Team
We work for education and culture as fundamental pillars for human development

We see education and culture as fundamental pillars of human development and work for these ends.
Our team is composed of professionals in education, management, communications, and culture, with extensive experience both in Spain and abroad.

Sofía Pariente
President of the BCNLIP Foundation
Born in Barcelona in 1974, she began her journey to the United States at the age of 17, where she completed her high school studies. In 1997, she earned a degree in English and Spanish Philology from the University of Barcelona (UB). Later, in 1998, she completed a postgraduate program in Postcolonial Literatures. In 2001, she took part in a program at International House aimed at training teachers of Spanish as a foreign language. Since 2002, she has worked as a teacher in various schools in Barcelona. In 2008, she founded BCNLIP, where she has worked as a teacher and currently serves as the director.
“As a director, I consider it a priority to maintain a personal and close relationship with our users and professionals. I like to get to know each individual in order to offer them all the support they may need. That’s why I dedicate a large part of my time at the headquarters, accompanying the day-to-day work of teachers, collaborators, and users. Of all the responsibilities that come with being a director, interacting with each person is, for me, the most important.”
Team
Our team is composed of professionals in education, management, communications, and culture, with extensive experience both in Spain and abroad.
Judith Benítez Ávila
Academic Coordinator
Graduated in Arabic Studies from the University of Barcelona, she later completed a Master's in Spanish as a Foreign Language. Since 2009, she has been involved in the educational field, starting her career as a teacher and monitor for school additional support activities in various educational centers. In 2013, she had her first experience as a Spanish teacher in Granada. Between 2017 and 2020, she worked as a Spanish teacher in Morocco.
"When we truly learn a language, something changes within us, and we become capable of empathizing with its speakers and understanding cultural aspects that were once difficult for us to grasp."
Pablo Casals Valenzuela
Cultural Coordinator
Actor, theater director, educator, and cultural manager. Since 2002, he has directed various plays in Chile, premiering at the most important theaters in the capital. As an actor, he has participated in film and television productions, including "La Ofis" (Chile, Canal 13), an adaptation of the British BBC series The Office; the movie "Invierno", by the renowned Chilean writer and filmmaker Alberto Fuguet; and the TV series "La Chúcara" (Televisión Nacional de Chile, TVN). Since 2005, he has worked as a teacher at various higher education institutions in Chile. In the field of cultural management, he is known for his work as executive director and programming manager at the Sidarte Foundation and Theater (Actors and Actresses Union of Chile); general coordinator of the Santiago Theater Network; and coordinator at the Santiago Cultural Foundation.
Daniel Holgado Vargas
Spanish Teacher
He has worked as a Spanish as a Foreign Language teacher and has taught Spanish, Peruvian, and Hispanic American literature, as well as Spanish grammar. He obtained a Master's in Advanced Studies in Spanish and Hispanic American Literature from the Faculty of Philology at the University of Barcelona. Additionally, in his home country, he completed studies in Humanities with an emphasis on Linguistics and Literature. He is passionate about poetic creation and the dissemination of popular troubadour music. He also volunteers as a Spanish language partner in a foundation that supports migrants worldwide, promoting human rights, integrity, and inclusion, always respecting cultural and religious diversity.
"As a Spanish teacher, I love accompanying and supervising students’ learning processes, promoting active listening and integration among them."
Gagandeep Singh
Catalán teacher
Born in Amritsar Sahib, Punjab, he studied computer science and worked in the family business. He has lived in Barcelona for 12 years. He is an intercultural mediator, working with various organizations such as the City Council of Barcelona and the Government of Catalonia. He also teaches Catalan and Spanish to newcomers and is the spokesperson for the Sikh community in Catalonia. He has written a book called Els de cinc rius de Catalunya, aimed at facilitating self-learning of Catalan. He is passionate about languages, speaking seven languages. For Gagandeep, his life philosophy is based on the three fundamental pillars of Sikhism: meditate, work, and share.
"When you speak to someone in a language they understand, you reach their head. But when you speak their language, you reach their heart. Language is the identity of a people. When I arrived in Catalonia, at work, they always spoke to me in Catalan, and that’s how I learned."
Luis Barrios Nava
Spanish Teacher
Luis is from Venezuela and graduated in Education with a specialty in Spanish Language and Hispanic Literature from the University of the Andes. He has worked in various educational centers in his home country and in schools and institutes in Peru, teaching children, young people, and adults. Over his ten years of service, he has also worked independently, teaching students from various nationalities, which has allowed him to enrich himself with different cultural references. His interest in literature, languages, history, and art has led him to explore several humanistic fields. He has lived in Barcelona for a few years and has worked in different ELE teaching centers.
"'…my homeland is the language'; this phrase has always accompanied me throughout my teaching journey. My love for my language and the culture it carries is what has driven me to teach it and share it with those who want to embrace and love it as I do."
Viviana da Costa
Spanish Teacher
Born in Caracas, she has lived in Venezuela, Portugal, and since 2012 in Spain. During this journey, she discovered her passion for teaching her native language and sharing different cultures. In 2020, she decided to officially train as a Spanish teacher and studied the Master's in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language at the Francisco de Vitoria University. She is also certified as a DELE examiner for students at levels A1, A2, B1, and B2 at the Instituto Cervantes.
"Learning a second language allows you to understand the world from a different perspective."
Cassius Guimaraes
Communications
Born in Brazil, he has over twenty years of experience in corporate communication: public relations, marketing, branding, and events. He has worked for clients such as Tetra Pak, Volkswagen, Chevrolet, Lenovo, Atlas Schindler, Faber-Castell, and the government of Brazil. He holds a degree in Communication, a postgraduate degree in Scientific Communication, and training in psychoanalysis. He speaks Portuguese, English, Spanish, Catalan, and German. Before moving to Barcelona, he lived in three different cities in Brazil – including the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere, São Paulo – and also in Bavaria, Germany.
"Freedom is not enough: what I desire still has no name." Clarice Lispector
Essential Requirements to Join the BCNLIP Teaching Team
Academic Requirements
- A degree in humanities or languages, preferably philology.
- A degree or course in Spanish as a Foreign Language (ELE) or language teaching.
- A minimum of two years' experience as a language teacher.
- Proficiency in a foreign language.
- Publications related to teaching will be valued.
- Interest in ongoing training and professional development will be taken into account
Personal Requirements
- Dedication and passion for teaching.
- Responsibility and punctuality.
- Motivation skills.
- Interest in other cultures.

Our Commitment
Every day in our work, we have a great deal of empathy and curiosity about the lives and circumstances of the people we assist, many of whom are at risk of educational exclusion. We address their inclusion in culture and local society comprehensively.
This is why we also have a cultural management team that allows us to explore and generate various activities and projects related to the arts and cultures to contribute to inclusion, participation, and connection with the neighborhoods and communities of Barcelona.