Board of Directors

Chairperson
Souhaël Bouallagui

Souhaël Bouallagui has been the Director of Customized Training Division and French as a Second Language at Université Sainte-Anne in Nova Scotia since 2017, where he is also the Director of Department of Education Sciences.

He holds a Master’s degree in linguistics and language didactics, and he has been working in the field of adult language education since 2007, first in Europe and then in Canada.

Although teaching remains as his greatest passion, through his role at Université Sainte-Anne, Souhaël is currently responsible for the administrative management of academic departments, the development of new programs and the supervision of projects such as the CLIC centre at the university.

Out of keen interest in languages, Souhaël joined the Board of the Halifax Languages Consortium and that of the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks. He is the Vice Chairperson of CCLB Board of Directors since 2021.

Vice Chairperson
Ricardo Arisnabarreta

Ricardo Arisnabarreta Ricardo Arisnabarreta is an accomplished leader in the fields of language education, settlement services, and second language acquisition research, with extensive experience in teaching, program management, and policy development at both institutional and national levels. Ricardo is the Manager of Language Services at the Regina Open Door Society (RODS) in Saskatchewan. He holds an undergraduate degree in English and Spanish as a second language and an M.Ed. (Master of Education) with research focused on the internationalization of higher education, language, and power. He is also a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Regina and a sessional instructor in the International Languages Department of the same university, where he teaches Spanish credit classes. His research interests lie at the intersection of language, race, accent, and immigration, and how these factors affect the lived experiences of non-native speakers of English. He is a language and ESL expert and has provided expertise for language standardization for companies such as Duolingo. He also works as a freelancer for Duolingo on benchmarking language assessments. Ricardo has significant professional experience, including both teaching and administrative roles. He has taught EFL, EAP, LINC, theory and methodology in second language acquisition, and standardized assessment courses. He has worked as a language assessor and has taught at SaskPolytech and the University of Saskatchewan. Ricardo previously served as Vice President of TESL Saskatchewan and Chair of the Accreditation Committee, where he spearheaded significant changes in accreditation processes and standards. He was the Board Chair for the Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant Settlement and Integration Agencies. Currently, he also manages provincially and federally funded language programs at RODS, where he supports instructors in navigating the CLBs and PBLA.

Treasurer
Yves Page

Yves Page has a vast professional background in both manufacturing and corporate management, with over thirty years’ experience of helping small, medium, and large companies improve their bottom line. In 1998, he founded GEMS Consultants Inc. in Moncton, New Brunswick. As a corporate advisory service company, GEMS offers small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners the necessary navigation tools to fully comprehend their state of business and to realize desired business objectives. Specializing in business start-ups, consulting, training and more, Yves and his dynamic team strive to offer affordable, flexible, and professional services across the Maritimes, Canada, and internationally.

Yves has been a member in good standing for over 30 years with the Association of Professional Engineers of New Brunswick (APENB). He has also sat on various boards in different roles, including former President of the Verification Committee (Caisse Populaire Beauséjour), Secretary of the Executive Committee – Board of Directors (Caisse Populaire Beauséjour), Vice President of Moncton Minor Hockey Association (MMHA), Coordinator of Volunteers (2010 World Junior Games – WIIF), and Regional and Provincial Judge (School Chess Tournaments).

With such knowledge and experience, Yves has proven his ability to quickly grasp the problems that business owners may face as their businesses grow. He can quickly help identify business owners and leaders’ ways to improve productivity and achieve corporate goals. Fluent in English and in French, Yves is a graduate from the Université de Moncton with a bachelor’s degree in applied science (Industrial Engineering) and a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA).

Christianne Wojcik

Christianne Wojcik began working in education in 2002 and has held positions in the United States and Canada in public K-12 education, charter school leadership, public-private partnerships, higher education administration, and nonprofit executive leadership.

She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in English (1998), Master of Liberal Arts (2004), Master of Education in Curriculum and Development (2013) and post-graduate credentials in Literacy, Reading Interventions, and ESL. Christianne holds teaching certification in the US and Canada, and previously held faculty positions in both the Department of English and College of Education and Human Development at Louisiana State University in Shreveport for eight years. She is passionate about learner-focused educational practices, UDL, teacher training, and project-based learning.

Christianne’s current role is Executive Director of Kingston Literacy & Skills in Kingston, ON. Additionally, she sits on the Board of Directors for CCLB, Community Literacy of Ontario, and Kingston Immigration Partnership as well as advisory committees for the City of Kingston. Outside of her professional interests, Christianne holds a number of volunteer leadership positions in arts and culture and EDI advocacy.

