ES CHINESE LANGUAGE
Jenny Su / David Ma / Xinyue Zhao, American Int’l School of Guangzhou

Biography: Jenny Su graduated from Wuhan University with a bachelor's degree in Chemistry.  In 1988, she moved to Canada with her husband. At the advent of the new millennia, her family of four moved back to Guangzhou, where they are still residing.  She has been teaching at the American International School of Guangzhou for 10 years now. Currently, she is teaching Mandarin for K-5 for both background and non-background students.

Xinyue graduated from Siam University with a Bachelor's degree in Hotel and Tourism Management in Thailand. In 2005, she moved to Australia with her husband who is Austraian and who is a PE and health teacher at AISG. In 2007, she moved back to Beijing with her two daughters and husband and she was teaching Chinese from Grade 6 to grade 12 in International Academy of Beijing for 2 and half years. In 2010, her family of four moved to Guangzhou. Currently, she is teaching Mandarin for K to Grade 5 for both background and non-background students.

MS/HS CHINESE
Wendy Da, Shanghai American School

Biography: Wendy Da holds a Master Degree in Education Technology from Michigan State University. With over 10 teaching experience, she taught students from K-12 and IB Mandarin and is the Global Language Coordinator at Shanghai American School. Since 1995, she produced about 30 publications as the co-author of EazyChinese series. With her initiative, the annual "Chinese Character Spelling Competition" event has been held in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou and she is the chief editor for "The Dragon Story" journal launched in 2007. She presented at major international conferences like ACTFL, EARCOS, ACAMIS since 2001 and was invited by CIS/WASC associations to serve on the accredited team as the Chinese expert. As the key trainer for the Master Degree Program at the East China Normal University and the IA TCSOL Diploma program, she provides training to Chinese teachers with 100 Case Study reaches four areas of Classroom Management, Curriculum Design, Teaching Strategies, and Teaching as Leadership.

MS/HS SOCIAL STUDIES
Chris Allen, Nanjing International School

Biography: Currently Subject Area Coordinator for the Humanities Department at Nanjing International School, as well as teaching DP History, Geography, and MYP Humanities.  Also holds the positions of Strategic Planning and Accreditation Officer, School Board Member, and EARCOS Teacher Rep. at NIS.  Chris has taught in the US, China, and Brazil.

MS/HS SCIENCE
Traci Toombs, Surabaya International School

Biography: Trari Toombs MEd,  is now on her 14th year as a MS HS inquiry based science teacher, third year international. Always tweaking always learning and still so much she want to know…

ES COUNSELING
Carmine Filice, Singapore American School

Biography: Carmine has been an educator for 23 years and has worked in Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and presently at the Singapore American School. For the last four years he has enjoyed his role as a counselor in the Intermediate Division. Social Skills-building is one of his many areas of interest. 

MS COUNSELING
Amanda Abel, Concordia International School

Biography: Amanda is currently the Middle School Counselor at Concordia International School of Shanghai. She and her family have had the opportunity to work in five countries and acculturate several times on the journey over the past 20 years. She holds a Masters in Counseling (Community and School-based) as well as a certificate for International Counseling from CTC. She views herself as a global citizen and a life-long learner. Her most recent hobbies include studying Chinese, Chinese painting, and listening to jazz.

HS COUNSELING
Nathan Schelble, Singapore American School

Biography: Nathan Schelble has worked as a school counselor for 16 years.  He started his career at a Western NY Public school, he and his wife then ventured off to Bangkok, Kobe (where their daughter was born), and currently Singapore American School where they work as a primary teacher and counselor.

TECHNOLOGY
Michael Boll / Michael Lambert, Concordia International School

Biography: Michael Boll is an Apple Distinguished Educator and works as a technology coach and middle school instructor at Concordia International School in Shanghai, China. His web presence can be found at http://www.mrboll.com and http://www.autismpodcast.org As a Technology Coach, Michael is an enthusiastic designer and presenter of professional development workshops.
Michael Lambert Coupled with a heart for the Greater China community, Michael currently teaches middle school in Shanghai, and previously taught at Hong Kong International School. Michael has written several articles related to visual literacy. Along with his passion for teaching, he brings a background in cognitive science and project-based learning. Even after 25 years of teaching in Asia, Michael still maintains a childlike wonder and curiosity. However, Michael understands that some of the best coaching is done in a one-to-one situation. As a middle school educator, Michael enjoys working with distracted students and offering them, and their parents, systems and strategies to help them function more effectively in a busy school environment.

