Administration

Photo of Leigh Fitzgerald

Leigh Fitzgerald

Head of School

Leigh Fitzgerald was the Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Mid-Pacific Institute, Honolulu, Hawaii. Prior to this she was the Executive Director at the Hawaii Technology Academy (2011–2019), School Retool Coach/Interim Program Manager at Stanford University (2017–2019), Director of Upper School at the Wildwood School, Los Angeles (2010–2011), and the Middle/Upper School Principal at the Maui Preparatory Academy, Napili, (2005–2010). She has also worked as an English and Social Studies teacher during the early part of her career. Leigh has administrative experience across all school spectrums, including overseeing educational policy, accreditation processes, admissions, financial planning, and recruitment to name a few.

Leigh holds a master’s degree in Administration, Planning & Social Policy from Harvard University, and a bachelor’s degree in American Civilization and Education from Brown University. Leigh is accompanied by her daughter, Nel (AISC Class of 2033).

Photo of Lynn Schneider

Lynn Schneider

Elementary School Principal

Lynn Schneider joined AISC in July 2020. Prior to her joining us, she spent the last three years as the Elementary School Associate Principal at Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt, American School in Lima, Peru.

Lynn has also worked as the Lower School Head (Principal) at Harbor Country Day School in St. James, New York. She has experience as a teacher across virtually all grades in the elementary school, having taught at the American Embassy School in New Delhi, Khartoum American School (Sudan), Nishimachi International School (Tokyo, Japan), and Taipei American School. She has also been an Instructional Technology Coordinator. Lynn has a Certificate in Advanced Education Leadership from Harvard University, a Master’s degree in Technology for Educators from Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, and a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from American University, Washington, DC. Lynn joins us with her husband, Greg Clinton, Director of Technology, and their two sons, Soren (AISC Class of 2029) and Blake (AISC Class of 2032).

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

Photo of Jennifer Bertram

Jennifer Bertram

Middle School Principal

Jennifer is joining us from the American International School Dhaka (AISD) where she was the Middle School Principal. Prior to joining the AISD team in 2016, Jennifer has served in numerous roles.

From 1993–2016, she was a teacher and administrator at Escola Americana de Campinas in Campinas, Brazil. She was the Upper School information technology teacher before becoming the Upper School Dean of Students and then later, the Middle School Assistant Principal. Jennifer hails from Canada where she grew up outside of Toronto. She received her Bachelor’s degree in applied studies and history at the University of Waterloo and she has earned two Master's degrees in Education and International Education Administration from the College of New Jersey (USA) and Endicott College (USA), respectively. Jennifer will join us with her husband, Agnaldo, a travel entrepreneur, and son Luca (AISC Class of 2025). Jennifer’s oldest child, Kiara, is a university student in Canada.

The greater our knowledge increases the more our ignorance unfolds.
John F. Kennedy

Photo of Mike Malone

Mike Malone

High School Principal

Michael Malone joined AISC in 2015 as an English as Additional Language (EAL) and English teacher. Before joining AISC, Mike had been working in the United States where was the Assistant Principal at Amherst Regional Middle School in Amherst, Massachusetts.

In 2016, Mike became Associate Principal in the High School here at AISC. Mike has previously served as an IB/AP Coordinator at Lincoln International School, Buenos Aires, Argentina; social studies teacher at the American Embassy School, New Delhi; and EAL instructor in School Number 1, Slovakia. Mike has a B.A. degree in political science from the University of Rochester, New York, and an M.A. in social studies education from the University of Albany, New York, and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Education Administration from the University of Albany.

The only journey is the one within.
Rainer Maria Rilke

Photo of Alankrit V Arora

Alankrit V Arora

Chief Business Officer

Alankrit Arora joined AISC in 2012 as the founding Director of Business Affairs and is currently the Chief Business Officer (CBO) of the School. He oversees all aspects of operations at AISC, including Finance, Facility Management, Personnel and HR, Housing, Security, Food Services, the Health Office, Transport, Purchasing, Projects, Risk Management, and Compliance.

