Meet Our Faculty

Aliss Obeid ha s been the ESL Program Director at the English Language Institute since October 2024. A dedicated educator and leader with an MS in TESOL and a BA in English Literature, she has extensive experience teaching ESL and working with diverse student populations. Aliss is committed to designing impactful programs that help international students achieve their academic and personal goals while fostering cultural integration and inclusivity. In her free time, Aliss enjoys painting and drawing.

David Bedell has taught in the SHU English Language Institute since 2012 and taught previously at SHU in the 1990s. He has a master’s in TESOL and a BA in linguistics with computer applications, and he has spent most of his career teaching ESL, with additional experience in nonprofit management. At SHU, he enjoys learning as much from his students as they learn from him. David is also a Justice of the Peace, performing marriages especially for international and interreligious couples.

Elizabeth Macdonald has been teaching in SHU ESL/ELI program since 2018. Of her total 30+ years of ESL teaching, most of her focus has been on preparing international students for advanced, graduate studies. She has a master’s in TESOL and a BA in Sociology and French. What she likes most about teaching in this program is how motivated the students are and helping them achieve their goals! She has a strong international background and has been to more than 60 countries.

KL Howling received her MS in Applied Linguistics from Georgetown University. She has been teaching for over 35 years, eight of which were at universities in the Middle East. In addition to teaching there, she helped develop the curriculum for the ESL foundations program at the UAE University and was on the founding team of Zayed University in Dubai. She has also been on some education consulting assignments in Saudi Arabia. KL is familiar with the culture of the Middle East since she grew up in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia and has traveled in that area.

Katherine Boulier has been the Director of the Online ESL Program at SHU since 2018 and loves the opportunity the program provides for students all over the world to strengthen their English proficiency. Prior to that, Katherine worked as an 8th grade English teacher in Connecticut for a decade. She earned her BA with an English major from the University of Pennsylvania and subsequently earned her Master’s in Secondary Education from Sacred Heart University. Katherine’s husband and two children keep her busy, but in her free time she enjoys playing tennis on two USTA teams.

Joan Dacey Gill began teaching at the SHU ESL/ELI program from 2012 to 2016 and rejoined the faculty in 2021. Her career spans over 30 years of teaching ESL/EFL in Connecticut, New York City, Boston and Montevideo, Uruguay. She has had the privilege of assisting students from virtually every corner of the globe in reaching their personal and professional goals. Professor Gill has a master's degree in TESOL and a BA in Bilingual Education. She enjoys the smaller class size at the SHU ELI since it allows her to focus on each student’s needs and learning style. As an airline employee in the 1980’s, Joan traveled to a wide variety of fascinating countries.

Margaret Bartiromo has been teaching at Sacred Heart University’s English Language Institute since 2021. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Greek and Latin from Hunter Colle ge, a Master’s degree in linguistics from Columbia University and a TESOL Certificate from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. Margaret also works part-time as an attorney at a law firm in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Margaret especially loves working with students to improve their reading and writing skills!

Idil Rumilly has been part of the SHU ESL/ELI faculty since 2022. She has more than 20 years of experience teaching ESL and has a Master’s in Applied Linguistics specializing in foreign language and TESOL instruction. What she appreciates most about teaching in this program is working with students from different cultural backgrounds in small classes where students are engaged, motivated and appropriately challenged in a nurturing and supportive environment. She is a former ESL learner herself, is fluent in three languages and plays classical piano.

Hilarie Horne received an MSc in Applied Linguistics from Georgetown University and have been teaching English both in the US and abroad for over 40 years. In October 2021 she joined the SHU-ELI after returning to CT to be near family. Hilarie loves meeting students from different countries and learning about their culture as well as challenging herself to create lessons that are engaging and relevant for them. Her own experience growing up and living outside of the US has given her tremendous respect for students’ dedication to learning a new language.

Michael Kozek has been teaching at the SHU ELI since 2021. He has a BA in Political Science and Language & Culture Studies and an MS in Latin American Studies. Michael particularly enjoys learning from his students’ various life experiences. In his free time, you can find Michael oil painting or weightlifting.