I joined HPS in August 2006 and have since proudly taught Spanish and French at Weaver HS and Hartford Public HS. Since August 2019, I have been teaching Spanish here at GCA, my vibrant community of students, families, and colleagues. I am a proud Afrolatino & Caribbean Dutchman, born and raised on the Dutch paradise-island of Aruba. With 34 years of experience as a language educator, I have taught Kindergarten classes through University classes, and have taught seven different languages in five different countries over the years, fueled by my passion for connecting cultures and fostering global-mindedness. A polyglot with varied proficiency levels in eight languages (Dutch, Papiamento, English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese & Italian), I leverage my expertise in Applied Linguistics, Speech-Language Pathology, and Educational Technology to deliver inclusive, engaging, and equitable language instruction. Honored as Connecticut’s Language Teacher of the Year (2018/2019), and most recently (in 2024) as a recipient of the Apple for the Teacher Award, I actively serve on ACTFL’s National DEI & Anti-Bias Committee and E4E’s National Teacher Leaders Council, advocating for students' and teachers' voices. Believing “learning languages is everyone’s human birthright,” I strive to empower all learners through World Languages & Multilingual Education.