Our Staff

Lindsey Stapel

President

In 2005, Lindsey began her career with Futura Language Professionals as a Spanish teacher, serving the Madison area schools for two years. Lindsey cultivated her interest in Spanish education while studying at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and during the study abroad experience in Oaxaca, Mexico, with volunteer opportunities at a bilingual Elementary school. This opportunity not only enhanced her language skills but also inspired her love of Mexican culture. It was there that she realized her desire to spread the goals of second language acquisition, primarily Spanish, in the United States. Lindsey graduated with Distinction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Spanish and Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies.

Lindsey has also traveled, volunteered, and studied at Escuela La Union, in Antigua, Guatemala as well as traveling to Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. In 2013, Lindsey was promoted to the leadership role as the Director for Futura, working alongside the President and founder to oversee management as well as coordinating company goals and strategies. Lindsey has continued to grow Futura’s programs in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and live virtual settings on a mission to provide dynamic and enriching language learning opportunities. As a co-writer on the curriculum development team, Lindsey continued to develop theme-based Vamos lessons for Elementary students, cultural resources, and a comprehensive adult curriculum.

As of September 2020, Lindsey took over ownership of Futura Language Professionals and is driven to continue promoting the company’s mission through quality Spanish education programs. As a mother of two elementary-age children, she values the opportunity to provide Spanish courses to students, sparking their love of language learning and fostering cultural awareness. She continues to gain travel, language, and cultural experiences with her husband during recent visits to Chichén Itzá in Mexico and Machu Picchu in Peru.

Telephone: 414-793-9698
Email:  LindseyM@FuturaAdventures.com

Sandy O’Keefe

Program Manager for Wisconsin and Minnesota

Sandy joined Futura Language Professionals in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her education emphasized the importance of introducing children to diverse cultural experiences early on, helping them grow into confident, well-rounded individuals with a deeper appreciation for life.

Sandy is a skilled administrative and marketing professional with over two decades of experience working directly with children and their families. For 13 years, Sandy served as Futura’s Program Coordinator and recently advanced to the role of Program Manager, where she leads the program’s strategic direction and implementation. Sandy serves as a vital link between families and our community partners.

Outside of work, Sandy enjoys spending time with her children—her daughter is a sophmore at UW-Madison, and her son is a senior in high school. Sandy and her boyfriend are annual passholders of Walt Disney World, where they love to travel!

Sandy is dedicated to early language learning, believing it plays a crucial role in connecting cultures and expanding children’s horizons. Please contact Sandy with any questions related to our Enrichment programs.

Telephone: 262-719-9332
Email: sandyo@FuturaAdventures.com

 

Wisconsin Staff

Greta Gonzalez

milwaukee bilingual managerBilingual Area Manager, Milwaukee

Greta joined Futura Language Professionals in 2024 as an Enrichment Teacher and soon after took on a part-time role in the Integrated Program. In 2025, she became the Bilingual Manager for the Milwaukee area.
A native Spanish speaker from Argentina, Greta spent her first 14 years there before moving to Spain, where she earned a degree in tourism. She then spent a decade in England working as a hospitality manager, where she honed her English skills and deepened her appreciation for diverse cultures.
Driven by a love for travel and cross-cultural connection, Greta fulfilled a lifelong dream by working aboard a cruise ship for two years. Her passion for language and cultural exchange became even more personal as she raised her bilingual son, an experience that reinforced her belief in the value of learning languages from a young age.
Now, after discovering her passion for teaching through her work with Futura, Greta is excited to inspire others. As Bilingual Manager, she is committed to supporting and empowering new instructors as they begin their own journey in language education.

Please contact Greta regarding employment opportunities in the Milwaukee area:
Telephone: 262-622-2637
Email: Greta@FuturaAdventures.com

Angelica Soto Andrade

Bilingual Area Supervision, Milwaukee

Angelica joined Futura Language Professionals in 2025 as the Milwaukee Bilingual Teacher Supervisor. A proud native Spanish speaker with roots in Mexico, she is passionate about sharing her language and cultural heritage with both students and fellow educators.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Political Science from Marquette University. Her passion for youth development began through her work with the Boys and Girls Club, where she mentored elementary and middle school students. This experience ignited her love for guiding and empowering young learners.
During the pandemic, Angelica expanded her role in education as a tutor at St. Joan Antida High School. There, she developed creative and adaptive teaching strategies to keep students engaged and supported in a remote learning environment. These experiences have shaped her commitment to building inclusive, encouraging classrooms where students feel empowered and excited to learn Spanish.
Outside the classroom, Angelica enjoys spending quality time with her family and regularly travels to Mexico, reconnecting with her roots and finding continued inspiration in her culture. Her journey as an educator is deeply shaped by her experiences both at home and abroad. She remains committed to growing as a leader and advocating bilingual education, supporting fellow teachers, and inspiring students through the power of language and cultural connection.

