A native of the Dominican Republic, Yolanda’s passion is educating young children. Founder of I'm Bilingual!, an innovative bilingual arts education program in New York City, Yolanda continues to impact children around the world through online presentations and workshops. 

 

Her lifelong dream is to promote the highest quality music experiences for children worldwide. After fifteen years of research and testing her educational materials and activities at I’m Bilingual! Yolanda began designing illustrated song books based on all time favorite children’s songs in Spanish-speaking countries. She has created award-winning products that help support the acquisition of languages during early childhood. 

 

Yolanda’s products include ¡Cantemos todos juntos! a Tillywig Award Winning CD (Let's Sing Together) as well as Los pajaritos (The Little Birds), La finca (The Farm) and Los pollitos (The Little Chicks) illustrated song books. She has created complementary materials such as printable activity sheets, vocabulary, rhythm and math card games to support the learning experience. Yolanda’s educational materials have received awards from Family Choice, Tillywig Toy and Media, International Latino Book, Mom’s Choice, Purple Dragonfly and Parents’ Choice awards. 

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In 2011 Yolanda created a foundation in the Dominican Republic as part of her life’s dream of developing a social responsibility project to offer musical and educational activities to all audiences in her native country. Currently, she is President of the Fundación de la Villa de Santo Domingo and Executive Director of Conciertos de la Villa de Santo Domingo, an annual music festival in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo.

 

 Yolanda obtained a Bachelor of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and a Master of Educational Administration from Columbia University Teachers College in New York City. As the founder of I’m Bilingual! Yolanda was selected to participate in an SME program at Columbia Business School's Eugene Lang Center in New York City.

 

Yolanda is a member of Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in the field of education, and is affiliated with national and international professional organizations. Yolanda was a featured alumnus in the Johns Hopkins University Magazine for "Teaching music in many languages" and has been interviewed by programs affiliated with NPR and by EdLab at Columbia University Teachers College. She has also been featured in national and international publications including the New York Times. 

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