Craig Snyder - Owner & President

The Language Academy of the Carolinas is locally owned and operated in Charlotte, NC by Craig Snyder. Craig has a Master's Degree in Spanish from UNC-Chapel Hill and has lived in both Spain and Mexico. He has authored numerous text books designed to teach small groups of adults to converse in Spanish and has designed an exciting curriculum for The Language Academy. His work is being used throughout the Triangle and Charlotte Metro areas and has been adapted to fit a variety of workplace environments. He has taught hundreds of people to successfully communicate in Spanish and has many loyal students at the Language Academy.

Rodrigo Rión - Vice President

Rodrigo Rión was born in Spain and raised in Mexico. He graduate from UNC – Charlotte in 2007 with a major in International Business and minors in both German and French. He joined the Language Academy in August of 2008 as an instructor and now handles the day to day operations of the office along with his regular teaching duties. His love of language and wealth of knowledge have made him one of our most requested instructors. He would also like you to know he is happy the Mexican national soccer team qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Jaime Giraldo - Spanish Instructor

Jaime Giraldo was born in Manizales, Colombia. After graduating from University of Caldas, He started working at a school in Manizales teaching EFL. Jaime, moved to the United States in 2005 and was a Spanish teacher for CMS. Jaime started working at the Language Academy in 2006, teaching numerous evening, morning and weekends classes for adults as well as classes for children.

Chayree Santiago Thomas - Spanish Instructor

Chayree Santiago Thomas is a native Spanish speaker from Colombia and moved to The United States in 2005. She comes from a family of teachers and most of her life she has been involved in teaching and training activities. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and started her professional career as Engineer for Gelatins of Colombia, and then she worked ten years with Chevron-Texaco as an Industrial Sales Person, National Marketing Coordinator and Latin America Marketing Specialist. While she has lived here she has worked in education, as a Spanish teacher for children for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, a Spanish Language Facilitator and Librarian in CPCC, a Spanish Instructor at Berlitz and currently at The Language Academy of The Carolinas. Additionally, she has been a volunteer for Our Towns Habitat for Humanity and the Latin American Chamber of Commerce. She is currently working on a Master's degree.

Rosario "Charo" Best - Spanish Instructor

Rosario Best, was born in Lima, Peru where she graduated from the UNIVERSIDAD FEMENINA DEL SAGRADO CORAZON (UNIFE) with a degree in Special Educaction. She has received graduate studies in Peru, Panama and the U.S. and has published several papers in her home country. Rosario lived in Peru until 2004, When she moved to the U.S. Since then, she has lived in Miami and Huntersville. "Charo" has been a school Teacher for over fourteen years, specializing in teaching children with learning disabilities, and evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with language and learning difficulties. In addition to her teaching Spanish at the Language Academy of the carolinas, she does volunteer work at the Language Lab at CPCC, helping felow Latinos adapt to the Charlotte Area.

Marta Durán - Spanish Instructor

Marta Durán was born and raised in San José, Costa Rica and graduated from the University of Costa Rica with a Bachelors Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language. She served as an English teacher in a dual language school before moving to Charlotte in 1998. She began teaching at a CMS Spanish Immersion School and has been there ever since. She has been teaching for 20 years and has taught English and Spanish to both adults and children. She enjoys introducing new cultures to her students as well as the Spanish language.

Jing He - Mandarin Chinese Instructor

Jing He was born in China and earned her bachelor's degree of Chinese language and literature in teaching college. She also has a degree in computer science and has worked in the banking industry for years. She has fifteen years of teaching experience. Her students range in age from children to adults. She does not only teach the language but also introduces Chinese culture, customs, and history to her students. She can tailor the class based on the student's need.

Joe Erato - English Instructor

Joe Erato Joe Erato was born in Long Island, New York. In 2003, he received his BA in Linguistics from Georgetown Univeristy in Washington, D.C. Joe has lived in Spain and France and has worked as a language interpreter here in Charlotte. In addition to his work at the Languauge Academy, Joe teaches English as a Second Language at an elementary school here in Charlotte.

Robert Vanderford - German Instructor

Robert Vanderford was born in Charlotte, NC. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a Bachelor's degree in German and from the University of Georgia in Athens, GA with a Master’s degree in German. He also studied linguistics and German at the Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg in Southern Germany. Presently, Robert teaches German at Rowan Cabarrus Community College and tutors German at the high school level when time allows. He also translates documents from German into English. He enjoys spending time with his wife and Siegfried, their dachshund. He enjoys running, reading, and listening to detective novels ("Krimis") in German.

Elena Buzuleciu Koledin - Italian Instructor

Elena Buzuleciu Koledin was born and raised in Romania and went on to earn a degree in Chemistry. She later lived in Italy for 12 years, where she taught Italian to Romanian immigrants. She has traveled all over the world, including over 3 months in Africa, over 6 months in Asia, and 7 months in South America. She has also traveled extensively in Europe and Australia. She moved in the U.S. in 2007 and enjoys playing golf in her free time.