Our Spanish school staff
Get to know the Expanish Spanish school staff. Our staff do everything they can to assist our students in and out of the classroom, whether helping in their Spanish studies to advising them on exciting activities in the city, Expanish is here to help!
Staff Profiles
| Agustin Vignale - Commercial Director | |
|---|---|
|
I studied Business Economics at the Torcuato Di Tella University, during which time I also worked on fundraising and public relations for the Fundación Iniciativa, promoting youth participation in society. After graduation, I worked as a Business Consultant at Proguide, and then spent time working and traveling overseas, mainly in New Zealand and Southeast Asia, where I worked in Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and as a Coordinator at the Auckland City Council. I helped found Expanish after returning from my travels, and as a result of my experiences abroad. |
| Countries Visited | Laos, New Zealand, Vietnam, Brazil, Thailand, Malaysia, Bolivia, Cambodia, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. |
| Why I work for Expanish | My experience abroad helped me realize how important it is to be immersed in the culture surrounding a language, rather than just sitting in a classroom with fellow foreigners. Contact with locals, volunteer work, and hands-on activities are vital experiences while studying abroad, which we have tried to reflect in the organization mission. |
| Alejandro Rched - Operations Director | |
|---|---|
|
I studied Economics in college and went on to receive a Masters in Finance. After graduation, I worked on government research projects looking at public debt and for Price Waterhouse Coopers as an analyst. During this time I did some traveling abroad, and realized that being truly immersed in different cultures is an invaluable experience that profoundly changes the way we think, letting us view the world through a different lens. |
| Countries Visited | Europe, USA, Mexico, the Caribbean, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. |
| Why I work for Expanish | We created Expanish with the hope of helping others realize the cultural immersion experience. |
| Juan Manuel Aranda - Operations Manager | |
|---|---|
|
I was born and raised in Buenos Aires. After finishing high school, I received my Bachelors Degree in Tourism which allowed me to travel and work in different cities in both Argentina and the United States. I lived in beautiful New Orleans for almost two years! After moving back to Argentina, I began a program in Political Science, and upon completion, began working for Expanish - another excellent challenge that allows me to work in tourism and with foreigners in Buenos Aires! |
| Countries Visited | Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, US, Spain, UK, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore |
| Why I work for Expanish | Expanish is a young, exciting, and growing organization, and full of opportunity! Working at Expanish allows me to meet and work with people from around the world while sharing my knowledge of tourism - two things that I love. |
| María Paula Vazquez - School Director | |
|---|---|
|
I was born in Buenos Aires, but spent 6 years of my childhood in Mar de las Pampas, a beautiful beach 400 km away from this city. I have worked in education at various levels: elementary, high school and university, working with teachers, creating innovative teaching methods as well as collaborating in the improvement of them. Years ago I had the opportunity to travel abroad and realized that nowadays frontiers have opened and the interchange of different cultures and languages, allow us to enrich our knowledge, not only from the academic point of view, but also in our personal experiences. |
| Countries Visited | Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Italy, Monaco, France, Spain. |
| Why I work for Expanish | At Expanish I found a place where I can combine my aspirations and expectations. I always believe that education goes beyond passing over knowledge. Here the students can learn the language through new perspective of language courses where they can live the experience of our culture. |
| Joanne Hurley - Sales Director | |
|---|---|
|
I studied Business & Finance in university, which lead me to working for a medical insurance company for 5 years in the Sales & Marketing department. I took a career break and spent 6 months working on the Greek island of Zakythos as a holiday representative for tourists before returning to the UK to work in Sales & Marketing again for a distributor and installer of big screen televisions and plasmas in bars & clubs. I took an extended holiday and decided to travel around South America and decided to stay in Buenos Aires for a year to practice my Spanish, which was 5 years ago. In my spare time I love to read, run, pilates and travel. |
| Countries Visited | Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Germany, Greece, France, Holland, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Sweden, Switzerland, and Uruguay |
| Why I work for Expanish | I love working for an International Educational organization in such a great city. It’s very rewarding to see how our students grow during their time with us both in their language skills and cultural awareness. |
| Becky Hayes - Marketing Assistant | |
|---|---|
|
I grew up in London and studied International Business with French at University in Manchester. Up until recently I worked for a Marketing Events agency in London but decided I wanted to learn Spanish and travel. I ended my trip around South America, in Buenos Aires and liked it so much i decided to stay and get a job! In my spare time I enjoy photography and sampling the many great restaurants BA has to offer. |
| Countries Visited | Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, France, Germany, Greece, Morocco, India, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, U.S., Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay |
| Why I work for Expanish | It's a forward thinking organization, with a friendly and committed team and lots of scope for creativity. It's also great for my Spanish practice! |
| Carina Ciapponi - Administrative Director | |
|---|---|
|
