TESOL Faculty
Meet the Faculty
GSEP's MA in TESOL faculty holds degrees from some of the most prestigious universities. They are accomplished professional scholar-practitioners with exemplary academic achievements, professional expertise, scholarly credentials, and educational experience. All GSEP faculty offer an important balance between theory and practice in a practitioner-based curriculum.
Kevin M. Wong, PhD
Program Chair
Kevin M. Wong is an Associate Professor of Education and Chair of the MA in TESOL Program in the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University. Wong draws from his biracial, multilingual upbringing in Hong Kong to examine language learning among children, with a particular interest in new language learning and heritage language maintenance.
Martine Jago, PhD
Professor of Education
Dr. Jago was awarded a three-year full-time research scholarship for her doctoral study which explored the impact of policy on practice in terms of social change and curriculum innovation, and a two-year grant from the European Union for the training and mobility of young researchers. Until 1995, she was the vice principal of a public elementary school in England. She has been a high school teacher of foreign languages in Germany and California, and an Assistant Professor in education at Canterbury Christ Church University and the University of Alaska. In 2001, she was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce in London for her contribution to language education.
Jennifer Miyake-Trapp, EdD
Associate Professor of Education
Jennifer Miyake-Trapp has over a decade of experience in K-12 public schools. She has taught middle school and continuation high school in both urban and suburban settings, coached new teachers, and designed professional development workshops focused on meeting the needs of linguistically and ethnically diverse learners.
Jennaca Cotton, EdD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Jennaca Cotton first joined the Pepperdine community when she attended Seaver College for her undergraduate degree in elementary education. After graduating, she taught in Los Angeles at the elementary level and served as a literacy specialist before transitioning to working with pre-service candidates. Cotton is passionate about literacy, equity, and social and emotional learning, and feels so grateful to work with the GSEP teaching candidates as they embark on their journey as educators.
Yi (Lucy) Lu, PhD
Adjunct Instructor
Yi (Lucy) Lu is a Senior Learning Experience Designer at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology, where she supports faculty and academic programs in designing engaging, accessible, and technology-enhanced learning experiences. Lucy holds a doctoral degree from Pepperdine University, where her research examined interaction and engagement in hybrid learning environments for international students in higher education. Her scholarly interests include hybrid and online learning, student engagement, instructional design, educational technology, and inclusive learning environments.
Maria Wright, EdD
Adjunct Faculty
Maria Wright is currently the Senior Director of Administration and Operations and Adjunct Professor for Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP). As a student affairs administrator, she has extensive experience in Student Affairs, Multicultural Affairs, Enrollment Services, Academic Affairs, course and program development and instruction, and special projects in higher education.
Andrea Steinfeld, EdD
Adjunct Faculty
Andrea Steinfeld has been in public education since 1986. She has worked in high-poverty schools, supporting students to achieve literacy success. Currently, she is working as a reading specialist, teaching kindergarten through third-grade students how to read proficiently. She is also passionate about educating at the graduate level. She has been an adjunct faculty member at Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine University and her research focus is on engaging students who live in poverty.
Jacobo Coronel, EdD
Adjunct Faculty
Jacobo Coronel is an adjunct professor of education in the MAT and TESOL departments. He has several years of experience working with students of all ages, from elementary students to graduate students. He is most passionate about working with Emergent Bilinguals and currently works as an ELD teacher in Los Angeles.
Woo-Jung Amber Kim, EdD
Adjunct Faculty
Woo-Jung Amber Kim is the Dean of International Students and was a science faculty member at Oaks Christian School. She has worked in K-12 private and public schools in California, Wisconsin, New York, and South Korea. Dr. Kim also has experience working with non-profit organizations like CARE International in Cambodia and World Vision International. Dr. Kim completed her doctorate in the Leadership and Innovation EdD program at Arizona State University and received her Masters of Education degree at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. Her research interests include global citizenship education, international education, and intercultural competencies.
Kevin Van Houten
Adjunct Faculty
Kevin Van Houten has taught in the MATESOL Program since 2018. He has served as a practicum mentor to numerous graduate student teachers from Pepperdine University, University of Southern California, and California State University, Los Angeles, providing guided, hands-on teaching experiences. Van Houten has worked with English language learners at various levels and institutions since 2005, including K-12 bilingual classrooms, adult education, and the level which has been his primary focus for much of his career, credit community college. Kevin has been a full-time professor in the Credit ESL discipline at East Los Angeles College (ELAC) since 2012, and currently serves as the Vice Chair of the ELAC English Department.