Hello ICIS Colleagues!

I am writing to you now as past chair and am excited to pass the torch to Maxi-Ann and Ramin! We had a lot of “cultural synergy” at the TESOL convention in March, and I am feeling energized about the upcoming year! For those of you who couldn’t make it, let us hear your voice in the listserv and the newsletter. Work with us to organize webinars and other opportunities beyond the convention.

I’m also excited to share with you that the TESOL Diversity Forum is actively planning for the upcoming year, and this is another opportunity for you to be involved, if you are interested in intercultural communication issues related to diversity, power, and social justice. Click here to join the Forum.

We’re looking forward to another great year, and hope that you will join us in advancing our intercultural communication understanding, advancing intercultural research in the field, and building our collegial community!

Warm Regards!

Heidi Faust

Past Chair, ICIS

Want to know a fun fact about Heidi? She originally went to school to teach blind and visually impaired learners. While doing her preservice training, she worked in a therapeutic program at a psychiatric hospital for kids in crisis, and loved it. Although she spent a lot of time learning to read and write Braille, she ended up teaching in emotional support programs for 6 years before joining the world of TESOL. Another fun fact: Heidi used to sing in a band. Through word of mouth, their music ended up being featured in the soundtrack of the horror/thriller movie “The Violent Kind” (2008). The band was invited to Los Angeles to play in a party scene in the actual movie. Heidi is in the film for about 7 seconds. It got 1½ stars and went straight to DVD, but it was a lot of fun!