About Us

Bonnie So is the first to admit that her pride in the ISS Language and Career College (LCC) – ISSofBC’s very successful social enterprise – goes deeper than merely professional.

“It has been so fulfilling to witness LCC grow from one class of 12 students to our current operation with over 2,000 students attending ESL, vocational and co-op programs each year,” says Bonnie, who was involved in the creation of the program in 1995.

“Having come to Canada from Hong Kong as an international student myself, I value and enjoy our multicultural clients and our diverse staff and volunteers,” says Bonnie, who has a Bachelor of Business Administration from York University and a Multicultural Settlement Certificate.

Under Bonnie’s management, LCC became a recognized college, earned accreditations from Languages Canada and the BC government (Private Training Institutions Branch), and was listed on the federal government’s Designated List of Institutions. LCC’s TESOL program is recognized by TESL Canada, the leading accreditation organization in Canada and one of the most highly-recognized in the world.

Since moving to Canada in 1994, Paivi has taught all levels of ESL, TOEFL, IELTS, TESOL, Workplace English, International Business Management Skills and even keyboarding. She has a B.A. in English Philology with a minor in Swedish, International Trade certificates, management experience and TESL Canada certification. In her free time she likes to read, do crossword puzzles, and spend time on the Sunshine Coast with her family.

Stephen has been teaching ESL for over 20 years and has always loved the experiences that this career has given him. He first did his ESL training in Hamburg Germany, then taught in Vancouver. From 2011-2107 he and his wife lived in South Korea where he taught at one of the top Foreign Language High Schools. Since April 2021, Stephen has been teaching at LCC and has been teaching their vocational courses: Professional Communications and Marketing, International Business Management Skills, the Business Development Program, and the Global Tourism Diploma program. When he is not working at LCC, he loves spending time with his wife and two children and volunteering on the Children’s Organ Transplant Society board of directors.

Born and raised in rural Ontario, Ryan moved to Vancouver in 2012. He has taught ESL and ESL-related courses since 2017. He likes to read biographies, play guitar, and go hiking around beautiful British Columbia. Ask him anything about The Beatles and he’ll know the answer!

Ljerka has worked at LCC for more than 15 years and has taught in many different programs including TOEFL Preparation, TESOL, Writing Skills, What’s on TV, and General English. She is also a mentor and Practicum Sponsor for LCC and VCC’s TESOL students. Ljerka has a BA in English and Literature, a VCC TESOL Diploma, and a TESOL Canada Professional Certificate Level 2. A firm believer that happy and relaxed students learn much better and faster, Ljerka herself finds relaxation in hobbies that include solving Sudoku puzzles; reading about science, history, and literature; and tackling big, fat grammar books!

Jason received his Bachelor of Arts in the mid ’90s from Simon Fraser University, and continued there to complete a certificate in teaching ESL Linguistics. He worked at Vancouver English Centre in the late 90’s, and has been with LCC since then. Jason has taught literacy, Introductory and Intermediate Writing, Intensive English 4 & 6, and all levels of the General English Program. Jason loves having fun with his family, playing his guitar, and exploring the spectacular natural beauty of British Columbia.

Mary graduated from the University of British Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in Education and received a
professional certificate of qualification from the BC College of Teachers. She also obtained a certificate in Teaching
English to Speakers of Other Languages from Vancouver Community College. She has been teaching at LCC since
September 2019. She teaches General English, TALK303, and Writing Skills classes. Before teaching adults, she
worked for the Vancouver Board of Education and taught elementary and high school students. Besides teaching, she
enjoys travelling, playing the piano, and collecting miniatures, coins, and stamps.

Victor has been a teacher since 1997 and has worked with students of all ages and abilities. He has worked in Romania and the USA with preschool and elementary school children and students with special needs but, since moving to Canada in 2010, has been focusing on teaching ESL courses for adults, particularly IELTS and other test prep classes. He prefers his classes noisy and active and believes that if students are having fun, they become more involved in the learning process. On the weekends, Victor is actively involved with different language test centers and outside of work, he spends his time aquascaping, taking pictures or cooking.

Beverly graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1994 and has been teaching ESL continuously since then! She has taught in Japan and understands the joys and challenges of living in a new country. Beverly believes that students learn not only from the teacher but also from each other. She likes it when students interact with each other and ask questions. She often says, “No dictionaries!

Daniel has been a teacher at LCC since September 2019. He teaches Leadership. Daniel received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of British Columbia in 2013 and his TESOL diploma in 2019. Before realizing his interest in teaching, Daniel worked in business and marketing where he had developed an aptitude for sales negotiations. Wanting instead to turn this ability toward more positive outcomes, he became interested in the settlement sector and ISSofBC. Daniel has travelled the world and is fluent in three languages. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with his wife.

Isabel has a master’s degree in English Teaching, holds a TESOL Diploma and has been an ESL teacher since 2015. She started her career as a lawyer before she decided to move to Vancouver to pursue her passion for teaching. In the past years, she’s also taught subjects related to Business Development and International Trade. Currently, she is teaching International Business Management Skills and General English at LCC. In her free time, Isabel enjoys singing, spending time with family and friends, and pairing a good book with a great cup of tea.

Speaks: English and Mandarin

Email: joanne.chen@issbc.org

Phone number: 778-372-5832

Speaks: English, Korean and Japanese

Email: haley.kim@issbc.org

Phone number: 778-372-5836

Speaks: English and Spanish

Email: angelica.pineda@lcc.issbc.org

Phone number: 778-372-5837

Speaks: English and Japanese

Email: chikako.iwasa@lcc.issbc.org

Phone number: 778-372-5835