Faculty and Staff

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.

A nerd, a writer, and a physics buff, Reggie is a small-town guy from Northern California making his way in the big city. Reggie is a proud (dog) dad to two little girls, Rumi (7 years old) and Gremly (under one year). Reggie is a big fan of the outdoors, whether he’s snowboarding, camping, or just hiking with his dogs through Tilden Park. Reggie moved to Berkeley in 2013 to cover investment in real assets and energy as a reporter and journalist. He has also worked in marketing and PR for a number of bay area tech and blockchain startups. Reggie is a musician whom you may catch playing bass at a local venue in the East Bay. Reggie is excited to share his love of math with EBI students and help them find their numerical groove.

Kyla es nativa de Berkeley y apasionada por enseñar y tocar música. Violinista desde los cinco años, Kyla creció estudiando música clásica y música klezmer y descubrió su amor por la improvisación a través de la exploración de Son Jarocho, Son Huasteco, "jazz gitano", música balcánica, danzón y boleros. Desde entonces, ha viajado a Veracruz varias veces para estudiar, grabar y actuar con sus mentores allí, y actualmente toca con los grupos locales Tarimba y Cascada de Flores. Kyla es una maestra dedicada; además de muchos años impartiendo clases de alfabetización a estudiantes de secundaria y preparatoria en Richmond, enseñó música en la Escuela Primaria Wilson y clases de violín y música en el East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. En 2016-17, Kyla participó en el programa Adventures in Music de la Sinfónica de San Francisco, realizando un programa interactivo de música mexicana desde Pre-Kínder hasta segundo grado en más de cien escuelas públicas de San Francisco. Más recientemente, Kyla completó la pasantía intensiva de enseñanza de música Orff Schulwerk en la Escuela de San Francisco. ¡Está muy emocionada de ser parte de la comunidad EBI!

Kyla is a Berkeley native who is passionate about teaching and playing music. A violinist since the age of five, Kyla grew up studying classical and Klezmer music and discovered her love of improvisation through the exploration of Son Jarocho, Son Huasteco, "gypsy jazz", Balkan music, danzón and boleros. She has since traveled to Veracruz a number of times to study, record and perform with her mentors there, and currently plays with local groups Tarimba and Cascada de Flores. Kyla is a dedicated teacher; in addition to many years teaching literacy classes to middle and high school students in Richmond, she taught music at Wilson Elementary School, and violin and musicianship classes at the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. In 2016-17, Kyla participated in the San Francisco Symphony's Adventures in Music program, performing an interactive Mexican music program to kindergarten through second graders in over one hundred San Francisco public schools. Most recently, Kyla completed the intensive Orff Schulwerk music teaching internship at the San Francisco School. She is excited to be part of the EBI community!

My name is Sandra Duong; I am the new Spanish teacher for the 5th grade. 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, la nueva maestra de español de quinto grado.  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.

Florencia was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She came to the United States in 2016 and she  is currently enrolled in Berkeley City College studying Childhood Development. Florencia has more than 10 years teaching as a tutor in Argentina and as a private Spanish teacher in the US. In her spare time she loves spending time with her daughter Lucia. They both enjoy doing arts and crafts, cooking, hiking and playing with their two cats,  and their dog. Florencia loves her job as a teacher and everything that relates to child development. She is very excited to be part of the EBI community.

 

Florencia nació en Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ella vino a los Estados Unidos en 2016 y actualmente está inscrita en Berkeley City College estudiando Desarrollo Infantil. Florencia tiene más de 10 años enseñando como tutor en Argentina y como profesora privada de español en los Estados Unidos. En su tiempo libre le encanta pasar tiempo con su hija Lucía. Ambas disfrutan haciendo manualidades, cocinando, haciendo caminatas y jugando con sus dos gatos y su perro. Florencia ama su trabajo como maestra y todo lo relacionado con el desarrollo infantil. Ella está muy emocionada de ser parte de la comunidad EBI.

