Paola Mizrahi
CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
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Paola holds a BA in Psychology from the Catholic University Andrés Bello, Caracas, Venezuela, and a Masters of Social Work from the University of Washington. She has more than 20 years’ experience working with families and children in different positions.
She was Family and Community Engagement Supervisor at Seattle Public Schools, Spanish Preschool Teacher at Hutch Kids Childcare Center in Seattle, and has been leading groups and camps for children since she was 16 years old.
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She was born and raised in Venezuela, where she learned not only the rich Spanish Language but also the lively Latin-American culture, based on community values, festive spirit, curiosity and creativity.
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She strongly believes that children thrive when they are engaged, motivated, and challenged in a safe environment. Her philosophy for Jump on Languages is based on positive relationships, interactive learning, and celebration of growth.
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Meet Our Admin Team
EDDY REIF
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Eddy has always been passionate about working with kids, from being counselor for youth programs in his home country of Venezuela to serving on the board of Hutch Kids (the day-care affiliated with the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, SCCA and UW) for six years. Eddy is the co-founder of Jump On Languages and runs the business and administrative side of the program. He was born and raised in Venezuela, and he holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Simon Bolivar University, as well as an MBA from UC Berkeley. His professional career includes experience in brand management at Procter & Gamble, marketing for Venezuela’s largest newspaper, management consulting, and 15 years at Amazon leading product and engineering teams. In January 2021, Eddy decided to dedicate himself full time to the community and to running Jump On Languages. He loves using his business and project management experience to make an impact. He also spends time supporting Seattle Public Schools' COVID protocols at John Stanford International School and teaching project management courses at UW.
nora kaplan
ENGLISH ACADEMIC DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES
Nora holds a PhD in Discourse Studies, a Masters in TEFL and a BA in English Philology from the University of Salamanca. She has wide experience as a teacher of English and teacher trainer in South America and Spain, where she has been involved in bilingual education and CLIL. She is the founder and academic director of Nora Kaplan Language Centre and is also a researcher at the University of Salamanca.
lorena del pino
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Lorena was born and raised in Mexico City, where she studied communications and filmmaking at Anáhuac University Mexico. After college she moved to New York to pursue a career in the arts, where she studied Musical Theatre and Acting for Film at the New York Film Academy. She has been working with kids as a teaching artist for more than ten years. She is very passionate about early childhood education, and is thrilled to be a part of the team at JOL to share her love for culture and the arts. In her view, there is nothing more fulfilling than being part of a child’s life, to positively inspire them and to see all the wonderful things they are capable of doing when you show you believe in them.
Meet Our Seattle-based Teachers
MARíA ELENA hoveskeland
LEAD SPANISH TEACHER, PRESCHOOL & AFTER SCHOOL
Maria Elena Hoveskeland is a native Spanish speaker from Mexico with experience teaching Spanish as a second language in different Spanish Immersion schools in the Seattle area. She has been working in early childhood education for over 15 years, specializing in the Montessori Philosophy for over 3 years before joining Jump on Languages. Her teaching philosophy is aligned with play-based learning and a mixture of other well recognized approaches that foster independence, self-confidence and the joy of learning while developing critical skills needed for life. She is thankful to be a part of each child's successful educational journey.
noelia arzán vázquez
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL COORDINATOR
Originally from Puerto Rico, Noelia holds a BA in Modern Languages (French, Italian and Portuguese) as well as a Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Noelia moved to Seattle in 2007. Here in Seattle she completed credits in Montessori early education and got certified as a children’s yoga teacher (ages 2-7) with Next Generation Yoga. She has worked as a Spanish teacher for children (ages 0-7) and as a Montessori teacher in different schools around the Seattle area. Noelia is passionate about teaching young children and learning from them. She believes in creating a fun and diverse classroom that encourages every child’s creativity, curiosity and global awareness. In her free time, Noelia loves spending time with her family, traveling, reading, doing yoga and going to be beach.
nathaly alcantara
SPANISH TEACHER, PRESCHOOL & AFTERSCHOOL
Nathaly is from Venezuela. She is trained as a professional administrator, but is an educator at heart. Her father and uncles were teachers in Venezuela, so she's passionate about and educating children. She has experience in the field of planning and coordination , and she considers herself a dynamic and responsible person who values ​​teamwork and commitment to colleagues, families and students. She also values language teaching and the use of new information technologies and methodologies to facilitate learning. She has taken several childcare courses with Washington State. She loves teaching children and learning from them daily. Before joining JOL, she worked in a bilingual day school, which made her fall more in love with this beautiful career.
