This broad experience contributes to our creative learning environment. They come from different countries throughout the Spanish-speaking world, which creates a diversity that adds a special cultural dimension to our program.

Interested in joining the fabulous ¡Viva el Español! team? Please send your resume to jobs@vivaelespanol.org or FAX it to 925-962-9127.

Margaret Grover-Roos 

Founder/Director

Margaret was born and raised in Mexico City and speaks Spanish fluently.  She moved to the United States to attend Stanford University, where she received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering.  Margaret had a successful career as a senior marketing executive at various software and Internet companies.  Now a resident of Lafayette, Margaret is raising her three children to be trilingual. With the opening of ¡Viva el Español! she is combining her passion for foreign languages with her experience in business management to provide a high-quality and fun Spanish language program for children in the East Bay.  In addition, Margaret is well known in the Lafayette community for her volunteer efforts with the Lafayette Juniors, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and local PTA organizations.

When not working at ¡Viva el Español!, Margaret can be seen swimming, biking and running in Lamorinda as she trains for her next triathlon.

Maria Fernanda Acuña

Spanish Teacher/Music Director

Born and raised in Venezuela, Maria brings a wide range of skills to ¡Viva el Español!.  Maria has a B.A. in Hispanic Studies and Literature from Mills College.  In addition, she has experience as a Bilingual Environmental Educator at the Headlands Institute in Sausalito, teaching Spanish-speaking children about environmental issues.  She has taught Spanish at the elementary school level, and has tutored groups of children in language and math skills.

Maria is a professional musician, playing the Venezuelan cuatro and Latin American percussion.  She is part of the ensemble Quijeremá.  Maria is currently using her talents as a musician to engage children in the Playsongs Spanish-language program in San Francisco. 

We are delighted that Maria will use her gifts to broaden the musical, cultural, and environmental awareness of children in our program.

Allison Fernandez

Spanish Teacher/Site Director

Allison Fernández is an experienced teacher who has lived in Granada, Spain and Santiago, Chile. She graduated from University of California, San Diego with a B.A. in Studio Arts and a double minor in World Music and Latin American Studies.

Allison's love and enthusiasm for working with children is immediately evident. She is fully bilingual, has taught Spanish to elementary aged children, and has nearly four years experience training and teaching music and arts classes at Gymboree Play & Music.

Lucy Beazley
Spanish Teacher

Lucy Beazley brings to our program over four years experience teaching Spanish and English to both children and adults.  She has a creative and innovative teaching style that stimulates and engages kids at all Spanish levels.  Lucy is an accomplished artist and dancer, with a passion for ceramic sculpture, drawing and painting, flamenco and belly dancing.  Lucy is looking forward to leading children in our program in art and movement related activities.

Lucy holds a BA with honors in Spanish and in Development Studies from the University of California at Berkeley.  Lucy lived in Mexico for ten years and is fully bilingual.

Ana Viveros

Spanish Teacher

Ana brings a passion for sharing her native language and culture to the children of Viva el Español.  Born and raised in Mexico, Ana holds a degree in Journalism and Public Relations from the Universidad Latinoamericana in Mexico City.  She has several years experience in advertising, marketing, and public relations in her native Mexico.  Now in the Bay Area, when not teaching Spanish, she provides consulting services to marketing and public relations companies that are targeting the Hispanic market.

Ana is a Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor by both the Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico and the Kundalini Research Institute.  She is also trained in Iyengar yoga, and has experience as a yoga instructor for both children and adults.

Ana brings bundles of creativity, energy and enthusiasm to her position as a Spanish instructor.

Sharon Bomar

Spanish Teacher

Of Guatemalan and Argentinean heritage, Sharon was born and raised in San Francisco in a fully bilingual home. Along with her mother and siblings she moved to Guatemala where she lived for 4 years. Sharon speaks, reads and writes both English and Spanish fluently.  She has several years experience working with children, as a dance and gymnastics instructor with Kids Kreative, and as a day care teacher.  In addition, Sharon has experience as a Spanish teacher, tutor and doing Spanish/English translation work. Sharon is the proud mother of a 2 year old son.

Jorge Liceaga

Spanish Teacher – Parent & Me “Música” Class

Jorge has nineteen years of experience as a flamenco guitarist and has accompanied flamenco dancers of all statures.  He also has over six years experience playing the Cuban tres guitar as part of the group Cascada de Flores.

In his home town of Mexico City, Jorge composed, arranged and performed in musical programs and recording for children of all ages.  Working as a teachers assistant at a kindergarten in Mexico City for eight years, he delighted students with his music and kid-loving personality, and was responsible for the creation of a yearly musical performance.

Jorge plays a wide range of instruments from all over Latin America, including conga, bongo, xylophone, teponaztles, atabales, the Peruvian cajón, guitarra de son, jarana guitar, huapanera guitar, vihuela guitar, and bajo sexto guitar.  Wow!  We are looking forward to learning about all these instruments – and some great new songs in Spanish – from Jorge!

Erika Lazo

Spanish Teacher

Erika received her teaching certificate as a Social Science Teacher in her native country, El Salvador. Erika moved to the United States in 2001, and earned her Associate Teacher diploma in Early Childhood Education. In addition to teaching Spanish, Erika is a full-time pre-school teacher at The Meher School. 

Erika’s favorite “pasatiempos” are dancing and reading.

Carla Brown

Spanish Teacher

Carla holds an Associate Teacher Credential, and continues her studies in Early Childhood Education. Having studied architecture in her native country Perú, Carla brings to her students tremendous visual and artistic skills. Carla is very creative, and works to provide a fun and stimulating environment in her teaching approach.  For the 2006-2007 school year Carla's work at ¡Viva el Español! centered around teaching Spanish to children in grades 1-3 at Happy Valley Elementary School on a daily basis.  She is also the leader for our Teen Fiesta Night program.

In addition to her work at ¡Viva el Español!, Carla is a pre-school teacher at The Child Day Schools in Moraga.

Anita Fontan

Teacher's Aide

A native of El Salvador, Anita’s gentle and patient manor with children is immediately evident. She brings experience as a Teacher’s Assistant at the White Pony pre-school and is a childcare provider for several families in the Lamorinda area. 

Prior to working with children, Anita had a successful career in El Salvador as an office manager, and in the field of personal computer sales and service.