My name is Lita Tayao, and I am excited to teach ESL at MECME. I'm originally from the Philippines and grew up speaking Filipino/Tagalog and English. My family moved to the United States when I was a Junior in College. I earned my Bachelor's degree in Journalism with a concentration in Advertising from the University of Kansas.

After graduation, I moved to New York City to begin a career in Advertising. After experiencing the Advertising world for around 10 years, I made a career switch as I wanted to work in a field that would make a difference in a child's development. I began my educational career in 1993 in San Francisco. I also received my Master's Degree in Education from San Francisco State University. I began teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in 2008 in Wake County. I love teaching AND learning from my students. Watching them grow and develop self-confidence has been and continues to be a rewarding experience.

​I got married in 2003. My husband and I are proud parents of a daughter attending college at ECU. In my spare time, I enjoy playing volleyball, taking walks, watching movies and reading. I am rekindling my interest in travel and hope to do more of it whenever it's possible.