Biography

Pamela DeVries Rini holds a B.A. in Secondary Education from Calvin College with a Spanish major and an English minor, an M.A. in Spanish from the University of Michigan, as well as an M.Ed. in Counselor Education from the University of Virginia. While an undergraduate, Ms. Rini studied at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, and later, after graduating from college, she participated in a study abroad program in Guadalajara, Mexico through the University of San Diego; in addition, she is a frequent visitor to both Mexico and Puerto Rico.

She has worked in the field of Education since 1983 with students of all ages, primarily as an instructor of Spanish, but also as a school counselor. At the university level, Ms. Rini has taught elementary and intermediate level language classes at the University of Michigan, Longwood University, Hampden-Sydney College, and the University of Virginia. After obtaining her degree in Counselor Education at UVa’s Curry School in 2001, Ms. Rini worked for 6 years at Louisa County Middle School as a school counselor. Following that, she developed a Spanish program for elementary and middle school students at the Peabody School in Charlottesville; later during the summer of 2011, she owned and operated Campamento Buenos Amigos, a summer camp for children who want to learn Spanish or improve their Spanish. Most recently she was invited to teach a beginning level language course at the International Center for adult students in the UVa community from many different countries.  

Since moving to Charlottesville in 1987, Ms. Rini has volunteered with community organizations such as SARA (The Sexual Assault Resource Agency), where she worked on the crisis hotline, PACEM (People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry—an organization that helps homeless men living in Charlottesville), and most recently, Virginia Organizing—a grassroots organization seeking social justice.