Faculty and Staff

Alejandra nació en Aberdeen, Washington y se mudó al Área de la Bahía hace diez años después de casarse. Trabajó como asistente de maestros en una escuela de PK. Alejandra se dedica a estar bien informada y quería compartir su experiencia y continuar aprendiendo más sobre las operaciones escolares. Cuando no está trabajando, le encanta estar cerca de cuerpos de agua (océanos, lagos, etc.) para reencontrarse con su ser interior.

Alejandra was born in Aberdeen, Washington and moved to the Bay Area ten years ago after getting married. She worked as a teachers assistant at a Pk school. Alejandra is dedicated to being knowledgeable and wanted to share her expertise and continue to learn more about school operations. When she is not working, she loves being near bodies of water (oceans, lakes, etc.) to reengage with her inner self.

Erica nació en Oakland y creció en El Salvador, donde obtuvo una licenciatura en Trabajo Social y una certificación en Educación para la Paz. Desarrolló un amplio conocimiento y experiencia en educación integral mientras trabajaba en programas comunitarios para el desarrollo juvenil durante 16 años en El Salvador. Comenzó en EBI en el verano de 2016 después de su regreso a California con su esposo Gustavo. En su tiempo libre, le encanta cocinar, acampar y pasar tiempo con su familia. Su pasión es contribuir al desarrollo de todo el estudiante a partir de los programas comunitarios.

 

Erica was born in Oakland and raised in El Salvador where she earned a BA in Social Work and a certification in Peace Education. She developed extensive knowledge and experience in comprehensive education while working in community programs for youth development for 16 years in El Salvador. She started at EBI in the summer of 2016 after her return to California with her husband Gustavo. In her spare time, she loves cooking, camping and spending time with her family. Her passion is to contribute to the development of the whole student from the community programs.

Gloria Costas nació en Barcelona, España, y ha vivido en el Área de la Bahía desde 1993. Gloria tiene un título de la facultad de Turismo y Negocios de Barcelona y un Certificado en Traducción de la Universidad de Manoa, Hawaii. Habla con fluidez inglés, español, francés y catalán, su lengua materna, y entiende portugués y alemán. Gloria aporta entusiasmo y experiencia a EBI. 

Gloria Costas was born in Barcelona, Spain and has lived in the Bay Area since 1993. Gloria has a degree from the Tourism and Business college of Barcelona and a Certificate in Translation from the University of Manoa, Hawaii. She speaks fluent English, Spanish, French and Catalan, her native language, and understands Portuguese and German. Gloria brings enthusiasm and experience to EBI. 

 

Gustavo Hernández es de México. Trabajó como carpintero en Chicago y también estudió mecánica de automóviles en Evanston Ill. Tuvo su propio taller de automóviles en Berkeley. LLeva casado con Carmen Hernández (Carmen es asistente de enseñanza de Pre-Kinder amarillo) durante 35 años. Tienen tres hijos; Gustavo Jr. es tenor y tiene una maestría en voz de la USC, Jesús es un pastelero graduado de la Academia Culinaria de San Francisco y Anabella se graduó de EBI. Gustavo está muy orgulloso de ser parte de la comunidad de EBI. Su objetivo como gerente de instalaciones es preservar el ambiente cálido y seguro que EBI ha tenido durante los últimos 14 años y encontrar cosas nuevas e innovadoras para mejorar en nuestra comunidad.

Gustavo Hernández is from México. He worked as a carpenter in Chicago and also studied car mechanics in Evanston Ill. He owend his own car shop in Berkeley. He has been married to Carmen Hernández (Carmen is a Pre-Kinder amarillo teaching assistant) for 35 years. They have three children, Gustavo Jr. He is a tenor and holds an MA in voice from USC, Jesús is a graduate pastry chef from the San Francisco Culinary Academy and Anabella is an EBI graduate. Gustavo is very proud to be a part of the EBI community. His goal as a facilities manager is to preserve the warm and safe environment that EBI has had for the past 14 years and to find new and innovative things to improve in our community.

Rachel es originaria de Walnut Creek, California y se graduó cum laude de la Universidad de Fordham en Nueva York, obteniendo un BFA en danza del programa de danza Ailey / Fordham y una especialización en Psicología. Rachel tuvo el privilegio de actuar internacionalmente con JUNTOS Collective y AATMA Performing Arts y actuó como Directora del Programa JUNTOS Abroad desde 2012-2016, cuando hizo la transición para unirse a la Junta Directiva. Ella decidió poner su carrera de baile en espera y se unió a Teach for America, donde fue ubicada en Oakland. Rachel trabajó como maestra de quinto grado en la Academia Cox durante dos años. Rachel se unió al equipo de EBI el otoño de 2018. Ella vive en Berkeley con su esposo, Ajay, y su perro, Junebug.

