Sue pasó su primer tiempo prolongado en Monteverde en 2016, como voluntaria en la biblioteca del Centro de Educación CREATIVA Cloud Forest School, mientras sus hijas asistían al séptimo y al undécimo grado.
Más tarde ese año se mudó a Monteverde de forma permanente y enseñó humanidades en la escuela secundaria en Monteverde Friends School (MFS). Después de un año de enseñanza, fue contratada como directora de la escuela de MFS en 2017. Antes de eso, la Rev. Sue (como la llamaban cariñosamente después de convertirse en ministra unitaria universalista ordenada) sirvió como pastora en iglesias en Maine durante 20 años.
También ha organizado campañas políticas para la atención médica como un derecho humano, el matrimonio entre personas del mismo sexo y el cambio climático, ha enseñado en universidades y ha formado parte de muchas juntas comunitarias.
Tiene dos maestrías, una en Educación de Adultos y otra en Divinidad, es ABD en un programa de Doctorado en Servicios Humanos Multidisciplinarios.
Sue ha trabajado en administración de educación superior y navegó tres veces en el Programa Semester at Sea.
Tiene dos hijas: Grace y Ellie (ambas graduadas de MFS) y está casada con Ulises Salazar Leiton.
Le encanta leer, jugar al billar, caminar, las aguas termales y otras actividades al aire libre.

My name is Arleny González Rodríguez, I am from Monteverde and I am the
mother of a fourteen-year-old girl.
Passionate about teaching, I came to CEC in 2011 as a Special Education teacher,
a year later I started teaching Spanish and Social Studies. Eleven years have
passed and I feel very honored to work at the Creative School. I completed my
high school studies at the C.T.P.S.E, in Monteverde. I took my training in education
at the Universidad Metropolitana Castro Carazo and I am currently getting a
master's degree in Educational Administration.
Teaching has always been a great motivation in my life and I strive every day to
support and make learning a pleasant experience for students.

Hello! My name is María, I was born in Puntarenas. I have lived in Monteverde for 9 years and I think I will always stay in this beautiful place. I am a teacher of Spanish as a second language. I am so happy to work at the CEC. I have six years of experience as an ELA teacher and have worked in some other institutions in Monteverde as a teacher. I am currently studying Basic General Education at the university. I love spending time with my students, going out to the forest and discovering new animals or going to learn in the nature that surrounds us. I really enjoy teaching my students and seeing how they acquired new knowledge and skills in the Spanish language. In my spare time I like to bike and play with my dogs, and I really love spending quality time with my family.

My full name is Sarah Burbank Hills. I’ve spent half of my life in the USA and the other half living here in Monteverde. At University, I studied Sociology and Spanish and when I had my third child I earned my Master’s Degree in Education and TESOL level 5. I am ecstatic to return as part of the staff at the Cloud Forest School. The school is the reason I first came here in ‘99 and it remains one of the principle reasons I have stayed for so many years. I’m extremely excited to see two of my three children return to the Cloud Forest School after this last school year spent in a pandemic, locked up to study in the house. And after 8 years of teaching children ESL online, it will be a great privilege to now be able to share with students and colleagues, whether in the classroom, a field, a trail, a dance floor, my Lecheria, or painting, walking, cooking, listening to music, making bread or swimming in a river or the sea.

My name is Hellen Soto Segura, I am a native of this community of Santa Elena de Monteverde, I attended primary and secondary school at the School and College of Santa Elena de Monteverde. I am married and we have a 9 year old daughter. I have worked at the Creative School for almost 8 years, before the pandemic, and I am very happy to return and continue again, in this school and beautiful family that is the CEC. My work is in administrative functions and in the finance area, I am an accessible, friendly person and I hope to collaborate with the institution because I love my job and dealing with the families of the community, I thank God very much, first for our reopening of the School and the opportunity to collaborate in such a prestigious institution as the Creative School. Thank you very much.

My name is Cinthya Brenes Araya. I’m someone who always wants to work and to help out. I’m honest, friendly and responsible. I like to go out with my family in my free time and I am very happy to work for the Cloud Forest School community.

Bridget Broomfield has been a teacher for over 20 years, working in St Thomas, New York City, Arizona, Maine, and Kenya. Working primarily with teenagers, she has taught English, Theater, Humanities, Visual Arts, Equestrian, and String Ensembles. She is passionate about encouraging the love of learning, respect for the Earth and its people, verbal and artistic expression, and supporting students to become their best selves. She’s excited about starting a new adventure at CEC with her children, Tesla (10) and Milo (7) and husband Jeremy. She loves to ride horses, play violin, refinish furniture, garden, write, and cook. She relishes any creative project that brings people together.

