Our Mission

The Santa Barbara Chinese School is committed to providing excellence in Chinese language instruction and services. We create and offer educational programs that enable learners to discover and develop an appreciation for the evolving richness of the Chinese language and culture. We serve as a bridge between our students and the larger Chinese learning community by offering our Chinese language and cultural enrichment programs, tutoring services, homework support, training, mentorship, and consultation services.

OUR TEAM 我们的团队

jenny mazanec 余捷 M.ed - principal & Executive Director

Jenn 余老师 brings over two decades of experience in international education, Chinese language pedagogy, and organizational management to SBCS. She has helped grow SMBs and NPOs in fractional COO/CMO roles, starting with Princeton University’s immersive Chinese language program in Beijing and then founding her own sustainable arts co-op. She holds an Executive MBA from Rutgers, an M.Ed in Applied Linguistics from South China Normal University, a Management Development certification from Princeton University, and a B.A. in International Economics from UC San Diego. She is a Gates Millennium Scholar who studied abroad at Peking University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Cambridge University, and the American University in Paris. She loves to host Chinese conversation tables, paint using ink, play volleyball despite her height, and translate between Cantonese, Mandarin, and sometimes French, for her children.

wenjing chen, CPA 陈文静 - vice principal & Treasurer

With over a decade of experience leading her accounting firm, Wenjing brings profound expertise in business accounting and finance to SBCS. In addition to overseeing our operations, 陈老师 shares her knowledge by teaching advanced Chinese courses. Wenjing is a Certified Public Accountant and holds an M.S. in Accounting from the University of Denver and a B.A. in Business Administration from Wuhan University. Outside of work, she’s cheering on her kids at volleyball and soccer games, or offering her bookkeeping and financial consultation services to local nonprofits. She finds joy in badminton and dance, and you can spot her performing contemporary Chinese dance at Santa Barbara’s annual Lunar New Year Festival.

chloe hsun lin, ph.d. 林壎 - choir director

Miss Chloe 林老师 is an independent musicology scholar who routinely hosts Chinese singing groups and playdates around Santa Barbara for toddlers and young children. Her research interests include Leonard Bernstein, the Broadway musical, string repertoire, and the performance practice of early music. She received her Ph.D. in Musicology from the University of Kansas, has lectured at various colleges, and co-published two books: Historical Dictionary of Leonard Bernstein, and Leonard Bernstein: A Research and Information Guide. In addition to providing a valuable outlet for Chinese-speaking parents to gather, Chloe is an experienced piano accompanist and a columnist for Cosmic Light Magazine.

Connie Huang 黄丽婷, m.ed - Chinese instructor

Liting 黄老师 has over 9 years of Chinese teaching experience. She has an M.A. in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,  a Postgraduate Diploma in Education of Chinese from The University of Hong Kong, and an International Educator Certificate for IB Qualification Program. She holds teaching certifications in California, Hong Kong, and Mainland China. With over 7 years of full-time Chinese teaching experience to elementary school students aged 5-13, she has honed her skills in creating a joyful and engaging learning environment while providing differentiated instruction to maximize students' understanding of new knowledge.

nan sun 孙楠 - Chinese dance instructor

Nan 楠楠老师 specializes in Chinese classical dance, Chinese folk dance performance and education. Her dance instructors are offered in Mandarin and provides a fully immersive experience for Chinese language learners. She graduated from the Department of Dance at Shenyang Conservatory of Music, and received an M.A. in Literature on full scholarship. Her research work on "Solo Drum Dance" made a unique contribution to China's cultural heritage project. She is well-versed in Chinese and Western dance history, dance anatomy, and theoretical dance methods. 

Pan Zhou, M.ed 周盼 - online Instructor

Zhou Pan 周老师, AKA “Panda Laoshi,” is a seasoned National Speech and Eloquence teacher with 12+ years of experience teaching Mandarin. She is great at inspiring, establishing, and sorting out students' Chinese language logic, which then allows them to express themselves confidently. She’s a graduate of Tianjin Normal University in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language and has a senior status qualification in Mandarin Level 1A and Chinese National Television Hosting, achievements that only the top 10% of Mandarin Chinese speakers can receive. Like our SBCS teachers here on the ground, she believes that interest is the best teacher, and Chinese can also be fun!

Yan Zhao, m.ed 赵艳 - online instructor

Zhao Yan 赵老师 has more than 10 years of experience in teaching Chinese. She enjoys tailoring her course material to the individual students, so often encourages students to express themselves and seeks inspiration from them. She tends to combine students' interests with the class, as a way to further motivate them. She received her Mandarin Level 1 B and Advanced Teaching Certificate from Hainan Normal University. Her teaching philosophy is to always start from peoples’ interests, and treat each person with the same level of respect, always.

kaiting cui, m.ed 崔凯婷 - online instructor

Kaiting 崔老师 believes anybody can bridge the gap between linguistics and communication. She has 10+ years of experience teaching Chinese both online and in-person and has taught more than 1,000 students, from zero beginners to Chinese language examination preparation level. She received her Masters in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from Lanzhou University and is certified in Putonghua Level 2 A in both elementary and high school education. She adapts easily to various teaching methods and adjusts her teaching pace according to the characteristics of her students. She loves to inspire and guide students to develop a systematic framework for Chinese language learning.

Xiaohan wang, m.ed 王晓涵 - online instructor

Xiaohan 王老师 has worked as a Chinese teacher in Thailand, and is currently working as a middle school Chinese teacher in China, proficient in the knowledge of various Chinese and the content of various Chinese language examinations. She holds a Masters in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, and is certified in teaching Chinese at the high school level. She has a warm and cheerful personality and her lectures are lively and funny. She is patient and responsible with students, and likes to see students actively express what they have learned, feel, and think. She enjoys traveling and painting when not teaching.

Board Members 董事会成员