EARLY CHILDHOOD / KINDERGARTEN
Michelle Brinn, Bangkok Patana

Biography: An experienced Early Years Practitioner I have worked with young children for many years (far too many to mention) in various countries across the globe including Wales, Ireland, Poland and Malaysia.  After a four year stint as a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood at British University I returned to International School Education and am currently teaching in Bangkok. I currently co-ordinate the very successful Bangkok Early Years Teachers’ Network.   A glutton for punishment, I am also studying for my Education Doctorate at Bath University.

GRADE 1
Wendi Schipani, International Schoo of Ulaanbaatar

Biography: Wendy have been privileged to teach first grade the past 22 years. The first 10 years of her career were spent in San Diego, followed by 10 years in Zurich. Currently  she works in Mongolia. Her passion is without question teaching first grade children.

GRADE 2
Lydia Giannakopoulou, International School Eastern Seaboard

Biography: Lydia Giannakopoulou’s background is in ESL and Drama. She is currently teaching Grade 2 at ISE in Thailand. At school, she enjoys trying out new ideas, and is interested in hands-on activities that also give students a variety of learning opportunities. At home, she’s into baking and learning languages

GRADE 3
Llana McGrath, International School of Manila

Biography: Ilana McGrath is a Canadian who has spent her entire teaching career spanning two decades exclusively in international elementary schools from South America, New Zealand, Mexico, India, the Middle East to her current home at ISManila. She studied Language and Linguistics, and has always had a love of teaching literacy. A chance discovery of RealSpelling and Wordworks led to a new passion  - spreading the truth about the oft misunderstood English spelling system... it is NOT full of exceptions!!!

GRADE 4
Ma Pan Yone, Brent International School Manila

Biography: Ma Pan Yone has taught EFL (all levels), Nursery, kindergarten and fourth grades in Bangkok, Thailand, Tokyo, Japan, Bali, Indonesia and Manila, Philippines, She earned a BSc in Psychology from Galsgow Caledonian University and her teaching certification from The College of New Jersey. She is originally from Myanmar (Burma), and currently lives in Manila.

GRADE 5
Darrin Schumacher, Gyeonggi Suwon International School

Biography: Darrin has been an educator for over 16 years teaching in schools in Korea and Australia. For the last 3 years he has been working at Gyeonggi Suwon International School in Korea. He enjoys incorporating technology into the classroom. At home he enjoys spending time with his family and trying to learn how to snow ski. 

SERVICE LEARNING
Kenny Peavy, International School of Kuala Lumpur

Biography: Peavy has taught thousands of students about the wonders of Nature as a naturalist in the mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest, the piedmont of Athens, Georgia, and the rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. As a public school teacher Kenny has taught high school Biology and middle school Earth Science.
Kenny has also proposed and taught several courses on the natural history of Malaysia at two different international schools at both high school and middle school levels – the first of its kind in Malaysian international schools.

In 2001, Kenny was recognized as ‘Volunteer of the Year’ by the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream program for his efforts in training citizens in water quality monitoring. In 2003, Kenny was awarded a Ford Motor Company Eco-Grant to serve as founder and first chairman of the Malaysian Nature Guides to implement a volunteer amateur Nature guiding program in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As a result, he was named ‘Volunteer of the Year’ by the Malaysian Nature Society in 2004 for his work with the Malaysian Nature Guides.
Kenny has written and published 45+ natural history and travel articles published online and in print in both the United States and Malaysia including As if the Earth Matters- a training manual and activity guide for environmental education.  He has facilitated over 30 workshops for teachers in all grade levels and subject areas as well as pre-service teachers, university level undergraduate and graduate students, professionals and community members.  His hobbies include hiking, fishing, camping, and exploring the outdoors.