the Founder of English Compass
Before dedicating herself full-time to the development of English Compass, Angelica embarked on her career as a social studies teacher in the United States. Her unique family background connects her deeply to her mother’s Apache roots in the San Luis Valley and her father’s Argentinean heritage rooted in New York City. This personal history, which diverged significantly from the standardized American History curriculum she taught, sparked her interest in migration and how language shapes identity among marginalized communities.
After earning her Bachelor of Arts in History, Angelica traveled extensively before settling in Norway, where she currently lives with her daughter. Her own journey in learning Norwegian provided firsthand insights into the professional, personal, and emotional challenges posed by language barriers. This experience motivated her to explore teaching English to adult learners. In 2015, she returned to New York City to obtain her CELTA certification for teaching English to speakers of other languages.
Angelica initially taught General English and IELTS preparation as part of Norway’s Introduction Program, alongside Business English courses and workshops for job seekers. Despite her love for traditional classroom teaching, she sought to offer a more interactive and convenient learning experience for her students. By transitioning group courses into personalized online courses, she could tailor materials to individual needs. Today, English Compass boasts a diverse team of specialized teachers. Angelica personally meets each prospective student for a free consultation to ensure they are matched with the teacher best suited to their goals.
To enhance personalization further, Angelica joined the global “Write Your Self” writing movement as a certified guide. She integrated their trauma-sensitive writing methodology with her ESL materials, leading to the creation of the Compass Courses. These courses are meant to elevate language through introspective and contemplative writing, emphasizing the belief that mastering a language requires emotional and personal connections to expressing ideas through storytelling.
In addition to online-private courses, English Compass offers an online-group workshop led by Angelica weekly. The two-hour workshop, Inclusive Language: Allyship and Awareness, fosters discussions on evolving English language usage, and promotes inclusivity in the workplace. Participants remain anonymous to encourage open dialogue about inclusive language and definitions of new terms in our cultural climate of identity. Outside of English Compass, Angelica volunteers with Unity Spark, an organization dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs in Norway with multicultural backgrounds through mentorship and networking.