Prior to joining AISC, Alankrit served in the Indian Navy. In his career as a Naval officer, Alankrit held the positions of  Senior Staff Officer, Head of IT and Training, Military project Liaison, Project-in-Charge, Officer/Deputy Officer-in-Charge of various administrative units, and was also an airborne Paratrooper. He has also served in various governance, audit and advisory boards. Alankrit is an alumnus of the Naval Academy, Naval Engineering Course, and holds a B.Tech. from the Naval College of Engineering. He is also a graduate of the Advanced Management Program (AMP) from Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Senior Executive Leadership Program (SELP) from Harvard Business School and also holds Executive Certifications in Strategy, Innovation, Finance, Technology and Business Management from MIT Sloan.

Alankrit also serves as the Principal Officer of the American International School Trust Chennai (Reg. No. D11/451/14/5/95).

Geared to excel.

Photo of Gregory Clinton

Gregory Clinton

Director of Technologies and Research & Development

Gregory Clinton joined AISC in the 2020–2021 school year from the Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt, American School in Lima (Peru), where he was an IB Language and Literature teacher and Instructional Design and Technology Coach.

Prior to his move to Lima, he taught at Stony Brook University in New York (USA), at the American Embassy School in New Delhi (India), and at the Khartoum American School (Sudan). Greg has a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the College of Wooster (USA), a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the KU Leuven (Belgium), and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies from Stony Brook University (USA). Greg is here with his wife, Lynn Schneider, the Elementary School Principal, and their two sons, Soren (AISC Class of 2029) and Blake (AISC Class of 2032).

If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe.
Carl Sagan

Photo of Gautami Ramachandhran

Gautami Ramachandhran

Director of Advancement

Gautami joined the Communications Office at AISC in May 2019 and became Advancement Director in the 2021–2022 school year. This is Gautami's first tenure in the international school landscape, having previously worked in publishing and advertising. She holds a bachelor's in History and a minor in Philosophy from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada. 

Originally from Singapore, Gautami has lived and worked in Nova Scotia (Canada) and New Delhi, but has called Chennai home for the last decade.

The Advancement Office oversees marketing (including social media), communications, and partnerships, and we aspire to help all community members find their place in the AISC Story. 

Sometimes reality is too complex. Stories give it form.
Jean Luc Godard

Photo of Paula Arias

Paula Arias

Director of Enrollment Management​​​

Paula was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to language education, teaching at Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii; Greenwich Country Day in Connecticut; and The Bishop's School in California. Most recently, she served as the head of the language department and the director of global education at the Wo International Center at Punahou School.

Paula holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Psychology from Park College in Missouri and a Master’s degree in European Languages and Literature from the University of Hawaii. She is the proud mother of two sons, both college graduates who reside in California.

 

As human beings, we can only experience life emotionally.
Eduardo Bericat

Photo of Ryan McFarland

Ryan McFarland

Director of Student Life

Ryan McFarland joined the AISC faculty in the 2013-2014 academic year, serving four years as a high school health and physical education teacher and then four as the Athletics and Activities Director.  Prior to Chennai, Ryan served as the Athletics Director and secondary Physical Education teacher at the American School of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia.  Before Mongolia, Ryan spent 12 years as the Director of Parks and Recreation in the City of Petersburg, Alaska (USA).  He has an associate's degree in Natural Resource Conservation from a New York community college, a bachelor's degree in Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation from Sheldon Jackson College in Alaska. 

Ryan has owned a bicycle shop, been involved in the Chamber of Commerce, Boy Scouts, the Alaska Recreation and Park Association, and helped found and lead a non-profit dedicated to trail development in southeast Alaska.

Ryan is here with his spouse Pepper, a high school social studies teacher, and children Jacob (Class of 2025) and Raven (Class of 2037).  Their oldest, Jordan, attended AISC from 2013 until graduating in 2018.

What is really important is what you learn after thinking you know it all.
Waite Phillips

Photo of Chris Galaty

Chris Galaty

Secondary Associate Principal

Christopher Galaty previously served as the high school math teacher and Assistant Principal at Nanjing International School (China). Before that, he worked at the American International School of Dhaka (AISD) and American School of Warsaw as a high school math teacher.

Christopher has a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Education from the University of St. Olaf College (USA) and Master’s degrees in International Education and International Development from the American University (USA), and in Educational Leadership from the University of Illinois at Springfield (USA). He is here with his wife, Gretchen Galaty, the Middle School Counselor and sons, Leo (AISC Class of 2027) and Tomie (AISC Class of 2031).

