TAO HONG 陶红, Director, Hangzhou. 

Drew Kunard 古吉威, Assistant Director.

Drew graduated from Indiana University (Bloomington) in 2016 with a dual BA in East Asian Studies and International Studies. Having begun studying Chinese in high school, he continued on the adventure at IU by enrolling in the Chinese Language Flagship Program. He first studied in China at the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Study at Tsinghua University in the summer of 2014, then as a Fulbright Hays GPA Fellow in the summer of 2015. Drew completed his capstone year with the Chinese Language Flagship attending international studies courses at Nanjing University, then later interning with Indiana University’s China Gateway Office. Before joining the Middlebury in China Hangzhou team, Drew spent a year serving as Resident Advisor at Associated Colleges in China, and also spent a summer serving as Resident Director for the NSLI-Y high school summer language program in Xi’an. He enjoys hiking, starting the day with an early run, reading, and learning about international education.

CHEN MIN 陈敏，Program Assistant.

A native of Hangzhou, Chen Min graduated from Shanghai Normal University and began working as the academic program assistant for the Middlebury School in Hangzhou in 2009. She designs course schedules, prepares academic materials for students, records grades, and assists with various other administrative and accounting tasks.  Chen Min enjoys cooking, singing, and practicing yoga in her spare time.

LIAN KUISHENG 练奎胜, Lecturer.

In 2008, Lian Kuisheng received his MA in Chinese Literature from Hangzhou Normal University, and he has been teaching at the Middlebury in China: Hangzhou program ever since. He teaches the Debate & Discussion and Chinese Newspaper Reading classes, among others. He teaches one-on-one courses relating to Chinese history, ethnic minorities, Chinese politics and diplomacy, and the Chinese economy. In 2010, Lian Laoshi began traveling to Vermont every summer to teach at Middlebury University’s Intensive Chinese Summer Program. He also worked as a visiting lecturer at Middlebury University in 2012. In 2015, he coauthored the Chinese textbook China in Depth, published by Beijing University Press.

SHI YUECAO 施越草, Lecturer.

Shi Yuecao graduated from Hangzhou Dianzi University with a degree in Publishing and Editing. She worked at the Ningbo Publishing House until February 2011, then moved to Hangzhou and began teaching one-on-one courses for the Middlebury School in China: Hangzhou program. In 2012 she returned to Ningbo to work in international communications at the Ningbo Cultural Plaza Investment & Development, where she helped organize international events such as the Fete de la Musique and the Ningo International Film Festival. In spring of 2016 she returned to the Middlebury School in China: Hangzhou program, and now teaches one-on-one classes in Chinese medicine, Chinese tea, and other cultural topics.

ZHANG XUEZHEN 章学珍, Lecturer.

Zhan Xuezhen graduated from Hangzhou Normal University in 2008 with a Master’s in Contemporary Chinese Literature. She has been a teacher at the Middlebury School in China: Hangzhou program since 2006, specializing in spoken Chinese, Chinese literature, Chinese film, and Chinese history. From 2007 to 2010 she also worked as a Chinese instructor in CET summer programs, and assisted with the Princeton in Beijing program in June of 2011.

WU JINGJING 吴静静, Lecturer

Wu Jingjing majored in Chinese language at Shaanxi Normal University in 2000 and completed her Master’s degree in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics at Xi’an International Studies University in 2007. She has taught Chinese with the Korean Academy of Foreign Languages, the Beijing Sinoland Chinese School, and the CET-Foreign Service Institute. In 2016 she moved to Hangzhou and began working for the Middlebury School in China: Hangzhou program. She teaches advanced Chinese, as well as one-on-one courses relating to Chinese politics, diplomacy, economics, education, energy policy, and mental health. Since 2012, Wu Laoshi has spent her summers in Vermont teaching at Middlebury College’s Intensive Chinese Summer Program. She also worked as a Chinese instructor with the Princeton in Beijing Summer Program during June of 2011.