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Laura A Wideburg
PhD
Lead Swedish Instructor
Laura loves teaching the Swedish language, which she has done for almost 3 decades. She has written 7 books for adult learners of Swedish, which have been very popular among her students. She has also translated twenty books from Swedish to English, including novels by Inger Frimansson, Sara Lövestam and Helene Tursten. As her Ph. D. is in medieval Germanic literature and historical linguistics, she is well-qualified to teach culture classes on the history of Scandinavia and literary works in Old Icelandic, which she loves to share with her students.
Thea Lund
MA
Norwegian Instructor
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Thea was born in Stavanger, Norway, and grew up in the US. Since the age of 16, she's been teaching Norwegian in various capacities. At the University of Washington, she earned an MA in Scandinavian Studies after receiving her undergraduate degree in Norwegian and Studio Art from St. Olaf College. In 2024, she won the Graduate Student Teaching Award at UW. Thea has served as the Credit Curriculum Facilitator at Skogfjorden, Concordia's Norwegian Language Village in Bemidji, MN since 2021. Thea's interests include teaching, travel, and music. She plays bass and sings in the band "Yost"!
Collin Brown
PhD
Norwegian Instructor
Collin is from Seattle and first started studying Norwegian at Pacific Lutheran University. He received his PhD from UT Austin in 2018, with a dissertation focusing on Danish and Swedish missions to the Sámi. Collin has taught Norwegian and German, as well as courses on Nordic folklore, the Vikings, and early medieval literature. When he isn't teaching, he's busy poring over ancient tomes, walking his dog, or writing.
Melissa Lucas
MA, MS, PhD
Danish Instructor
Melissa hails from Michigan, but has lived in the Seattle area for over 20 years. She learned Danish in a "total-immersion" program in Denmark, later earning a PhD in Scandinavian Studies from the University of Washington. She's also earned a master's degree in Speech Pathology and another in Linguistics. As you might surmise, Melissa loves language and learning! She's also wild about teaching Danish and can't wait to help you move forward in your Danish-language quest! If you are interested in private lessons, check out her website here: www.letsdansk.com
Ethan Bjelland-Hagberg
Norwegian Instructor
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Ethan is a graduate student and educator in the Department of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Washington, having recently moved to Seattle from Minneapolis, MN. Ethan speaks Norwegian and Swedish and has taught all ages and abilities, from preschoolers to students in their 90s. Before working with SLI, Ethan served as the Communications Director for Norway House in Minneapolis and was a professional actor and stage director. They have taught with the Concordia Language Villages, the American Swedish Institute, the Mindekirken Norwegian Language and Culture Program, and as a private instructor. Ethan lives in Ballard with their husband, Jade, and their two dogs, Ollie and Dieter. Ethan's interests include the performing arts, gender and performance studies, Henrik Ibsen, community building, the Eurovision Song Contest, cooking and wine tasting, fountain pens, and the Muppets.
Kim Kraft-Jones
MA
Swedish Instructor
Kim lived in Osby, Sweden as a Rotary exchange student in the early 90s and has been in love with the language and culture ever since. She earned her Master's in Scandinavian Studies from the University of Washington while teaching beginning Swedish courses and is currently working on her PhD at the University of Basque Country with a focus on "Language Learning Beyond the Classroom." Kim has also co-directed three study abroad programs to Sweden with students from the University of Washington, with a focus on social justice in the Nordic region. She is personable and enthusiastic, and she brings that energy to her language classes, whether in person or online. In her free time, she loves yoga, dance fitness, hiking, paddleboarding, coffee, travel, books, and (of course) languages.
Ed Egerdahl
Founder
Norwegian Instructor
Ed graduated in 1977 from the Scandinavian Department of the University of Washington earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Norwegian Language and Literature, and Education. Ed has been teaching Norwegian language classes professionally at various locations in the Seattle area since 1978.
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