ELEMENTARY TEAM

AMBER PARKER, 5TH GRADE B
Ms. Amber graduated from the University of Houston with a BBA in Finance and is also TESOL Certified.
She has 8 years of teaching experience at international schools in Cambodia, Aruba, and Morocco, and also taught English online. Before becoming a teacher she worked in financial analysis, marketing, and social media management.

DANIELA SOLIS, 5TH GRADE CO TEACHER
Coming from Sumpango, she is currently finishing her degree at La Universidad del Valle to become a Math teacher. Prior to AIS, she worked as a Math and English teacher in a primary and high school.

MARIA JOSE GARCIA, PRE K
Ms. Maria Jose is from Guatemala City and holds a B.A. in Education with a specialization in Special Needs from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala and a Diploma in Early Childhood Care from the Holland College, Canada. Over the last 16+ years, she has worked at the American School of Guatemala, Abegweit First Nation Early Year Centre, UPEI Campus Kids Daycare, The Mothership Childcare Center, and Holland College Early Year Centre, PEI, Canada.

PAULA RODRIGUEZ, CO TEACHER 1ST A
Ms. Paula has taught at AIS for five years. She holds an Elementary Teacher Certification and is currently pursuing a University Degree in Primary Education. Before coming to AIS, Ms. Paula taught at the Academia Modern American English School in Antigua and the Colegio Intellego Learning Center in San Lucas Sacatepequez.

CRISTINA NORMAN, 1ST GRADE A
Ms. Cristy has been at AIS since 2012 teaching First Grade and English as a Second Language. She is originally from El Salvador, and holds a Masters in Education from Lesley University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Before coming to AIS, Ms. Cristy taught at the American School in El Salvador and schools in Chile and Guatemala.

ALI NEW, 2ND GRADE B
holds a B.A. in Education from the University of Mississippi and a M.A. in Education, with an emphasis in Reading/Language Arts from Oxford, Mississippi. Previously, Ali worked as a 1st Grade and Kindergarten Teacher at the Nashville Classical Charter School, Nashville, Tennessee.

JENIFER DE LEON, 2B CO TEACHER
Ms. Jeni holds an Elementary Teaching Diploma with emphasis in English as a Second Language, ESL, from Liceo Secretarial Bilingüe. She also holds a B.A. in International Relations from the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala and a M.A. in Teaching from the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala. She has worked as an Elementary and Kindergarden ESL teacher.

MARIA JOSE MONZON, 2ND GRADE A
Ms. Maria holds a B.A. in Education and Social Sciences from the Mesoamericana University. She has extensive experience in teaching in various schools in Guatemala City.

JUAN JOSE CARDENAS, 3A CO TEACHER
Mr. Oscar comes from Zaragoza, Chimaltenango. He is a Certified Accountant and is currently studying at the Galileo University to be a Teacher in Secondary Education.
He also holds a TESL Certification from the CIAV institute where he was an Academic Supervisor.
Mr. Cardenas has 21 years of experience in education and served as the Director of the Liceo Bilingue "Los Angeles" of Zaragoza, Chimaltenango.

Lisbeth de Solorzano, Spanish Elementary
Ms. Lisbeth has worked at AIS since the beginning of the school. She has multiple degrees including Profesorado en Educación Especial and Profesorado en Problemas de Aprendizaje. She received her BA degree from Del Valle University in Education and her Master's in Education Administration. She recently received her PhD in Education. Ms. Lisbeth has 25 years of teaching experience from Pre K to University in various national and international schools, including in the USA.

MARISSA LEVINSON, 5TH GRADE A
Ms. Marissa graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. Art History and holds a M.A. in Teaching K-12 from the University of Maryland. During her teaching career, she has been an educator in Spain, The Netherlands, Ecuador, Tunisia and for several years in Baltimore, Maryland. She has taught in Guatemala for 3 years and plans to stay because AIS is the best!

LANY CONDE, PRE K
Ms. Lany holds a Learning Disabilities Teaching Certificate from the Universidad del Valle and a Educational Innovation Teaching Certificate from the Universidad Galileo. She is currently completing an additional B.A in Psycho-pedagogy. Ms. Lany was an English teacher from Kindergarten to 6th grade at Colegio Bilingue Campo Verde for 6 years and at Colegio Decroly Americano for 4 years.

LIZZETH SANCHEZ, KINDER CO TEACHER
Ms. Lizzeth is originally from Antigua and holds a a degree in Special Education and a B.A in Psychology from the University of San Carlos. She has completed further studies in Neurology and how it relates to learning outcomes. She previously worked at the Decroly Americano School in Guatemala City.

LUIS CARRILLO, KINDER
Mr. Luis is from Guatemala and graduated from the Universidad Rafael Landivar with a B.A. in Clinical Psychology and from Universidad Del Valle with a Learning Disabilities Teaching Certificate. Before AIS, Mr. Luis was an Elementary Assistant Principal and supported Balanced Literacy implementation by providing training to Spanish teachers at the Colegio Decroly Americano. He also worked at the American School of Guatemala for 6 1/2 years as a Bilingual Teacher Assistant and Kindergarten Spanish Teacher.

MICHELLE GOMEZ, 1ST GRADE B
Ms. Michelle holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and an ELL from the Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is originally from Guatemala, but spent many years in the United States, most recently working as a Kindergarten Teacher at the Jenks West Elementary School in Tulsa. This is Ms. Michelle’s second year at AIS.

EUNICE BEJARANO, 2ND A CO TEACHER
Ms. Eunice is originally from Antigua Guatemala, and graduated from Universidad Mariano Gálvez with a B.A. in Education with a specialization in Educational Administration. Currently, she is completing a Masters in Human Resources. During the past three years, she worked as a Sponsorship Coordinator at the local NGO “Common Hope”.

KIMBERLY GRIFFITH, 4TH GRADE A
Ms. Kim is currently in her 24th year of teaching and has worked at AIS since 2014. She holds a Bachelor of Science Cum Laude in Elementary Education with a minor in Mathematics, from the Bowie State University and a Certificate in Instructional Technology from Towson State University.

OSCAR CARDENAS, 4A CO TEACHER
Mr. Oscar comes from Zaragoza, Chimaltenango and graduated from the University San Carlos as an architect. He taught in many schools throughout Guatemala, such as El Roble, Sol Alto, and a small school in San Borja called Lensen.

PAM WILSON, 3RD GRADE
Ms. Pam is originally from Athens, Alabama. She graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in Elementary Education. Ms. Pam has taught at AIS for four years. Prior to AIS, Ms. Pam taught in Mobile, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia and on an Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia.