About Me

I qualified as an English teacher in 2003 and began my career in my home city, London, United Kingdom. Soon after, I moved to Brazil to teach at Cultura Inglesa, where I specialised in Cambridge exams. Around 2007, as IELTS began to overtake TOEFL in popularity, I became increasingly involved in preparing students for this fast-growing exam.

I saw that IELTS was a clear, structured, and highly teachable test—yet many language schools were overcomplicating it. Courses were often dragged out over multiple semesters using materials that failed to focus on the essential exam skills students actually needed. In response, I launched my own dedicated IELTS preparation programme, English4, which focused exclusively on exam training. Our students consistently achieved excellent results, and word quickly spread throughout the Brazilian IELTS community—particularly among those aiming to study or emigrate to Canada, the UK, and the USA.

My journey in IELTS education continued when I was invited by IDP Education to deliver IELTS Masterclasses and by the British Council to join their team of IELTS Examiners. Later, I worked with Vietnam’s Ministry of Education to prepare school teachers for the IELTS exam.

Along the way, I witnessed the rapid growth of online IELTS courses. While some provide value, many rely on poor advice, questionable strategies, and “free” offers designed to funnel students into expensive upsells. Despite the flood of online content, the same, predictable student mistakes kept showing up in exams—regardless of nationality or background. That told me one thing: many courses simply weren’t teaching the fundamentals effectively. Those basic IELTS skills aren't mysterious or difficult—they just require the right approach and clear guidance.

Over my 22 years in education as an IELTS teacher and a former examiner, I’ve helped thousands of students achieve their goals and move abroad—doctors, lawyers, engineers, nurses, and university applicants from across South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Their success proves what’s possible with straightforward, practical support.

That’s why I founded Totally Fluent—to offer structured IELTS training based on real teaching experience and deep examiner insight. I’ve never grown tired of seeing learners succeed, and I created this platform to help even more people take that next step—towards fluency, confidence, and life-changing opportunities.