I was born in Quito, Ecuador and raised in Tucson, Arizona, not far from the U.S.-Mexico border. Whether at home, in school, or on the street, the Spanish language has always been an important presence in my life, and I'm thrilled to able to share whatever knowledge and experience I've accumulated over the years with my students.
I originally moved to Chicago to pursue a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and I've had the good fortune of being able to live, work, and study in a number of different countries. In Denmark I earned an M.A. in European Studies from the Aarhus University, and after working for a year in Argentina, I moved to Barcelona to complete a Master in Translation Studies at Pompeu Fabra University, with a focus on literary translation. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, playing Brazilian music on my guitar (poorly), and gardening (with mixed results).