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DANA GUEST

Founder and Teacher

Hello again! I’d like to share a bit about my background to build trust and connection. Believe it or not, I call three places home: Poland, the USA, and Canada. After spending three decades in the United States, I made the bold decision to move to Poland and establish The American Academy of Business, Language, and Culture®.

Curious about my roots, I did a DNA test upon arriving in Poland.  The results? I’m a fascinating blend: 40% Balkan, 30% Baltic, 22% Scandinavian, and 8% Eastern European. It turns out my love for Balkan wines and the Baltic sea isn’t just a coincidence—it’s in my DNA!

My journey started when I moved to Canada as a teenager with only basic English—just enough to get by. High school became my personal crash course in language immersion. Through persistence, I conquered those challenges, sparking my lifelong passion for helping others navigate their own language-learning journeys.

With degrees in marketing, finance, and economics from the University of Guelph in Canada, I ventured to the USA. There, I pursued advanced studies in Education and School Leadership at the University of Georgia and the University of Oregon. Over 20+ years, I taught business courses and life skills at the high school and university levels, earning recognition like a nomination for High School Teacher of the Year.

My career also led me to international adventures in Indonesia and India, where I served as a school principal. These roles deepened my expertise in instructional coaching and intercultural education while adding plenty of stamps to my passport.

Today, I continue to hold certifications as a business teacher and principal in Georgia and Oregon. However, it’s my global experiences across Canada, the USA, Southeast Asia, and Poland that truly shape my unique approach to teaching and coaching English.

Since moving to Poland in 2019, I’ve immersed myself in the local culture. From cycling the scenic trails of the Tricity to savoring walks along Sopot’s sandy shores, every day feels like a new adventure. Life here is enriched by time with my son, visits from my daughter in Canada, and the vibrant energy of this beautiful country.

Of course, a part of my heart will always belong to Canada and the USA. After all, you can take the girl out of America, but you can’t take America out of the girl. Here’s to embracing new adventures while cherishing old roots!

Dominick Simon

Teacher

Dominick is a Polish-American hybrid with a side of humor and a dash of adventure. Despite hailing from the good ol’ USA, Dominick proudly waves the Polish flag, proving that nationality is more about heart than a birth certificate. Armed with fluency in English and a knack for deciphering basic Polish, he’s a linguistic ninja in the making.
High school in the States? Check. A year-long escapade in Indonesia? Double check. Attending an international high school? Triple check. Dominick’s passport is practically begging for more stamps than a collector’s edition. Thanks to his globetrotting escapades, he’s got more connections than your grandma’s knitting club.

Fast forward to November 2019, and you’ll find Dominick settling into the Polish scene like a pro. When he’s not busy cracking codes or debugging algorithms, you’ll likely spot him donning an apron and whipping up culinary delights in the kitchen. And if he’s not cooking up a storm, he’s out there in the great outdoors, basking in the beauty of nature with his trusty band of pals.
But let’s not forget about his Himalayan conquest – because who doesn’t love a good trek through the clouds?

Dominick’s adventurous spirit knows no bounds, whether he’s scaling peaks or conquering virtual realms as a video game developer hobbyist.
And just when you thought he couldn’t fit any more excitement into his life, here comes the plot twist: Dominick is currently moonlighting as a student at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology diving headfirst into the world of computer science and engineering. Because, you know, why settle for one adventure when you can have them all?

Ronald D. Waugh

Program Advisor

Ronald Waugh graduated with an MBA from Harvard University, specializing in finance. Currently, he is employed as an adjunct faculty member at Portland State University and teaches business at Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon (USA). Ron, along with Dana and their team, implemented an innovative educational program fostering collaboration between Portland State University, Portland Community College, and a high school in Portland. Ron has extensive experience working with multicultural teams. Although born and raised in the United States, he has spent most of his life in Europe and Latin America and speaks fluently in several languages.

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© 2023 The American Academy ®

Experienced Founder, Business Educator, and Academic Leader:

Enroll in our programs and benefit from the expertise of our bilingual (Polish and English) founder, a certified business educator from the USA. Our commitment to delivering top-notch instruction ensures a pragmatic approach to mastering the English language, enhanced by the advantages of bilingualism for improved comprehension and retention of material.

Stability and Track Record:

Established in 2019, our institution boasts a track record of stability and trust among our students, many of whom have remained loyal since our inception. This longevity underscores our dedication to excellence and our students’ satisfaction.

Specialization in Business English:

Explore our unique curriculum tailored specifically for aspiring business leaders and professionals. Our courses are meticulously designed to hone essential language skills within a business context, fostering effective communication and professional acumen.

Personalized Learning Since 2019:

Forge enduring connections with our faculty, who prioritize personalized attention to cater to the individual needs of each student. Our tailored approach ensures that your English language journey aligns seamlessly with your goals, opening doors to global communication and unparalleled life experiences.

Access to Cutting-Edge Educational Resources:

Embrace the future of learning with access to state-of-the-art educational technologies, interactive online platforms, and specialized software. Our commitment to leveraging modern tools enhances your English language proficiency in dynamic and engaging ways.

Cultivating an Inspirational Learning Environment:

Experience an educational culture characterized by encouragement, collaboration, and personal growth. Our nurturing environment empowers students to share ideas, foster creativity, and thrive together on their journey toward language mastery and professional success.

Our innovative and modern approach aims to embed learning within real-world contexts, including work-integrated learning, problem-based learning, project-based learning, and inquiry-based learning.

Holistic

Emphasis is placed on the whole growth of a learner instead of emphasizing only specific parts of the human experience. It aims to develop a person’s intellectual, emotional, social, physical, artistic, and spiritual potential. It is the opposite of rote memorization.

Personalized

Aims to customize learning for each student’s strengths, needs, skills, and interests.

Collaborative

It is a student-centered approach, involving joint intellectual efforts by students together to mutually search for understanding, solutions, or meanings.

Experiential

Focuses on learners reflecting on their experiences of doing something, so as to gain conceptual insight as well as practical expertise. It includes active experimentation, concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization

Authentic

It allows learners to explore, discuss, and meaningfully construct concepts and relationships in contexts that involve real-world problems and projects that are relevant to the learner.