Meet the team

DIRECTOR

AMERICAN ENGLISH & FRENCH INSTRUCTOR

Helene was born in Le Mans, France, and holds a Master’s degree in Applied Foreign Languages as well as a postgraduate diploma (DESS) from La Sorbonne in International Negotiations for English- and Spanish-speaking countries.

She has been teaching French and English in the United States and internationally for over six years.

With more than three decades of combined experience living in English-, Spanish-, and French-speaking countries, Helene brings a truly global perspective to her work.

Her international career in multinational corporations has spanned a wide range of sectors, including energy, aerospace, water, and more. She is especially passionate about risk management, supply chain operations, and corporate ethics—fields in which she has developed deep expertise. Motivated by a desire to share knowledge and empower others, she founded Skill Up Junction, a consultancy and training organization specializing in these strategic areas.

Helene loves to travel and explore new cultures. She also finds joy and balance in life’s simple pleasures: watching sunrises and sunsets by the sea, reading, listening to music, painting, playing billiards and volleyball.

SPANISH, ENGLISH, ITALIAN & GREEK INSTRUCTOR

Dimitri is a dynamic educator and language enthusiast. Hailing from Panama, Dimitri brings a wealth of cultural knowledge and linguistic expertise to his role. With fluency in Spanish (his native tongue), English (second native tongue), Greek (third native tongue). Dimitri is near-native in Italian thanks to his academic background and residency in Italy for many years.

Dimitri fosters a vibrant and engaging learning environment for his students. Whether it’s mastering Panamanian slang or diving into grammar intricacies of a foreign language, Dimitri’s passion for teaching shines through in every class.

For those interested in Panamanian slang, here are a few common terms:

Chévere: Used to express something cool or awesome (formal and informal).

Offi: Affirming something as accurate or correct instead of saying yes, all the time (informal).

SPANISH & ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR

Anna Marissa is a dedicated and empathetic teacher by trade who tailors her teaching methods to meet the unique needs and goals of her students.

With over 15 years of experience, she has effectively shared her knowledge and witnessed her students' remarkable progress.

Anna Marissa holds a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Panama, a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, and has furthered her studies in California.

She possesses extensive experience in public speaking and teaching both online and in-person.

ENGLISH & SPANISH INSTRUCTOR

Hello! I'm Carl, and I'm passionate about making English come alive for you. I'm a Panamanian who comes from a family of teachers, and I bring that enthusiasm and dedication to every class. Whether you're aiming to ace an exam like the TOEFL or IELTS, need to boost your business English for the boardroom, or simply want to chat more confidently, I've got you covered. I've had the pleasure of teaching everyone from CEOs to students just starting their English journey, and I bring that experience to every lesson. Outside of the classroom, I'm also a tech enthusiast and a bit of a history buff. Let's achieve your goals together!

SPANISH & ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR

Chearmym is a passionate teacher who has had the opportunity to teach children, teenagers, and adults. Her love for languages led her to learn Portuguese. Then, teaching, languages, writing, and connecting with people from all around the world are her best skills.  

Chearmyn completed a degree at the University of Panama that certifies her as a Bachelor of Arts in English. Besides, she obtained the TESOL/TEFL certification. Her objective is to apply these abilities and knowledge to help students overcome any obstacles they might encounter.

ENGLISH & SPANISH INSTRUCTOR

Tori holds a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies and Sociology with a minor specialization in Hispanic Language and Heritage from Brandeis University.

Her mastery of the Spanish language was enhanced by her time spent studying in Madrid and living with a Spanish family. Her more than 7 years of experience in education, including working at an IB International School for 3 years, have equipped her with the skills necessary to effectively engage students in virtual learning environments.

Tori has successfully tutored students across various subjects, ages and class sizes adapting her teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles, abilities and challenges.

SPANISH INSTRUCTOR

Vianca is from Ellijay, GA, and is currently living in Dahlonega, GA.

She is a senior at the University of North Georgia, studying Spanish and minoring in Linguistics.

Vianca loves teaching languages because she loves learning new languages (she truly is a geek for languages).

Her hobbies are also hanging out with friends, and playing volleyball.

Vianca is looking forward to getting to know each of her students!

ITALIAN & ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR

Sabina started studying English because she wanted to understand the lyrics of her favorite 80s bands (shooot! Now you know how old I am!). Then she started studying French because it was "chic"... and because she had a crush on a garçon from Marseille! Then, at university, she switched to Russian because one of her favorite authors is Dostoevsky and finally, now that she is in Panama, she has developed a passion for Spanish that she had always snubbed a bit.. how silly of her!
But her favorite language of all time, if you ask her (no offense to others...) is Italian! Because Sabina is 100% Italian from head to toe and as her grandfather used to say: "Italy is the most beautiful country in the world". Perhaps.

MANDARIN INSTRUCTOR

Wynter Xinyue is a Berkeley neuroscience major with 5 years of Mandarin teaching experience! In her free time,  she loves to nap, travel, and collect silly dog stickers.

MANDARIN INSTRUCTOR

Sarah has a great passion for learning and teaching Mandarin, Chinese. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Chinese, and then went to China to teach English through the Peace Corps. After living abroad for two years, she extended her studies, getting a Master's Degree in Chinese from The Ohio State University.

