Meet Our Teachers

Mandy is from Indiana but has been in the Portland area for over ten years.  She studied Education and Spanish at Purdue University, received a Cambridge CELTA Certificate (Certificate for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), and has a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education.  Her education career spans two decades.  Before starting Global Friends, she taught Spanish in the U.S. and English in Mexico, Spain, South Korea, and China to students aged 3-60. She loves languages and has studied Spanish, Chinese, Italian, and French over the years. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two young sons.

Summer is from Liaoning Province in China, where she studied Business English.  In China, she spent six years teaching English to students ranging from toddlers to adults and has over a decade of experience in early childhood education  After moving to the U.S., she did extensive Montessori training for both primary and infant/toddler education. She also worked as the Early Childhood Development Director at an international school in Vietnam for 2.5 years.  In her free time, she enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest with her daughter. They love going on adventures, hiking, camping, or traveling to new places.

Carol Lao Shi is from Guangdong Province in China, and she has been living in the U.S. for over 20 years. She has been with Global Friends since 2018 and worked as a preschool teacher for three years before joining our team. She has three daughters and loves spending time with her family. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and playing badminton and volleyball.

Jian Lao Shi is from Guangdong Province in China. Her educational background is in accounting, but before immigrating to the U.S. last year, she primarily focused on raising her two children, who are now highschoolers.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, and she is currently studying English at PCC.  She finds joy in working with children, which helps her maintain a youthful spirit.  Jian Lao Shi aspires to learn more about early childhood education and hopes to build a career in this field, making the U.S. her permanent home. 

Ali Lao Shi is from Guangzhou, China. She joined the GFLS team in September of 2025 and brings a calm, patient, and nurturing presence to the classroom. Her caring and gentle nature helps to build warm relationships with the children and to create a peaceful environment where children feel safe, supported, and valued. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, spending time with her family, and traveling to new places.

Wendy Lao Shi is from Guangzhou, China, but moved to the US in high school. She joined our Simpson location in October of 2025 and brings a strong work ethic and attention to detail from her previous professional experience. She is bilingual in English and Mandarin and enjoys supporting children from diverse families. As a mother of two, she is very patient, caring, and nurturing with children. Her calm and loving nature helps create a warm and supportive environment for the children in her care. Outside of the school, Wendy enjoys spending time with her family, caring for her elderly parents, visiting parks, cooking for her son, and traveling.