ABOUT ME

Everyone's got a backstory. But first, some personal guiding principles:

Language Shapes Identity (and vice versa)

I believe that language is more than just words—it’s a bridge to personal and professional identity. By embracing the nuances of communication, we empower individuals to express their authentic selves confidently and effectively.

Diversity Enriches Communication

I recognize that every voice carries unique cultural, professional, and personal experiences. Effective communication isn’t about conformity—it’s about cultivating mutual understanding and leveraging the richness of diverse perspectives.

Deep Learning is a Collaborative Journey

I wholeheartedly reject the outdated idea that learning should be one-sided. True growth happens when learners and mentors work together to build confidence, uncover strengths, and transform challenges into opportunities for meaningful dialogue.

HI THERE, I'M MICHELLE

The idea behind WeCultivate was simple: find a way to make English language training more relevant to the needs of our modern world.

But for the record, if you would have told me even a decade ago that I would be doing this today, I probably would have laughed you off... and that's the honest truth. Because though I first started teaching English back in 2006, I truthfully never expected to turn my work inside of languages into a more than full-time entrepreneurial journey.

Now I could write a long story about how my many years of experience and my TEFL Certification qualifies me to be the world's "best" trainer. But that's not how I see the field, nor my work in general. Most working in this industry aren't interested in re-imagining new ways of working, but suffice it to say, our world has changed dramatically, and with it, the language and communication needs of those who live and work inside.

So let me walk you through a little of who I am, and what inspires me to do what I do now.

MY STORY

Languages have always been at the center of my world.

As an Asian American woman, I grew up in between two completely different cultures, mindsets, and languages. I didn’t just speak two languages—I lived them, switching between roles as the unofficial translator, cultural bridge, and “make this English make sense” expert. My first big task? Helping my grandmother schedule a doctor’s appointment when I was just six.

Back then, I didn’t think about the deeper connection between language, culture, and personality—it was simply my reality. But those experiences shaped my understanding that communication goes far beyond grammar; it’s about navigating emotions, intentions, and relationships.

Fast-forward through a few decades, career changes, and moves around the world, and WeCultivate is where it all comes together. It’s the culmination of a lifetime of experiences, dedicated to helping others find their voice and thrive in every conversation.

MY APPROACH

How I work is deeply rooted in WeCultivate's core values and philosophy.

I don’t claim to be revolutionary, but in a field with so few tailored options, this approach stands out. My style is holistic and global, blending the big picture with the details of each individual’s life. Most people using English in their daily work don’t need more textbook exercises—they need solutions that reflect their unique experiences. That’s where I come in, guiding and collaborating to create a path as distinctive as the person walking it.

Here’s the key difference: I’m not a “teacher,” and my clients aren’t “students.” At this stage, learning is not a passive process—it’s collaborative. The sooner someone steps into the driver’s seat of their own learning, the faster and more deeply they grow. My role is to empower, not direct, ensuring the journey is truly theirs.

MY VISION

I envision a future where creativity bridges the gaps in the language industry—gaps that technology and AI alone cannot fill.

Just as most jobs require a mix of technical and soft skills, effective language education demands a multi-modal approach that prioritizes real-world relevance over rigid qualifications. Expertise isn’t about authority; it’s about collaboration, mentorship, and adaptability.

Traditional, top-down methods are outdated and fail to address the unique challenges adult learners face daily. Language and communication are shaped by social environments, not textbooks. Yet, the industry has long prioritized "teaching by the book" over meeting today’s diverse and complex needs.

I hope to see more professionals crossing into different fields, sharing new perspectives, and creating solutions that recognize the individuality of every learner—because no one-size-fits-all approach will ever fit us all.

Career Highlights

I am living proof that the more diverse your training, the more transverse your skill-set. This philosophy also shapes my work as a language/communications trainer. There is an outdated myth that those who change their careers do so simply out of boredom or insufficiency. Neither were the case for me. It is so extremely challenging to shift in and out of different fields – a pain only those who have accomplished it can understand. Not only did career shifting grant me the confidence to make big life moves, but each time I was able to pull from my ever-growing, ever-evolving repository of knowledge and skills and apply the relevant pieces to my new task at hand.

Each shift made me grow.
Again and again and again.
I continue this journey now with all of you.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

My entire CV is absolutely too long to list here. However, my former part- or full-time positions have included:

Senior Executive Policy Specialist for the US Federal Government
UX/Product Designer, working freelance and for startups
Research Assistant for a myriad of psychology and neuroscience labs, including a state-operated psychiatric research center
President, Diversity & Inclusion for a federal interagency effort
Chair, Finance Board of a state university
Event Coordinator for a local arts non-profit
Language Specialist/Translator for local community organizations
Instructor & Coach, in every discipline already mentioned and more

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EDUCATION:

I hold a TEFL/TQUK Level 5 (CELTA) certification in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (RQF). I also possess the following:

Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology
Bachelor of Arts in Dance
Master of Science in Neuropharamcology & Physiology (I also passed all written and oral doctoral (PhD) qualifications but decided to early terminate for personal reasons)

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SUPPLEMENTAL INFO:

I also trained at a top US facility as an Olympic-bound gymnast for the first fifteen years of my life. It was a significant piece of my existence that has influenced me as a human in many ways. I encourage anyone and everyone to watch a few of the latest documentaries to learn a bit about just a few of the atrocities and destructive culture inside of USA Gymnastics, to understand what I and others had to go through before we were even adults.

See what my clients have had to say

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Want to work with me?

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Bonus: Who Is The Unpaid Intern?

Take me to Yann's About page!