About The Founders

For Alexandra Migoya and Pilar O’Leary, creating Isabella & Ferdinand Spanish Language Adventures™ grew out of a desire to have high-quality Spanish classes for their children, whom they are raising bilingually. “We desperately wanted our children to be in an environment where they were engaged learning in Spanish—proper Spanish—as well as learning about Spanish and Latin American culture, every single week. We didn’t feel like they would truly master the language otherwise, even with speaking it at home.” For them, Isabella & Ferdinand is very much a labor of love.

Maira Abasto Vega 🇧🇴

Executive Director | Lead Teacher/DELE Specialist

Passionate educator. Language enthusiast. Dedicated leader.

Maira Abasto Vega, our accomplished Executive Director and Lead Teacher/DELE Specialist, brings her unwavering passion for children, education, and Spanish language culture to Isabella & Ferdinand. Hailing from La Paz, Bolivia, Maira's journey in teaching and law has shaped her into an exceptional leader in language instruction. With a background as a French and English teacher, Maira's dedication to education led her to pursue a law degree in Bolivia. However, her love for teaching and languages remained steadfast. In 2011, she made the decision to expand her language instruction to include her mother tongue, Spanish, igniting her true passion for teaching children.

Maira's pursuit of excellence and continual professional growth led her to achieve a Master's degree in Education from Strayer University, graduating summa cum laude. Furthermore, she obtained certification in the DELE exam from the prestigious Instituto Cervantes in 2014, further solidifying her expertise in Spanish language instruction.

Sara Arranz Ramiro 🇪🇸

Curriculum Consultant

With a wealth of teaching expertise, Sara Arranz Ramiro brings her border-spanning education journey to Isabella & Ferdinand as our esteemed Curriculum Consultant. Hailing from Asturias, Spain, Sara holds a Bachelor's Degree in Foreign Language Education from the University of Valladolid, Spain, and has received recognition for her language instruction passion through an Erasmus Scholarship at the Katholieke Vlaamse Hogeschool in Antwerp, Belgium.

Sara's teaching experience includes renowned institutions such as Henry Green School, Cleveland Junior School in London, England, Infiesto High School, and Ventanielles Bilingual School in Asturias, Spain. Her focus on bilingual education has driven her to excel in developing curricula and training language teachers, with notable contributions as a coordinator for programs like the "European Portfolio of Languages" CPR and "Bilingual Support Teaching." Her expertise extends to content and language integration (CLIL) and designing activities for linguistic skill development. Recognized as a Master Teacher for D.C. Public Schools, Sara's innovative work extends to her involvement in a pioneering bilingual program by the British Council and the Spanish Education Department. As a member of the European Socrates Society, she remains at the forefront of language education, continuously advancing her field. Sara Arranz Ramiro's invaluable insights and dedication to educational excellence shape our curriculum and empower our students as confident bilingual learners.

Francisco Revert, Advisor 🇪🇸

Hailing from Andalucía, Spain, educator, composer, pianist and guitarist Francisco (Fran) Revert brings a wonderful set of musical talents to Isabella and Ferdinand –quite literally the Pied Piper of Spanish! Fran has a Bachelor’s degree in Music Language and Theory from the Professional Conservatory of Music in Jaen, Spain. He also has done significant coursework in Piano Interpretation, studying with some of the best master teachers in Spain.

For the last 10 years Fran has been being teaching music in private and classroom settings both abroad and in the U.S. including piano, vocals, composition and arrangement, production, mixing and recording instruction. He has taught at iMUTE (Music and Technology Institute) and at the ECAM School of Cinema in Spain. Fran is a gifted music producer and has created music for a number of films, TV programs and well-known artists in the U.S. and Europe. He is a winner of the Joan Baptista Cabrera award in Spain for Best Music Composition (1992, 1996) and published “Music Resources for the Classroom” (Volumes 1 and 2, Ed. MAD, 1997, Spain).  Aside from his many activities and accomplishments, teaching children remains Fran’s primary passion.

Ana Maria Perez 🇨🇴

Bilingües Teacher/ Office Administrator

Ana Maria Perez, Office Administrator. Ana Maria, a Colombian professional, holds a degree in Business Administration and specializes in Occupational Health. With over 16 years of experience in the education sector, she has served as a coordinator of educational programs, planning advisor, quality management leader, and citizen support leader in the Departments of Education in Colombia and the Ministry of National Education of Colombia. Her expertise in administration and her commitment to education have made a significant impact in advancing educational initiatives.

Luciana Paz

Project Coordinator

Luciana Paz serves as the Project Coordinator at the academy, where she oversees the planning and execution of educational programs and events. With over a decade of experience in project coordination, she is adept at assessing needs, troubleshooting challenges, and ensuring seamless collaboration among diverse teams. Luciana brings a strategic approach to organizing logistics, managing timelines, and ensuring all aspects of the academy’s projects run smoothly.

Her previous experience includes leadership roles such as Chair of the USDA Hispanic American Cultural Effort (HACE), where she revitalized the Spanish Lunch Initiative. Luciana also established Growth Dialogues Talks, which provided leadership development opportunities for USDA professionals. Luciana's academic achievements include a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Tampa and her current fellowship at Emerson College as a Transformational Leader. Her passion for education and cultural engagement drives her to continuously enhance the academy's projects, ensuring they meet the needs of the community and inspire learning in every student.

MAISA JORDAN 🇧🇴

Assistant

Meet Maisa Jordan, our dedicated Assistant. With her exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, Maisa ensures smooth operations and supports the team at Isabella & Ferdinand. Her commitment to excellence and strong work ethic make her an invaluable asset to our organization. Born and raised in Bolivia for 12 years, Maisa came to the United States to be part of Isabella & Ferdinand through a 4-year volunteer program. Currently, she has been hired as an assistant. Over the years, she has taught children Spanish through the art of painting.

ÁNGELA QUIROGA 🇵🇾

In Person Teacher

Early Childhood Education.

Meet Mrs. Angela, a dedicated educator hailing from Paraguay, passionate about nurturing young minds and creating a solid foundation for lifelong learning. Mrs. Angela is our sweet talent teacher for Baby Barcelona, Ole & Play and Castile Cavaliers. She completed her Baccalaureate in Asunción, Paraguay, and pursued further studies in the United States in the field of Early Childhood Education.

Karla Quiroga 🇧🇴

In Person Teacher

As an in-person teacher, Karlita brings engaging and fun activities that ignite children's minds.

Karla Quiroga is a dedicated Spanish teacher with a strong passion for education. As part of the Isabella & Ferdinand® Academia de Español™, she is committed to fostering a positive and enriching learning environment. Karla excels in working with children and Spanish-speaking individuals, guiding them through the exploration of the Spanish language and its rich cultural heritage. Her goal is to inspire her students while creating an inclusive space for growth and learning. Karla looks forward to continuing to share her expertise and support her students in their language journey.