Rachel is originally from Walnut Creek, California and graduated cum laude from Fordham University in New York earning a BFA in dance from the Ailey/Fordham dance program and a minor in Psychology. Rachel has had the privilege of performing internationally with JUNTOS Collective and AATMA Performing Arts and acted as JUNTOS Abroad Program Director from 2012-2016, when she transitioned to joining the Board of Directors. She decided to put her dance career on hold and joined Teach for America where she was placed in Oakland. Rachel worked as a 5th grade teacher at Cox Academy for the two years. Rachel joined the EBI team  on Fall 2018. She lives in Berkeley with her husband, Ajay, and dog, Junebug.

 

Linda, nacida en California, se mudó al Área de la Bahía desde Los Ángeles en 1995, después de carreras en periodismo y política.
Como profesional de la contabilidad con un énfasis especial en la producción y distribución en televisión y cine, comenzó a trabajar como contratista con EBI en sus primeros años y ha disfrutado, en los últimos 10 años, el desafío de construir, desde cero, un infraestructura contable completa para apoyar las operaciones financieras de la organización. En el otoño de 2018, Linda se unió oficialmente al personal de EBI como empleada.
Linda le encanta la jardinería y vive con su esposo, Jeff, en Sebastopol. Ella también sirve como Tesorera del Festival de Jazz de Healdsburg.

Linda, a native Californian, moved up to the Bay Area from Los Angeles in 1995, after careers in journalism and politics.
As an accounting professional with a special emphasis on television and film production and distribution, she started working as a contractor with EBI in its early years and has enjoyed, over the past 10+ years, the challenge of building—from the ground up—an entire accounting infrastructure to support the financial operations of the organization. In the fall of 2018, Linda officially joined the staff of EBI as an employee.
Linda is an avid gardener who lives with her husband, Jeff, in Sebastopol. She also serves as Treasurer of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival.

 

 

 

Gary’s personal development and life experiences as a first-generation Filipino immigrant growing up in the Philippines, Guam, and Hawaii, he understands the impact of one’s identity on life outcomes. Gary has a deep understanding of the need to integrate diversity and multiculturalism into institutions and policies. Gary is committed to helping create opportunities, and develop and provide supports for all students, families, schools, and the community.

Gary has 27 years of experience in education as a psychologist, counselor, teacher, educational specialist, professor, consultant, and coach. His experiences are wide and varied, covering a variety of educational, psychological, behavioral, emotional, and cultural issues with diverse populations, and spanning many settings. He has in-depth knowledge of learning, learning differences, research and design, data analysis, psychological foundations and testing, mental health, human development, individual and family counseling, diversity and multiculturalism, and human sexuality. Equally important, Gary applies his knowledge and skills in meaningful and collaborative ways that allow his clients and students to grow and prosper.

Gary holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Washington State University, a M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology, a MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Cal State Northridge, and a B.A. in Psychology from UC Berkeley.

Dave Mitchell is a Bay Area native originally from Alameda. Dave has worked as Security at Amoeba Music, a Sales Rep at the East Bay Express, and a Custodian at Griffin Nursery School. As a Facilities Worker at EBI, Dave strives to maintain a high standard of safety, cleanliness, and efficiency. Dave enjoys writing, collecting vinyl records, and amateur photography in his free time.

 

Cordelia "Deia" Nickelsen nació y creció en Berkeley, California. Recibió su BA en Antropología en la Universidad de California en Berkeley y su maestría en Lingüística en la Universidad de Auckland, Nueva Zelanda. Está entrenada como arqueóloga y trabajó en el campo y como gerente de laboratorio. Después de muchos años como madre y voluntaria en la escuela, está emocionada de formar parte del personal de EBI como Registradora.

Cordelia "Deia" Nickelsen was born and raised in Berkeley, California. She received her BA in Anthropology at the University of California at Berkeley and her MA in Linguistics at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. She is trained as an archaeologist and she worked in the field and as a lab manager. After many years as a parent and volunteer at the school, she is excited to be on the staff at EBI as Registrar.

