2021: Lesley Cioccarelli and Jennifer Mayers

Jennifer has been a member of ATESOL ACT for over 25 years and served as president, treasurer and committee member during that time. She has been involved in the TESOL field from her first posting to a preschool in Post Augusta, South Australia, in 1979. In 1980, she was the first ESL preschool teacher appointed to visit preschools in the ACT, combining the role with identifying students with delayed or disordered language development. Her work in the ACT included teaching in primary schools, leading an Introductory English Centre and managing the EAL/D programs in the ACT Education Directorate. She was one of the first accredited Teaching ESL in the Mainstream tutors in the ACT, presenting central and school-based courses for over seven years. Jennifer has been an ACT representative councillor on the national Australian Council of TESOL Associations (ACTA), serving as treasurer since 2012. She has also been treasurer for the SATESOL association.

Lesley has been a Committee member since 2006, and has served as President and Vice President. She built ATESOL ACT’s original website in 2006 and, except for a couple of years she took off, she managed the website until 2021. Lesley also established ATESOL ACT’s social media presence on Facebook and Twitter. She has delivered many stimulating professional development events for ATESOL ACT, and organised many more. Lesley has also served as an ACTA Councillor and managed the ACTA website for many years. She has presented at ACTA Conferences and also for our sibling associations, QATESOL and TasTESOL, and at other conferences in Australia and beyond.

2018: Helen Moore

Helen is a long standing TESOL researcher and advocate for the field. She was recognised for significant service to English language education and to community music by being made Member (AM) in the General Division of the Queen’s Birthday honours list in 2019.
Read more about Helen and her work here: Queen’s Birthday Honour for Dr Helen Moore

2014: Misty Adoniou

Misty has been ATESOL ACT President, ACTA Representative, and was also President of the Australian Council of TESOL Associations (ACTA) from 2007 to 2009. She has also served on The Affiliate Leadership Council of TESOL International, an organisation representing 103 worldwide Teachers Associations and the TESOL International Board of Directors.
Read more about Misty and her work here: Misty Adoniou – ATESOL ACT’s first Life Member