Paola Mizrahi
CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
​
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.
​
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.
​
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.
​
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 COORDINATOR
Maria Elena is the Lead Preschool Teacher for the full-time preschool program and also serves as the Program Coordinator at Jump on Languages. Spanish is her native language, and she has been a dedicated member of the team for over four years.
She is a certified Montessori teacher with extensive experience in early childhood development. Maria Elena practices the Montessori method while also integrating play-based learning and nature-inspired approaches into her teaching.
Her favorite part of being an educator is guiding young minds as they grow into healthy, independent, and loving individuals. She feels honored to be your child’s teacher and looks forward to getting to know both your child and your family. Welcome to the program and community.
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
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.
DALIA OLMOS
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Dalia was born in Mexico but spent most of her life in Washington. She earned her
Bachelor’s degree in American Ethnic Studies from the University of Washington, where she developed a strong interest in community engagement and social equity.
Dalia has over ten years of experience working with children, supporting their growth
both academically and personally through tutoring and childcare. She has been actively
involved in volunteer work, including her time at Garrison Night School, where she
discovered a passion for teaching and supporting students in their pursuit of learning a
second language. Additionally, through her involvement with the UW Dream Project,
she mentored high school students as they navigated their educational paths and
planned for life after graduation.
Dalia aspires to further her education and pursue a career in teaching, continuing her
commitment to supporting and empowering young learners. In her free time, she enjoys
staying active through activities such as hiking, cycling, and bouldering, and is currently
learning French.
She is excited to join JOL and looks forward to helping children build confidence in their
language skills.
iara cardoso
SPANISH LEAD TEACHER, PRESCHOOL ADMIN. COORDINATOR
Iara has been working at Jump on Languages for four years and has been in the early childhood education field for over six years. She holds a Bachelors degree in Spanish from Arizona State University and is currently studying at North Seattle College to receive her Early Childhood Education state certificate. Iara is passionate about teaching young children and believes that learning a second language at an early age opens a world of possibilities. Her teaching approach is centered around a mix of play-based learning and Montessori education. She believes in promoting independence and confidence. Iaras favorite part about teaching is watching a child’s growth throughout the year and feeling pride when a child overcomes a difficult task. In her free time Iara enjoys reading, spending time outside and traveling. She is excited to continue learning and building her knowledge in Early childhood education and hopes to continue teaching for a long time to inspire future generations.
carlos oropeza
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Carlos Oropeza holds a degree in Philosophy from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Raised in Mexico, Carlos brings with him not only fluency in Spanish but also a deep understanding of Latin American culture, characterized by community values, creativity, and a vibrant spirit. His commitment to social causes is evident in his years of volunteer work in communities, where he provided assistance. Carlos believes in the transformative power of education and emphasizes the importance of positive relationships, interactive learning, and the celebration of growth. His philosophy is that individuals thrive when they are actively engaged, motivated, and challenged within a supportive environment.
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.
genevieve espinoza
SPANISH TEACHER, PRESCHOOL AND AFTERSCHOOL
I am a very innovative, popular, creative, and artistic teacher. I have been a teacher in
early education at the Escuelita Bilingual School in Seattle Washington for a little over 10 years. My responsibilities are: to use the Teacher-Base model for organizing language usage in our classroom. I love to communicate in English and in Spanish. I love singing songs, having story time, classroom labeling and to greet the children in their native language used at home. I was born in Sunnyside, Washington, and lived there till I was 11 years of age. We moved to Uruapan, Michoacán and then I lived in a city in Spain called Daimiel. When I was 21, my family came back to the U.S. I’ve had many different jobs, but being a teacher is what I love with passion. I am a mother of two boys. My eldest is 21 and my youngest 12. I am a proud mother and happy to be a part of Jump On Languages family. I also have my ECE form Antioch University Seattle, BA from Goddard Community College, and I’m currently working towards my MA.
Malik Caldwell
SPANISH TEACHER, PRESCHOOL & AFTERSCHOOL
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.
