New York
Staff

We invite you to contact each staff member of the Goethe-Institut New York directly. Please refer to the department staff lists to find out who can best assist you. We look forward to hearing from you.


	Elena Alston Teacher elena.alston@goethe.de I grew up in the southern city of Stuttgart and studied at the University of Tübingen. I obtained my teaching degree in German and English with a focus on literary studies, linguistics, and education. Beginning in my first semester, I worked as an assistant in the department for German as a foreign language at the university and discovered my passion for teaching my mother tongue. Since then I have been following this passion and worked at different institutions in both the USA and Germany. The most fascinating aspect of teaching German is the combination of Lehren (teaching) and Lernen (learning) – for both my students and me. Learning a language takes you on an enriching journey that does not end in the classroom.

	Edna Biesold Teacher Edna.Biesold@goethe.de After studying Philosophy, Linguistics and German & Spanish Literature in Heidelberg, Salamanca (Spain) and as a Graduate Student in Berlin, I moved to New York in 2009. I studied filmmaking at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and have since been working worldwide as a cinematographer. My certificate for teaching German as a foreign language has allowed me to work at the Goethe-Institut since 2016. I'm excited about the many Americans who have an interest in my language and culture, and I have a neverending fascination for the students' quick transformation from beginners to true conversation partners.

	Wiebke Brardt Teacher wiebke.brardt.extern@goethe.de Originally from Hamburg, Germany, I've been sharing my passion for education with New York's community since early 2023. With a Master of Education from the University of Hamburg in German and Geography, I've dedicated my career to nurturing young minds. My deep love for languages, fostered by experiences at the Goethe-Institut, especially a scholarship in Pula, Croatia, has inspired my belief that everyone can speak German from the very first lesson, making speaking proficiency the core of my teaching. Every new class is a journey of discovery, where I aim to unlock each student's potential and cultivate a love for German language and culture. In my free time, I indulge in literature, hiking, camping, and baking, while also exploring the state parks at the east coast. I'm thrilled to be part of the Goethe-Institut!

	Tonja Fabritz Teacher Tonja.Fabritz.extern@goethe.de I grew up in Flensburg, a harbor town in Northern Germany, and studied English and Dutch in the cities of Kiel and Münster. I also took classes in teaching German as a foreign language at the Free University of Amsterdam and taught German at schools in the Netherlands. After moving to beautiful Switzerland, I taught German at Google Zurich. Later, I worked for the Goethe-Institut in two other wonderful cities: Sydney and Berlin. Since 2017, I've been living in New York (another fantastic city!) and I'm happy to be working for the Goethe-Institut once again. I always adapt my lessons to the needs and interests of my students. I know I'm on the right track when they make progress while also having fun.

	Marike Heesch Teacher Marike.Heesch.extern@goethe.de Growing up in the Dutch-German border region, I have always loved spending time in spaces where cultures and languages co-mingle and shape one another. I obtained my B.A. in Liberal Arts in a picturesque seaside town in the Netherlands, before moving to New York City in 2017 to pursue a Master’s degree in Cultural Anthropology at the New School for Social Research. To me, teaching a language means being able to constantly spend time in that space, where I am surrounded by a multitude of languages and cultures. I enjoy passing on my knowledge of the German language and culture just as much as I enjoy learning about the languages and cultures of my students. The continuous exchange, where both students and teacher learn from one another in infinite ways, is the aspect about teaching I find most enriching.

	Stéphanie Meier Teacher stephanie.meier@goethe.de Before moving to the USA, I lived in Zürich, the biggest city in Switzerland. While I was studying philosophy and comparative literature, I valued reading texts in their original language, deepening my knowledge of French and English along the way. My interest in French language and culture led me to Paris for half a year, where I learned about the advantages of teaching languages through immersion. I am an avid fan of film and love seeing good movies on the big screen. I have been living in New York since 2019 and am excited to get to know the people of this exciting city personally as a teacher at the Goethe-Institut and to accompany them as they learn my native language.

	Mernosch Mirzaei-Reyes Teacher mehrnosch.mirzaei-reyes@goethe.de I grew up in the historic city of Würzburg and lived in Berlin for 11 years, where I worked in the advertisement field. I hold degrees in Business Psychology and in Translation (English and Spanish). In 2012 I started teaching German to international students and artists. I enjoyed working as a German teacher and, therefore, started organizing group conversation as well as individual classes. It is a pleasure for me to teach German, and always a rewarding experience, when I can help my learners to make progress. In 2013 I decided to move to New York City. This place fascinates me because of its unique cultural structure and layered diversity. I am happy to help people here, to open the door to the wonderful German language and its rich culture.

	Ala Soliman Teacher ala.soliman@goethe.de I am from Polotsk, an old Belarusian town in the north of Belarus. I graduated from the University of Polotsk with a diploma as a teacher of German and English. During my studies, i spent almost a year in Germany. After earnig my Master’s degree in Philology (German literature) I worked at the Polotsk State University as a university teacher of German. In 2012 i moved to New York. In February 2017 i started my advanced training as a teacher of German as a foreign language at the Goethe-Institut New York. I find the best after teaching is, if my students can take from the classroom something out: a pice of German culture, a new idea, a new skill ... I try to put my heart and soul into the teaching and i help with pleasure my course participants with their language learning. It is very important to me if my students enjoy learnig and show their minor and major successes.

	Ioana Wicker Teacher Ioana.Wicker@goethe.de I am originally from Mediasch, a small city in Transylvania, Romania. Before moving to New York, I studied German and English in Klausenburg and did research for my final thesis on the implementation of digital media in the foreign language classroom at the University of Osnabrück. It was in Osnabrück that I first learned about the work of the Goethe-Institut. The promotion of intercultural exchange and the respectful handling of diversity and individuality are important aspects that draw me back to the Goethe-Institut today. In 2010, I completed a Master of Arts in Teaching German at Stony Brook University in Long Island, NY, and I started teaching at different universities in the NY area. I enjoy making music and I love the multicultural life in this fascinating city. I am very excited to be able to work with all the students at the Goethe-Institut.

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