Mandarin Learning Center (Beaverton, OR)
Meet Our Staff
Steve Riehle
Executive Director
Steve Riehle, born in 1980, is the founder of the Mandarin Learning Center in Beaverton, Oregon. At the age of 13, Steve expressed a profound interest in Mandarin and in his late teenage years traveled abroad to learn the language. Once he returned to the United States he continued to educate and assist students with learning the Chinese language. His books and school curriculum are a testimony to his determinism toward helping others learn this fun language.
Would you like to Join our Team? We'd love to meet you!
Noor Elsa
Marketing Director
Singaporean rockstar marketeer, Noor Elsa, travels around the world to explore other languages and culture. Career highlights include planning and participating in events for government bodies and local businesses. In her free time, Elsa is a musician, part-time model, actress, and gourmet chef specializing in the unique and diverse cuisine of Singapore.
Clara Wang
Mandarin Instructor
Clara Wang is from Henan, China. She has been living in America for 3 years. Her hobbies include watching baseball games, swimming, and golfing.
Being part of the MLC team has given her a chance to meet people and make new friends. She looks forward to helping students learn Mandarin, as well as improving her ability in the English language.
She cannot wait to share her experiences in China with her students and friends in the United States.
Li-Ling Liao
Mandarin Instructor
Li-Ling grew up in Taipei, Taiwan. Taiwan is a beautiful island in Southeast Asia full of yummy, Taiwanese cuisine.
Some of her language experience comes from her previous job in the insurance industry. Here she helped translate important documents for executives and agents working in the field. This gave her an opportunity to learn the best way to translate back and forth between English and Mandarin.
She loves traveling, and has traveled between Taiwan and China many times. In addition to traveling, speaking with foreigners, swimming, and teaching Mandarin are a few of her hobbies.
She looks forward to meeting you and helping you learn Mandarin!
YiYun Zhang
Mandarin Instructor
Yiyun is a passionate individual dedicated to promoting Chinese language and culture. Born and raised in the beautiful city of Tianjin, which is located near Beijing, Yiyun has been immersed in the rich cultural heritage of the region.
Tianjin is renowned for its delectable cuisine and vibrant folk arts, such as 'crosstalk' and 'allegro'. With a deep appreciation for food, Yiyun enjoys both savoring and creating delicious dishes. Exploring new flavors and culinary techniques brings immense joy to Yiyun's life. Additionally, Yiyun finds pleasure in traveling and engaging with individuals from diverse backgrounds, listening to their unique stories and experiences.
Prior to relocating to the United States, Yiyun devoted her time to teaching in Tianjin. With a strong desire to share Chinese language and culture, Yiyun aspires to educate and enlighten others about the wonders of China. Through teaching, Yiyun hopes to bridge cultural gaps and foster a better understanding of her home country among a wider audience.
Santhya Shenbagam R.
Illustrator
Originally from the Southern part of India, this self-taught artist, Santhya, is a watercolor enthusiast, digital artist, and a children's book illustrator.
Her passion has always been in making artwork, although life directed her to be a software engineer somewhere in between. When life gifted her with a beautiful daughter, she rediscovered her true love.
Currently, if she is not running behind her little one, or making a mess in the kitchen, you can always catch her doing creative work by making art.