Imagination does not become great until human beings, given the courage and the strength, use it to create.
Maria Montessori

Photo of Denis Coates

Denis Coates

Elementary School Associate Principal

Denis Coates is joining us from the American Community School of Abu Dhabi, UAE, where he is currently the Grade 5 Learning Leader and Elementary Teacher. Prior to this, he held a number of roles including Junior School Teacher at West Point Grey Academy, Vancouver, and at St. George's School, Vancouver. Prior to this, he was the Grade 1 Teacher (Associate Faculty) at English Schools Foundation in Kowloon, Hong Kong. 

Denis received his MA in Educational Leadership and Administration from Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, and his bachelor’s in Education, Elementary Education and Teaching from the University of British Columbia. He also has a Certificate of Leadership Practice from the International Baccalaureate Organization. 

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
Oscar Wilde

 

Photo of Mary Kelly Bello

Mary Kelly Bello

Director of Strategic Development

Mary Kelly Bello joined the AISC faculty in the 2018-2019 academic year, first serving as the elementary instructional coach for two years before transitioning into the EY-12 Curriculum Director role.  As Curriculum Director, Mary Kelly partners with school leadership and teachers to ensure AISC has a guaranteed, viable, and dynamic curriculum.  As a learning leader, Mary Kelly strives to empower educators to make impactful shifts in their practice through workshops, coaching, and collaborative reimagining of school structures and programs.   

Mary Kelly began her teaching career in California before moving overseas and working in Venezuela, China, the United Arab Emirates, and India. Over the course of her 25 years in education, Mary Kelly has served as a classroom teacher, librarian, coach, and curriculum coordinator. 

Mary Kelly holds a Master’s Degree and certificate in Educational Leadership from The College of New Jersey. In addition, Mary Kelly earned a certificate in International School Leadership through the PTC.  She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Washington State University.  She is endorsed as a reading specialist and librarian through the State of Washington.

Mary Kelly and her husband Giovanni, AISC Aquatics Director and PE teacher, are proud to be members of the AISC community. 

No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it.  
H.E. Lucckock

Photo of Zak Cohen

Zak Cohen

Director of Mission Alignment

Dr. Zak Cohen (Dr. Z) joined AISC in July 2024. Prior to joining us, he spent four years as Middle School Director at Francis Parker School of Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Zak has extensive teaching and administrative experience in independent and international schools. He holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Innovation from Drexel University, a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Lesley University, and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Hamilton College.

His work has been published in and featured by outlets such as Edutopia, ASCD, the American Educational Research Association (AERA), The Guardian, Business Insider, The Chronicle, Educational Leadership, and Independent School magazine. Zak is currently writing his first book with ASCD, "Wise Freedom: The Intersection of Autonomy, Accountability, and Adolescence," set to be released in the fall of 2025.

Zak specializes in personalized learning, student engagement, and Mistake Literacy. He is originally from Brooklyn, NY. Zak is joined by his wife Kenyon and their daughter Sonja

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.
Muhammad Ali

Photo of Joel Bevans

Joel Bevans

Director of Teaching and Learning

Joel Bevans joined the AISC faculty in the 2024–2025 academic year from the Canadian International School in Singapore, where he spent the last three years as the Primary Vice Principal. Previously, Joel worked as the Curriculum Coordinator at the International School of Panama. 

Before his tenure in Panama, he was at the International School of Luxembourg (ISL), where he supported the development of a Culture of Thinking as an Activator for Thinking and Learning. Joel also has extensive experience teaching various elementary school grades, having taught at ISL and schools in Central London.

Joel holds a Master's Degree in Curriculum Design and Technology from Buffalo State, New York, USA, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Years Education from the University of Northumbria, UK. He is an independent Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction Certified Trainer, an Apple Distinguished Educator, and an online Harvard Graduate School of Education Cultures of Thinking Coach. Joel joins us with his wife, Harriet, an elementary school teacher, and their three daughters: Izzy, Nell, and Bea.

Learning is a consequence of thinking.
David Perkins

The Leadership Team learns together through professional reading and dialogue to ensure a collective understanding of the future of education and its potential impact on our learning ecosystem. Further, the team measures growth and identifies intersections through the student success framework to communicate success and highlight interdependence. Finally, team members mutually support and encourage goal development, implementation, and achievement at all-school and sectional levels.

 

 

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