Teri Suzanne
Master of Arts, USF
Teri is an English/Japanese dual language art educator, published author, illustrator, professional development facilitator/public speaker, multi-media edutainment product producer, actor/voice-over actor with 35 years of expertise teaching, consulting, and working in Japan. She was featured in The Tokyo Journal, a leading Japanese English magazine, as: “One of 50 foreigners who had made a difference in Japan.”
Teri received her Bachelor of Art in Fine Arts from University of California at Los Angeles, did Post Graduate work in Theater Arts/Puppet Theater at UCLA, received her Master of Arts in Multicultural Education at USF, has a California Standard Elementary Teaching Credential K-9 Life Credential, as well as a Bilingual Specialist Instruction Credential (English/Japanese) from USF.
Teri has taught at Otis College of Art and Design Extension, Cal Poly Pomona, LAUSD Goethe International Charter School, and has worked for the City of Ventura Office of Cultural Affairs, Port Hueneme School District, San Francisco Unified School District, Monrovia High School, and the Santa Anita YMCA.
In Japan, Teri was the first foreign female appointed as Department Head in a Japanese government foundation at the Ministry of Health and Welfare National Children’s Castle.
She was a kindergarten instructor for Hakuoh University, the International School of the Sacred Heart, and the American School in Japan Nursery Kindergarten in Tokyo.
As a professional development speaker, Teri has taken part in 1100+ workshops, lectures for children, educators, adults, and seniors in private/public pre-schools, childcare centers, universities, companies, and governmental bodies in California, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and China.
Teri’s additional achievements include being the first foreign female Chief Advisor to the Ministry of Science and Education’s 14 National Youth Centers, she served as an artistic conceptual advisor for Japan’s first comprehensive children’s floor renewal in a major department store, designed floor and ceiling concepts, theme, kids’ restrooms, event space, staff uniforms, and theme song. She was the lead actor and consultant in NHK’s “Teri’s Magic Scissors”, the first all-English art program for preschoolers. She was also the lead actor for the Children’s Broadcasting Network weekly Saturday “Let’s Open the Door” program, lead actor for SkyPerfecTV’s daily “Mrs. Santa’s Doki Doki Family” television program, spending 10 years on stage and television as Mrs. Santa for the Takamatsu Winter Festival. Teri received a Certificate of Recognition from Ventura’s Mayor and City Council for designing and painting two Community Art Utility Boxes: Ocean Songs and Year-Round Beauty.
