UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
Language and Communications Programme
As one of the core values of the United Nations, as well as the Gender Mainstreaming Project, Multilingualism promotes tolerance, unity, and which helps promote gender balanced disc- understanding, which helps the UN deliver on its ourse within the Organization. Moreover, the mandates. Through the Department of Opera- Language Learning Services Unit (LLSU) helps to tional Support (DOS) and the Capacity Develop- increase access to language learning in the field ment and Operations Training Section, the Lang- through distributing and monitoring Online uage and Communications Programme (LCP) Language Learning Licenses to staff members in plays an essential role in helping the United duty stations and offices away from headquar- Nations foster and enhance multilingualism. The ters, where instruction in the target language is LCP provides both in-person and online langu- not offered. These initiatives reach thousands of age/communications courses to galvanize the staff members annually and help foster multi- learning of the 6 official languages. The LCP staff lingualism throughout the organization. The LCP members also participate in organization-wide also helps organize activities and events for initiatives such as the Language Harmonization International Language Days and International Project, which aims to increase equitable Mother Language Day, as well as book fairs and language learning across the Global Secretariat, support literacy. The Language and Communications Programme
Meet the staff members of our LCP team
The Arabic Language The Chinese Language Programme Programme
Rabab El Nady joined the LCP team Zhuting Chang is a doctoral can- as a full-time Arabic instructor in March didate in Linguistics at the Graduate 2018 and became the head teacher of Center of the City University of New York the Arabic programme in January 2019. (CUNY). She holds an M.A. in Linguistics She grew up in Egypt, where she earned from Indiana University and another M.A. a degree in literature and obtained a in Foreign Linguistics and Applied teaching certificate from the American University in Linguistics from China Foreign Affairs University. She has Cairo. Her passion for teaching and learning led her to served as the Assistant Director and Professional pursue a master’s degree in foreign language Development Coordinator for the Chinese Flagship pedagogy from New York University where graduated Program at Hunter College (CUNY), and the Lead with an outstanding achievement award. She taught Instructor and Coordinator for the STARTALK Chinese at the American University in Cairo for 5 years before High School and Teacher Training Program at Hunter becoming a Fulbright scholar in Chicago. She taught College, both of which utilized the blended learning Arabic to undergraduate students at Saint Xavier model. She has also taught Chinese linguistics and University, Notre Dame University, and Tufts University. In pedagogy courses for the Chinese M.A. Program at her teaching, she strives to connect with her students Hunter College. Moreover, she has taught Chinese at to enrich their knowledge of the Arabic language and Queens College, Baruch College, the New York City culture. Her research interests include teaching for College of Technology and Indiana University. understanding, backward design, and language cognition. She is currently pursuing a certificate in Yang Du began teaching Chinese at the United learning design and technology from Harvard Stations in October 2016 as a guest instructor from University. In her free time, she likes to practice dancing Beijing Language and Cultural University. She earned and spend time with family and friends. an M.A. in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other
UNITED NATIONS | Department of Operational Support | Office of Support Operations | Capacity Development and Operational Training Services
The Language and Communications Programme
Languages (TCSOL) from Beijing Mogadishu, Nairobi, Naqoura and Pristina. He has also Language and Cultural University and collaborated with many UN departments on a wide a B.A. in Chinese Language and range of capacity-building initiatives, from Literature from Jilin University in communication skills for supervisors to writing political China. Before joining the UN, she has analysis. He often serves as a judge for the Learning taught in China, Italy and the United Elite awards. States. Her interests are cross-cultural communication and the origin of Dan Bullock is a full-time instructor in the UN English Chinese characters. Language Program. Since Spring 2018, he has taught
and delivered English, communications, and depart-
ment-specific courses to Global UN staff. He has
previously taught at New York University’s School of Professional The English Language Studies, teaching multiple ESL and Business Communication courses Programme within the Division of Langua-ges and Humanities, as well as Public Relations, Marketing, and Business Inte-lligence Rodrigo Bergamasco Bottura courses within the Division of Programs in Business. He has been an educator since 1999. has also served as an ESL faculty member and a Before joining the UN, he worked at corporate trainer in the English for Professionals several Brazilian and American program at Pace University. He previously served as institutions, including the International Director of Corporate Commun-ications for a leading School of Sao Paulo, Columbia Public Relations firm and holds over 12 years of industry University and Hunter College, as an instructor, team experience managing multi-platform media lead and teacher trainer. He holds an M.A. in Applied communication for a range of clients, both nationally Linguistics from Columbia University and a B.A. in and internationally. He holds an M.A. in TESOL from The Foreign Language and Literature from Universidade New School and a B.S. in Journalism in Public Relations Mackenzie. Since joining the UN in 2014, Rodrigo has from West Virginia University. His research interests organized, designed, and delivered various communi- include global business communication, negotiation cations skills training programmes in several duty and discourse analysis, professional and academic stations including Dakar, Entebbe, Kabul, Libreville, writing, and cross-cultural communication.
