Our CEO & Founder, Tina, introduces the team that oversees, manages, and teaches students in our Vietnam English Language Training Program.
Last month, I wrote about building training programs that continue to improve over time. This month, I want to recognize the people doing that work every day. Our English Language Training Program at Unit 871 in Vietnam brings together instructors with experience in military English language training, Peace Corps service, and teacher leadership. Each brings a different strength to a shared mission: helping students build the English skills they need for further training quality and outcomes.
Nick Lander
Our Supervisory ESL instructor brings more than 11 years of military English language training experience. He has taught DLIELC curriculum to Royal Saudi Air Force cadets, prepared students for the ALCPT, and supported training at the King Fahad Naval Academy. Nick understands both the demands of a military training environment and the importance of giving individual students the support they need to progress. His experience provides a strong foundation for instructional leadership at Unit 871.
Paul Overton
Brings more than 16 years of experience across military and academic English language programs. He has taught Royal Saudi Naval and Air Force cadets, delivered DLIELC curriculum, prepared learners for language assessments, and supervised instructors and quality assurance activities. He received the BAE Chairman’s Award for excellence in English language training. Paul’s experience adds depth to the team’s instruction and its ability to maintain consistent standards.
Dung Pham
Brings a particularly valuable combination of teaching experience and knowledge of international defense education in Vietnam from the past 10 years. A CELTA-qualified English instructor, she has taught English across proficiency levels and supported testing and program operations. She has also taught in a military English language program and worked at the Australian Embassy in Hanoi, including in its Defence Attaché Office, where she supported English language training and education cooperation with Vietnam. Dung knows the local context as well as the practical work involved in helping a training program succeed.
Isaac Barnes
Served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Vietnam, teaching alongside Vietnamese educators and adapting lessons to the needs of his students. He brings Vietnamese language skills and firsthand experience working within a local school community. His Peace Corps service also gives him an understanding of the responsibilities and procedures that come with serving in a U.S. government program. At Unit 871, he brings that perspective to his work with students and colleagues.
Matthew Bailey
Also served with Peace Corps Vietnam, where he taught English and worked closely with local teachers. Beyond the classroom, he helped improve communication among volunteers, Peace Corps staff, and school partners, including efforts to clarify policies and strengthen support systems. That experience with both teaching and U.S. government program procedures serves him well in a program where careful documentation, teamwork, and student progress all matter.
Ben Phipson
Has spent years teaching and leading English language programs in Vietnam. As a senior teacher and program manager, he has supervised a team of instructors, observed lessons, supported teacher development, and managed academic programs across two centers. Ben brings the perspective of someone who knows how to support individual teachers while keeping an entire instructional program working well.
Matt Estabrook
Our Vietnam Program Manager, leads overall program management and stakeholder engagement. His background spans teaching, curriculum development, instructional coaching, and program leadership. Matt helps connect the work in the classroom with the coordination and compliance required to deliver for our U.S. government and Vietnamese partners.
I am grateful to work alongside this team. Their varied backgrounds strengthen the program, but their shared approach is what stands out to me: they take students seriously, learn from one another, and look for ways to improve the work. That is how lasting capability is built, one lesson and one student at a time.