edith zinger corona
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Edith is from Mexico where she spent more than 15 years working in childcare and as an art teacher. She is passionate about cultural diversity and truly believes that art is one of the best mediums for children to explore and learn. She loves working with children and admires their openness and ability to adapt. She thinks learning a second (or as many as possible!) language at a young age changes the mind in such positive and wonderful ways and is excited to be part of this team helping people on this beautiful journey. When not doing art, she likes to spend her time in nature, reading and cooking. She's an avid language learner herself and is currently studying Italian and ASL. One of her goals for the future is to become an ASL interpreter to help her community not only to be diverse but also inclusive.
javier de mabel
SPANISH & MUSIC TEACHER, PRESCHOOL & AFTERSCHOOL
Javier is a graduate of the Conservatorio Superior de Música in the specialty of "Canto Jazz" in Navarra, Spain and has more than 20 years of experience as a musician working with different artists in Spanish popular music. For 10 years he has been giving private singing lessons. He was born and raised in Spain, where he learned not only the rich Spanish language but a whole culture, based on community values, festive spirit, curiosity, education, respect and creativity. He firmly believes that children are the future and that music is "the education of the soul” and that music plays and important role in the development of sensitivity and expression in children.
iara cardoso
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL & IN-PERSON TUTORING
Iara holds a bachelors degree in Spanish from Arizona State University. She recently moved from Arizona to pursue her career in teaching Spanish to young children. Before moving to Seattle, Iara worked with young children and was excited when she was presented with the opportunity to work with JOL and put her Spanish degree to work. Iara believes that learning a second language is very important and opens up a world of possibilities. She hopes to continue teaching for a long time and inspire future generations.
lAURA fRANCO
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL, IN-PERSON TUTORING
Laura is a native Spanish speaker who thoroughly enjoys building relationships with her students as she knows the impact a positive and healthy relationship with educators can have on a child’s academic, social, and emotional growth. She hopes to continue to share her love for the Spanish language and her experience of her Mexican culture to help students grow academically, socially, and give them the ability understand the world through a different perspective.
Laura has worked in the field of education for over 6 years in various roles, ranging from school district Spanish interpreter to paraprofessional. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelors in English and Information Science and she is continuing her education by pursuing her Masters in Library and Information Science at the University of Washington. She plans to continue to help expand literacy and support communities as she believes every child should have the appropriate guidance and the necessary resources to grow academically and socially.
Lupe Galarza
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL, IN-PERSON TUTORING
Lupe Galarza is a native Spanish speaker from the city of Lima, Perú. She holds a Bachelors degree in Audiovisual Communications from the Instituto Peruano de Publicidad.
After working in a play and an independent film while also being an AuPair, she realized she enjoyed working with children and sharing with them her passion for the arts, and combining those skills with teaching was a good combo. After working in an after-school program in Waban, MA, she worked in a child care center in Seattle and later became a Spanish Teacher. She worked at a private school for 18 years where she taught pre-schoolers and K-5 students, and also ran summer camps and after-school clubs. Looking for a change she found JOL, where she is happy to continue teaching Spanish to children of different ages and also adults. In her free time, Lupe enjoys dancing, helping friends with video projects, watching foreign films, writing, walking, and spending time with friends and her kids.
Lupe believes that every day is a learning experience, there’s a lot we can learn from children and it is our responsibility to provide them with lots of opportunities for growth, challenge and fun.
Maricarmen navarro
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL, IN-PERSON TUTORING
Maricarmen, a passionate Spanish native, is an inspiring educator and advocate for holistic well-being. Her love for teaching Spanish, social and emotional learning and mindfulness has fueled her mission to nurture minds and hearts. She brings a unique blend of empathy and wisdom to her teaching. Her deep-rooted commitment to fostering emotional intelligence and self-awareness empowers her students to navigate life’s challenges with resilience and grace.
Outside the classroom, Maricarmen finds peace and inspiration in nature. She is also an avid practitioner of mindfulness and yoga, which she believes are essential tools for self-discovery and inner peace.
