Meet Our Team
Our team of native-speaking language instructors have more than 30 years of combined experience, and teach according to proven methods, and by inspiring students to reach their full potential while connecting cultures.
Liudmila Orlova, Director
In my life I always enjoyed working with children! It’s fun to see them make their little discoveries and surprise us with their originality and unconventional solutions. With children we tend to enjoy together both their success and path towards achieving their goals. The educator’s task is to ensure there is a proper amount of emotional support for each student to unleash their full intellectual potential, reaching high academic standards and building their self-confidence all the way through adulthood. Each child has their own skills and unique talents, and our main goal here at UMKA is to see them unfold their potential to the fullest!
My desire to work in the area of child development motivated me to establish an educational language center in Sarasota where each child can discover their unique natural abilities, uncover talents, make their little wonderful discoveries, and, most importantly, preserve their parents' native language (Russian or Ukrainian)! I am proud of my students and enjoy seeing the results of their work!
As for myself, I graduated from a high-school with a major in Physics and Math, while also studying at a music school at the same time. Despite my love for mathematics, I was so passionate about music that I decided to pursue it at a college level instead and ended up going to a music conservatory with a concentration in piano. After completing my education in music, I worked for 18 years teaching music in Russia, plus 5 years at an elementary school teaching courses outside of music.
After moving to the US, I continued my pedagogical activities. I worked at an elementary school teaching a variety of Russian courses both in groups and individually to bilingual kids, including mathematics (to help kids with admission to specialized schools), reading, writing, and piano lessons.
With my move to Sarasota, I realized that there was no Russian-speaking school around here where I could apply my skills and experience. Instead of waiting for one to appear, I decided to create my own school for children from 3 -15 y.o. interested in learning Russian and/or Ukrainian languages.
Oksana Avtonomova, Russian/Ukrainian Teacher
Oksana is a teacher and child psychologist with many years of experience. She began her career as a nurse, and her first pediatric education serves as an important support in her work with children, allowing her to promptly recognize the occurrence of a problem in the child’s health, and also react quickly and professionally in an emergency if first aid is required.
Oksana also graduated Mariupol State University and received a bachelor's degree and specialist in the field of Practical Psychology. Oksana worked as a teacher - psychologist and consultant in various children's educational and educational institutions, including the Montessori Development Center, the Kiev private children's kindergarten and children's sports school. Over the years of work in the field of child psychology and Oksana demonstrated a high level of professionalism in her upbringing, qualifications and moral and ethical standards.
Her achievements and successes in working with children were noted more than once by the leadership of organizations and parents of students. Into her circle responsibilities included psychological testing, advisory educational work with parents, preparation of educational and methodological programs for working with children of different ages, including children with special needs, conducting developmental activities, preparing children for school, childcare, ensuring the safety, hygiene and regime of the child, etc.
Oksana is able to lead professional activities and communicate with children and their parents both in Russian, and in Ukrainian. She is distinguished by a broad outlook, a creative approach to business, love for her work and care for the students entrusted to her. Oksana herself is mother of three children and combines both professional and personal experience education and care of children and schoolchildren.
Ekaterina Borodina, Russian Teacher
For the last 8 years, I have been teaching Russian language, speech development, mathematics, logic, and the environment to bilingual preschool and elementary kids.
In my classes, children tend to do a lot of crafts, appliqués, drawing, and sculpting in clay. As a core principle of my methodology, I use neuro games to enhance their learning process and develop intelligence. Kids move around in my classes, sing songs, and play board games.
For my education, I have a college degree, and I constantly participate in various pedagogical marathons and webinars with a focus on preschool and elementary-level education. I also learn online from the best teachers and neuropsychologists.
A year ago, my family and I moved from California to Sarasota, and in this beautiful city, I continued my favorite job.
English Teacher