Ashley está muy entusiasmada con sus roles y espera empoderar a los niños con los que trabaja ayudándolos a descubrir sus propias capacidades únicas e ilimitadas. Nació en Santa Rosa, CA y tuvo la suerte de pasar la mitad de su infancia en Inglaterra. Ashley tiene su Maestría en Educación Especial y ha estado en el campo de la terapia conductual, trabajando individualmente con niños tanto en el hogar como en la escuela, durante más de 5 años. En su tiempo libre, a Ashley le gusta leer, caminar con su cachorro (Kodak) y viajar.

Ashley is very excited about her roles and hopes to empower the children that she works with by helping them discover their own unique and unlimited capabilities. She was born in Santa Rosa, CA and was lucky enough to spend half of her childhood in England. Ashley has her Masters in Special Education and has been in the field of behavior therapy, working one-on-one with children both in homes and at schools, for over 5 years. In her spare time, Ashley enjoys reading, hiking with her puppy (Kodak) and traveling.

Cynthia nació en México y se mudó a Oakland cuando era niña. Trabajó en Banca durante 5 años y después de que ella y su esposo tuvieron a su hija, Sofía, Cynthia decidió que era hora de un cambio. Siendo audaz, aceptó su papel en EBI en diciembre de 2018. Al hacerlo, pudo estar más en línea con su pasión por el servicio, la educación y los niños. Cuando Cynthia no está en el trabajo, su actividad favorita es pasar tiempo con su familia, cocinar y ver películas.

Cynthia was born in Mexico and moved to Oakland as a young child. She worked in Banking for 5 years and after she and her husband had their daughter, Sofia, Cynthia decided it was time for a change. Being a risk-taker, she accepted her role at EBI in December of 2018. In doing so, she was able to be more in line with her passion of service, education and children. When Cynthia is not at work, her favorite thing to do is spend time with her family, cook and watch movies.

 

Dr. Troyani is deeply honored to draw on her many experiences and distinguished record in education to serve the Escuela Bilingüe Internacional community. Originally from Venezuela, Dr. Troyani has been privileged with opportunities, including a Fulbright Scholarship, to participate in multilingual learning around the globe. She has mentored new and veteran instructors, designed and implemented curricula, to include Spanish language programs, and pioneered blended and distance learning to improve outcomes for students and communities at some of the most diverse high schools and universities in the world. Dr. Troyani holds a Ph.D. in literature, with training in teaching with technology, from the University of Notre Dame, an M.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, a B.A., summa cum laude, from Cornell University, and an IB Diploma. She is most excited about joining the EBI team to help realize the limitless potential of its students. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and bilingual children.

Raquel was born and raised in Madrid, Spain, where she earned her Bachelor in Elementary Education and Teaching, as well as her Master in Educational Psychology. She brings 13 years of experience in the K-12 education field. She has served as a teacher and in different leadership positions both in Spain and the United States. When she moved to the Bay Area, she studied Early Childhood Education and specialized in second language acquisition and teaching. At her last school, Raquel served as Upper School Head, supporting families, students, and teachers in the division 5-8. During her time at Spanish Infusion School (former Marin Preparatory School), she also served as Spanish Language Director for four years where she proudly developed and led the K-8 Spanish Program. She believes that the role of educators is guiding students to think critically and support them in their journey of finding their path. Partnering with all members of the community to enable students to become compassionate adults and long-life learners, ready to make a positive impact in their communities and the world.

Raquel is a sports fan who loves to cook, read, work out, and discover new places with her husband and child.

Adrian Arias nació en Perú con ascendentes de la cultura Mochica. Creció en varias regiones del Perú, y ya de adulto comenzó a viajar por todo el mundo. Estudió Filosofía y Letras en la PUC, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Perú. Su padre era pintor y su madre y abuelo poetas, y aprendió de ellos su práctica artística y todo lo relacionado con el arte. Adrian es profesor de arte, artista visual, poeta, intérprete y promotor cultural. Enseñó arte desde 1985 y para Adrián esta es la profesión más hermosa que existe en el planeta Tierra, ya que enseñar y ser un facilitador de arte para niños es un regalo para el espíritu. En su tiempo libre le gusta cocinar, hacer collages con amigos; colaborar con artistas de otras disciplinas para crear trabajos o simplemente para divertirse. Pintar, escribir y leer poesía a Adrian se considera una parte natural de su vida y no un pasatiempo.

