Genevieve Halkett has over 25 years of experience teaching ESOL in a variety of learning environments including university, community college, corporate, and non-profit in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. She worked for Trinity College, Dublin, teaching survival and vocational English courses for Kosovar Program Refugees, Vietnamese Family Reunification participants, and refugees relocated to Dublin City. She was the coordinator of a program providing training in ESOL, job skills, and English literacy to over 300 asylum seekers (Center for Education and Integration of Migrants (CÉIM)) at SPIRASI, a local non-profit. While there, she co-developed and implemented an accredited curriculum, the first in the country, used as a model of best practices nationwide for asylum seekers. She has worked in curriculum development and teacher training, which includes creating and facilitating a course in ESOL methodology to adult education practitioners and co-developing ESOL and Intercultural materials for teaching asylum seekers, refugees, and other migrants in Ireland for the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA).
Ms. Halkett has an MA TESOL (Teaching English as a Second or Other Language) from the School for International Training (SIT); received certification from London Language and Literacy Plus (LLU+) in Teaching Basic Literacy to Beginner ESOL Learners, and provided cascaded training to providers serving immigrants with language and literacy needs in Ireland. In 2019, she received a Skilled Immigrant Integration Program (SIIP) grant from WES Global Talent Bridge, which helped lead to the future Willamette Valley Welcome Back Center at Chemeketa (launching in 2023).
Ms. Halkett currently works at Chemeketa Community College as the full-time VESOL, IET, and Academic Transitions instructor and heads a training program for international professionals with degrees from their country who would like to continue their careers in Oregon.