Terri J. Rapoport
President and IT Director

Terri Rapoport has worked in the field of English as a second language for over 30 years as a teacher, academic director and center director. After working for so many years with international students from over 60 countries, she has seen how, with a little effort, people from diverse backgrounds can learn to live and work together without prejudice getting in the way of relationships.

Terri met Elise Klein in 1990 and recognized immediately that Elise was going to try to save the world, one person at a time. In an effort to support TAP's mission, Terri has taken on the role of President. She is very excited about being able to participate in TAP and help it reach as wide an audience as possible.

David Bedell
Vice President and Listserv Manager

Bio coming soon!

Alex Lasevich
Treasurer

Bio coming soon!

Francisca Fenton
Recording Secretary

Francey has worked in day and boarding independent schools for the past eleven years both as a fundraiser and as a Dean of Students. She is currently the Dean of Student Affairs at the Forman School as well as a dorm parent.

A believer that one learns from everyone that they meet, Francey was inspired and in awe of Elise when they met at the NAIS People of Color Conference in Chicago in 2002.

Virginia Stephens
Membership Secretary

Virginia L. Stephens is a former corporate manager with over twenty years experience with commodities, publishing, and telecommunications firms. Virginia holds an MBA from the University of Connecticut. She has taught English as a Second Language (ESL) for Stamford Adult and Continuing Education and Norwalk Community College; and as a Minority Teaching Fellow at Manchester Community College she taught Business courses. She is currently the Director of the GE Foundation Scholars Program at Sacred Heart University.

Virginia is a founding member of TAP and currently serves on the TAP Board of Directors as Membership Secretary. This educator and grandmother seeks to contribute to a world where a person's possibilities are not bound by prejudice and intolerance.

Sara Keyes Ray
Director of Marketing

Originally trained as a marine archaeologist, Sara used to excavate shipwrecks for the Texas Historical Commission and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. She fell in love with ESL in 2003 and spent five years as EFL Program Coordinator at Center of English Language, a small private IEP. She now teaches corporate ESL and Citizenship classes through Brookhaven College and attends seminary full-time at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. Her greatest passion is bringing diverse people into lasting, meaningful relationship.

Lora-Lynn Byfield
Assistant Director of Marketing

Lora-Lynn has spent her entire career in education. Most recenty she served as Recruiting director for a private education company in NYC and prior to that she worked as a diversity director and admissions officer at a New England prep school.

A member of TAP since 2002, she is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Public Administration.

Bonnie Mayfield
Board Member at Large

Bonnie Mayfield Early, is a trial lawyer who is a member of the Litigation and Employment Law practice groups of the law firm of Dykema Gossett PLLC.

Bonnie became involved with TAP after her daughter's English teacher identified TAP and its writing contests. She became a TAP member in 2008. Having read TAP's mission statement and having followed the internal workings of the organization for a period of time, Bonnie volunteered to be a board member and to join TAP's fight against prejudice, intolerance and bigotry through education.

Ellen Polsky
Board Member at Large

Ellen Polsky is Director of Education at Nationalities Service Center (NSC), a non-profit organization in Philadelphia that provides legal, social, and educational services to immigrants and refugees, as well as translation/interpretation and a senior center for immigrants and long-term Philadelphia residents. Ms. Polsky has a Masters degree in Multicultural Education and completed all required courses for a Ph.D in linguistics at the University of Colorado. She has been a teacher, coordinator, and director in a number of ESL programs in the USA. She began her career in 1975 as a volunteer teacher. She spent 4 years teaching ESL in Cali, Colombia and is fluent in Spanish. Ms. Polsky grew up and currently lives in Mt. Airy, a neighborhood of individuals who have won prizes for establishing and maintaining an integrated neighborhood that is open to all.

About Our Founder

Elise Klein
President, 2000-2009

2007 Recipient of the Muhammad Islamic Center's Leadership Award, Hamden, CT
Justice of the Peace, State of Connecticut
Past Advisory Board Member, The Discovery Center, Farmington, CT
Founder and President, Klein International Educational Consulting
Past President, Connecticut TESOL
Past Chair, Caucus Leadership Council, International TESOL
Past Member, COMMET Ad Hoc Oversight Committee, International TESOL

Elise Klein was active in the field of international education for 20 years. As an educator, academic director, program director, curriculum developer, teacher trainer, workshop presenter and keynote speaker, Elise worked in the field of cross-cultural communication both domestically and abroad doing her part to bring the world closer together.

Elise began using film and television in the classroom as a vehicle for understanding and discussion in 1992. She shared her methodology and unique approach with countless numbers of teachers and students over 20 years in the classroom and in workshops which she conducted and keynote speeches she delivered. It was this commitment to confronting prejudice which led to the formation of TAP.