Adrian Arias was born in Peru with ascendants of the Mochica culture. He grew up in several regions of Peru, and as an adult he began to travel all over the world. He studied Philosophy and Literature at the PUC, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Perú. His father was a painter and his mother and grandfather poets, and he learned from them his artistic practice, everything that is related to art. Adrian is an art teacher, visual artist, poet, performer and cultural promoter. He taught art since 1985 and for Adrián this is the most beautiful profession that exists on planet earth since teaching and being an art facilitator for children is a gift for the spirit. In his spare time he likes to cook, make collages with friends; collaborate with artists from other disciplines to create pieces of work or just to have fun. Painting, writing and reading poetry to Adrian is considered a natural part of his life and not a hobby.

Jessica Bejarano is the founder and music director of the San Francisco Philharmonic!   She also serves as music director of the University High School Chamber Orchestra, music director of ELM Youth Orchestra and assistant conductor of Opera Parallele.   Jessica is also a regular guest conductor with the Antonio Soler Orquestra in Spain and has guest conducted in the Czech Republic, Venezuela, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy and Russia.  She has also held conducting positions with numerous orchestras throughout the Bay Area and United States.   Jessica was named KQED Arts’ Bay Brilliant Top 10 Artists of 2018, was featured by PBS NewsHour as an emerging female conductor to watch and recently featured on NBC’s The Today Show with Natalie Morales as the “Woman Breaking Barriers as a Trailblazing Symphony Conductor”.   Jessica is bilingual in Spanish and English, holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Wyoming, and a Master of Arts in Music/Conducting from University of California-Davis. Jessica is excited and honored to join the EBI community!

Luis grew up and lived in Spain and has been residing in the Bay Area for the past four years, and since then he has been teaching Spanish to K-12 students at different independent schools in the area and designing Spanish programs for adult learners. Luis is an educator with extensive knowledge in international current affairs, world cultures, history and Spanish language. Luis comes from our Aventura team, has a B.A. in Business Administration and Finance, and is currently studying to become a certified Spanish-English translator. He has a deep passion for Spanish education and EBI’s mission and is thrilled to be working with the second grade students!

 

Mercedes es de Cuba. Ella vino a los Estados Unidos en 2015 para vivir con su hija y sus nietos. Estudió pedagogía, con especialización en astrofísica, durante tres años en Cuba y está entusiasmada con la idea de continuar sus estudios en el campo de la educación. Está emocionada de unirse al equipo de Aventura y apoyar a los estudiantes para mejorar sus habilidades en español. En su tiempo libre, a Mercedes le encanta pasar tiempo con sus nietos.

Mercedes is from Cuba. She came to the United States in 2015 to live with her daughter and grandchildren. She studied pedagogy, with a specialization in astrophysics, for three years in Cuba and is enthusiastic about the idea of ​​continuing her studies in the field of education. She is excited to join the Aventura team and support students in improving their Spanish skills. In her free time, Mercedes loves spending time with her grandchildren.

My name is Sandra Duong; I have been teaching Spanish since 2014 in different private schools in the Bay Area.  I am passionate about education because I am intrigued by the process of learning. I was born and raised in Cali, Colombia. In my free time, I enjoy traveling with my husband and our children to different parts of the United States and Mexico. I also love reading, hiking, cooking, and salsa dancing.  

 

Mi nombre es Sandra Duong;  Desde el año 2014 he trabajado en diferentes escuelas privadas en el Area de la Bahia.  Soy apacionada con todo lo relacionado con educacion porque siempre he tenido interes sobre el proceso de apreder. Yo nací y crecí en la Cali, Colombia. En mi tiempo libre disfruto viajar junto a mi esposo e hijos a diferentes lugares no solo los Estados Unidos sino ademas Mexico. Ademas,  me encanta leer, cocinar y bailar salsa. 

 

Nelson was born in El Salvador and immigrated to the US in 1992. He loved school and became very interested in Math and Science classes. Nelson graduated from High School in 2002 and attended SFSU where he graduated in 2010, and then went on to Medical School in El Salvador. He became pretty well known for his ability to teach and explain Biochemistry. Nelson quickly fell in love with teaching and made one of the hardest decisions in his life to leave medical school, and become an educator. Nelson has 10 years of experience teaching Pre-Algebra and Algebra in middle school, as well as Physical Science and AP Biology in high school. He is bilingual, holds a teaching credential in math and science; he has completed graduate studies in Biology and Biochemistry and holds a B.A. in Latin American Studies. Nelson come from Colegio Maya in El Salvador, where he has taught middle-school math and high-school science. He has also taught at the University level.  Before moving to El Salvador Nelson worked for Mt. Diablo Unified School District in the Math and Science Dept. He is excited to welcome students into the fascinating world of Math!

