About Us

Teachers

Maritza Hurtado

Spanish Language Teacher

Maritza is a Spanish teacher from Colombia. She moved to Adelaide in May 2016 from Bogota. She has a Bachelor in Education with an emphasis in Humanities and Languages. She started teaching Spanish about ten years ago in the United States as part of a Spanish and English cultural exchange program.

Maritza’s experience in the private sector has helped bring a well-organised structure to her teaching.

She is an enthusiastic person, and she loves helping students to understand the different aspects of learning a second language such as expressions, general background and of course, the culture.

Jairo Fernandez

Spanish Language Teacher

Jairo is a Spanish teacher from Bogota, Colombia. He has a Master degree in Literary Creation in Spanish and a Bachelor in teaching foreign language (Spanish, English, French). He has more than 12 years’ experience as a teacher. He is also a writer and proof-reader for some independent publishers in Colombia. Jairo has recently moved from Brisbane where he worked as a virtual and face-to-face Spanish tutor.

Jairo is passionate about teaching and his style is based on the development of communication skills, the teaching process for understanding and the development of multiple skills and the learning process for his students. His classes are dynamic and very entertaining, allowing the participation of students with role-playing games, playful activities and continuous discovery.

He is passionate about art, literature and languages and he likes to spend his time reading, watching movies and learning about the cultural and linguistic features of the places he visits.

Miguel Angel Ramirez

Spanish Language Teacher

Paola Riveros

Spanish Language Teacher

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Paola is a Spanish teacher from Santiago, Chile. She moved to Adelaide with her family in September 2013. She has a Bachelor in Education with a Major in Special Education and Learning Difficulties. In Chile, she has extensive experience working with people with special needs to improve and further aid their cognitive development. Upon relocating to Australia, she began teaching Spanish after becoming involved with multicultural communities, finding joy in promoting different cultures, traditions and languages.

Ana Matijasevich

Spanish Language Teacher

Ana is a Spanish teacher from Argentina who graduated from the National University of the Littoral (Universidad Nacional del Litoral). Passionate about linguistics and literature, she has over three years of teaching experience in secondary schools and tertiary education institutions, as well as experience working on educational projects in both the public and private sectors. Having lived in Australia for over two years, Ana has undertaken training in teaching Spanish as a second language to strengthen her teaching practice, expand her professional experience and continue pursuing her passion for sharing the Spanish language with learners from diverse backgrounds. Ana believes that learning a language goes beyond grammar and vocabulary: it is an opportunity to discover new ways of understanding the world, connect with others and explore the richness of different cultures. She enjoys creating meaningful learning experiences that encourage curiosity, confidence and communication, while introducing students to the richness and diversity of Spanish-speaking cultures, particularly those of Argentina and Latin America.

Maria Carolina Lara

Spanish Language Teacher

María Carolina Lara Rivera is Venezuelan and holds a specialisation in Food Science and Technology, with experience in research, higher education, and academic development. She lived in the Dominican Republic for several years, where she worked as a university lecturer and participated in educational and research projects related to the food industry. Now based in Adelaide, Australia, María Carolina teaches Spanish at the School of Languages, working with primary and secondary school students. She is also pursuing a Master’s degree in Primary Education, further developing her knowledge and skills in pedagogy and language teaching. 

Her diverse professional background combines food science, education, and the development of educational resources, with experience across academic settings in Latin America and Australia. With her strong academic background and passion for education, María Carolina brings a wealth of knowledge and a multicultural perspective to her Spanish teaching.

Camila Lara

Spanish Language Teacher

Camila is a passionate linguist fluent in both Spanish and English, with a deep love for languages and cross cultural communication. She holds a professional qualification in Translation and Interpreting, allowing her to bridge language barriers with accuracy and care.
Teaching languages is something Camila finds truly fulfilling. Sharing knowledge and helping others communicate confidently drives her passion for education. Beyond languages, she is an avid cook who loves experimenting in the kitchen, an animal lover, and an enthusiastic gamer, which keeps her creative and curious.
Above all, Camila is a warm and caring person who genuinely invests in the people around her. Her big heart and natural empathy make her not only an effective communicator, but also a dedicated professional who puts people first in every interaction.

Other Staff

Ricardo Ramirez

Director and Teacher

Ricardo is our director and an enthusiastic Spanish teacher, and is from Colombia. He is a specialist in curriculum and pedagogy. He has a Bachelor in Education with majors in Humanities and Languages and a Master of Arts in Education with a major in Leadership and Management at Flinders University.

Ricardo has extensive experience in the design and implementation of academic programs in language teaching and educational support for students and teachers to create learning environments. Ricardo has taught English and Spanish in Colombia to children and adults in schools and universities, and lived in London for two years where he studied English.

He is passionate about teaching and interacting with people. He is convinced that in the process of learning any second language the motivation comes from using the language in real life contexts where the students can internalise the knowledge they acquire. Ricardo has an excellent sense of humour and is a very sociable person. He arrived in Australia in 2016, but in that short period of time, he has enjoyed not only the Australian culture but also the people.

Aloysius Leeson

Website Maintainer

Since he was a young child Aloysius has always had a love of languages, leading him to live in France as an exchange student during high school, and later to go and live and work in Japan. However Spanish is the language that captured his heart, during the years he spent in Spain studying the guitar.