The people who make the lessons
Meet the Coffee Break team
Over the years, many people have been involved in creating Coffee Break lessons: the courses, the podcasts, the YouTube lessons and Coffee Break TV. Some present and explain, and some take on the role of the learner, asking the questions you’d ask.
Where it started
Mark
Mark created Coffee Break Languages in 2006 and has built the company to the stage it's at today. As a teacher of French, Spanish and Italian, and a lifelong learner of many other languages, he has been involved in almost all of the Coffee Break podcasts, shows and courses since the very beginning.
Catriona
Catriona has been involved in Coffee Break since day 1 and spends much of her time ensuring that our community of learners can make the most of Coffee Break courses. Catriona has also taught French and German for many years and contributes to our weekly email lessons. She’s also Mark’s wife!
Management team
Ava
Ava is our Head of Product and the Series Editor on the 50 Coffee Breaks books. You’ll also hear her in our Portuguese, French and Spanish lessons.
Ann
Ann is our Guided Learning Manager and provides support and guidance for learners in our Masterclass programmes.
Kristina
Kristina is Head of Marketing and HR. She coordinates all aspects of our marketing and looks after the team at Coffee Break HQ.
French
Max
Max presents the Coffee Break French lessons on YouTube. He also presents a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break French TV, including the Translation Challenges, which he also hosts live.
Hélène
Hélène presents a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break French TV, including Pas à Pas and As-tu deviné où je suis ?
Léa
Léa presents lessons on Coffee Break French TV, including Reading and Dictation lessons, and A Coffee Break with Mark and Léa.
Pierre-Benoît
Pierre-Benoît is the native speaker in Coffee Break French Level 4, talking through every email with Mark. He narrates La Vérité éclate toujours, and presents lessons on Coffee Break French TV, including As-tu deviné où je suis ?
Susie
Susie presents a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break French TV, including Walk, Talk and Learn. Susie is also responsible for our Coffee Break Gaelic course.
Anna
Anna takes on the role of the learner in Coffee Break French Level 1 and Level 2. She asks the questions learners ask and has a go, and Mark explains how the language works as they go.
Ava
Ava is the advanced learner in the atelier of La Vérité éclate toujours.
Spanish
Anabel
Anabel is the author of La penúltima voluntad and the main presenter, with Mark joining her for the language study. She presents Coffee Break Spanish lessons on YouTube and a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break Spanish TV. Anabel also wrote many of the activities in the 50 Spanish Coffee Breaks book.
Pablo
Pablo presents Coffee Break Spanish lessons on YouTube, and a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break Spanish TV, including Paso a Paso.
Concha
Concha presents a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break Spanish TV, including ¿Dónde me encuentro hoy?, and features in many of the Coffee Break Spanish Show episodes.
Marina
Marina presents lessons on Coffee Break Spanish TV, including Reading and Vocabulary lessons. She is also the main presenter of Coffee Break Spanish To Go, the popular series on YouTube.
Kara
Kara takes on the role of the learner in Coffee Break Spanish Level 1 and Level 2, alongside Mark. She asks the questions learners ask and makes the mistakes they make, and Mark explains how the language works as they go.
Carmen
Carmen is the native speaker teacher in Coffee Break Spanish Level 4. She and Mark listen to each new instalment of the story together, then go through the text, exploring the vocabulary, the expressions and the grammar.
Alba
Alba is the native speaker in Coffee Break Spanish Level 3. She and Mark talk in Spanish, and Mark explains in English as they go.
Fernanda
Fernanda co-hosts Seasons 2 and 3 of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine with Mark, talking about life and culture in the Spanish-speaking world.
José
José leads the intermedio sections of Coffee Break Spanish Level 3, joining Mark and Alba with tongue-twisters and jokes.
Ava
Ava is the advanced learner in the taller of La penúltima voluntad.
Ann
Ann co-hosts episodes of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine and wrote many of the activities in the 50 Spanish Coffee Breaks book.
Italian
Francesca
Francesca presents Coffee Break Italian Levels 1, 2 and 3 with Mark, as the native speaker. She presents the Coffee Break Italian lessons on YouTube, and a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break Italian TV. Francesca also wrote many of the activities in the 50 Italian Coffee Breaks book.