​
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
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
karla elvir carias
SPANISH TEACHER, PRESCHOOL AND AFTERSCHOOL
Karla, has a Master of Science and a Bachelor's Degree in Art Pedagogy with a focus on performing arts for the training of higher, basic and pre-basic education. She graduated from the Francisco Morazán National Pedagogical University (UPNFM), in Honduras. She has been a preschool teacher at CAER Art Center & Word Kids Academy LLC (USA), Happy Faces Nursery and Preschool, Silver Spring School and the early stimulation center Arco iris (Honduras). She has also worked as a performing arts instructor for children and young people at social risk at Casa Alianza. She was a teacher at the Merceditas Agurcia Membreño Cultural Center, a dependency of the Honduran Institute for Children and the Family. For her research work, “Art and Its Effects on Education”, at that same institution, she was promoted by merit as manager of art and education. Later she ran and was the education advisor to the first lady of the nation of Honduras. At the end of the presidential term, she continued her work and passion for teaching at university and preschool. Recipient of several awards and mention as outstanding artist Rubén Darío Theater in Managua, Nicaragua, Organization of Ibero-American States OEI, special guest for the 10th Artisans Seminar in Trujillo, Extremadura (Spain). She has carried out research tours and fundraising for education and art in HIVOS, The Hague (Da Nang, Amsterdam), at the School of Arts in Brussels (Belgium). She is a member of the humanist network for LATAM and a fellow of the Konrad Adenauer. She faithfully believes in educating children through art and play so that they take firm steps and are confident and become leaders and better people for the world.
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.
Marcus goodbody
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Marcus is a passionate language learner and teacher. He began taking Spanish classes in Preschool and in 7th grade, started studying Arabic on his own. His Arabic learning skills only improved his ability to speak Spanish, and in junior year of high school, he began to focus exclusively on improving his Spanish speaking abilities through self-teaching methods along with his high-level high school Spanish courses. Marcus combined his Spanish knowledge with his knowledge in history as he began to dive deeper into his language journey. As a senior in high school, he traveled to Nicaragua and spent time immersed in the culture as he participated in Nicaraguan elementary and high school learning and teaching. He then enrolled in the University of Washington bilingual and heritage speaker program where he earned a certificate for completion. Marcus is excited to help others along the path he was once on in teaching children the Spanish language. In his freetime, he enjoys running, listening to music, skiing, and traveling. Marcus is currently finishing his associates degree before he will be moving on to complete his bachelors.
ADRIANA thornley
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Adriana was born and raised in Mexico City, where she studied Communications and Advertising. After so many years of being working in finances, Adriana found out her passion for taking care of children. Since then, she decided to help her friends taking care of their kids. In October 2024, she moved to Seattle to help her brother and sister in-law to take care of her 6 month-old nephew, which she helped raise and develop until 1 year and 3 months of age. Adriana is very dedicated to her work and cares for children, since since she was little her dream was to be a teacher.
joseph zetter
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
After graduating with double honors in French and Spanish at the University of Manchester (U.K) I gained my teaching certification from the University of East London.
My family roots are Spanish and French and this has fostered in me a passion for experiencing different cultures - through travel, languages, society (and food!). Because of this I have lived and worked in London, Paris, Santiago de Chile, Bilbao, Houston and now Seattle.
My goal was always to have a job where I could share language and cultures with others and watch that passion grow and spread.
As a result I have taught French and Spanish to languages learners in diverse range of schools (from the 4th largest school district in the USA - Houston ISD, to a variety of private schools - both International and quaker) from elementary to high school level.
Education has been my career for the past 14 years. My underlying philosophy as a teacher is to foster a safe and collaborative learning environment where students are not afraid to take chances and above all have fun.
Teaching and engaging children takes place both in and out of the classroom and I have put this into practice by striving to create opportunities for students to have ownership in their learning. This has taken many forms - leadership roles such as Head of House and Summer Camp Coordinator, or by taking the initiative to establish international language learning school trips (to the Dominican Republic), creating and running student exchange programs with a school in Spain and by setting up language program links with Arsenal Football Club.
Now, I welcome the opportunity to transition my strengths and skills to Jump On Languages and pass on my love of languages to a new community.
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 training in technology and data. Previously, he did his post-doctoral research at the University of Washington, he was Program Manager at Microsoft. He was also an instructor of Data Science, and later became head at Metis (owned by Kaplan).
CAROLYN SCHUL
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Carolyn was born and raised in Virginia where she began learning Spanish in 4th grade from a truly excellent teacher who made a lasting impression. Spanish was always her favorite subject all throughout middle and high school; she loved learning the language and was fortunate to travel to many Spanish speaking places such as Puerto Rico, Panama, Costa Rica, and Ecuador during this time. She then attended the University of Kansas where she graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Spanish Language Education. During her junior year, she studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain for a semester, where she improved her language skills and fell in love with Spanish culture, food, and the lifestyle. Upon graduating from KU, she moved to Madrid, Spain and worked as a teaching assistant for 3 years in a bilingual primary school, teaching students in preschool all the way up to sixth grade. She adored her students there and was amazed in the progress they made in their language skills over three years. Once she returned to the US in 2018, she has worked in various fields, maintaining her Spanish through client relations and friendships. Carolyn is thrilled to be working with children again at JOL and knows first hand the wonderful life experiences and doors speaking a second language opens.
