Teach Middle East Magazine Issue 2 Volume 2 Nov-Dec 2014 | Page 8

OUR CONTRIBUTORS... Dr Jan L. Jones Aaron Crotty Shakti Aisha Hakim Maryann Reid Shakti is an educator who has also worked as a Licensed Healthcare Practitioner of various healing modalities. Originally a native of Brooklyn, New York, Shakti now lives & works in Al Ain, UAE. She is the author of “The Busy Babe’s Guide to Wellness: 8 Steps to a Healthier You Now!” which is available online on amazon.com. Maryann, an educator from New York, has a passion for writing stories that address the lifestyle concerns of busy, successful women. Richie Chin Alona Ballard Jan L. Jones (Associate Professor) is currently the Travel and Tourism Management Advisor and Undergraduate Coordinator in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut. Born in Halifax, Canada, she earned both a Bachelors and Masters of Arts in Sociology from Acadia University. She also hol ds a PhD in Sport, Leisure and Exercise Science from the University of Connecticut with a particular focus on the impacts of tourism development. Her research has taken her abroad to Cuba, Ireland, Jordan, Jamaica, Cyprus, and Crete conducting studies about community-based tourism development, responsible tourism and VolunTourism. Richie Chin is an avid traveller who enjoys cooking and sharing his exploits with close friends. He has been an educator for over sixteen years. Mr Chin currently teaches in the UAE. 6 Nov - Dec 2014 Aaron is a certified Senior Financial Planner with over seven (7) years experience in the financial industry. Originally based in the UK, Aaron has enjoyed an illustrious career in which he has functioned in a number of senior advisory and managerial roles…including that of Financial Advisor with leading UK bank NatWest. Mr Crotty is based in Dubai where he utilises his expertise representing Guardian Life Management. In his current role, Aaron advises fellow professional expats on every aspect of their financial planning needs. He is perfectly placed to ensure his clients’ financial plans become a reality. Alona Ballard, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA has been teaching in Abu Dhabi since 2010. She received her M.Ed. in Elementary Education from Xavier University in Cincinnati and holds a B.A. in Communications from Howard University in Washington, DC. Prior to teaching, Alona worked in television news. In her free time, she enjoys filmmaking, attending events and reading fashion blogs. Class Time