Leslie Turpin

Dr. Leslie Turpin serves as Associate Faculty at SIT Graduate Institute, chairing the MATESOL Low Residency Program. She began teaching in SIT's MA programs in 1989 following teacher-training in Thai refugee camps. Her academic foundations include a PhD in Integral Studies from California Institute of Integral Studies, MA in Teaching from SIT, and BA in Anthropology from Kenyon College.

Her research examines cultural identity preservation in displaced communities, reflective teaching practices, and arts-based approaches to intercultural education. Core interests include: refugee cultural memory transmission, community arts initiatives, and transformative language pedagogy.

Dr. Turpin has published extensively on reflective practice methodologies, including recent work exploring metaphorical thinking in teacher development. Her articles demonstrate consistent focus on experiential learning frameworks and decolonizing approaches to language education.

Beyond academia, she supports cultural preservation through leadership roles at Vermont Folklife Center and collaboration with Laotian-American artists, including tour management for Sau Sing Pin folk opera troupe.