JOYCE AMEZCUA
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, Joyce is a native Spanish speaker with a degree in Food Engineering from ITESO (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente). Although her background is in engineering, Joyce has always loved working with children and finding creative ways to share her language and culture.
From a young age, she loved swimming and later discovered a passion for teaching babies and young children to feel comfortable and confident in the water. That same patience, playfulness, and curiosity now shape her approach to teaching Spanish.
Joyce is currently studying Project Management at the University of Washington, a field that allows her to bring structure and organization to her ideas (something she believes can be applied to every aspect of life, including her classroom).
In her Spanish lessons, Joyce focuses on making learning fun, dynamic, and meaningful. She uses songs, games, movement, and storytelling to create a joyful environment where children don’t just memorize words, they begin to speak Spanish naturally and with confidence.
Outside of teaching, Joyce enjoys swimming, paddle boarding, spending time in nature, and exploring new places. She’s thrilled to be part of the Jump On Languages community and to inspire curiosity, confidence, and a love for learning in every child she teaches.
augusta castrodale
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Augusta discovered her passion for Spanish at an early age, beginning Spanish classes in middle school. Her continued studies led her to spend a semester abroad in Granada, Spain, where she deepened her fluency and became immersed in Spanish culture and daily life. Augusta holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Psychology, which combines her love for language learning and deep interest in child development and education.
Augusta has always had a passion for working with children. She spent five years as a camp counselor with Girl Scouts of Western Washington, an experience that shaped her belief in the power of fun, encouragement, and community in helping young people grow and thrive. Outside of the classroom, Augusta loves to read, cook, and salsa dance.
mayrel franco
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL, PRESCHOOL
Mayrel Franco is a bilingual educator dedicated to creating culturally responsive and engaging Spanish learning experiences that celebrate students’ diverse backgrounds.
​
Originally from Mexico, she immigrated to the United States as a teenager and attended a small rural school in Washington State. She later earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington, where she double majored in Medical Anthropology & Global Health and Education, Communities & Organizations.
​
Since 2018, Mayrel has worked as an early childhood educator and has also supported elementary and middle school students in both academic and social-emotional development. Her experiences in the classroom and passion for student advocacy inspired her to pursue a Master’s in Education in School Counseling at Seattle University.
​
Mayrel aims to support students holistically by providing college and career guidance, fostering social-emotional growth, and expanding access to mental health support for students from historically marginalized communities.
alejandra franco
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL
Originally from Guatemala City, Alejandra began her professional journey in the field of clinical psychology, where she focused on the intersection of mental health and community well-being. During her tenure at the San Juan de Dios Hospital, she specialized in the Neuropsychology Area, gaining critical insights into cognitive functions and patient care. Additionally, she dedicated herself to social advocacy by working in the area of Prevention Against Family Violence, where she applied psychological principles to support vulnerable populations and develop intervention strategies.
Upon relocating to Seattle, Alejandra transitioned into advanced educational research, culminating in a Master’s degree in Learning Sciences and Human Development from the University of Washington. For five years, she served as a Predoctoral Instructor within the Spanish and Portuguese Department, where she applied her doctoral research on Second Language Acquisition. Alejandra's work specifically explores how arts-based pedagogies can transform the classroom experience, utilizing creative methods to significantly increase student participation, emotional engagement, and long-term language retention.
She is currently balancing her work at Jump On Languages with her job at CPR Seattle as a first aid and CPR instructor
David Paz
SPANISH TEACHER, AFTERSCHOOL, PRESCHOOL
Born and raised in Honduras as the son of educators, David grew up with a great respect for the teaching profession, and the profound impact education can have on individuals and communities. This influenced him to have a strong work ethic and a desire to make a positive impact on others. As a senior in high school, he was able to lead theater productions in both English and Spanish, which fostered his passion for language and the arts. While volunteering for children’s art programs, he discovered that the role of a teacher allowed him to support and guide children through their learning journey, in a loving environment of order, beauty, and imagination.
He considers being part of the JOL team a valuable opportunity to grow as an educator and contribute to a dynamic, learning environment. He is currently pursuing his Associate’s degree, and brings his passion for creativity by creating vibrant, immersive experiences.