Fredy Herrera ha enseñado durante 19 años. Está encantada de pertenecer a la familia EBI en la capacidad de maestro de Individuos y Sociedades, trabajando con estudiantes de la escuela intermedia. Fredy tiene un título de enseñanza de inglés, una licenciatura en derecho y una maestría en educación. Creció en El Salvador, donde aún vive su familia. Ama a su familia y amigos, y espera hacer nuevos amigos en California. Su objetivo como maestro es tratar a cada niño como único y ayudar a los estudiantes a mejorar sus habilidades de estudios sociales. 

Fredy Herrera has been teaching for 19 years. He is thrilled to be part of the EBI family as Individuals and Societies Teacher, working with Middle School students. Fredy holds an English Teaching degree, a Bachelor's degree in Law, and a Masters in Education. He grew up in El Salvador, where his family still lives. He loves his family and friends, and looks forward to making new friends in California. His goal as a teacher is to treat each child as unique, and to help students improve their social studies abilities. 

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! 

Beatriz Martínez es hispanohablante, originaria de Colombia y ahora reside en Oakland con sus dos hijas y su esposo. Beatriz es la última incorporación de EBI al equipo español de PK, pero ha estado involucrada con EBI en varias capacidades a lo largo de los años. Le apasiona ayudar a los niños a prosperar, así como brindar apoyo continuo a sus familias. Beatriz tiene una licenciatura en educación de la primera infancia, experiencia como maestra de preescolar y como maestra asociada de español de segundo grado en EBI. Beatriz está muy emocionada de trabajar en EBI porque, como aprendiz de un segundo idioma, valora y comprende la importancia de la adquisición del idioma. Ella es una educadora entusiasta que brinda orientación positiva mientras sus alumnos aprenden orgánicamente español a la vez que comprenden los conceptos de Pre-K. En su tiempo libre, Beatriz disfruta llevar a sus hijas al parque, a nadar y a visitar la biblioteca.

Beatriz Martínez is a native Spanish speaker, originally from Colombia and now resides in Oakland with her two daughters and husband. Beatriz is EBI's newest addition to the Spanish PK team but has been involved with EBI in various capacities over the years. She is passionate about helping children thrive, as well as providing ongoing support to their families. Beatriz has a degree in early childhood education, experience as a preschool teacher, and as a Spanish second grade Associate teacher at EBI. Beatriz is very excited to work at EBI because as a second language learner herself, she values and understands the importance of language acquisition. She is an enthusiastic educator who provides positive guidance as her students organically learn Spanish while grasping Pre-K concepts. In her free time, Beatriz enjoys taking her daughters to the park, swimming and visiting the library.

Roy es originario del Estado de México y se graduó de la Universidad Privada del Estado de México con un título en Pedagogía con enfoque en artes escénicas en el aprendizaje. Roy ha enseñado a estudiantes de primaria y secundaria en México y Estados Unidos y está encantado de seguir aprendiendo y ser parte de la comunidad EBI.

Roy is originally from the State of Mexico and graduated from the Private University of the State of Mexico with a degree in Pedagogy with a focus in performing arts in learning. Roy has taught elementary and middle school students in Mexico and the United States and is delighted to continue learning and to be part of the EBI community.

 

 

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.

Bio Coming Soon! 

 

Judith nació en Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Se graduó de la Universidad Católica de Honduras en Administración de Empresas y trabajó como secretaria en una organización sin fines de lucro de Alemania. Al mismo tiempo, participó trabajando con niños en actividades lúdicas para desarrollar y desarrollar la autoconfianza. Más tarde comenzó su propio negocio y luego se mudó al Área de la Bahía con su esposo. ¡Le encanta trabajar con niños y está muy emocionada de trabajar en EBI como maestra de Aventura!

Judith was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. She graduated from Universidad Católica de Honduras in Business Administration and worked as a secretary in a Germany non profit organization. At the same time she was involved working with children in playful activities to build and developed self-confidence. Later started her own business and then moved to the Bay Area to her husband. She loves working with children and she is super excited to work in EBI as an Aventura teacher!

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.

