Gabriel comes to the MBS Upper School World Language Department from the Buxton School in Williamstown, MA, where he served as a Spanish teacher and a residential faculty member. He holds a B.A. in Spanish and Russian from SUNY Albany, an M.A. in Spanish Linguistics from SUNY Albany, an M.A. in Russian from Middlebury College, and a Ph.D. in Spanish Linguistics from SUNY Albany. Gabriel states that “being a heritage learner of Spanish and a second language learner of Russian has greatly influenced my approach to teaching. As a student and a person, I learned to rise to the challenges of being away from one’s family, outside of one’s culture, by developing a sense of independence, resourcefulness, and bravery to accomplish one’s goals. I guide my students and encourage them to take risks so that they too may reap the benefits of hard work and determination.”