Teachers are one of the most important factors in guaranteeing success for our students. That is why we are committed to providing you with the best qualified and the most experienced teaching professionals.

Meet the teachers

Charlotte Smith

Senior Teacher (Adults)

Charlotte has a BA in English Literature and French and holds the Trinity College London CertTESOL and the Cambridge DELTA teaching qualifications. She taught English in the UK to students from all over the world for several years and was the Director of Studies at a language school before moving to Bulgaria in 2021 to work with the British Council. She loves reading, travelling, meeting new people and adding to her collection of vintage clothing.

Maya Ivanova

Senior Teacher (Young Learners)

Maya has CELTA and DELTA qualifications and a Master's Degree in English Philology. She has taught the whole plethora of English levels and student age groups. Maya has gained vast experience in examining for internationally recognised English language tests. In her free time she studies foreign languages – French and Portuguese – and enjoys city life.

Maria Aleksandrova

Academic Coordinator

Maria trained as a chemical engineer but found her true passion in teaching. Inspired by English language and literature, she has been teaching young learners and adults for 10 years. Maria holds the Cambridge CELTA and the IH Teaching Young Learners Certificate and is pursuing her Cambridge DELTA. Since 2022, she's been an academic coordinator. In her free time, she enjoys relaxing in the company of her cats and a good book.

 

Ivaylo Ivanov

Ivaylo Ivanov

Academic Coordinator

Ivaylo has an MA in International Relations and worked in the corporate sector for several years before training to become a teacher. He has a Cambridge CELTA and specialist qualifications in teaching business English and teaching young learners. He likes to explore how technology can be used to facilitate learning and this recently inspired him to start the British Council’s Code Club for primary students. Ivo is a keen cyclist and loves trekking adventures. 

Elitsa Georgieva

Academic coordinator

Elitsa has a MA in English Philology from Veliko Tarnovo University and a PhD in General and Comparative Linguistics, as well as the Cambridge DELTA teaching qualifications. She has been teaching English for more than 20 years. Before joining the British Council, she worked as Head of the Foreign Languages Department at the University of Ruse. Elitsa loves reading, travelling and exploring new places and, at least once a year, she tries to be in a place she has never visited before.

Alexander Kirov

Alexander Kirov

Teacher

Alex has a BA in English Philology from Sofia University, the Cambridge CELTA and a specialist qualification in Teaching English in Pre-Primary Education. Since he started working at the British Council, Alex has taught adults and young learner groups of all ages and levels, and he is known and loved by many of our younger students. Alex is extremely passionate about the arts. His voice has been described as 'heavenly' and his friends often find it hard to stop him singing.

Alexander Manuiloff

Teacher

Alex holds an MA in Linguistics and Slavic Studies from Sofia University and is a Cambridge CELTA-certified English teacher with 20+ years of experience. He began collaborating with the British Council in 2011 as the Bulgarian translator for the Best British Theatre Broadcast Abroad (NT Live London). With a focus on corporate and online training, Alex has experience in business and financial language teaching. He enjoys kayaking and exploring warm climates and cultures.

Borislav Vasilev

Teacher

Bobby has a BA in English and American Studies, an MA in Conference Interpreting from Sofia University, the Cambridge CELTA and a specialist qualification in Teaching Young Learners. He worked as a Teaching Assistant at the British Council for several years before becoming a teacher in 2021. Bobby enjoys cinema, even more so when Tom Hardy is involved. He also enjoys listening to music and loves playing the guitar, especially acoustic.

Cathal Leonard

Cathal Leonard

Teacher

Lenny, as friends and students call him, is from County Mayo in Ireland. He has an MA in Political Science from Queens University Belfast and attained his CELTA teaching qualification in Budapest. Lenny has experience in teaching adults and teenagers of various levels. He enjoys playing the guitar, or trying to at least.

Chloe Sims

Chloe is from the East of England. She grew up in the UK and relocated to Bulgaria at the age of twelve. Moving abroad and learning a new language inspired her to become a teacher. For her, the best part of teaching is seeing students gain confidence. She obtained a CELTA qualification back in 2017. She has taught children, teenagers and adults at all levels. When she is not teaching, she enjoys spending quality time with her family in the mountains, reading, and listening to music.