About Us

Our Mission Statement

The Mandarin Teachers Institute supports Mandarin educators around the world through high-quality professional development, practical teaching resources, and a strong global community.

Our mission is to equip every Mandarin teacher with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to succeed—and to inspire the next generation of Mandarin learners.

Empowering Mandarin teachers.

Connecting a global community.

Meet the MTI Team

  • Shaz Lawrence

    CEO & Founder

  • Di Yin

    Educator — U.S.

  • Marnie Foster

    Educator — Australia

  • Paola Mattioli

    Educator — Italy

  • Bei Li

    Educator — Taiwan

  • Belinda Dello-Iacovo

    Educator — Australia

  • Rachel Oakley

    Executive Consultant

“Chinese language education is expanding across the world, and teachers are at the heart of that growth.

The Mandarin Teachers Institute was created to celebrate their craft, strengthen professional practice, and build lasting connections among educators who share a love of language and learning.”

Shaz Lawrence, Founder & CEO

The Vision Behind MTI

Shaz Lawrence is the founder and academic leader of the Mandarin Teachers Institute.

She is a Chinese language educator, consultant, and trainer with experience across Australia, the United States, The United Kingdom, and China. She holds a Bachelor of Education, a Master’s in Linguistics, and Montessori certification, and has studied Chinese at leading institutions in Taiwan and China.

Her professional collaborations include schools and organizations such as Presidio Knolls School (United States), St. George’s College (Scotland), Dulwich College Pudong (China), Cardiff Confucius Institute (United Kingdom), the Catholic Education Office (Australia), the University Settlement Teaching Training Program (United States), IOE Teacher Education College (United Kingdom), and Goldsmiths University of London (United Kingdom).

Shaz has taught learners of all ages and consulted on early childhood programs, including Sesame Street’s Fun, Fun Elmo. She has trained teachers across the globe, worked with the Confucius Institute network throughout the UK and Ireland, and presented at major international conferences.

Shaz is also the founder of Creative Chinese (2009) and Mandarin Superstars (2015), — all created to support, connect, and inspire educators of Chinese language around the world.

Shaz’s professional collaborations include schools and educational orgs across the world:

    • Catholic Education Office, South Australia

    • Pedare Christian College, South Australia

    • St. Michael’s College, South Australia

    • Dulwich College Pudong, Shanghai

    • International School of Beijing

    • Cardiff Confucius Institute, Wales

    • Edinburgh Confucius Institute, Scotland

    • IOE Teacher Education College, London

    • Goldsmiths, University of London

    • St. George’s College, Edinburgh, Scotland

    • Presidio Knolls School

    • San Mateo–Foster City School District

    • San Francisco Archdiocese

    • Mandarin Seeds

    • University Settlement Teaching Training Program

Now based in New York City, Shaz continues to champion language education as a bridge between cultures and communities.

In addition to her work with Mandarin educators, she has introduced ESL programs for low-income senior immigrants, authored and published educational materials, and mentored teachers seeking to make language learning accessible to all. Her work reflects a lifelong belief that language teaching is not only an academic pursuit, but a pathway to connection and opportunity.

As founder of the Mandarin Teachers Institute, Shaz personally leads a select number of engagements each year, offering direct guidance and collaboration in the following areas:

  • International teacher training and professional development

  • Customized PD for schools and districts

  • Curriculum and assessment design

  • Leadership coaching for Chinese program directors

  • Marketing and community engagement support

  • Online Mandarin learning consulting

Get in touch with Shaz directly to discuss professional learning opportunities for your school or program.