Matt Krause
One of the founders of Speak/Write Teens, Matt Krause came to Istanbul in 2003 and currently lives in Bandırma, a small town a ferry ride from Istanbul. He is an American from California.
Having spent the 10 years before coming to Turkey sourcing goods from China and importing them into the US, he naturally gravitated to international trade. In fact, his very first incoming phone call on his very first morning in Turkey was from some business partners in Hong Kong, and his first business in Turkey sold nazar boncuğu (evil eyes) to the US.
In 2007 he founded the first Toastmasters club in Istanbul to help a Turkish friend with her public speaking skills. That club eventually grew to be the largest Toastmasters club in the world. Seeing the demand for learning public speaking and presentation skills, Matt started Recipient Labs, a business teaching presentation skills to adults, a business he still runs to this day.
Matt has written three books (“Heathen Pilgrim” about his walk across Turkey, “A Tight Wide-open Space” about moving to Turkey, and “Soapbox” a collection of opinions and comments about stuff).
If you want to find out more about Matt, there’s always his personal website or his LinkedIn profile.
Athena Stanley
One of the founders of Speak/Write Teens, Dr. Athena Stanley is an American educator from Marquette, Michigan, with more than 16 years of experience in education, curriculum, and leadership.
Her teaching career has taken her around the world. She has worked in education in the United States, Ecuador, Turkey, and China, teaching and supporting learners from elementary school through adulthood. Along the way, she has served as a university professor, English Education Manager, Primary Curriculum Lead, Head of Grade, and classroom teacher.
Athena holds a PhD in Curriculum, Instruction, and the Science of Learning from the University at Buffalo, State University of New York (2018), as well as a Master of Arts in Education (2013) and Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education (2010) from Northern Michigan University. She is also the Founder and CEO of Athena Global Learning (AGL), where she works with students and professionals on communication, learning, leadership, and the responsible use of emerging technologies.
Athena is also the Executive Director of Kaufman Auditorium for Marquette Area Public Schools, Vice Chair of the City of Marquette Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, and a member of the Board of Directors for Great Lakes Great Responsibility, where she chairs the Education and Programs Committee. These roles keep her closely connected to education, the arts, environmental stewardship, and the community where she grew up.
Athena has traveled to more than 50 countries, so she knows firsthand how valuable strong communication skills can be when connecting with people across cultures. Outside of work, she loves running, exploring Michigan and the world, and spending time with her two rescue dogs from China.
If you’d like to learn more about Athena’s professional background and experience, you can find her on LinkedIn.
Ellisa Clumpner
Ellisa Clumpner is a language education professional from Marquette, Michigan in the United States. She holds a Master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, a Trinity CertTEFL certification from Oxford TEFL in Prague, and a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Northern Michigan University, where she also minored in Theatre. She has over a decade of experience teaching English as a second and foreign language to students from around the world.
Ellisa’s interest in languages and cultures began early, including an experience as a high school exchange student in Taiwan. Since starting her career, she has taught in the Czech Republic, China, India, and the United States. Her work in the U.S. has included teaching English to immigrants and international university students, as well as mentoring new, established, and aspiring English language educators.
Over the years, Ellisa has worked with teenagers, university students, professionals, and adults of all ages, and has been teaching online since 2020. Her experiences living abroad, traveling, and working with people from around the world have shaped her belief in the importance of teaching language for meaningful, real-world communication.
To learn more about Ellisa’s professional experience, you can visit her LinkedIn page.