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The Language and Communications Programme
David Hattem began teaching specialized courses. She has designed and delivered English at the United Nations in many tailored writing courses, including for DPO, DPPA, September 2014. He earned a B.A. in DESA and OIOS. She helped to develop the online History and Philosophy from Rutgers Foundations of Writing course and the summary writing University, and an M.A. in Applied course for YPP candidates. She has served on many Linguistics from the University of committees, including the Harmonization Working Massachusetts. Before coming to the United Nations, Group. Her interests include reading, comedy and David worked as a full-time ESL instructor at Rutgers playing bridge. and as a part-time instructor at Union and Middlesex County Colleges. He is an avid language learner himself and finds he learns languages best through The French Language intensive study, risk-taking and self-reflection. Outside of work, David enjoys spending time with his family and Programme exploring his musical interests. Naima Charafi has been a full- Mary Regan has been an time instructor in the UN French instructor in the UN English Lang- Language Programme since 2003. uage Programme since 1998. She She holds an M.A. in both Teaching of received an M.A. in Teaching a Foreign Language and Modern English as a Second Language from Literature from the Université François Georgetown University and has Rabelais in Tours, France. She has also completed the course work for an M.A. in Applied done doctoral research in Social Studies at La Linguistics from Teachers College, Columbia University. Sorbonne, Paris. Prior to joining the UN French Mary has taught English as a Second Language and Language Programme, she had served as the Staff writing and communications skills to adults at various Development Language Training Coordinator in institutions and universities in the Washington DC metro the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and area and in New York City for over 30 years. She has Development and conducted training missions on also done teacher training at several colleges and military cooperation, law and economy for Paris-based universities, including Columbia University and Long multinationals. She has focused on designing and Island University. At the UN, Mary has taught all the conducting training programmes to meet the needs of regular level English courses and most of the UN entities and missions.
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The Language and Communications Programme
Sebastien Durietz has been teaching Ludovic Gaucher joined the UN French at the United Nations since 2006. French Language Program in 2018. Prior He had studied at the University of Lille, to the UN, he had been a teacher for the University of Maine (France), and the adult education in France, Morocco, and University of Grenoble, where he had the United States for twelve years. He has obtained master’s degrees in Teaching also conducted teacher’s training for French as a Foreign Language and Information and French as a Second Language, including specialized Communication Technology for Education. Before jo- teaching skills for both beginner and experienced ining the UN, he dedicated himself to the Organization teachers. Further-more, he has authored and edited of Linguistic Summer Camps for Children and Young various publications on language learning for EMDL Adults in Belgium and taught French as a foreign (Editions Maison des Langues). He holds a B.A. in language at the University of Ghent and the University Spanish Language and Literature and an M.A. in of Lille. He has also developed elearning tools and has Teaching French as a Foreign Language, both from the been a teacher trainer at the University of Lille. University Blaise Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand, France.