Donna Clark

Donna Clarke brings extensive expertise in adult literacy to her role as Lead of the Literacy Centre of Expertise at TIES (The Immigrant Education Society) in Calgary. She is a passionate advocate for adult learners developing foundational literacy skills—many for the first time—and is committed to ensuring they receive the support, resources, and instruction they need to thrive.

After earning her Bachelor of Education from McGill University, Donna taught in both the Bronx, New York, and Taiwan. These international teaching experiences helped shape her understanding of language acquisition and learner resilience. She joined TIES in 2009 and played an instrumental role in establishing its Literacy Department. Since then, she has taught all literacy levels, served as a PBLA and Literacy Lead, presented at numerous conferences, and contributed to a team that creates dedicated literacy resources for the community at large.

Donna believes literacy is more than a skill—it’s a bridge to confidence, community, and opportunity. Her passion comes from the exceptional students she has had the privilege of knowing and sharing her days with. Her work at the Literacy Centre of Expertise is driven by a tenacity to create lasting change and inspire others to join in building a supportive, nationwide community for literacy instructors and learners. She is known for her collaborative spirit and believes in building strong, cross-sector partnerships to advance literacy support nationwide. Her contributions to the field were nationally recognized with the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, a testament to the lasting impact of her work and the collective efforts of her team.

Giacomo Folinazzo

Giacomo Folinazzo holds a PhD in Language and Literacies Education from the University of Toronto. With over two decades of international teaching experience in Canada, Italy, and Japan in English for Academic Purposes and Italian, he has also lectured in language education, linguistics, and communication at various institutions including the University of Toronto, York University, Brock University, Western University, and Università degli Studi della Tuscia. His research focuses on language teacher education, CEFR implementation, linguistic mediation, and the Action-oriented Approach. Dr. Folinazzo has led and contributed to projects with the European Union, SSHRC, and the Italian Ministry of Education, including the LINCDIRE and Comprendiamoci initiatives. He was recently selected by the Council of Europe for a large project to enhance foreign language education in Turkiye. A frequent presenter at international conferences (USA, Italy, UAE) he also delivers workshops and publishes actively on innovation in language pedagogy. In 2024, he founded the Centre for Research in Education at Niagara College dedicated to advancing language education through research and teacher training.

Jennifer Cummins

Jennifer Cummins has been working in the field of EAL instruction since 2007. In that time, she has worked in a variety of contexts, including private, non-profit, and public organizations. She has participated as a subject matter expert for both private and government organizations and has extensive experience in curriculum development, assessment, and quality assurance.

Jennifer’s most current role is Assistant Department Head in the EAL department at Vancouver Community College in Vancouver, BC. Additionally, she volunteers as a Board Member for the CCLB, and sits on the board of BCTEAL as Board Secretary and Chair of the Membership Committee.

Jennifer has a Masters of Education in Educational Psychology from Simon Fraser University, as well as a leadership certificate through their continuing studies program. She has also received a post-graduate certificate in e-learning from the University of Calgary. Recently she was awarded the VCC research fund for two consecutive years to study faculty attitudes and behaviour in relation to plagiarism. Her professional interests include online and blended education, assessment, curriculum development, anti-oppressive pedagogy, and EDI.

Jessica Durepos

Jessica Durepos (M.A. Ed, BA) is a passionate Assistant Manager of the Second Language Education Program at Éducation permanente part of the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE), a position she has held since 2019. She oversees provincially funded ESL and FSL programs, with a focus on integrating educational technologies in remote teaching and learning. She is currently developing an internal learning management system for ESL and FSL instructors, covering onboarding, pedagogical principles, support for Avenue.ca, and alignment with the PBLA/ELBP frameworks.

With more than ten years of experience in program coordination and teacher training, Jessica is dedicated to improving second language teaching practices in Canada. She has designed digital resources and led training for both Canadian and international second and international language educators.

Her experience spans diverse educational contexts, including adult education, post-secondary institutions, and early childhood education. She has taught English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and French immersion at the University of Ottawa, as well as ESL and FSL courses. Her Franco-Ontarian identity fuels her commitment to language education and to supporting learners in discovering their own linguistic identities.

Jessica Leslie

Jessica Leslie has over 20 years of experience in education, including 15 years working with diverse children and adults, she is a detail-oriented instructor well-versed in curriculum development, program management, and adult learning principles. Jessica has a proven track record in writing training materials and facilitating professional development in areas such as Supporting Diversity in the Classroom, Trauma-Informed Classrooms, Dyslexia and EAL, and Integrating Students with Sight Loss.

