Inspired to Lead

When did you attend JIS as a student? 

In 1984-1988, Grades 9-12. I returned to the United States for the first semester of my senior year, but then came back to JIS for the second semester and to graduate, in January to June 1988. 

What are you doing now? And how has your time at JIS and living in Indonesia helped you in your current career? 

I am the Middle School Principal at International School Bangkok — one of JIS’s fellow IASAS schools. I have also worked as High School Principal at the American International School in Vienna, Austria, and taught at the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) in Malaysia. 

I started my career as a math teacher at North Jakarta Intercultural School, way back in 1992. My time as an international school student and particularly at JIS was formative in my wanting to pursue education and to do it internationally. I found my high school years at JIS so positive for my own learning, development, and growth that I was sure I decided to become a teacher and be part of that positive growth for others. I appreciated the diverse population of students and teachers with whom I interacted daily. I also loved the travel and beauty within Indonesia. 

As for my career, JIS is such a strong school and leader in educational practice. JIS provided me with a model for the quality that students and families deserve while living overseas. This has inspired me as a teacher and now principal to ensure that the education and social-emotional support that our schools provide is excellent. I am also inspired to foster a community that is healthy, caring, and kind to each other — something I also proudly experienced at JIS. 

What made you decide to become a teacher/administrator at an international school? 

Not surprisingly, I was inspired by my JIS teachers and coaches, especially Mr. Rob Armstrong, who taught me math and coached volleyball. He was such a positive role model for young people by being professional and talented as a teacher, but was also clearly well-liked by his colleagues and students, living a high-quality life with his friends and loved ones.

I realized that both the lifestyle and the professional approach to helping students learn were important to me, so I became a math teacher and began working internationally as quickly as possible. Add on to that that, I wanted my own children to have an international education, and there was no looking back! I have been fortunate to have worked at excellent schools and amongst phenomenal educators. I hope that my work as a teacher, coach, and now administrator has had even a fraction of the impact that the educators who influenced me had. 

What do you remember most about your time here as a student? 

First and foremost, the people. To this day, many of my closest friends are ones I made at JIS. The shared experience of JIS in the mid to late 1980s connects us and always brings a smile to our faces. We can see each other after years apart and fall into comfort as if we were still sitting in a hut, chatting over an Icy Pole. I remember great teachers even when I don’t remember too much about the specifics of a particular class. Clearly, I learned a great deal as I found myself well prepared for university, but my memories tend not to be about those aspects. 

I do remember the experiences: IASAS tournaments, trips to Blok M to buy tapes, Friday night baseball games, trips to Bali, and Saturday morning volleyball doubles tournaments. Because I have been working in IASAS schools for most of the last 20-plus years, I have had a chance to visit the campus a few times and even connect with some of my former teachers (fewer these days). But ultimately, my memories still come back to a time with friends and the close JIS community.