I am proud to have lived all my life in San Luis de Monteverde! Currently I am a member of the Development Association (ADI). I like to collaborate in different activities for the well-being of my community.
I practice athletics with my parents, they show me every day the importance of movement for both physical and mental health.
I am the mother of a wonderful child named Matías, he is my greatest motivation and through whom I discovered my interest in learning about comprehensive childhood care and education. (Since 2016)
As an early childhood education assistant, I love seeing boys and girls stimulating their different areas of development through what they love the most, PLAY! And being able to work on what I love makes me feel very grateful. I am also the school librarian.

My name is Cristina Castro Leitón and I have been working at this school for 19 years. I love my job and this beautiful mountain where Cloud Forest School CREATIVE Education Center is located.
My husband’s name is Lot and we have been married for 30 years. We have 3 children and 3 grandchildren. My oldest grandson’s name is Nicolas and he studies at CREATIVA in first grade. My 3 children graduated from CREATIVE Education Center Cloud Forest School and love this place as I do. My oldest son works in Singapore as a Music and Drama teacher. I enjoy walking in the forest, listening to music, reading and going to the beach.

My name is Dalverto Carranza Montero and I am the security guard at the CEC. I have four children and two little granddaughters and I have lived in Monteverde for 15 years. I am originally from San Rafael de Abangares. I completed my high school education in San Ramón de Alajuela. I worked for many years in the coffee growers cooperatives in Tilarán (Coopetila y Coopeldós) as a forest promoter and technician in coffee cultivation. I also worked in ICE in Tilarán as a security guard and as a taxi driver in Monteverde.
I love God, nature, the countryside and cultivating and processing coffee.

Adele first came to Monteverde in 2017 as an intern with the CEC summer program. She has been hoping to come back ever since. After graduating from Mount Holyoke College in 2019, she taught kindergarten and first grade for two years in New Haven, CT, where she spent time celebrating young people and nurturing classroom community during the pandemic. Most recently, she worked for social justice and lived in intentional community as a fellow with Quaker Voluntary Service in Boston, MA. Adele can most often be found reading, participating in community organizing, and getting excited about the creatures she finds in the woods. She is delighted to join the CEC team.

I am a native of Alajuela, I arrived in the Monteverde area at the end of 2019, currently I have already established my family in this beautiful area.
Privileged to be a dad, lover of technology; Since I was a child until today, I dedicate a large part of my life to learning about technology and its advances.
Specialized in the area of maintenance and technical support.
I have several certifications such as: Preventive and corrective maintenance of computer equipment at the National Learning Institute, Computer operator and complete use of office automation at the National Technical University, Introduction to cybersecurity from Cisco Network Academy, Digitization of Google businesses, Cybersecurity in Telecommuting by Google and the National Institute of Cybersecurity of Spain.
I like to share my knowledge with other people, I consider myself self-taught in most areas of computing, I am very social, which allows me to exchange knowledge with other people in the profession. I love adding value to organizations and working on projects for mutual growth.

My name is Michelle Cruz, I live in Monteverde. I’m an assistant at the Creativa and the mother of a little girl named Mia. I am a very creative person. I love art, design, photography and walking in the forest.

My name is Hillary Cruz, I’m from Monteverde and I studied at the CEC all my life until I graduated. I am very happy to be able to work in my beloved school, since I have great affection for it having spent many years here, and also because the campus is beautiful, it is a large forest with classrooms, where children can explore and learn surrounded by nature. I am a graduate of the Universidad Hispanoamericana as an English teacher. I am so excited to be teaching first and second graders and make a mark in their learning.

My name is Adriana Corrales García, I am 39 years old. I live in Monteverde.
I am currently studying to be a preschool assistant.
My personal and professional goal is to finish my studies and enrich my knowledge.
I am a sociable, cheerful and supportive person. In my free time I like to spend time with my family and friends, I like to see new places and spend time outdoors.

Hello, my name is Francisco Marques and I am the music teacher at the Creativa. I have been studying, teaching and performing Brazilian music for 20 years. I love working with students to unlock their passion for music and I especially love teaching students to perform as a group. We put on some epic parent performances at the Creativa!
I was born in São Paulo, Brazil and raised in the United States. I received a BA in Music from Colby College and have been a member of adjunct faculty in the music department at Naropa University in Boulder, as well as faculty at the esteemed California Brazil Camp

Hi, I’m Hannah, a student intern from Germany. I am studying grade school education in the beautiful city of Freiburg to become a music and language teacher. Recently, climate change and the need for environmental education has increasingly been on my mind, leading me to search for internship opportunities where I could learn about fostering understanding of and love for nature. I’m so happy I found the CEC and was able to come here with the help of an academic exchange scholarship. In addition to the environmental program, another thing that I love about the CEC is the bilingual teaching. Having grown up bilingual myself, I am very passionate about helping kids navigate a bilingual classroom and find their voice in both languages. I’m excited to learn, help and teach. Gracias por la oportunidad!