Melissa was born in California, her passion is emotional awareness among the children. Melissa volunteered for child development programs for three years such as Berkeley Arts Magnet and EBI. She was also a mentor for incoming freshmen and sophomores who had a hard time adjusting to Berkeley High School. Her goal as a Aventura teacher is helping the students communicate their feelings and to bring more awareness of children's personal and emotional needs to help them to improve their way of studying.

Alicia was born in Lima, Peru. She has been working at EBI since 2013 as a substitute teacher in different levels, as well as an Aventura teacher. This year she is excited about working in Aventura at PK classroom 2, and as an assistant teacher in Verde during the day. She loves reading, listening to music and walking on the beach. Also, her favorite hobby is solving puzzles.

Karina Robleto started at EBI in 2011. She has experience working as an assistant teacher in the Prekinder classrooms as well as in Aventura.

Ernesto Rousseaux was born in Cuba, and received his Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education and Sports. He worked with students of all ages in Cuba, from lower school through university. He has experience teaching physical education to diverse learners. At EBI Ernesto has been an Aventura teacher, substitute teacher, second grade physical education teacher and a coach for most EBI middle school sports teams. This year he will be expanding his role as athletics director and physical education teacher. Ernesto will teach P.E. to kindergarteners and first graders.

Stacy is excited to be a part of the EBI team as she previously taught fifth grade in Southern California. She earned her Master of Education from the University of Notre Dame and Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University. While in Chicago she tutored and assisted classrooms. These experiences and her passion for social justice inspired her to teach!

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.   


 

Alberto was born in Cuba and he moved to California eight years ago. His passion is to contribute in comprehensive development for children and teenagers. He attended the University of Cuba and studied chemistry and philosophy. While taking those classes he found love for math, science and philosophy. He worked many years for the school district of Cuba from the high school to the university. Since He came to California, he set as a personal and professional goal to help children find their passion through school and make them aware of their dreams being possible.

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. She recently was a Spanish teacher in rural South Carolina for two years and is so excited to transition into teaching English at EBI.

Olga nació y creció en Colombia. Estudió en la Universidad Javeriana de Bogotá, especializándose en Educación. También estudió Gestión de Instituciones Educativas, en la Universidad del Tolima en Columbia. Trabajó durante 20 años en educación en Columbia. A Olga le gusta viajar para aprender sobre otras culturas y comparte el amor por el fútbol con su hijo menor.

Olga was born and grew up in Columbia. She studied at the Javeriana University of Bogota, majoring in Education. She also studied Management of Educational Institutions, at the University of Tolima in Columbia. She worked for 20 years in education in Columbia. Olga likes to travel to learn about other cultures and she shares a love of football with her youngest son.

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.

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. Está casada con Rob, nativo de Berkeley, y tienen dos hijos.

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. She is married to Rob, a Berkeley native, and they have two sons.

Jennifer tiene doble ciudadanía de los Estados Unidos y de Perú, donde creció. Completó su trabajo de pregrado en educación infantil en la Universidad Femenina del Sagrado Corazón en Perú. Jennifer ha trabajado en educación infantil durante más de 18 años, tanto en Perú como en los Estados Unidos. Esta amplia experiencia la ha ayudado a desarrollar una comprensión profunda de cómo los jóvenes aprendices se dan sentido a sí mismos y al mundo que los rodea. Después de mudarse al Área de la Bahía, Jennifer estudió administración educativa en la Universidad Estatal de San Francisco, donde recibió su maestría. Además de enseñar, Jennifer tiene varios años de experiencia como directora de prekínder. La filosofía educativa de Jennifer se alinea estrechamente con la del Bachillerato Internacional, y está ansiosa por compartir su amplio conocimiento de la educación de la primera infancia con nuestra comunidad. Jennifer y su compañero, José Antonio, también tienen gemelos en EBI.

