Karen Paatan was born in the Philippines, raised in Singapore, and now calls Canada home. A committed member of the Trinity community for nearly 30 years, she is passionate about supporting students academically and helping them grow in confidence and independence. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing board games, and watching KDramas.
Santrice is currently pursuing her Masters in Leadership at Trinity Western University, building on her Master of Business Administration. She has spent over a decade in Human Resources, where she designed and facilitated several training and mentorship programs.
Aju was born and raised in Kerala, India, where his early experiences and cultural background profoundly shaped his academic and professional pursuits. His journey through education reflects a deep commitment to both understanding language and serving the community.
He holds a Masters and a Ph.D. in Linguistics, qualifications that underscore his expertise in the complexities of language, communication, and its applications. His research in applied linguistics focuses on practical issues in language use and acquisition, contributing valuable insights to the field and addressing real-world language-related challenges.
Tarea serves as a graduate academic coach at the Richmond campus. She earned a Master’s in Education from Thompson Rivers University. Her diverse cultural background shaped by her experience studying and living in Sri Lanka, the United States and Canada, has significantly impacted her approach to education.
Her approach is centered on fostering critical thinking, improving academic skills and encouraging effective study habits. She works collaboratively with students to develop personalized action plans that enhances time management, goal setting and study skills ultimately guiding them towards their academic goals.
Jessica graduates from TWU with a MA in Leadership and is currently working toward a Minor in Psychology. She is also TESL Canada certified. Besides academics, she is interested in theatre, literature, and Beijing Opera.
Nancy has been a member of the TWU community for over 10 years and has almost 30 years of experience in teaching and coaching. Nancy is currently working as an Academic Coach and specializes in providing personal strategies for time management, study skills and overcoming academic anxiety. She enjoys working alongside students to provide support to reach their full potential during their academic journey at TWU.
Originally from China, Jessica Gao pursued her studies in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Simon Fraser University.
At Trinity Western University, Jessica serves as an academic coach, where she collaborates with students to refine their study techniques and cultivate a more effective approach to learning so that students are empowered to maximize their academic potential and achieve their educational goals.
Sarah grew up in the Himalayas within the brooding misty mountain tops. So when she moved to BC, it felt just like home. She identifies with the early cultural shock of moving to Canada that is coupled with a new Academic system. As she is not a native English speaker, she is aware of the troubles of thinking in a certain language and having to write in another. So she is specializes in working with bilingual or multilingual people while understanding their educational background to help them adapt to a new one. She enjoys a warm cup of coffee, cherry blossoms and all things bright and beautiful.
Nina is a firm believer in empowering students to share their voice. She believes that everyone learns differently and tries to tailor her approach to each student. She views it is her duty as a writing coach to demonstrate and guide how students can engage deeper with a text. It is crucial for learners to be aware of the incredible power and knowledge that they are gaining through their education. It is important to empower students to find their identity in their writing as being an author can be personal and intimate, or it can be shared with many; it is up to the individual to decide the words and stories that they choose to share. She adores her job because she has been able to help students as writers and individuals.
I have worked with international students and immigrants to Canada throughout my career. As a writing coach, I focus on providing support for each student individually, as everyone has their specific needs. My goal is help build confidence in academic writing and assignments. I specialize in helping with brainstorming, developing critical thinking, and writing with clarity and cohesion; as well as APA formatting and style.