“A team that delivers.”

Spark Spanish is a company run by an experienced, passionate and dedicated team. All of us have a lot of experience in language teaching in many different areas, including language academies, primary and secondary schools and language camps. Every day we use our experience and knowledge to provide our students with the opportunities they need to make their language learning a positive adventure.  Students will find our team personal and full of brightspark ideas, not to mention the all important helping hand whenever needed!

Douglas Haines

Douglas Haines is the General Manager of Spark meaning his role is to keep things ticking from behind the scenes.  He has been involved in language education since he was 17 and in language management since he was 22.  He has 11 years experience running quality language programmes for TECS, Spark’s educational partner, and brings with him to the Spark project a wealth of logistical, administrative and man-management skills, not to mention an innovative mind for language learning. His greatest passion is bringing out the best in his staff which in turn inspires them to bring out the best in their students.  He knows each individual has it in them to learn a language and that they will only achieve that objective if this experience is rewarding.

Did you know that…

…Douglas has created two unique English methodological programmes.

…Douglas has a MA in history.

…Douglas finds it impossible to kill any type of insect and has been known to rescue flies out of people’s beers…

Inge Hol

Inge Hol is the Director of Studies and directly oversees and manages both the Spanish classes and programmes. Her most important role is to maintain high standards in classroom teaching and she achieves this through providing her teachers with the tools, support and innovative ideas they need to be great teachers.  Inge’s unique passion and ability for teaching has fast tracked through the industry taking her from roles as pedagogical developer and manager to Director of Studies. Her main objective is to create a positive learning environment and to inspire learners to have the same passion that she has for language education.

Did you know that…

…Inge has two masters, one in Neuropsychology and one in Medical Anthropology.

…Inge worked in a rural village in Peru where she developed her passion for the Spanish language.

…Inge has “singular synchronous diaphragmatic flutter”, a rare condition that makes her suddenly hiccup (usually just once) at random (and sometimes inconvenient) moments. This means that you might hear Inge well before you see her.

Dávid Randell

Dávid Jimenez Randell is one of the three founders of Spark and the General Manager of Spark’s educational partners TECS and El Centro Inglés.  He provides his co-founders with a valuable source of advice and assistance whenever needed.  He was brought up in a family of educators with his mother having the unique achievement of being the only woman to have founded a private English school during the Franco era in Spain.  David has always had a unique passion for the language learning environment and has passed this love for what he does on to all who have worked with him.

Did you know that…

…David is a licensed pilot.

…David was brought up bilingually by a Welsh mother and Spanish father.

…David started in the business world selling swim suits!

Lorenzo & IT department

Lorenzo Vigentini is the IT coordinator and web designer of Spark. He is harmonising IT systems, controlling information flows and processes as well as maintaining the IT infrastructure. From our side we are happy that our computers and web are functioning well. However, Lorenzo has always had a passion for technology and web design and has accrued a wide expertise in many different areas spanning from digital design, web design, video production, DVD devolopment, e-learning, data mining and much more! He knows how important it is to keep up with the latest technology and he is pivotal in making sure that Spark is innovative and highly competitive in a continuously changing world.  He is the proud designer of our innovative spread the word platform which enables students and interested parties to share spark information easily and quickly.

Did you know that…

…  Lorenzo has a PhD in psychology

…  Lorenzo likes to drive and it wouldn’t be unusual for him to choose to drive for 48 hours across half Europe through snow, fog and ice to see his family rather than taking a plane.

… he has lived in Scotland for a very long time and it might take some time to understand Lorenzo, with his ‘Scotalian‘ accent or when he switches to computerese.