Jennifer holds dual citizenship in the United States and Peru, where she grew up. She completed undergraduate work in early childhood education at the Universidad Femenina del Sagrado Corazón in Peru. Jennifer has worked in early childhood education for over 18 years, both in Peru and the United States. This extensive experience has supported her to develop a deep understanding of how young learners make meaning of themselves and the world around them. After moving to the Bay Area, Jennifer studied educational administration at San Francisco State University, where she received her master’s degree. In addition to teaching, Jennifer has several years of experience as a pre-kinder director. Jennifer’s educational philosophy aligns closely with that of the International Baccalaureate, and she is anxious to share her extensive knowledge of early childhood education with our community. Jennifer and her partner, José Antonio, have twins at EBI as well.

 

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.

Zeltzin nació y creció en la Ciudad de México, donde estudió Derecho y practicó Derecho de Propiedad Intelectual con especial atención en marcas registradas y derechos de autor. Obtuvo su certificado en Interpretación Legal Español-Inglés de la Universidad Estatal de SF en 2016, y considera que el bilingüismo es una habilidad valiosa y extremadamente útil en la comunidad cada vez más globalizada en la actualidad. Zeltzin se unió a la comunidad de EBI en la primavera de 2012 y está muy feliz de ser miembro de un equipo en el que la diversidad, la riqueza de diferentes culturas y el aprendizaje están presentes todos los días. Ella vive en Oakland con su esposo Russell, y ambos disfrutan viajando, probando nuevos restaurantes y volviendo a visitar sus favoritos favoritos. Y de vez en cuando, quedandose en casa viendo películas.

Zeltzin was born and raised in Mexico City, where she studied Law, and practiced Intellectual Property Law with a focus in trademarks and copyright. She obtained her certificate in Spanish-English Legal Interpretation from SF State University in 2016, and considers bilingualism a valuable and extremely useful skill in today’s increasingly global community. Zeltzin joined the EBI community in the Spring 2012 and is very happy to be a member of a team in which diversity, the richness of different cultures, and learning are present every day. She lives in Oakland with her husband Russell, and they both enjoy travel, trying new restaurants and visiting old favorites. And every now and then, to just stay home and watch movies.

 

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.

 

 

 

Sandra nació y creció en Caracas, Venezuela, donde obtuvo su licenciatura en Ciencias de la Computación en el Instituto Universitario de Tecnología de Venezuela. Tiene más de cinco años de experiencia enseñando español como segunda lengua. Trabajó como instructora de español y asistente de dirección en Houston, Texas, donde vivió durante cinco años. Sandra también tiene más de 10 años de experiencia en tecnología de redes. Sandra ha sido parte de la familia EBI desde 2006. Sandra ha administrado las operaciones y la tecnología de la escuela durante los últimos tres años. Sandra está casada y es madre de un hijo.

Sandra was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela where she earned her degree in Computer Science at Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Venezuela. She has over five years of experience teaching Spanish as a Second Language. She worked as a Spanish Instructor and Director Assistant in Houston, Texas where she lived for five years. Sandra also has over 10 years of expertise in networking technology. Sandra has been part of the EBI family since 2006. Sandra has managed the operations and technology of the school over the last three years. Sandra is married and the mother of one son.

Daniel nació en los Estados Unidos y, con cuatro años, se mudó con su familia a La Paz, Bolivia. Todavía recuerda vívidamente la primera semana de preescolar como el único que no hablaba español en su clase: el sentimiento inicial de aislamiento, seguido de la euforia de aprender un nuevo idioma y la apertura de una puerta emocionante en su mundo cuando se volvió bilingüe y bicultural. Daniel vivió en Bolivia por el resto de su infancia hasta que fue a la universidad en Illinois para una segunda ronda de conmoción cultural, esta vez al revés. No es sorprendente que Daniel se convirtiera en profesor de idiomas extranjeros. Sus primeros puestos fueron como profesor de inglés: tres años en Japón, un año en Nicaragua, y de regreso a su ciudad natal boliviana durante dos años.

En 1995, Daniel se mudó a California y enseñó español en la escuela secundaria durante ocho años en Redwood Day School en Oakland, seguido de cinco años enseñando español en la escuela secundaria en Bentley High School en Lafayette. En Bentley, Daniel hizo la transición a la administración como decano de la escuela secundaria. Más recientemente, antes de venir a EBI, Daniel fue subdirector en Berkeley High School.

