Ivana Ferguson  is the founder of Catsyak, where she helps learners  improve their fluency and confidence in English by exploring engaging topics in a supportive environment.

Throughout her 20-year career as an educator,  Ivana  has evolved from an ESL/EFL teacher to an assessment specialist and then onto a curriculum writer and mentor,  providing teacher training and creating learning materials.

In 2021, Ivana started Catsyak so she could focus on her passion: using thought-provoking yet entertaining topics to help learners activate their knowledge, interact with each other, create meaningful connections and  overcome their  fear of speaking.  She is confident that when you use active study methods and connect with the material and other learners in a friendly atmosphere, your English will improve and you will thrive in your life. 

Ivana  has a bachelor’s degree in English  and a Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Hamline University,  MN.  She is a Cambridge University certified CELTA Instructor, a Cambridge University Speaking Assessor for Cambridge English exams and a co-leader of the Video Professional Learning Network for TESOL International. 

In 2015, Ivana won the Teacher of the Year award at St Giles International, New York. In 2020, she won the Deidre Kramer award for writing a curriculum on teaching and assessing pragmatic competence online. Ivana has presented at many conferences and has worked with learners from all over the world.