Laura Lieras - EL Jardin + Terrain Manager & El Jardin OC Head Teacher

¡Hola! I’m Laura Lieras, a.k.a. Maestra Laura. I am a Spanish teacher at El Jardin, Orange County. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Education. I have over 20 years of experience working with children (and their families), as this is a lifelong passion for me. I spent my teen/young adult years in Costa Rica, where I learned most of my Spanish and became a lover of nature. As an El Jardin Maestra, I enjoy sharing these experiences daily with our brilliant students, as we learn Spanish- while we spot bunnies, birds, butterflies, and other wonderful creatures- in our beautiful outdoor classroom. At home, I enjoy spending time with my family, visiting different beaches, reading, cooking, and snuggling my dog, Rescue Pup.

Laura Lieras - El Jardin Irvine Pequenos Head Maestra

¡Hola! I’m Laura Lieras, a.k.a. Maestra Laura. I am a Spanish teacher at El Jardin, Orange County. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Education. I have over 20 years of experience working with children (and their families), as this is a lifelong passion for me. I spent my teen/young adult years in Costa Rica, where I learned most of my Spanish and became a lover of nature. As an El Jardin Maestra, I enjoy sharing these experiences daily with our brilliant students, as we learn Spanish- while we spot bunnies, birds, butterflies, and other wonderful creatures- in our beautiful outdoor classroom. At home, I enjoy spending time with my family, visiting different beaches, reading, cooking, and snuggling my dog, Rescue Pup.

Anabella Rangel-Sanchez - El Jardin Irvine Primaria Head Maestra

Hello everyone! My name is Anabella and I am one of the head teachers at El Jardín Orange County! Since starting the El Jardín program here in OC in 2020, it has been a joy teaching so many wonderful students and watching the program blossom. I was born and raised in California, but my mom is from Spain and my dad is from Venezuela, so I learned and grew up speaking Spanish at home! All of my extended family still lives in Spain and Venezuela, so I have spent many summers visiting them with my family.

I come from a large family, and with over five members who are educators and a mom who is a Spanish teacher, it was hard not to follow in their footsteps! I received my degree in education from California State University, Fullerton, and I’ve been teaching elementary Spanish at a K-8 school since 2016. Since 2019, I have been an online Spanish tutor through Lanterns Global as well! I have also privately tutored and taught Spanish to middle school, high school, and college aged students since 2015. However, the young ones are always my favorite! In my free time I enjoy spending time with family, taking photos, dancing, being outside, doing anything artsy/creative, and playing with my dogs. Being able to speak Spanish has added so much to my life, and I love passing that on to my students while making it a fun experience for them too!

Mabel Martinez- El Jardin Irvine, FULLERTON, & LONG BEACH Head Maestra

Bio Coming Soon!

Miriam Gallardo - El Jardin Irvine, Fullerton, & Long Beach Maestra

¡Hola! My name is Miriam and I am a Teacher for the El Jardín and Farm to Table programs. I have been working with children and their families for over 20 years. I began working with infants & toddlers and now work with school aged children. Experiencing children's development through all the developmental ages & stages set my path to earning my B.A. in Child Development & Psychology and a M.A. in Education.

Although I am the teacher, I especially love learning from the children; they definitely bring a different perspective to the environment which I truly appreciate. For me, teaching is such a fun and creative way to plant the seed of curiosity and watch it bloom into knowledge. 

At home, I enjoy spending time with my husband and two kids, reading, gardening and traveling. We have recently added our first family pet! A curious crested gecko, so now, a lot of our time goes to her and maintaining her bioactive vivarium.

Hello, I'm Sofia, and I’m so excited to be one of the Farm to Table Head Teachers this year! I graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in Ethnic Studies and a minor in Sociology. I’ve worked with kiddos in all kinds of spaces—babysitting, Junior Lifeguards, Sunday School, and most recently as a Resident Teacher in kindergarten and fourth grade classrooms while pursuing my Master’s in Education.

I believe children learn best with their hands and hearts. I’m passionate about teaching through nature, nurturing curiosity, and sharing my love for animals, food, and the outdoors.

Outside the classroom, I love spending time with my family, playing board games, going to church, cooking, painting, and surfing. I can’t wait for the school year ahead and look forward to learning with you.

Bio Coming Soon!

Mariela Stephens - El Jardin Thousand Oaks Head MAESTRA

¡Hola! My name is Mariela Barberis Stephens, and I am a Spanish teacher at El Jardin – Thousand Oaks. I was born and raised in Argentina, in the mountains of Cordoba, where my love for everything outdoors began - swimming in the rivers, hiking in the mountains and exploring while horseback riding with friends and family. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Translation from the University of Cordoba, Argentina. I have worked for a Global Language Training Company where I had the opportunity to teach Spanish to groups and individuals, children and adults, executives and celebrities. I also enjoy working with people from all over the world and have been a Relocation Consultant in the Conejo Valley for the last 15 years. In my leisure time I enjoy spending time with my family, travelling, gardening, reading and hiking . . . and, of course, cheering for Messi through the soccer World Cup! I believe languages are the door to different cultures and I feel privileged to be able to help kids open that door through Spanish - in and outdoor environment!

Jesica Aguirre- El Jardin Thousand Oaks ASSISTANT MAESTRA

BIO COMING SOON!

Liliana Vela - El Jardin Carpintiera Pequenos Head Maestra

Bio Coming Soon!

Anai Larriva Castrillon - El Jardin Carpintiera Primaria Head Maestra

Claudia Holland - El Jardin SLO Pequenos Head Maestra

¡Hola a todos! My name is Claudia Holland and I have been a Head Teacher for El Jardin SLO since 2022. I am a native to El Salvador, having moved to the States when I was 17 where I had to quickly transition to an English-speaking society. I completed my high school education in Los Angeles and college in Reedley, CA. I am a wife, mother, and resident of the Central Coast. I love the beauty of nature, especially the ocean, having been near it most of my life. I enjoy teaching the children to appreciate the beauty of our area’s natural surroundings while imparting to them an immersive experience with the Spanish language. I have worked with children for over 18 years having homeschooled and privately taught/tutored Spanish classes for elementary aged students. In addition to that, I have been a Spanish Interpreter since 2014, completing my internship at Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera, California. I currently work as a nationally certified Healthcare Interpreter to the Spanish speaking community. I am excited to be a part of the El Jardin Program as it represents an opportunity to pour myself into these precious young lives!

Karina Bernal - El Jardin SLO Primaria Head Maestra

Mucho gustó! Bienvenidos! Welcome to El Jardín. My name is Karina Bernal, I am one of the Head Teachers here at El Jardín. I have been a part of this amazing program since Spring 2023. Spanish is my native language, both my parents are from Jalisco, Mexico. I have been in the education field for about 10 years now. My passion for teaching and education keeps me striving to make learning fun!  My educational background is in Early Childhood Education along with Psychology.I have worked as an ESL instructor and Spanish Teacher and the rewarding feeling of introducing a new language is an amazing gift. I can't wait to meet you all!

Christine Mcmaster - El Jardin SLO assistant Maestra

BIO COMING SOON!