Daniel posee una licenciatura de la Universidad Northwestern, una credencial de maestro del estado de San Francisco, una maestría en liderazgo educativo de la Universidad de California en Berkeley, una credencial de administrador de la Universidad de California en Berkeley y un certificado en lenguaje intercultural / desarrollo académico de la Universidad de Stanford. También se formó como IB y como profesor de español AP. Daniel vive en Berkeley con su esposa, Kristine (con quien habla inglés), y su hija, Camila (con quien habla español).

Daniel was born in the United States and, at the age of four, moved with his family to La Paz, Bolivia. He still vividly remembers the first week of preschool as the only non-Spanish speaker in his class: the initial feeling of isolation, followed by the elation of learning a new language and an exciting door opening in his world as he became bilingual and bicultural. Daniel lived in Bolivia for the rest of his childhood until he went off to university in Illinois for a second round of cultural shock, this time in reverse. Not surprisingly, Daniel became a foreign-language teacher. His first posts were as an English teacher: three years in Japan, one year in Nicaragua, and back to his Bolivian hometown for two years.

In 1995 Daniel moved to California and taught middle-school Spanish for eight years at Redwood Day School in Oakland, followed by five years teaching high school Spanish at Bentley High School in Lafayette. At Bentley, Daniel transitioned into administration as the school's junior class dean. Most recently, before coming to EBI, Daniel was a vice principal at Berkeley High School.

Daniel holds an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, a teacher's credential from San Francisco State, a master's degree in educational leadership from the University of California at Berkeley, an administrator's credential from the University of California at Berkeley, and a certificate in cross-cultural language/academic development from Stanford University. He was also trained as an IB and as an AP Spanish teacher. Daniel lives in Berkeley with his wife, Kristine (with whom he speaks English), and his daughter, Camila (with whom he speaks Spanish). 

Riva es oriunda del medio oeste, donde obtuvo una licenciatura en inglés de la Universidad Estatal de Michigan y una maestría en ciencias de la información de la Universidad de Michigan. También posee una maestría en literatura infantil de Simmons College, Boston. Si bien ha trabajado en bibliotecas públicas, privadas y universitarias, encuentra la mayor alegría trabajando como bibliotecaria escolar, y ha llevado una pasión por los grandes libros y la instrucción de alfabetización informativa a las bibliotecas escolares en Boston y el Área de la Bahía desde 2005.

Riva hails from the midwest, where she obtained a BA in English from Michigan State University and a Master's of Information Science from the University of Michigan. She also holds an MA in Children's Literature from Simmons College, Boston. While she has worked in public, private, and university libraries, she finds the most joy in school librarianship, and has brought a passion for great books and information literacy instruction to school libraries in Boston and the Bay Area since 2005.

 

Como educadora, Amelia ha pasado la última década enseñando en una variedad de aulas, que van desde una escuela charter pública Título 1, un programa de verano de UC Berkeley, hasta escuelas independientes competitivas, que incluyen cuatro años en Stuart Hall High School como jefa del departamento de inglés. Tiene una licenciatura en literatura inglesa y francesa de la Universidad Emory, una maestría en educación de  UC Berkeley y un certificado en terapia educativa en la Universidad de Holy Names. Amelia está profundamente comprometida a colaborar con estudiantes, familias y maestros para capacitar a los estudiantes con estrategias de aprendizaje exitosas para la escuela preparatoria y más allá. En su tiempo libre, le gusta nadar, leer, caminar y pasar tiempo con su novio, familia y amigos.

As an educator, Amelia has spent the last decade teaching in a variety of classroom settings, ranging from a Title 1 public charter school, to a UC Berkeley summer program, to competitive independent schools, including four years at Stuart Hall High School as the English Department Chair. She holds a BA in English and French literature from Emory University, an MA in Education from UC Berkeley, and a certificate in educational therapy at Holy Names University. Amelia is deeply committed to collaborating with students, families, and teachers to empower students with successful learning strategies for high school and beyond. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, reading, hiking, and spending time with her boyfriend, family, and friends.