Maritoña es de Tapachula, México. Ella vino a los Estados Unidos en 2009. Tiene varios años de experiencia trabajando como niñera en México y en los Estados Unidos. En su tiempo libre le gusta cocinar y estudiar técnicas de medicina natural y compartir con otros su conocimiento al respecto. Está emocionada de unirse al equipo de Aventura porque le encanta enseñar español a sus alumnos y aprender de ellos mientras juegan y se divierten juntos.

Maritoña is from Tapachula, Mexico. She came to the United States in 2009. She has several years of experience working as a nanny in Mexico and in the United States. In her spare time she enjoys cooking and studying natural medicine techniques and sharing with others her knowledge about it. She is excited to join Aventura team because she loves teaching her students Spanish and learn from them while playing and having fun together.

Bio Coming Soon!

Carmen Hernández nació en México, donde vivió hasta que emigró a los Estados Unidos hace varios años. Carmen continuó sus estudios sobre el desarrollo infantil en los EE. UU. Carmen ha trabajado en las escuelas públicas de Berkeley durante más de 14 años y le apasiona la educación y el apoyo al profesorado y al personal. Además, Carmen ha apoyado a la comunidad EBI desde que se fundó la escuela, primero como voluntaria y luego como asistente. Carmen está casada y tiene tres hijos, la más joven de los cuales es una antigua alumna de EBI.

Carmen Hernández was born in Mexico where she lived until she migrated to the United States several years ago. Carmen continued her studies of childhood development in the U.S. Carmen has worked in Berkeley public schools for more than 14 years and is passionate about education and supporting faculty and staff. Additionally, Carmen has supported the EBI community since the school was founded, first as a volunteer and later as an assistant. Carmen is married and has three children, the youngest of which is an EBI alumni.

Clio se graduó con una licenciatura de Smith College, especializándose en literatura comparativa. Enseñó jardinería y cocina en las escuelas primarias del Este de la Bahía durante seis años. Asistió a la escuela de posgrado en Vermont y completó una maestría en Enseñanza para la Justicia Social, con un enfoque en el papel de las bibliotecas escolares y de aula en la promoción de diversos libros. Más recientemente, ha trabajado en Marin Country Day School en los grados 2do y 3ro. Clio creció en Washington DC, donde fue a la Escuela Internacional de Washington.

Clio graduated with a BA from Smith College, majoring in Comparative Literature. She taught gardening and cooking in East Bay elementary schools for six years. She went to graduate school in Vermont and completed an MA in Teaching for Social Justice, with a focus on the role of school and classroom libraries in promoting diverse books. Most recently, she has worked at Marin Country Day School in the 2nd and 3rd grades. Clio grew up in Washington DC where she went to Washington International School.

Bio Coming Soon! 

 

Adwoa nació en Berkeley y ha vivido en casi todos los lugares del Área de la Bahía, excepto San Francisco. Ella ha trabajado con niños desde que era una niña. Adwoa comenzó a trabajar como Especialista en Educación Multicultural. Desde entonces, ha trabajado como ayudante, directora de un programa extracurricular, un P.E. Profesor, formadora de profesores de inglés, profesora de primer, segundo y tercer grado, y profesor de ciencias, matemáticas e inglés. Adwoa ha enseñado ciencias a estudiantes desde Kínder hasta la escuela intermedia, matemáticas a estudiantes desde preescolar hasta la universidad, y todas las demás materias, incluido inglés, desde preescolar hasta primaria.

Adwoa was born in Berkeley and has lived almost every place in the Bay Area except San Francisco. She has been working with children since she was a child. Adwoa began work as a Multicultural Education Specialist. Since then she has worked as an aide, Director of an After School program, a P.E. Teacher, a trainer of English Language Teachers, a first, second, and third grade teacher, and a science, math and English teacher. Adwoa has taught science to students from kindergarten through high school, math to students from pre-school to college, and all other subjects, including English, from pre-school through elementary school.

 

Michelle creció en el área de la bahía. Se unió a la comunidad EBI durante el otoño de 2018 como maestra de Aventura. Michelle es maestra asociada para el 1er grado A. Descubrió su pasión por los Derechos del Niño durante un programa de escuela secundaria en 2015. Desde entonces, se ha ofrecido como voluntaria en programas que ayudan a los niños a mejorar sus habilidades académicas, campamentos de verano al aire libre y escuelas de intervención temprana. Ella está emocionada de crecer y construir comunidad con la nueva clase de primer grado.

