Justin Taillon, CHIA, CHAE, MBA, PhD

Justin spent 8 years in hospitality operations prior to moving to academia. His hotel management career began with Starwood and culminated in an AGM role with Hilton. He departed hotel management to further his education, graduating from the University of Guelph (MBA) and Texas A&M University (PhD). He maintains an academic and applied focus in his research and outreach by serving as an Associate Editor for Anatolia (research journal), being Global President for HFTP (Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals), and working with local industry partners through grants and financed projects such as Starbucks, Food Innovation Network, Port of Seattle (i.e. SeaTac Airport), USA Department of State, and many more. Justin is particularly passionate about the role of DMOs (Destination Management/Marketing Organizations) and professional associations in guiding business and management disciplines to make communities better places to live, work, and play. His research areas of emphasis are market-based socio-cultural conservation and negotiation theory. His research is highlighted by projects he has completed in South Korea, Peru, Costa Rica, Canada (e.g. Quebec, Toronto), USA (e.g. Myrtle Beach, Lake Travis), Ireland, Brazil, Bolivia, Kenya, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turks & Caicos, Montenegro, numerous projects in Texas and Washington (i.e., the two states he has lived/worked in extensively), and more.

Luis Romero, MA, MSc, BA

Luis Romero has over 20 years in hospitality operations including academia and beverage education. His career spans luxury hotel groups and world renowned companies including Disney and Marriott, as well as leadership roles in training, service design, and experiential guest education. He holds a Master’s in Hospitality & Tourism Management from the University of Central Florida and a Master’s in Creative Writing from the University of Denver. Luis is a WSET Certified Educator, Court of Master Sommeliers Certified Sommelier, among other certifications in beer, and non alcoholic beverages.

Luis is one of the administrators of the Spanish Bridge Program at Highline College. His academic and applied work focuses on cultural adaptation, adult learning, and inclusive curriculum development. His research on international worker integration has informed both institutional policy and his own teaching philosophy, with a focus on lowering barriers for multilingual communities.

He continues to consult in beverage education, train aspiring professionals across the country, and collaborate on multicultural workforce initiatives. His work is highlighted by projects in Florida, California, and the Pacific Northwest. Luis is especially passionate about the power of language-access education to create economic opportunity and increase representation in hospitality leadership and entrepreneurship.

Fatih Killi

Fatih was born and raised in Turkey where he learned English as a second language. He holds a BA Degree in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) from Anadolu (Anatolian) University in Eskisehir, Turkey. He also completed the globally recognized bilingual education certification program CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) at Cambridge University in England. Fatih has been an ESL teacher and instructor since 2004.

Fatih previously worked as Department Head of English Studies (2011 – 2016). His responsibilities included organizing EFL programs and English summer schools for elementary school students. He has consistently pursued different opportunities in order to become more well-rounded and pedagogically sound. For example, he became a Speaking Examiner at Cambridge University while a student on campus. Professional development is a passion for Fatih.

Fatih attended the IATEFL Conference and Exhibition in Birmingham, England in April 2016. He relocated from England to the United States in October 2016. He has been working at Highline College as an ESL & HOST I-BEST Instructor since April 2017. He enjoys traveling, hiking, and taking photos in his free time.

Tetyana Matsyuk

I am an IBEST Coordinator an a Faculty Member in HOST. I manage multiple projects and work in an environment with regular changes by job coaching and helping students to develop their leadership skills as well as helping students to reach their academic and career goals. I work with all students enrolled in HOST through our IBEST programs but I primarily work with adult learners returning to school after a hiatus, English Language Learners (ELL), international students (ISPers), and ACHIEVEers. In many ways I see myself as a job coach. I take pride in helping HOSTers learn, apply, and perform their schoolwork while preparing them for post-graduation responsibilities and successes. As a mentor, I provide advices on how to approach different projects as well as develop strategies for better performance in certain areas.

Se Eun Lee, MSc, PhD

Dr. Se Eun Lee earned her B.Sc (Sejong University, Seoul, Korea), M.Sc (University of Surrey, England), and PhD (Texas A&M University) on three different continents at prestigious hospitality and tourism schools. She specializes in the airline industry, tourism analytics, hospitality sales and marketing, and event planning. Furthermore, she is a member of the faculty at Central Washington University (CWU) in the Hospitality, Tourism, and Event program (HTE). HTE is based at CWU’s beautiful campus in Ellensburg, WA. Let Dr. Lee know if you are interested in entering CWU’s bachelor’s degree to further your education in our management field!

Micala Nitz

I am passionate teaching, learning, and connecting with people.

I am excited to be working as General Manager at Ground to Tree Coffee and a Faculty Member in HOST at Highline College! My dual positions center all the parts of teaching that I value most: amplifying student voices from every background, framing literacy as a tool for self-expression, empathy, and empowerment, and viewing real and meaningful connections between people as a critical window into the human condition.

My academic background is in English Literature. I spent two years teaching English at Western Washington University. My MA research was focused on pedagogy and Victorian Studies at Western Washington. I then joined Highline College as an English instructor. I leveraged my passion for and work experience in coffee to joining HOST at Highline College, where I continue teaching English language reading and writing to English Language Learners (ELL) and international Students (ISP) while managing the department’s experiential learning coffeehouse on campus.

When I’m not in a classroom, I’m reading books, playing tennis, and working in coffee to stay connected to the community.

Tanya MacLaurin, PhD

Dr. Tanya MacLaurin brings decades of combined food and hospitality industry practitioner, researcher and educator experience together to the learning environment. Work experience spans across a broad spectrum of the food, food service, and hospitality sectors. All three of her academic degrees are in the food and hospitality domain. She has lived and worked extensively in Australia, Asia, and both Canada and the USA. She enjoys working with, and mentoring, learners of all types, backgrounds and abilities. Dr MacLaurin is an accomplished international researcher and writer, attaining numerous publications, conference presentations, and industry reports. She maintains an active profile through a global network of contacts and consultancy assignments.