About Milan M'Enesti, D.Ed.

     Since my childhood, I have been attracted to learning about people and their interrelations; people on the street, people at work, people at home, people having fun, people getting angry, people living on this planet. Maybe this explains why in my last two years of technical high-school, I took concurrent courses at an acting school; a couple of years later, I also finished two years of direction course at the same school. I understand now that those were my first steps into studying human nature or, better said: the human phenomenon.

     After I moved to Canada - trusting more the Nord American’s education value than the Romanian’s one (built under a Sovietized system influence) I decided to go back to school. I started at Langara College, Vancouver, British Columbia, and in 2011 I graduated magna cum laude at the University of Oregon with a BA (majoring in Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Philosophy). At the same university, I also graduated in 2013 with a Masters in Science (Technology in Education and Virtual Schools) and in March 2018 with a Doctorate in Education (Educational Methodology, Policy and Leadership).

     The decision to finish a Doctorate in Education was taken more for reaching two goals: firstly, to learn more English pushing myself at the highest level of education, and secondly, to learn how to design an educational system using the foundational criteria in methodology, policy in education, and how to lead an equitable educational system searching for ways to integrate every student. I got the chance to learn from top experts how to design a study, how to apply for a grant for a study, how to proceed with a study, and, of course, how to write about study’s findings. Coming from a different critical culture, not only as a heritage but also as a political format, I was attracted to learn more about methodologies and policies regarding the education of English Language Learners (ELL). This way, I discovered that in this population, there is a subpopulation which I call English Language Learners from Under-represented Languages (ELL-UL). Even though these types of students are almost invisible, they exist in a grader number of K-12 schools not only in the USA but in all countries that opened their doors to multiculturalism. ELL-UL students have the highest exposure to become at-risk learners; that’s why I became interested in this specific population and methodologies that can help them to get out of this entrapping frame.

      I love designing studies; this challenge intrigues me every time in different ways because each study has its beauty and cynicism at the same time: it always “boils” my brains to find the best ways to uncover the truth I am searching for. Everybody knows it is not easy to design a good study, but I will say for sure that it is very fulfilling!

     In 1981 I began my career as an acting instructor in City Cultural House, Onești, Romania. In 1983 I haired  as a cultural instructor at the Petro-Chemical firm and continued until 1986, when I became the assistant acting instructor for my acting professor at the School of Art Bacau, doing also a two year stage directing program.

      In 1988, after gaining the 2nd place at Acting Schools National Festival, I had to accept (as „offered” by the leaders of the communist party) a position as the Cultural Instructor at the City Cultural House and Popular Theatre in Slănic-Moldova, Romania; next year I became the Interim Manager & Art Director for both.     Next year after the so called „revolution” (in December 1989) I haply resigned and moved back to my natal city Onești, where I co-founded the Youth Society (SOT), in 1990 and the Artistic, Cultural and Touristic Youth Society (SCATTO) in 1991. There I started to develop cultural activities for the young people from Onești and its surroundings. I also was elected as the Vice-President on the Regional Free Youth Foundation (OTL) Bacau, Romania.

      Couple of years later, when I was living in Vancouver, BC, Canada, I opened MDR (Management, Design & Restoration Inc.) in Vancouver Canada. I worked there from 1999-2005 as an Executive Director. Meantime, starting from 2001 I worked as Editor, Reporter and Artistic Director at the EETv (Eastern European Television), which was a multicultural subsidiary of Shaw Cable, Vancouver, BC.     While living in Vancouver area, in 2000 I was the co-founder of the BCRCC (British Columbia Romanian Community Center) and I had the chance to create, together with Maestro Lache Cercel, the Romanian Festival. In December 2005 I had to move to Oregon, USA for familial motives.      After co-funding Amcomm Communication (a telecommunication company) in Beaverton, Oregon in 2005, I served as the Executive Director from 2006 to 2008. In 2008 I sold my AC’s shares and I went back to school. Doing my graduate courses I served as an Instructor LT-199 at the University of Oregon, teaching Romanian language, culture and literature.

      In 2012, after I was offered the position as a consultant for Active Watch Monitoring USA (an international security company). I decided to create CoEdMa, which are the acronyms from Consulting Education and Management. At present, I am working as a Consultant at CoEdMa where I am providing consulting services to companies, educators and education institutions.  

It will come soon!