Michelle grew up in the Bay Area. She joined the EBI community during the fall of 2018 as an Aventura teacher. This year, Michelle is an associate teacher for 1st grade A. She discovered her passion for Children’s Rights during a high school program in 2015. Since then, she has volunteered with programs that help children improve their academic skills, outdoor based summer camps, and early intervention schools. She is excited to grow and build community with the new first grade class.

 

 

Alex nació en El Salvador y está casado con una maravillosa mujer salvadoreña. Juntos tienen tres hijos increíbles: dos hermosas niñas y un niño maravilloso. Alex estudió en la Universidad Nacional de El Salvador de 1998 a 2004 para obtener una licenciatura en enseñanza del idioma inglés. Trabajó como profesor en UNICAES (Universidad Católica de El Salvador) enseñando gramática y composición de inglés y también trabajó como profesor de traducción de inglés (estrategias de enseñanza para traducir inglés al español) en IEPROES (una guardería) en Santa Ana, El Salvador. Alex trabajó durante diez años como maestro principal en los grados 1-3 en la Escuela Primaria Lamatepec en la ciudad de La Libertad en El Salvador. Alex también tiene una Maestría en Consejería Familiar y ha ayudado a muchas familias a desarrollar planes educativos para sus hijos que van desde los siete hasta los diez años. Alex trabajó durante 12 años en las escuelas del Bachillerato Internacional del mundo como maestro del Programa de Año Primario. Ha trabajado en la Escuela Bilingüe Internacional desde 2015. Alex aprende continuamente y, a través de cursos de desarrollo profesional, siempre está aprendiendo técnicas nuevas y creativas para hacer que el aprendizaje sea divertido y significativo. Lo que más le gusta a Alex de sus estudiantes es su espontaneidad y curiosidad por aprender cosas nuevas. Planea escribir un libro que comparta sus experiencias de aprendizaje como maestro para guiar a otros educadores en su viaje de enseñanza a medida que aprenden tanto de sus habilidades más fuertes como de sus errores.

Alex was born in El Salvador and is married to a wonderful Salvadoran woman. Together they have three awesome children - two beautiful girls and an amazing little boy. Alex studied at the National University of El Salvador from 1998 to 2004 to obtain a B.A in English Language Teaching. He worked as a professor at UNICAES (Universidad Católica de El Salvador) teaching English Grammar and composition and also worked as a Translation English Teacher (Teaching strategies for translating English into Spanish) at IEPROES (a Nursery School) in Santa Ana, El Salvador. Alex worked for ten years as a lead teacher in Grades 1-3 at Lamatepec Elementary School in the city of La Libertad in El Salvador. Alex also has a Masters Degree in Family Counseling and has helped many families develop Educational Plans for their children ranging in ages from seven to ten years old. Alex worked for 12 years in the International Baccalaureate schools of the world as a Primary Year Program teacher. He has worked at Escuela Bilingüe Internacional since 2015. Alex is a continuous learner and through professional development courses, he is always learning new and creative techniques to make learning fun and meaningful. What Alex loves most about his students is their spontaneity and curiosity for learning new things. He is planning to write a book that shares his learning experiences as a teacher to guide other educators in their teaching journey as they learn from both his strongest skills and also, his mistakes.

Tiffany was born in Toronto, Canada but grew up in Hong Kong and Massachusetts. She has a BA in English Literature and a MA in Literary & Cultural Studies. She brings both national and international experience at the elementary and high school levels, having taught IB Diploma and IGCSE English in a bilingual school in Hong Kong before relocating to California where she taught 5th grade. She is excited to be in the Bay Area and to join the EBI community!

Deysi es originaria de Los Ángeles, California, pero vivió muchos años en Guadalajara, México, donde estudió su programa de pregrado en turismo. Hace varios años, Deysi regresó a los EE. UU. y se estableció en East Bay. La familia de Deysi es latina y está muy orgullosa de sus raíces.

Deysi is originally from Los Angeles, California but lived many years in Guadalajara, Mexico where she studied her undergraduate program in tourism. A while ago, Deysi returned to the U.S. and settled in the East Bay. Deysi’s family is Latina, and she is very proud of her roots.​

Siobhan is thrilled to join the EBI Community in the 2020-2021 school year as a second grade associate teacher.  Prior to working at EBI, she was an assistant teacher for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) at a large East Oakland Charter School.  Siobhan grew up in Fresno, CA, but has lived in the Bay Area for many years and hopes to never leave this wonderful diverse place.  Siobhan has a masters degree in English with an Emphasis on Teaching Speakers of other languages and is currently earning her teaching credential and Masters in Education through BATTI.  She looks forward to helping create a strong and joyful classroom community. 

