Nina’s education, training as a teacher, professional experience, and deep familiarity with English and Latin cultures are at the core of her facility for understanding and assisting adult learners on their quest to acquire or perfect their communication skills in the Spanish language.
Nina was born and raised in Lima, Peru, in a family that originates from Spain and the Basque country. After high school she travelled to London to become a Montessori teacher and taught Spanish through music to pre-school children. A visit to family in New York City later prompted her decision to study computer science and stay in the United States. During that time Nina further applied her interest and skills in teaching as she engaged in tutoring services for intermediate and advanced students of Spanish.
In 1987, Nina and her husband moved to Maine where she worked as a Systems Manager for an insurance agency. As a parent seeking the flexibility afforded by home-based offices, Nina launched on a new path in 1995 upon completing the written part of the US Federal Court Interpreting Certification. She created MTIS – Maine Translation and Interpreting Services – an English-Spanish translation business that she led for nearly 10 years. She then returned to a data and business analyst career for Thomson Reuters’ Life Sciences division where she continued to use her Spanish to assist various pharmaceutical industry clients in Spain and Latin America.
Yearning for a Spanish-speaking community with which to share her language and culture, Nina coordinated a casual Spanish conversation group for 25 of its now 30 years of existence!
Nina lives in Scarborough with her husband and visits Peru regularly where she still has family. She enjoys skiing, snowshoeing, watercolors, and playing her accordion when she feels nostalgic. Nina is looking forward to imparting her life-long commitment to, and experience with acquiring language and communication skills with her new students at The Language Exchange.