Born and raised in Bahía Blanca, Argentina, (southern coast below Buenos Aires) I was the youngest child of the family. I graduated university with a degree in Industrial Organization, and I also took courses of Literature, Design, and Psychology. After I graduated university, I moved to Buenos Aires. I have an extensive experience in administrative and accounting jobs working for different organizations such as banks, big and small businesses and NGOs (charity and educational foundation). I love learning languages, making handcrafts, spending time with friends and drinking "mate". |
| Countries Visited | Argentina. |
| Why I work for Expanish | I love languages and I love to work in a multicultural environment. It's great to be in an organization that allows foreign people to live the experience of learning Spanish in the place where it is spoken. |
| Alexandra Lazar - Admissions Advisor | |
|---|---|
|
I grew up in Chicago’s northern suburbs and studied Political Science and Latin American Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. At an early age I began travelling and living abroad, participating in several cultural immersion programs in Latin America and Europe, and most of my professional experience has enabled me to work with people from diverse backgrounds in an international education setting. I came to Buenos Aires in 2006 to study, and decided to make it my permanent home. In my free time I run a blog about food in Argentina and I enjoy cooking, trying new restaurants and photography. |
| Countries Visited | USA, Spain, Morocco, Honduras, Northern Ireland, UK, Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Israel, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador |
| Why I work for Expanish | It's not just a language school, but a place where people from diverse backgrounds can come together around their common interests for travel and a cultural education. |
| Murphy Scott - Admissions Advisor | |
|---|---|
|
I am from Portland, Oregon and I am a great admirer of the Pacific Northwest. I graduated from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington where I studied Foreign Languages and Literatures. During my junior year, I studied abroad here in Buenos Aires and, like many of my co-workers, fell in love with the city and people. After graduating, I moved back to work and live. I have now been here for over 3 years working in international education by teaching languages, advising students, marketing programs and admissions. |
| Countries Visited | Argentina, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, France, Germany, Denmark, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. |
| Why I work for Expanish | Why I work for Expanish - I believe that experiencing other cultures is a fundamentally important part of living in today's world. I hope to share my passion for Spanish, Buenos Aires and living abroad with students and help them to get the most out of their stay. |
| Jennifer Lerner - Admissions Advisor | |
|---|---|
|
I grew up in a cozy town close to San Francisco called San Carlos, and while I enjoyed small town life in "The City of Good Living", travels with my family left me with a desire to know other places. I eventually spent 6 months in Santiago, Chile during my junior year abroad, and it was there where I truly learned the importance of cross-cultural exchange. After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley in American Studies in 2010, I moved down to Buenos Aires. Now I´m living the dream: speaking Spanish every day, working at a job that I love, and continuing to meet people from all around the world. |
| Countries Visited | USA, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, England, France, Russia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru |
| Why I work for Expanish | Studying abroad made me realize how important it is to know another language. Being able to communicate in another language exponentially opens up your world to new experiences and new friends, which then makes you a more open-minded person, as well as better global citizen. The world is getting smaller every day, and Expanish is helping us become even more interconnected. |
| Fernando Pérez Reynoso - Accommodation Coordinator | |
|---|---|
|
I was born in Buenos Aires in a family of Spanish immigrants. My natural appreciation of the city, its history, architecture and European connection led me to a degree in Museum Studies and Cultural Affairs Administration together with a career in the industry of tourism and hotels. Soon after, working in Europe (Starwood Hotels and Resorts) I was able to gain a sharper understanding of accommodation customer care. Now back in Buenos Aires, I love just sitting in a café and watching the buzz of the city through the huge windows, appreciating its contrasts and living its intense cultural vibe. |
| Countries Visited | Argentina, Spain, Uruguay, Chile, Ireland, UK, Italy, Portugal, Brazil |
| Why I work for Expanish | I enjoy acting as a bridge between student needs and a responsible cultural immersion according to the mission and values that Expanish stands for. |
| Delfina Medeot - Volunteer Coordinator | |
|---|---|
|
I am from Buenos Aires and I always enjoyed traveling. After working as a costume assistant in advertising, I packed my bags and travelled to Mexico. During the 10 years I lived abroad, I visited Canada, Spain, France and spent a summer in Greece, where I met my British husband. Back in Mexico, I worked in hotels, became interested in education and had a baby. We´ve been back in Buenos Aires since 2009, enjoying the city. |
| Countries Visited | Spain, Mexico, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Canada, Paraguay, France, Greece, USA, Guatemala, Brazil. |
| Why I work for Expanish | It's a great company, very friendly atmosphere. It also makes me very happy to see the younger generations so aware of social issues and willing to donate their time and abilities to community development |
| Milva Santa Cruz - Front Desk Assistant | |
|---|---|
|
I am an Interpreter and a Literary translator. I also “speak” Argentine Sign Language. I love communicating! I love meeting people, especially from different parts of the world, and learn about their countries and their culture… In my spare time I enjoy musicals and family dinners. |
| Countries Visited | Mexico, United States, Brazil, Paraguay. |
| Why I work for Expanish | I enjoy working in such a friendly atmosphere. |




