Cristina Barvo is from Bogotá, Colombia where, after earning her BS in Industrial Engineering from Universidad Javeriana, she worked in marketing and sales for Hewlett-Packard. After moving to the United States in 2002, she completed a post-graduate Certificate in Special Studies in Administration and Management from Harvard University and worked as a marketing consultant for small and medium businesses with a focus on Hispanic Marketing for eight years. In 2009, she transitioned to the education field, fell in love with social constructivism, and taught preschool at Evergreen Community School in Santa Monica for six years. She earned her Early Childhood Education credentials from UCLA, participated in a study tour at the Reggio Emilia Institute in Sweden in 2014, and was part of the founding staff of the Pedagogical Institute of Los Angeles where she has worked as a mentor teacher and consultant, training teachers from all over the United States and around the world. Being fluent in English and Spanish, she supports families and educators through her company, Empower Kids for Life. She is proud of raising a bilingual son and is looking forward to inspiring children to expand their perspectives through learning a new language and exploring different cultures. She loves a good conversation, reading, dancing, and traveling around the world.