Hello, my name is Alyssa Brown, I am from Colorado, USA, and I am so excited to join the CEC school as a 5th-6th grade teacher. Teaching English has given me the opportunity to travel, experience new cultures, and most importantly, find my passion. My passion is to help others feel confident and simply excited about learning. I have experience teaching English in the US, South Korea, and Costa Rica. I have taught students, ages 2-60 with all different levels of English and have enjoyed every experience. In South Korea specifically, I taught a well-versed curriculum with creative projects and real life applications. I loved that I could make young students feel so self-assured, heard, and valued while being in a fun and inviting atmosphere. During my time in Korea, I was promoted to the head instructor where I managed and supported other teachers so that they could make their students feel the same. I provide a fun, safe, and welcoming environment with patience and understanding to help students successfully reach their goals and find their own passions! We never stop learning, might as well enjoy it!

Hello, I’m Pamela Villalobos, the lucky art teacher at the Creativa and firm believer that “art and culture cure madness.” During our class we talk, laugh and allow our imaginations to fly. I love teaching with unconventional methodologies and offering students many ways to find their own style and expression. I was born in San José and studied Fine Art with an emphasis on oil painting through an academic program with the Ministry of Culture at the Escuela Casa del Artista Olga Espinach Fernández. Afterwords, I specialized in Advertising with a Bachelor’s degree and licensure. I also have certificates in Inclusive Education, Pedagogical Mediation, Universal Learning Design, Social Model of Disability among others.
I am a member of our community’s Cultural Commission and a promoter of the Monteverde school of Fine Arts, a non-profit that seeks to expose young people to the arts. I’m lucky to have received training from the great local artist, Helena Guindon, who shared with me her incredible techniques learned through her career as an artist and teacher. So prepare yourselves for your children’s art day, they will come home full of stains, motivation and creative energy!

Ulises, who was born in Monteverde, is very proud to be part of the team to help re-open the Cloud Forest School. Ulises has previously worked in maintenance a the Friends School in Monteverde, has his own wood shop for making furniture and other wood products, and is known to be able to fix or “MacGayver” almost anything. He is looking forward to serving the whole school community for all of their maintenance, building, construction and gardening needs!

Jeremy Broomfield has experience in technology, administration, and systems. In a decade at Verde Valley School, (a boarding school in Sedona, Arizona) he was a Visual Art teacher, database administrator, dorm parent, director of residential life, meditation instructor, and yearbook editor. He is passionate about making things work better and he believes the creation and/or appreciation of art is essential to a well-lived life. He loves spreadsheets, puzzles, and modern tabletop games. In his spare time, he is a musician, singer, songwriter, painter, poet, and baker.

My name is Ipsilan Castillo, but I go by Ipsi. Monteverde is my hometown. Attending both the Monteverde Friends School and the CEC were a big part of my development, where my passion for teaching and learning ignited. I graduated high school from Olney Friends School in Ohio, USA. In May 2021 I got an “Early Childhood Education and Intervention” degree at Wilmington College. During my time at Wilmington I became involved with many different clubs and programs which led me to win the Quaker Impact Award. I’m enthusiastic about returning to Monteverde and giving back to the community I love. I’m eager to be part of the journey of each one of my students as they start their exciting learning adventure.

My name is Tatiana Vargas Muñoz but they call me Tati. I am an assistant in preschool and a university student studying Early Childhood Education. I’m 19 years old and a native of Monteverde. Although young, I have had experience with young children and have worked as a volunteer with PANI.
I had the experience to study as an exchange student at the Friend’s School in Baltimore and since then I have had several opportunities to travel, which is something I love.

Sue first spent her first extended time in Monteverde in 2016 as a volunteer in the library at the CEC while her daughters attended 7th and 11th grade. Later that year she moved to Monteverde permanently and taught high school humanities at Monteverde Friends School (MFS). After a year of teaching she was hired as the Head of School of MFS in 2017. Before that, Rev. Sue (as she was affectionately called after becoming an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister) served as a pastor in churches in Maine for 20 years. She has also organized political campaigns for healthcare as a human right, same-sex marriage, and climate change, she has taught at universities, and served on many community boards. She has two master’s degrees, one in Adult Education and one in Divinity, she is ABD in a PhD program in Multi-Disciplinary Human Services. Sue has worked in higher education administration and sailed three times on the Semester at Sea Program. She has two daughters: Grace and Ellie (both graduates of MFS) and is married to Ulises Salazar Leiton. She loves reading, playing pool, walking, hot springs and other outdoor activities.