Maricarmen holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Valencia, Spain. Her expertise extends to postgraduate studies in BioNeuroEmotion, where she has gained a deep understanding of the intricate connection between the mind and the body. Additionally, her training in Mindfulness and social and emotional intelligence reflects her commitment to holistic well-being and personal growth. Maricarmen spent over 19 years as the Spanish teacher at Seattle County Day School, and also has an additional year of experience in teaching adults.
Malik Caldwell
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL, IN-PERSON TUTORING
As long as Malik can remember he has been passionate about languages and culture. Thus, as soon as the opportunity was afforded to him he began taking classes as a Freshman in High-school at Curtis Senior High to learn the Spanish language. Malik developed his understanding of the Spanish language not only in the classroom but even more so by spending time with his best friends and their family who were born and raised in Mexico. As a Senior in High-school, Malik was selected to take part in a Foreign-Exchange Program where he hosted a student from Guatemala for 3 months. Graduating from High-school, Malik continued to learn and develop his understanding of the Spanish Language at the University of Washington where he took upper level Spanish courses in addition to beginning to learn the foundations of Mandarin Chinese. As a Freshman in College, Malik began to tutor students and was able to communicate with students and families in both English and Spanish. Through a variety of positions as a tutor and a teacher, Malik has learned how to capture students' attention and teach in a way that is intriguing and insightful based on their interests and skill level. Malik is excited to be a part of the Jump on Languages Family and looks forward to further getting to know students and their families.
Davied Espinosa
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Davied is from Cuba and loves spending time with family and groups of friends, playing sports, playing Cuban minor percussion, the guitar, naturalistic sports excursions, and gastronomic tours to discover new flavors.
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Before becoming a Spanish teacher Davied was a professional in digital marketing and creating sports adventure experiences. He graduated in accounting and finance and specialized in the category - price and cost of projects. He was a salesman of craft items and in 2017 decided to explore-discover-travel. He came to the United States to transform his career once again in the service of others and decided to become a lifeguard and teacher of special activities like sports and dance.
Lara Arias
TUTORING COORDINATOR, SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL, IN-PERSON TUTORING
Lara holds a bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Santiago de Composela (Spain). Her native languages are both Spanish and Galician, and speaking two languages natively since birth was one of the main reasons she got interested in languages in general, minoring in French Language and Literature during her bachelors as well. After that, she did a master's degree in Multimedia Translation, in which she specialized in translating for dubbing, since translation is her other passion alongside literature. She came to the US on a GTAship at the University of Kansas (Lawrence), where she got her second master's degree in Spanish Language and Literature. Her previous work experiences include teaching both English and French in Spain, her home country, and Spanish at the University of Kansas
Jennifer ricaldi
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Jennifer Ricaldi is originally from Lima, Peru, and is a native Spanish speaker. She moved to Seattle 7 years ago. She holds a specialty in pediatric dentistry and has experience understanding and treating infants, neurotypical children and children with disabilities. She worked as coordinator of programs to improve the oral health of mothers and children in rural and low-income settings in Peru. Her love and interest to work more actively with children in Seattle started when her and their family moved to Seattle with his 8 months old son.
She holds a degree in Public Health from UW and have been actively volunteering and participating in organizations to promote access and services for the latinx community in Seattle.
stephanie ramos torres
SPANISH TEACHER, PRESCHOOL, AFTERSCHOOL
Stephanie Ramos Torres is a preschool teacher, born and raised in Puerto Rico with more than ten years of experience working with children and families. For 8 years she also worked with neurodivergent children, teens, and young adults. She is currently studying a master's degree in early childhood education, has a bachelor's degree in psychology, an associate degree in early childhood education, and every year she participates in continuing education training to reinforce her educational plans with culturally relevant and appropriate content for children development.
Her work has always reflected her commitment to serve the community providing a safe and nurturing environment for children. She is passionate about learning about languages, culture, traditions, storytelling, traditional food, medicinal plants, native animals, traditional art and music, history, and diversity. Her Latinx, indigenous and Afro-Caribbean heritage is an important part of her teaching style. During the last few years, she has dedicated herself to traveling the world to bring children multicultural experiences directly to their classrooms.
