Who are we?
Our mission is to make bilingualism a vibrant part of every child's life.
Five years ago, when Lelu Founder and CEO, Ana Leyva, became a mom, she realized she’d have to get really creative and work really hard if she wanted her kids to grow up as thriving bilinguals in the US.
“My husband and I knew that bilingualism was a must for our kids. We were living in LA and shocked that even there we couldn’t find the resources to support our bilingualism. The books and tools lacked depth and range of language, and so we started creating our own tools to support our bilingual home - we wrote our own books, created our own at-home aides and other families started asking us for support and guidance. That was really the beginning of Lelu. I realized this problem extended far beyond our home as American parents are increasingly seeing the enormous benefits of bilingualism.”
This pivotal realization led Ana to pursue master’s degrees at Stanford Graduate School of Education and Stanford Graduate school of Business. Ana is a huge fan of multidisciplinary learning, and has had a transformative educational trajectory-- this #mompreneur is also the first in her family to go to college (Princeton University) and to get Master's degrees!
The team
Jessica Gutierrez
Growth Marketing Leader
Favorite thing about being bilingual:
Oh man, such a seemingly easy question is so hard to sum up into a short answer!
My favorite thing about being bilingual is connection! Connecting with my heritage. Connecting with strangers when I travel. And the ability to connect with customers, clients, and colleagues all over the world!
Schools:
• University of Southern California (BA)
• Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University (MBA)
Kelly Bernd
Fulfillment and Operations Manager
Favorite thing about being bilingual:
The opportunity to meet and connect with new people!
Schools:
• University of California, Los Angeles (BA)
Marielos Sansón
Lead Digital Experience Designer
Favorite thing about being bilingual:
The opportunities that come with it! I have been able to study in countries with 3 different official languages thanks to my bilingualism. It also makes traveling easier and much more fun!
Schools:
• Stanford University (BS in Engineering and MS in Computer Science)
• IESE (MBA)
Jordan Howcroft
Design Specialist
Favorite thing about being bilingual:
Being able to enjoy movies, music, and more in another language
Schools:
• University of Michigan (B.S.)
Mathieu Penot
Lead Learning Experience Designer
Favorite thing about being bilingual:
Being able to communicate and connect with more people around the world, and better understand cultural differences for food, traditions, education, etc.
Schools:
• Stanford Graduate School of Education (M.Sc)
• École Centrale de Nantes, France (M.Eng)
Ana Leyva
Founder & CEO
Favorite thing about being bilingual:
Sooooo many, but one of the tops is being able to understand amazing cumbia and salsa songs (and all of Selena’s music)!
Schools:
• Princeton University (AB)
• Stanford University (M.Ed and MBA)