I am an English Professor and Christian Pastor residing in the city of Toronto.  I was born in El Salvador to a Lieutenant-Colonel Endocrinologist of Italian descent and a beautiful  Salvadoran Executive Bilingual Secretary.  Due to the civil war at the age of five my family moved to Costa Rica.  I completed my elementary school education in Spanish and studied English in a private school during my childhood there.  After graduating from grade 6, I had the wonderful opportunity to go live in Washington D.C., USA; where I studied in middle school and where my teaching skills began to surface.  I took part in a program ran by Georgetown University in partnership with DC Public Schools and became a volunteer ESL tutor to younger children enrolled at Bancroft Elementary School for two years.  

 

While tutoring in Washington D.C., I became passionate to help others learn a new language and become familiar with a new culture and lifestyle.  I met many new immigrants from various Latin American countries and it inspired me to pursue the career I now have.  When it was time to go to high school, I moved to Canada where I have been ever since.  Throughout my high school and university years I volunteered in community churches teaching ESL and Spanish to small groups in the GTA.  Upon graduating and obtaining my Bachelor of Arts at York University I was employed by the Kiosk Language Centre, an ESL school for international students where I taught multiple levels of English grammar.  I continued to volunteer at the church I was a member of by planning, organizing and conducting an ESL program during the evenings three times a week for those who were not able to enroll in an ESL school during the day because they had to work to support their families.

 

In 2016, I also completed my Bachelor of Theology Degree, and was ordained under the Evangelical Association of Canada.  Prior to this accomplishment I had already been Ordained Pastor in May 2011 at the Toronto Full Gospel Church-Vida Plena where I have been entrusted with the mission of being the Toronto Senior Pastor.  

 

I am currently an ESL and English Professor at Canada Christian College. I teach English as a second language to international students and prepare them to enable them to enrol in other programs of study at the college. I also teach English Grammar & Composition I, one of the mandatory courses in the undergraduate level.  

 

I also continue to serve the community at the Toronto Full Gospel Church as a Pastor and guitar/vocals instructor, mainly to the youth in the church.  I look forward to continue seeing lives be transformed by the power of God’s love and mercy, and what better way than to be part of their journey through teaching them and being a living testimony to them.  I have learned in my faith walk that nothing is impossible for those who believe in Christ our Lord, and that we are capable of inspiring others to reach their highest potential in life with hard work, yes, but foremost love, patience, joy and acts of kindness.