Prior to moving to the United States in 2013, Hongyu taught world history in middle and high schools in China for 25 years and is the author of numerous papers regarding the teaching of history. She also achieved certification as a national level psychological counselor. Since moving to the United States, Hongyu has been employed as a Mandarin language teacher and has provided tutoring in Chinese.

Yésica Perea was born in the city of Celaya, in Guanajuato, Mexico. She studied Tourism Administration, obtaining her BA at the University of Guanajuato. Yesica lives in Fremont, California, with her husband. In 2007, she began her studies in Early Childhood Education at Chabot College and has a Site Supervisor Permit. She feels very lucky to have the opportunity to start a new career in the area of early childhood education and to do it in her native language. Her hobbies are painting, cooking, singing and watching suspense movies. Yésica has been working with children for seven years and she feels very proud of belonging to the staff of EBI.

Natalie is Peruvian-American who was born and raised in California. She studied as a Nursing Assistant at Contra Costa Academy. For the last five years, she has been working in customer service and as a babysitter. Natalie is excited to be an Aventura teacher and to be part of the EBI community. She loves painting and cooking in her free time.

Nacido y criado en Chicago, Jimmy llegó a EBI a través de su experiencia enseñando en Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI). Mientras estuvo allí, enseñó los planes de estudio de ciencias marinas más formales, de forma práctica. Algunos de los temas que enseñó Jimmy incluyeron clases sobre invertebrados, peces óseos, peces cartilaginosos (tiburones, rayas y rayas), algas, plancton, oceanografía, ecología y astronomía. Todo lo cual fue enseñado a través de actividades de aprendizaje vivencial, como snorkel, kayak y senderismo. Con su enfoque práctico de la ciencia, un estudiante en el aula de ciencias de Jimmy puede esperar referencias del mundo real y actividades auténticas. Su pasatiempo favorito es la pesca submarina.

Born and raised in Chicago, Jimmy came to EBI via his experience teaching at the Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI). While there, he taught the more formal, but still hands-on, marine science curricula. Some of the topics that Jimmy taught included classes on invertebrates, bony fish, cartilaginous fish (sharks, skates and rays), algae, plankton, oceanography, ecology, and astronomy. All of which was taught through experiential-learning activities, such as snorkeling, kayaking and hiking. With his hands-on approach to science, a student in Jimmy's science classroom can expect real-world references and authentic activities. His favorite hobby is spearfishing. 

Bio Coming Soon! 

Rita was born in El Salvador and moved to the Bay Area in 2008. She has been a teacher and Family Advisor for preschool and first grade for 10 years. She obtained her teaching degree from the Evangelical University of El Salvador and holds an MA in Counseling and Family Education from Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Before coming to EBI, she taught 6-year-old children at Centro Escolar La Floresta. As a teacher, one of her goals is to educate children with joy and freedom. Rita has worked with the Primary Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate for six years, and hopes to encourage students to develop the attributes of the PYP profile. Rita is married and has a daughter, and she feels fortunate to belong to the EBI family.

Yanet is originally from Sinaloa, Mexico. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education and has experience working with children of various ages, including preschoolers. She is very passionate about working with her team and students to learn in new and creative ways.

Ms. Susy is a native Spanish speaker originally from the country of Ecuador, where she previously owned and ran a school for 26 years. There she gained invaluable experience, exposing her to all aspects of education and education administration from the role of teacher to the role of principal. After immigrating to the USA, Ms. Susy became a Spanish teacher at Lighthouse Community Charter Public School in East Oakland. There she taught Spanish and ESL and loved to incorporate lessons about Latin American culture into her classes so that students become engaged and learn about their Latino heritage.

As a teacher, she uses a practical and flexible approach in order to promote interaction and incorporate student creativity. With 30 years of teaching experience, she is proud to have taught generations and to have seen some of her best students grow up to become successful contributors as adults. 

When she is not teaching, Ms. Susy enjoys singing, dancing, cooking, riding roller coasters and visiting Ecuador to see her family and kids, Joshua and Sarah. She is so excited to join EBI family and learn to become an even better teacher.   


 

Ximena Soza was born in Chile, she is an artist, poet and educator. She has worked with very diverse communities. She has worked children to adults with mental illness in a variety of settings, from Granda, Spain to the mountains in the south of Mexico and a small island in Chile. She is a Doctor in Philosophies of Urban Education, holds a masters degree in Cultural sciences of Education and a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. As an educator, Ximena has worked as an educator in urban and rural areas designing an anti-racist curriculum for bilingual and intercultural settings.

As an artist, Ximena has participated in several collective exhibits, showing her work in different medias; stone carving, metal work and weaving across the United States, including universities, galleries and the Oakland Museum of California. Her traveling exhibit “Bajo las Suelas/ Underneath the Soles” has been presented in Italy, Mexico, Guatemala, Spain, Chile and Brazil. As a writer Ximena, has been awarded with a couple of literary prizes for her fiction, becoming part of Latin American short stories anthologies. She has also published in literary journals and her writing has been performed in several theater performances. 

Chloé nació en la Ciudad de México de padres franceses y asistió al Lycée Français en San Francisco, graduándose con el Bachillerato Francés. Completó su licenciatura en Desarrollo Internacional en la Universidad McGill en Montreal y se graduó de la Escuela de Posgrado en Educación de Harvard con una Maestría en Educación Internacional. Antes de unirse a EBI, fue profesora de español en la zona rural de Carolina del Sur durante dos años.

Chloé was born in Mexico City from French parents and attended the Lycée Français in San Francisco, graduating with the French Baccalaureate. She completed her bachelor’s degree in International Development at McGill University in Montréal, and graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a Masters in International Education. Before joining EBI, she was a Spanish teacher in rural South Carolina for two years.

Carmen Vargas was born in Cuernavaca, Morelos, México. At the young age of five years old she and her family migrated to the United States in hopes for a better life. During high school she developed an interest in child development since she loves working with children as she was a Sunday school teacher . She's currently in a community college getting transferable credits to obtain an education major. Her goal is to be an elementary school teacher and further her education by getting a Master's degree. She's looking forward to meeting you and learning more from her peers to be the best she can be at her job.

Merly Vicente nació en Lima, Perú y es licenciada en Derecho y Ciencias Políticas. Hace cinco años, llegó al Área de la Bahía con el objetivo de trabajar en el sistema educativo bilingüe. Trabajar con niños le ha dado una perspectiva diferente de la vida y ha cambiado sus valores y sentimientos de una manera que hace que se sienta más creativa y productiva dentro de la comunidad. Merly cree que el multiculturalismo en EBI es muy importante en la vida de un niño. Merly completó estudios para la enseñanza en educación infantil. Ella continúa estudiando para mantenerse actualizada en el área de educación y enriquecer su trabajo con niños.

Merly Vicente was born in Lima, Peru and has a degree in Law and Political Science. Five years ago, she arrived to the Bay Area with the goal of working in the bilingual educational system. Working with children has given her a different perspective on life and changed her values and feelings in a way that causes her to feel more creative and productive within the community. Merly believes the multiculturalism in EBI is very important in a child’s life. Merly completed studies for teaching in early childhood education. She continues studying to remain current in the area of education and to enrich her work with children.

Anita nació en Nicaragua y vive en el este de la bahía con su esposo y sus dos hijos. Se mudó a los Estados Unidos cuando tenía seis años y se crió en San Francisco. Anita estudió psicología y bienes raíces en el San Francisco City College. Anita se unirá a Adwoa como profesora de inglés asociada para K-1er grado. Su hija asistió a EBI y Anita se convirtió en parte del personal de EBI poco después como recepcionista del campus de Alcatraz. Su experiencia como madre y miembro del personal de EBI la inspiró a convertirse en educadora, y actualmente está inscrita en la escuela para ampliar su conocimiento del campo de la educación. Durante su tiempo libre le gusta escuchar música, escribir poesía, bailar y hacer viajes locales con su familia. Anita está emocionada de formar parte de la facultad y espera un gran año de aprendizaje con sus hijos.

Anita was born in Nicaragua and lives in the East Bay with her husband and two kids. She moved to the U.S. when she was six-years-old and was raised in San Francisco. Anita studied psychology and real estate at San Francisco City College. Anita will be joining Adwoa as an Associate English Teacher for K-1st Grade. Her daughter attended EBI and Anita became part of the EBI staff soon after as the Alcatraz campus receptionist. Her experience as an EBI parent and staff member inspired her to become an educator, and she is currently enrolled in school to expand her knowledge of the field of education. During her free time she enjoys listening to music, writing poetry, dancing and going on local trips with her family. Anita is excited to be part of the faculty and is looking forward to a great year of learning with your children.