Dr Rose Lee Hayden had a highly successful career in the US, before moving from New York to live in Italy in the wake of 9/11. At the age of 17 she started working as a volunteer for the American Red Cross travelling throughout South America and becoming fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. On graduating from university she went on to work as an instructor of Spanish for the Peace Corps, rising to become Deputy Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, responsible for a $20 million language and cultural programme. She met Michel Thomas in 1982 as a result of her interest in his innovative method and amazing results, and studied German with him. This was the beginning of a long and exciting collaboration, developing his programme and teaching his 'Second Phase' Spanish students. She now lives outside Rome, where she continues to write, teach, and play jazz piano.