Marianny Duran Gonzalez
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Marianny is from Venezuela and her native language is Spanish. She has a degree in Elementary School Teacher from the Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa Experimental Pedagogical University in Venezuela. She has more than 10 years of experience working with children in the educational field. Her work included creating and planning lessons, doing correctional work, preparing students for quizzes, creating and adapting pedagogical resources as well as educational projects. She also worked as a lead teacher in Spanish immersion daycare and as a babysitter. She likes to connect with students through positive emotions as well as promoting play as a pedagogical tool in learning. Reading, traveling and spending time with family are her favorite hobbies.
Monica molano
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL & TUTORING
Monica Molano is a native Spanish speaker from Bogota, Colombia. She is committed to education, community service, and cross-cultural understanding. After earning a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the Universidad Abierta Interamericana in Argentina, she worked as a recruiter at BBVA Argentina Bank. She moved to New York City in 2015. There, she earned a Bachelor's degree in Urban Studies from Queens College and dedicated five years as an Assistant Professor at Queensborough Community College, specializing in Spanish language. Additionally, she tutored students in Spanish through the Center for Tutoring & Academic Support at the same college. Monica also actively contributed to the community by volunteering as an advocate at Latin Women in Action, a nonprofit organization. She focused on addressing domestic abuse issues in Latino communities, teaching ESL for adults and citizen preparation courses. In August 2023, she relocated to Seattle to pursue a Master's in Education with a concentration in English Language Learner at Northwest University. She recently completed her first semester which included an internship at North Seattle College assisting the professor in instructing ESL for adult learners. Monica is a lifelong learner who believes in the power of effective communication to break down barriers and unite communities, finding joy in sharing the richness of Spanish culture through teaching.
Ida Henricksen
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Ida studied Computer Science at Cibertec Technical College. After she moved to the US, Ida discovered her passion for teaching by getting very involved at her kids’ school, assisting when possible and becoming a regular and active volunteer. This became her most precious activity as she fell in love with teaching Spanish to kids. Ida has also taught Spanish at a Community Center in the Seattle area. For the last 3 years, she has worked as a teacher’s assistant at a Catholic school aftercare program. Her favorite way to connect with kids is through art, games, singing, acting, story telling, and dancing, being her motto “teach them while they are having fun”
Ida is also an entrepreneur, as she has owned a Zumba business at Greenwood for about 10 years. She enjoys teaching Zumba to all ages. Moreover, she is pursuing a degree in Fine Arts at North Seattle College.
“Teaching Spanish is a very rewarding career, as I get to see how students learn quickly by having the opportunity to interact with a native Spanish speaker teacher.”
Mia Donovan
JAPANESE TEACHER, TUTORING, OFFSITE PROGRAMS
Mia is a Tokyo native who has dedicated the last ten years to teaching Japanese in the US, Hong Kong, and Japan. She holds a Master of Arts in Foreign Language Teaching from Michigan State University and is passionate about exploring communicative teaching methods, both in one-on-one tutoring and in classroom settings. Mia firmly believes that learning foreign languages can be highly rewarding when students are immersed in the right environment and when authentic, practical materials are integrated into the curriculum. She also emphasizes the importance of adapting lesson content to meet each student’s unique needs to ensure they optimize their learning experience.
Roberto Reif
Math from K to 12th grade, high school physics, SAT and ACT math and professional data science
Roberto grew up in Caracas, Venezuela where he studied Electronic Engineering at the Universidad Simón Bolívar. After college he moved to Boston and obtained a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University. Roberto is the founder of ScholarU a company that offers trainings in technology and data. Previously, he did post-doctoral research at the University of Washington, he was Program Manager at Microsoft, and he was an instructor of Data Science and later became head at Metis (owned by Kaplan).
Isabel Martinez
SPANISH TEACHER, PRESCHOOL, AFTERSCHOOL
Isabel was born and raised in Spain, where she studied a degree in tourism and a masters degree in marketing and social media. She worked for several years in that sector. In addition, she combined her marketing work with teaching children. She came to Seattle one year and a half ago, looking for new challenges and she officially started working with children a year ago. In addition, during this time she has been taking different education and childcare courses. She loves teaching and transmitting her knowledge of the language and her roots. She also thinks that adults can also learn a lot from children.