Sarah went back to China as an English Language Fellow in the TESOL field as part of an exchange program based in Xi'An, Shaanxi province. Due to COVID 19, Sarah has been teaching Mandarin and English in Chicago for the past few years. She enjoys traveling, studying, reading, and sports.

ENGLISH & PORTUGUESE INSTRUCTOR

Manuella (Manu) hails from the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she currently resides.

At 18, she found myself in the charming city of Cambridge to earn her Cambridge Advanced Certificate (CAE) in English. Upon returning to Brazil at the age of 20, Manu pursued a career in teaching English while studying Geography at the University of Rio de Janeiro.

Currently, she specialize in teaching business English and Portuguese online, a profession Manu has passionately pursued for over 25 years.

During her free time, Manu enjoys reading, going to the beach, listening to music, and exploring Rio's breathtaking parks.

PORTUGUESE & ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR

Cintya is a Software Engineer specializing in Mobile Development, originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science at Arizona State University. She achieved success in various English tests and has participated in international language exchange programs, enriching her cultural and linguistic skills.

She has extensive experience teaching languages to children, teenagers, and adults, including two years of voluntary English teaching for children in an underprivileged community. Her teaching approach is engaging, interactive, and tailored to each learner’s needs.

Passionate about nature, she loves reading, and she practices yoga and meditation to cultivate balance and focus. Her diverse background in technology, education, and cross-cultural experiences allows her to bring creativity, patience, and real-world insights to the classroom, inspiring students to learn with curiosity and confidence

PORTUGUESE & ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR

Hi! I’m Viviane, I’m originally from Brazil. I became fluent in English after moving to the United States at 19 for college, and later in Spanish while studying abroad in Valencia, Spain. I’m passionate about teaching as I know firsthand how languages open doors to new cultures, ideas, and ways of thinking. I’m friendly, patient, and love creating real connections through language. I believe learning a language should be fun, natural, and meaningful

GERMAN INSTRUCTOR

At Agnes Scott, Mari has learned both German and French, and studied abroad in Austria. Mari is looking to teach English in a German or French speaking country, and is interested in cultivating cultural exchange through the study of language. Mari enjoys running, listening to music, and learning new languages. Mari is excited to work with you! 

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) & ADVANCED ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR

Jade is a passionate ESL teacher and video game fan. Her ESL journey began in April 2023, teaching students from diverse backgrounds including Taiwan, Poland, and Spain.

Inspired by a childhood filled with gaming experiences both educational (JumpStart series) and recreational (Pokémon), Jade helps non-native English speakers advance their careers through gamified education.

JAPANESE INSTRUCTOR

Yuri was born and raised in a very multicultural area in California, and has always been exposed to and fascinated by different languages and cultures.

This has set him on the path to majoring in Linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley. Yuri also was able to apply his knowledge practically through study abroad programs in Hong Kong and South Korea, where he acquired and polished up his Mandarin, Cantonese, and Korean skills to a high level of fluency and proficiency.

Yuri is also currently living in Japan and a fluent speaker of Japanese. Yuri obtained the JLPT N1 certificate.

Yuri is committed to making your language learning journey successful and enjoyable!

RUSSIAN INSTRUCTOR

Mikhail was born and lived in Moscow, has a PhD degree and taught in several high schools in Moscow and suburbs. 

He worked for 23 years at San Diego State University and was teaching to computational science and business undergraduate and graduate students. 

 Mikhail has taught Russian to foreign learners for over 10 years in San Diego and is passionate about this job. Mikhail has experience with students of all ages, backgrounds, language skills, and academic objectives. 

KOREAN INSTRUCTOR

Ericka majored and graduated in Korean studies at the University of Washington. She enjoys spreading this unique language with everyone and introduce the culture.

Anyone interested in knowing more about the language and cultures of Korea, is welcomed with open arms!

HINDI - SANSKRIT & MARATHI INSTRUCTOR

Ishwari is a passionate polyglot and certified language trainer with native proficiency in Marathi, Hindi, and Sanskrit, and professional fluency in French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, and German.

With over 7,000 students taught across age groups 4 to 75, she brings 6+ years of experience in helping learners achieve their goals for academics, careers, and personal growth. Her expertise extends to TEFL (230 hours), subtitling, transcription, and content localization.

Ishwari’s teaching style blends clear structure with engaging, real-life communication practice.

She has worked with learners preparing for international exams like DELF, DELE, CILS, Goethe, and more.

An advocate for inclusive education, she volunteers with organizations supporting underprivileged students.

Beyond languages, she is also an artist and graphic designer with a decade of creative work.

Ishwari believes in making language learning a joyful, empowering, and life-changing experience.

FARSI INSTRUCTOR

Maziar is from Maryland, is an Iranian-American, and a Finance student at the George Washington University.

He grew up speaking Farsi in his household and is extremely passionate about Iran’s culture, history, and its people. 

 He loves soccer, reading, hanging out with friends and music. 

 Maziar is looking forward to getting to know each of the students!

MARKETING INTERN

Zachary is a current student at UT Austin studying Engineering. He was born in the US to a mixed francophone household; having had to maintain his English and French levels to a native level started his passion for language learning. He is currently interning for Lingo Mundo Academy, working on its social media.

Come back soon to meet the rest of the Lingo Mundo Academy team!