Chief Executive Officer, Calgary Immigrant Educational Society Dr Sally Zhao joined the Calgary Immigrant Educational Society (CIES) in November 2005 as a volunteer tutor in the Drop-In ESL Program. Since then, she has served in different roles within the organization as a LINC instructor, ELT instructor, LINC Program Manager and Executive Director Designate. On November 1, 2014, Sally became the Executive Director of CIES, a title that later changed to Chief Executive Officer.
Under Sally’s leadership, CIES has thrived. People are her priority, and her commitment to building relationships has created a forward-thinking environment of optimism and inclusion. CIES programming, which is offered under Language, Employment and Settlement streams, has expanded in recent years to include innovative projects addressing adult literacy, mental health research, Indigenous perspectives, and online learning. More than 30 unique program options are now available at CIES for newcomers and economically disadvantaged individuals. Services are offered from three different locations, including buildings in Forest Lawn and Whitehorn, and an office in the Westwinds community, which opened during the summer of 2018.
Sally obtained her PhD in ESL (English as a Second Language) Testing and Assessment and an MA in Language and Communication from Cardiff University, UK, an MEd in Teaching English for Specific Purposes from University of Exeter, UK, and a BA in English Language and Literature from Lanzhou University, China.