Email: Angelica@FuturaAdventures.com

Iveth Lopez

Bilingual Area Manager, Madison

Iveth joined Futura Language Professionals as a Spanish teacher in 2023. She received the Professionalism Award during her first semester, which was a very rewarding moment in her career. In 2024, she became the Bilingual Manager for the Madison area. Her main goals are to recruit teachers who share her passion for teaching and to impart her knowledge and ideas to our teachers and students.

She is a native Spanish speaker from Peru who also speaks fluent English, basic German, and has been learning Russian because one of her goals is to learn a different alphabet. She strongly believes that we never stop learning, which is why a teacher’s role is very important in our lives.

Iveth discovered her passion for teaching and learning about different cultures at a young age. She attended a British-Peruvian school, where she met people from all over the world. During her undergrad years, she had the opportunity to participate in many cultural exchanges in Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands. After graduating from the University, she volunteered in a social project where she taught English and Spanish to young students in Brazil. Her passion for teaching foreign languages and learning different cultures has taken her to many parts of the world. She has taught English and Spanish onsite and online to children and adults in Peru, China, and South Korea. She has experience in bilingual administrative roles as well.

Please contact Iveth with any questions related to our Enrichment programs in Madison.

Email: Iveth@FuturaAdventures.com

Minnesota Staff

Juliann Hoffman

Bilingual Area Manager, Minnesota

Juliann graduated in 2013 from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish and Sociology. She has taken every possible opportunity to travel the world and has been to many places – Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Curacao, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Panama, Uruguay, Brazil…but the most memorable moments occurred when she traveled the true country sides of Panama (and climbing the highest volcano!), Uruguay, and Brazil. Her favorite part of those trips was staying with local families, experiencing their culture and delicious food, and getting to see the side of these beautiful countries that most tourists don’t get to see!

She has spent the last 5 1/2 years working in administration for a Spanish Immersion Intercultural preschool in Minnesota. In her time there, she grew professionally while leading a team of early childhood educators. She started learning Spanish at the age of 12, and she joined Futura to be able to inspire other children to learn a second language at a young age too! Her passion for not only the Spanish language but the beautiful culture that accompanies it is what has led her to Futura.

Please contact Juliann regarding Spanish programs or employment opportunities in Minnesota:
Telephone: (952) 261-4105
Email:  Juliann@FuturaAdventures.com

 

Darina Gaievska

Bilingual Teacher Supervisor, Minnesota

Darina joined the Futura Language Professionals corporate staff as a Bilingual Teacher Supervisor in 2024, after having taught with Futura for some time. Darina realized that she had a passion for learning languages ever since she was a child. Originally from Ukraine, she grew up speaking both Russian and Ukrainian. After her family moved to the United States at the age of 12, she quickly acquired English speaking skills to assimilate to the new environment. Afterwards, Darina went on to learn French and Spanish in High School.

Darina continued learning Spanish in Miami, both in an academic setting and with friends. She graduated from the University of Miami in 2017 and recognized her interest in remaining a lifelong learner of Spanish.

Having grown up in three different countries, Darina enjoys exploring other cultures and expanding her mind on different perspectives, ideas, traditions. She loves to learn from other people and believes that cross-cultural exchange opens horizons beyond one’s wildest imagination. Darina takes this type of mindset into her classroom as well, where she intends to learn as much from the students as they from her.

Email: Darina@FuturaAdventures.com

Support Staff

Citlali Villafuerte

Curriculum and Technology Coordinator

Citlali joined Futura Language Professionals in 2022 as an Enrichment Instructor for the spring semester at three different locations and has since desired to become more involved with the company and program. She graduated from Alverno College in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Spanish/English Healthcare Interpretation. Citlali has spent time interning at both middle and high schools with a higher Hispanic population and at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to interpret for Spanish speaking families. Following her exposure with younger populations, Citlali knew she wanted to continue working with children.

Citlali grew up exposed to her family’s Mexican culture and explored other Latin cultures during cultural events at Alverno College. Both of these series of events inspired her to want to combine her love of culture and her enjoyment of working with children within her career, which led to her applying with Futura. Citlali joined our leadership team in the spring of 2022 as the area manager in our Milwaukee location. In the summer of 2025, she relocated to Texas and continues to work on our team as the Curriculum and Technology coordinator, bringing her passion and experience in Spanish education to all of our programs.

Email: Citlali@FuturaAdventures.com

Andrea Ryerson

Payroll Coordinator

Andrea joined Futura Language Professionals in 2023 as the Payroll Coordinator. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for efficiency, Andrea ensures smooth payroll operations for the team. Outside of her role as payroll coordinator, she is a devoted mother of three, who enjoys watching her children pursue their various hobbies and interests. She enjoys spending her remaining free time photographing families and reading.