Jessica’s strong and empathetic communication skills are supported by a Professional Development Certificate in Intercultural Communication from The University of British Columbia, a BA in Linguistics and TESOL, and a Master of Education in Supporting Diverse Learners from Mount St Vincent University. Jessica has taught the gamut of EAL, LINC, EAP, and EFL from literacy all the way up to college prep in multiple countries and has taken roles including head instructor, PBLA lead, Team Lead, and currently, as Accessibility Support Program coordinator at Immigration Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) for the past 6 years.

Additionally, she volunteers as a Board Member for the CCLB and serves on various accessibility-focused committees and working groups both locally and nationally.

Maria MacMinn Varvos

Maria MacMinn Varvos is an Adult Educator with a BA in Languages and Literature and a Bachelor of Education with a specialization in English. Maria has had a broad and comprehensive career in the private and public-school career training and ESL sectors for over 30 years.

Now retired, Maria was recently the Campus Director for Brookes College in Calgary overseeing career training programs in the business, education, health, and IT sectors that are primarily delivered online. Retirement has given her an opportunity to focus on  consulting through her company, MMV Educational Consulting, that has been working with public and private post secondary colleges on program research, teacher training, curriculum development and licensing, strategic planning and writing proposals for new training initiatives.

Her work experience has also encompassed administrative leadership in the private and non-profit management such as Campus Director of Robertson College and Mosaic Learning Institute as well as leadership positions with Columbia College, The Immigrant Education Society (TIES) and Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (CIWA). She has had board level involvement in professional associations and committees that are representative of the Adult Education and ESL sectors. Maria has had a range of volunteer leadership positions on Boards and committees for organizations such as Alberta Association of Career Colleges (AACC), National Association of Career Colleges (NACC) and past President of (ATESL) Alberta Teachers of English as a Second Language. These experiences provided Maria with the opportunity to advocate for quality post-secondary education in the career training and ESL sectors.

Maria has a passion for working in the private and nonprofit post-secondary adult education sectors. She has learned about the operational and academic challenges of these organizations as well as the challenges of their diverse group of students. Her passion extends to working collaboratively with team members to achieve the vision, mission and mandate of the organization guided by a servant leadership philosophy.

Tehreem Zafar

Tehreem Zafar works as Manager, Immigration and Settlement Services at YWCA Hamilton and oversees Settlement, Employment, Gender Based Violence and Violence Against Women (GBV&VAW), Community connections, and 2SLGBTQIA+ programming. Being an immigrant herself, she uses insights from her first-hand experience to remove the barriers immigrants face in different phases of settlement and integration, so when they look back, they consider it a success, not just a mere survival. Hence, from direct service delivery to management and advocacy on local and national levels, she has held numerous roles including Language Program Head, LINC Program Manager, LINC Coordinator, and Assistant Coordinator at Saskatchewan Intercultural Association and English Language Learning Supervisor at Newcomer Learning Centre, Hamilton Public Library. She has also taught LINC (Literacy – CLB 7), the ESL (University of Saskatchewan), and the Seniors ESL (Hamilton Public Library).

Tehreem has served on various committees, working groups, and boards. Being Director of the TESL Saskatchewan board, she volunteered as Chair of the Board’s Communication Committee and is also a former member of Saskatchewan’s advisory committee of Language Assessment and Referral Centre (LARC) and the province’s settlement umbrella organization, Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant Settlement and Integration Agencies (SAISIA). Currently, in Hamilton, she sits on Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council, HIPC’s Social Inclusion and Community Engagement Committee and is part of the Afghan Settlement Task Force and the Ukrainian Working Group. She has a master’s degree in English Language and Literature, a B.A. in Economics, a Certificate in TESL (University of Saskatchewan), a Certificate in LearnIT2Teach Stage 3, and a Certificate in Language Program Management (London Language Institute). As an Ontario Certified English Language Teacher (OCELT), she has TESL Ontario Certificate of Accreditation for Adult ESL Teachers and International Certificate in Teaching English as an Additional Language (ICTEAL).

Tehreem is blessed to be the mother of two awesome boys, Mohammad and Haider. They are the source of joy in her life. When Tehreem is not busy working, she can be found decorating her home, reading a book, or making a floral arrangement. This makes her relaxed and refreshed to start another day or week with new energy.