Latin: Latin 1, Adv. Latin 2, AP Latin, Adv. Latin 3, Adv. Latin 4, Latin Literature

French: French 1, French 2, Adv. French 3, AP French Language and Culture, French Conversation Workshop

Spanish: Spanish 1, Spanish 2, Adv. Spanish 2, Spanish 3, Adv. Spanish 3, Spanish 4, AP Spanish Language and Culture

Mandarin: Mandarin 1, Adv. Mandarin 2, and Adv. Mandarin 3, Adv. Mandarin 4

Marino Carlos Segura Beltran (M.A. & Ph.D.) Was born in Valencia, Spain. Marino loves more than just traveling, he loves being part of different countries and cultures. He has lived in Italy, Mexico, Russia, United States and Colombia. Additionally, he has a passion for cats, parrots, dogs, books, sports (live and on TV). Marino was a City councilman in his Home Town, but has lost the mood for the politician life. He was most recently in the States to complete his MA and Ph.D. and work in a private Jewish School for ten years.

Lorin Lee (B A., M.A. in Asian Cultures and Languages from The University of Texas at Austin) is the Dean of the World Languages department. She joined St. Thomas in 2017 to create and build the Mandarin program. Prior to coming to St. Thomas, she was a Fulbright scholar in South Korea and studied Chinese at Zhejiang University of Technology in China and National Chengchi University in Taiwan.

Nelson Patiño

Emma Pluquet (B.A, Université Libre de Bruxelles; Post Graduate Degrees, Université Libre de Bruxelles; Université Catholique de Louvain; M.Ed. Nicholls State University) joined the faculty in 2016 and teaches French I, II and III, and AP French Language and Culture. Prior teaching assignments include: Lockport Upper Elementary in Louisiana, in addition to the Institute of Continuing Education in Brussels, Ecole Privée à Programmes Belges de Lubumbashi in Republic Democratic of Congo.

Maurice Taraschi (B.A. Ancient Studies, University of Maryland; M.A. Mathematics, University of Minnesota; M.Ed. Latin, West Chester University) began teaching at STH in 2019. His former teaching assignments were Towson State University, Classical Academy, and Saint Thomas Academy. He taught 22 years at this last school and led 14 trips to European countries. He teaches Advanced Latin 1, 2, and 3 as well as AP Latin.

Danny Hernandez ’08 (B.A., University of San Diego, M.T.S., Boston College) joined the faculty in 2016. He also serves as the assistant Cross Country coach. Danny has had a rich history with the Basilian Fathers having graduated from both St. Anne Catholic School in 2004 and St. Thomas High School in 2008. While in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, he taught at Brooklyn Jesuit Prep in Brooklyn, NY.

Christopher Patton ‘13 (B.A. with Honors in International Relations from Austin College) is a proud graduate of St. Thomas High School who taught at St. Thomas from 2017 to 2018 and happily rejoined the faculty in 2022. He began his own study of Spanish as a Freshman at St. Thomas, studied throughout his time at university (including at la Universidad de La Habana in Cuba), and now teaches Spanish 1.

Armando Espinoza was born in Piura, Peru. He studied Business Administration at San Marcos National University in Lima, the capital of his native country. Throughout his life, Mr. Espinoza has been able to combine his business activities with the teaching of English and Spanish to speakers of other languages. His passion for Spanish literature led him to study a Master’s in Hispanic studies at Auburn University, where he had the opportunity to teach Spanish to undergraduate students. Mr. Espinoza loves cooking and traveling. He has visited 16 countries in Latin America, an experience that has enriched his life in many ways.