Education & Training Committee – Happy Hour Networking

Specialist, U.S. Dept. of State English Language Fellowship Program

Michael Alpaugh has over 18 years of experience in international education and holds an M.A. in TEFL/TESOL from the University of Birmingham, UK. He has worked as an IELTS expert with the British Council, US Recruitment Manager for East Asia at INTO University Partnerships, Dean of English for Academic Purposes at Broward College Vietnam, and Associate Academic Director at Keiser University Vietnam. He recently completed a three-year Fellowship with the U.S. Consulate American Center, the Vietnamese People’s Security Academy, the University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), and the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam. He is currently Chair of the American Chamber of Commerce Education & Training Committee and a Specialist with the U.S. Dept. of State English Language Fellowship Program.

International Relations Lecturer, University of Economics and Finance

Alexander Parini is an academic, writer, and international relations specialist based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He serves as a lecturer and senior international relations officer at the University of Economics and Finance. In addition, he provides freelance advising to students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in the United States, offering guidance on university selection, application strategy, essay development, and scholarship opportunities.

Alexander is an active member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam and the Council of Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City Branch). He is currently Co-Chair of AmCham Vietnam’s Education and Training Committee.

He is also the editor-in-chief of My Asia Connections, an internationally minded blog focused on promoting a greater understanding of the Asia-Pacific. Alexander holds master’s degrees from SOAS University of London and Peking University, and a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University.

Principal of American Program and Academic Director, Pennsylvania American International School (PennSchool)

Tim Nelson is an educational leader based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, currently serving as Academic Director and American Program Principal at the Pennsylvania American School System (PennSchool). In this role, he oversees academic programming and school improvement initiatives within a bilingual education model designed to expand access to high-quality international education for Vietnamese students. He also serves as Deputy Head of the Cognia Accreditation Council for RT Holdings, where he supports accreditation systems and quality assurance processes across a network of ten campuses.

Tim holds a Master of Education in STEM Leadership and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership at Liberty University. He also holds a Certificate in School Management and Leadership (CSML) from Harvard University and an International Educational Leadership Certification from the Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE). Trained as a high school physics teacher, he has taught mathematics and computer science courses and maintains a strong interest in instructional innovation and emerging learning models.

Having lived and worked in Vietnam for over a decade, Tim’s professional work focuses on strengthening locally accessible international education pathways and supporting long-term educational development within Vietnam’s growing bilingual school sector. He has participated in international accreditation review visits as a Cognia Engagement Review Team Member, contributing to school evaluation and continuous improvement efforts.

His professional interests include the future of education, artificial intelligence in learning environments, student grouping methodologies, teacher retention and leadership development, and expanding access and affordability in international education.