came to the UN Sébastien Garaud Pauline Lopez Guzman joined the French Language Programme in 2009. He LCP team in 2012 as a full-time French holds an M.A. in Modern Literature from instructor. Prior to the UN, she had taught the Université de Caen and Teaching French in Mexico, Latvia, and France. She French as a Foreign Language from the holds two master’s degrees in Teaching Université de Grenoble III, as well as French as a Foreign Language and in certificates in related academic areas including a Education, Information, and Communication Techno- teaching certificate from Université Paris IV (all in logies, both from the University of Lyon in France. France). He received a Ph.D. in French Literature from Pauline is particularly interested in the design of new Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Before face-to-face and online courses for specific purposes arriving at the UN, he taught and served as the Director on UN topics and in using new technologies to serve of French Studies at the United Nations International the learning objectives of the UN staff and diplomats. School (UNIS) and held teaching positions in the USA, New Zealand, and France. He has also served as the head of the Alliance Française d’Auckand in New Zealand. He is especially interested in culture, art, francophone literature and cinema.
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The Language and Communications Programme
Claire Lerognon has been a full-time instructor in Jerome Quentin has been a full-time French the UN French Language Programme language instructor at the UN since 2007, and from since 2002. She holds a B.A. in English 2011 to 2014, he held the position of French Language Language and Literature and an M.A in Coordinator. He holds two master’s degrees in Applied Teaching French as a Second Language, Languages and French as a Foreign Language from both from the University of Strasbourg in the University of Maine. His career has France. She has taught a variety of included teaching in France, Brunei, audiences in Europe and the US. Pakistan, and Nigeria, as well as serving different positions related to education within the French Ministry of Foreign Myriam Mugica joined the LCP team in 2016. Since Affairs. He is interested in technology, her arrival, she has split her time between the French digital platforms, and media, specifically Language Programme and the Language Learning in determining how they can provide Services Unit (LLSU). She holds two master’s degrees in innovative language teaching and learning solutions. Literature and in French as a Foreign Language. She His advice for language learners is: “It is never too also holds an M.A. in Language late.” Policies, Language Diffusion and New
Technologies from the University of
Maine (France). She worked as a French language instructor and teacher trainer in Canada, Ecuador The Russian Language and Spain before joining the National Centre for Distance Learning (France) as an Programme engineering officer of online training. She then held various positions abroad for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the field of linguistic co- Anna Dvigubski was born in Kiev, operation, like in Brazil, where she was the director of Ukraine and has been teaching in the US an Alliance Française. Myriam is fluent in French, for over a decade. She received her Spanish, Portuguese, and English and she is very Ph.D. in Russian Literature from Columbia attached to linguistic diversity. University in 2012. Prior to starting at the UN in 2015, she taught Russian language and literature at Columbia University, Barnard College, Kenyon College and Indiana University. She has also
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The Language and Communications Programme published articles in academic journals, such as Russian 2013. She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Literature and The Russian Review. Anna loves to Linguistics in Second Language motivate her students to learn languages through Learning as well as two master’s introducing them to authentic works of Russian culture: degrees in Spanish Language and poetry, fiction, music, and film. She finds that this Literature and English Language and intimate contact with a new culture has been the best Literature, all from the University of motivation for her students, both at the UN and in Salamanca in Spain. She is also a university settings. certified project manager (Prince2 Foundation and Practitioner), and since July 2017 she has been serving the position of Staff Development Officer in the Organizational Development Sec-tion in DMSPC. Before joining the UN, she worked for different The Spanish Language institutions such as the European Commission, the Programme Ministry of Education and Science of Spain and various universities and educational centers in Europe. She is especially interested in how technology can empower all of us to embrace lifelong learning. Being proficient Carmen Criado-Hernández has been a full-time in English and French, her favorite quote about Spanish language instructor at the UN since 2011. She language learning is: “Tantas lenguas hablas, tantas holds an M.A. in Spanish Linguistics and Literature from veces eres persona.” the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, an M.A. in
