About Us
Who We Are
Our Values
NYC English believes in opening the world to people through English: empowering them, connecting them and giving them the language skills and confidence to thrive in their careers and social life.
Our goal is to accelerate learning of conversational English by delivering a professional grade product that is easy-to-use, anytime, anywhere and on any device.
Looking to the future we will continue to enhance and deepen the product with leading digital learning innovations and pedagogic excellence.
Our Team

Mark Emerson
President
The Founder
NYC English was founded by Mark Emerson, a C Level executive, who has successfully owned and managed global digital English language companies for the past 18 years.
Emerson entered the market in 2000 as President of Ellis Inc, an English language software company he expanded globally.
In 2006 he sold Ellis to the largest education company in the world, Pearson Education, who later asked Emerson to serve as VP over Global Digital English products.
He grew Pearson’s Digital English division significantly and expanded it across the world.
While working in many different countries he saw first hand the need for a radical new approach to learning English: one that combined the natural way people learn with mobile communications, bi-lingual teachers on-line and cutting edge 21st century software.
He saw that conversational English was a vital skill in an increasingly interconnected world and that confident command of spoken English was the key to people around the world having a better chance in life.
He concluded, “most people feel they can’t communicate in English but want to. I felt that they can.”
So, with this in mind, Emerson founded NYC English in 2015.
After years of development the Software App is rapidly expanding across the world.
Key People
Thomas Irle
SVP, Acting COO
- Managing Director, Educational Technologies Ltd.
- Director, Time Life Asia
- Vice President, Asia Universal Music
- Masters in Business Administration, Hamburg University
Prabish Chandran
Chief Technology Officer
- Co-founder and CTO Vidyatech Solutions
- 20+ years of experience in developing solutions for organizations such as Microsoft, CA, IBM, AT&T, and Symantec
- Designed and developed instructional technology solutions for Reader’s Digest, Pearson Digital, and Thomson Reuters
- Bachelor of Science and Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Science
Dr. David Christiansen
Instructional Design
- Curriculum Developer – Pearson Education
- Ph.D., Educational/Instructional Technology
- Master of Education (M.Ed.) Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language
- Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Bilingual Education
Craig Tranter
Director Sales and Operations, China
- Vice President & Head Asia, Australia and the US Pacific, Houghton Mifflin Hardcourt
- Corporate General Manager – Educational Publishing, Marshall Cavendish
- Managing Director MCL & Group Publisher – Home & Library, Marshall Cavendish
- Deputy Group General Manager Group Finance, Vice President Business Development & Corporate Planning, Times Publishing Limited
- Master of Business Administration, The University of Manchester
Brian Kofford, CPA, MAcc
Chief Financial Officer
- Owner, Biesinger & Kofford CPAs, PLLC
- Owner, Kofford & Associates, CPAs
- Manager CPA, Bramble & Co
- Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Masters Degree in Taxation, Brigham Young University
Our Vision
NYC English believes in opening the world to people through English: empowering them, connecting them and giving them the language skills and confidence to thrive in their careers and social life.
Our goal is to accelerate learning of conversational English by delivering a professional grade product that is easy-to-use, anytime, anywhere and on any device.
With the world becoming increasingly reliant on digital technologies we will provide the most comprehensive, immersive and enjoyable digital learning experience.
Our focus is on Asia, home to 60% of the world’s population, with high economic growth and a strong desire to learn English. Looking to the future we will continue to enhance, deepen and expand the product range through digital learning innovations and pedagogic excellence.
Our Mission
NYC English will achieve our Vision by:
Producing software that is pedagogically best-in-class as well as easy and fun to use across all current and future systems.
Keeping one step ahead by a focus on investing in innovation: enhancing existing products, and creating customer relevant new products and services.
Employing/partnering with the best pedagogical experts.
Employing/partnering with the best technology and design experts to optimize the UX & UI.
Employing/partnering with well established distribution companies and marketing experts.
By doing the above, we will create a compelling proposition to customers and value for all stakeholders.
ANYTIME • ANYWHERE • ANY DEVICE