Maurizio
Maurizio presents many of the Coffee Break Italian TV lessons and created the modules of the Coffee Break Italian Masterclass. He also wrote many of the activities in the 50 Italian Coffee Breaks book.
Carolina
Carolina presents a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break Italian TV, including Passo dopo Passo.
Michela
Michela presents a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break Italian TV, including the Comprehension and Dictation Challenges.
Alberta
Alberta presents lessons on Coffee Break Italian TV, including the Comprehension Challenges.
Katie
Katie takes on the role of the learner in Coffee Break Italian Level 1. She asks the questions learners ask, and Mark and Francesca explain how the language works as they go.
Isla
Isla takes on the role of the learner in Coffee Break Italian Level 2. She asks the questions and has a go, and Mark and Francesca explain as they go.
German
Thomas
Thomas presents Coffee Break German Level 1, with Mark taking on the role of the learner, and the Coffee Break German lessons on YouTube. He also presents a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break German TV, including Schritt für Schritt.
Olivera
Olivera presents a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break German TV, including the Translation Challenges. She is also the author of 50 German Coffee Breaks.
Jessica
Jessica presents a wide range of lessons on Coffee Break German TV, including the Verb Lab and Schritt für Schritt.
Andrea
Andrea presents Coffee Break German Level 2 and Level 3, with Mark taking on the role of the learner. She explains each language topic with examples, and then it comes up in a conversation.
Julia
Julia is the cultural correspondent in Coffee Break German, with reports on life in the German-speaking world. She also presents Coffee Break German To Go, a series on YouTube.
Kirsten
Kirsten is the Grammar Guru for Coffee Break German Level 1, stepping in to explain the grammar behind the lessons.
English
Nick
Nick presents the Coffee Break English lessons on YouTube, explaining everyday English in short, clear lessons.
Josie
Josie presents Coffee Break English Level 1 and Level 2 with Mark. In each lesson they look at the text together, and each of them explains one language point. Josie is also the author of 50 English Coffee Breaks.
Portuguese
Rafael
Rafael, from Brazil, presents Coffee Break Portuguese Level 1, with Ava taking on the role of the learner.
Catarina
Catarina presents the cafezinho, the cultural segment in Coffee Break Portuguese Level 1.
Ava
Ava takes on the role of the learner in Coffee Break Portuguese Level 1.
Sofia
Sofia is the author of 50 Portuguese Coffee Breaks, out now.
Swedish
Hanna
Hanna presents Coffee Break Swedish Level 1, with Mark taking on the role of the learner. She explains how Swedish works as they go, and his questions are often the ones learners ask. Hanna is also the author of 50 Swedish Coffee Breaks.
Lovisa
Lovisa joined Mark and Hanna for the Coffee Break Swedish Kulturhörnan, opening a window on everyday Swedish life and traditions, and for the Q&A Swedish series on YouTube. Lovisa sadly passed away in 2023. Her lessons are still helping people learn Swedish every day, and she will always be part of the Coffee Break family.
Chinese
Crystal
Crystal presents Coffee Break Chinese Level 1, with Mark taking on the role of the learner. She guides him through Mandarin, from pronunciation and tones to everyday conversations.
Licheng
Licheng, a professor at Northwestern University in Chicago, is the author of 50 Chinese Coffee Breaks.
Japanese
Chie
Chie presents Coffee Break Japanese Level 1, with Mark taking on the role of the learner.
Mikiko
Mikiko teaches Japanese at the University of Nottingham and is the author of 50 Japanese Coffee Breaks, coming soon.
Scottish Gaelic
Susanna
Susanna presents Coffee Break Gaelic, our course for complete beginners in Scottish Gaelic. Over 40 lessons she takes learners from their very first words to using Gaelic confidently in many situations.
Boyd
Boyd is the author of many books on Scottish Gaelic, including 50 Gaelic Coffee Breaks.
Behind the scenes
Jack
Jack works on all our audio and video content and makes what you listen to and watch sound and look great. Having grown up in Belgium and Luxembourg, he also contributes to our French lessons by email.