Germany and Spain teaching English. His specialist teaching experience includes Cambridge assessment as well as IELTS preparation and online teaching.
Michelle
Michelle’s TEFL career spans over 20 years. After graduating with an English degree, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and a TEFL qualification, she decided to teach English abroad for six years in Botswana, Africa and Tel Aviv, Israel. Since returning to Ireland, she has completed a Master’s in TESOL From the University of Limerick and teaches English to adults.
Kate
With a Bachelor of Education degree, CELTA and Level 5 TEFL, our Academic Tutor Kate has the expertise to help you succeed. Her passion comes from years of teaching English abroad in over 23 countries. So, she knows a thing or two about what employers look for in teachers, too! Kate runs our 10 Hour Virtual TEFL Course and deals with student enquiries.
Rachel
We know that online self-study courses can sometimes be tricky. That’s why we have Rachel, who’s responsible for maintaining our policies and ensuring student support is to the highest standard. She is CELTA and DELTA qualified and has taught in Italy, Switzerland, Romania, the UK and Greece. Rachel loves teaching, meeting new people and learning languages (she’s on her 6th!).
Steven
After finishing his CELTA, Steven’s first job was teaching in a private language school in Portugal. Since then, he has taught in universities and summer schools overseas. Steven’s TEFL experience and love of the industry means he’s best placed to provide our students with the necessary advice to help them pass their courses and get started on their TEFL journey.
Lucy
Lucy is CELTA and DETLA trained with many years of experience teaching at all levels, ages and many different types of courses. She has taught face-to-face in Ecuador, the Balkans, and the UK and central Europe. She currently teaches online. Lucy has been to over 40 countries, and travel is one of her biggest passions. Lucy has been to over 40 countries and would like to add to that!
Anya
Anya has worked in English language teaching for 17 years as a teacher, teacher educator and assessor. She is CELTA and DELTA qualified and has worked as a CELTA tutor. After graduating with a French, Spanish, and Portuguese degree, Anya started teaching and has never looked back. She has lived and worked in Spain, Brazil, Argentina and Sri Lanka.
Design & Development
Przemek
Chess-addict Przemysław is our in-house genius who is responsible for the smooth running of our dashboard system. To make your experience better and faster, we try to automate a lot of corrections and issuing certificates, as well as fast responses, and Przemyslaw will always make the experience better.
Darragh
With years of experience with the digital arts, Darragh makes sure all our images and designs look on point. From photo editing to course design, there is nothing Darragh can’t do. Now living in the UK, he couldn’t be happier working on his initiative and coming up with amazing creative ideas.
Our Team Mascot
check out what makes us special
We are one of the leading TEFL course providers in Ireland, renowned for our high-quality learning experiences and globally recognised online courses. In this video, our MD, Katie, and Founder, Ian, explain more about TEFL and what The TEFL Institute of Ireland offers you and other aspiring teachers. Click the button below to watch the video and find out more.
THE TEFL INSTITUTE TEACHING GUIDE
Download our complimentary brochure for everything you need to know about TEFL. Whether you want to learn more about the best TEFL course for you or our paid teaching internships, it’s all covered in this brochure. What’s more, we reveal the best places to teach English as a foreign language and the scholarship opportunities available. Begin your TEFL discovery today…
