Education and Career Development
La Fonda Foundation is committed to advancing educational and economic opportunities for hospitality workers and their families in Northern New Mexico. We offer community-centered programs that foster skill development, career advancement, and financial empowerment—including financial literacy, digital skills training, job readiness workshops, and career navigation. To support long-term, intergenerational impact, we also provide educational enrichment and academic support for the children of hospitality workers, helping to create lasting pathways to upward economic mobility.
English as a Second Language
La Fonda Foundation officially partnered with Literacy Volunteers of Santa Fe to offer English as a Second Language (ESL) classes on-site at La Fonda on the Plaza.
Classes are open to all hospitality employees and the community at large.
Tutor: Ron Martinez
Ron has a corporate background mainly with General Mills, Marathon Oil, and the U.S. Department of Defense. He has had an IT career with management of large data centers, software development, and general IT support. He has three grown children and lives in Santa Fe, with his wife, Kristin.
Class Location: La Fonda on the Plaza (100 E San Francisco Street 87501) in the La Fonda Foundation office
Group Class Times: Mondays,Tuesdays, and Wednesdays
Advanced classes: 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Beginner classes: 3:30-5:00 p.m.
One-to-One Virtual Classes: To schedule, contact us.
Visit La Fonda Foundation’s YouTube Channel for online lessons, free of charge, anytime.
La Fonda Foundation makes its English class content available to all students online - free of charge to the community. These online videos parallel on-site classes offered at La Fonda on the Plaza to employees and the Santa Fe community at large. The videos contain sample conversations as well as English grammar and sentence structure. For example, conversations include sample dialogs for 911 Emergency Calls, doctor/dentist appointments, conversations with school teachers, traffic police interaction, and simple everyday conversations.