about us

read our story to discover the "why" behind Bilingual Bridges

At Bilingual Bridges, our mission is to provide effective, online bilingual tutoring. We empower students to excel academically and communicate effectively. We are committed to ensuring every student can learn in their native language. By promoting bilingualism and biliteracy, we help build a foundation for lifelong learning and success.

With a team that spans nearly every continent, we offer bilingual math, reading, and world language classes in 15 languages and counting. Since our start, Bilingual Bridges has experienced significant growth, now including 65+ certified bilingual teachers worldwide, and we have proudly served thousands of learners since opening in 2017. This growth is a testament to our success and the effectiveness of our approach.

We also offer private academic and language classes for families. In addition, Bilingual Bridges partners with K-12 schools, the U.S. Department of Education, state governments, and organizations. Through these partnerships, we provide online, high-impact math and reading tutoring to low-income English learners across the United States.

Our live, online classes are available in both bilingual and English formats. These classes are tailored to each student’s learning goals and language background. Students can choose from 15 languages, including English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic, American Sign Language (ASL), Burmese, Haitian Creole, Jamaican Creole, Yoruba, Swahili, Tagalog, Afrikaans, and Russian.

learn about Bilingual Bridges

Our Story: Expanding Access to Bilingual Education

Back in 2017, Alaskan teacher Kelly Minks founded Bilingual Bridges with a determined mission: revolutionizing support for English learners. Faced with the harsh reality of inadequate resources, a shortage of bilingual materials, and insufficient training for instructors in her school and across the nation, Kelly decided to make a change. Through her vision for Bilingual Bridges, she aimed to break down these barriers by offering high-quality curriculum and impactful tutorials, ensuring that every English learner receives the education they deserve.

As a result, Kelly began challenging her colleagues and school administrators with two simple yet profound questions:

Firstly, with school-based bilingual programs dwindling, where could the growing number of English learners find academic support in their native languages and English? Secondly, without access to bilingual tutors, family members, or friends, who could help English learners understand challenging homework assignments?

Unfortunately, people often responded to these questions with shoulder shrugs, eye rolls, and frustration. Despite these reactions, Kelly remained determined to find a solution beyond the traditional K-12 school system. Therefore, she envisioned an innovative approach. Subsequently, she built Bilingual Bridges, an online tutoring platform that connected language learners with bilingual teachers through live, online lessons via Zoom—well before Zoom became a household name! (We’ve since upgraded to Lessonspace!)

Of course, Kelly did not do all the work alone. Instead, she united a remarkable team of certified bilingual teachers who wholeheartedly embraced her vision. Together, they harnessed their collective expertise to scale Bilingual Bridges, providing students around the globe with the support they need to thrive. Fast-forward to 2024. Kelly is shattering barriers by leveraging community partnerships, evidence-based curriculum, and high-impact tutoring to ensure that all students have access to quality education in both their native languages and English.

Kelly Minks with Bilingual Bridges

Meet Our Founder

Kelly Minks has 14 years of experience delivering in-person and online instruction, primarily focusing on areas such as English as a Second Language (ESL), Spanish as a Second Language, bilingual education, dual language immersion, foundational literacy, accent training, and K-6 bilingual education. Throughout her career, Kelly has worked with students of all ages, ranging from kindergarteners to retirees.

Moreover, she holds an M.Ed. in Bilingual Bicultural Education from DePaul University, a B.S. in Human Development & Family Sciences, and a B.A. in International Studies, as well as Illinois and Indiana teaching licenses. Additionally, she earned a CELTA teaching certificate from the University of Cambridge. Beyond her teaching roles in public and private schools, Kelly has also led the development of ESL and bilingual programs in diverse, urban school districts in Chicago and Indianapolis.

Kelly’s diverse passions, including language, culture, social welfare, and education, have driven her to live, volunteer, and teach worldwide. As a result, she has taught in countries such as Argentina, South Korea, Vietnam, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, and India.

Meet Our Administration Team

Ingelyn Rose

Customer Success Operations Manager

Delfina Braconi

Bilingual Program Specialist

Nátali Ziller

Organizational Development Specialist

Ibeth Muñoz

Curriculum & Instruction Specialist

Osman Lopez

Curriculum & Instruction Specialist

Paula Herrera

Curriculum & Instruction Specialist

Maria Sara Arias

Curriculum & Instruction Specialist

Samanta Rogers

Community Learning Specialist

Meet Our Team of Teachers

Meet our teachers. We are a global team of dedicated tutors committed to helping students excel in 15 languages and counting. Each of our teachers holds a bachelor’s degree and teaching certification, ensuring a strong foundation of knowledge and skills. Clock on the button below to learn more.