Teaching Spanish as a Second Language from the Universidad de Alcalá in Spain, and a Certificate in Mónica Parra has been an instructor Interpretation and Translation Studies in the Spanish Language Programme from Hunter College in New York. Prior to since 2008. She holds an M.A. in teaching in the UN Spanish Language Journalism and Social Communication Programme, she taught at Universidad from the University of Jorge Tadeo de Alcalá in Spain and Instituto Cerv- Lozano of Bogotá in Colombia, and she antes in Germany, France, and the USA. has also completed an M.A. in Applied Linguistics in Teaching Spanish as a Second Language from the University of Jaén in Spain. She has also Sofia Gallego-González joined the UN Spanish worked in university settings such as the New School and Barnard College-Columbia University, both in New Language Programme as a full-time instructor in
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The Language and Communications Programme
York City. She has also taught language level and Anna Sanvisens-Farràs came to the UN Spanish specialized courses at Instituto Cervantes in New York. Language Programme as a full-time instructor in She has attended a great number of courses in 2012. She holds an M.A. in Translation and teaching Spanish as a foreign language and teaching Interpretation from the Universitat Autònoma de Spanish for specific purposes. She loves writing visual Barcelona, an M.A. in Spanish as a Foreign Language poetry, cooking for her friends, taking pictures of the from the Universitat de Barcelona, and a Postgraduate sunset, traveling, exploring new ways to learn, and Certificate in Technologies for Language Learning. In dedicating time to collect amazing memories with her addition, she has pursued continuous learning courses family and best friends. in technology and language, and language for specific purposes. She has taught Spanish as a Foreign Cristina Pérez-Cordón has been a Spanish Language at universities and at the Instituto Cervantes teacher at the United Nations since 2005. Before in Bremen, Berlin and Frankfurt, where coming to New York, she worked in Belgium, Spain, she was the Head of Studies. She enjoys Brazil and Argentina. She holds an M.A. in Spanish collaborating with colleagues from other Language and Literature and a Ph.D. in Spanish Language Programmes and Depart- Pragma-Linguistics from the University of Valladolid, ments. She likes cinema, riding her bike Spain. Since then she has obtained an M.A. in and travelling. International Education and Communication from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, a Virtual Teacher Programme Specialization Certificate (University of Sonia Torres-Rubio came to California) and a Project Management Certificate the UN Spanish Language Progr- (Prince2 Foundation). She has published articles and amme as a full-time language given conferences in intercultural communication and instructor in 2013. She holds an linguistics and has attended and given a great number M.A. in Hispanic Philology from of courses in teaching, elearning, Universitat Rovira Virgili in Tarrag- language assessment and teaching ona, Spain, and pursued doctoral studies in Applied Spanish for specific purposes. She is fluent Linguistics in Spanish as a Foreign Language at the in Spanish, English and French, and Universidad Antonio de Nebrija in Madrid. Most considers herself a perennial learner. She recently, she has completed a Postgraduate Certi- loves traveling, hiking and painting ficate in Intercultural Relationships and Cultural watercolors. Diversity Management at Universitat Abat Oliba de Barcelona and has attended numerous courses in
UNITED NATIONS | Department of Operational Support | Office of Support Operations | Capacity Development and Operational Training Services
The Language and Communications Programme teaching Spanish as a foreign language, language assessment, and teaching Spanish for specific pur- poses. She also has teaching experience in university settings in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Spain, where she has also worked as a teacher trainer. She is interested in language learning for specific purposes and in assessment processes. Her advice to students comes from Machado, who said, “You make your path as you walk,” be active in learning and practicing.
The Admin Team
Zikos Tsokas joined the LCP team as an administrative assistant in 2019. He started his education with a Classical background in Athens, Greece (1st Classical Exemplary School of Athens). He holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts and an M.A. in Media Studies, both from the New School for Social Research. He started working for the UN in 2002 and he held different administrative assistant positions in DM-OHRM. Prior to the UN he worked as a circulation manager for European periodicals. He had also served as an air force police officer in Europe. He likes to travel, search for ethnic culinary adventures, and enjoys cultural art (opera, music, film, etc.) and sports.
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