Norma Jean Adair is from New Brunswick, Canada. She graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a BSc and a BEd, and received her Masters in Science from the State University of New York. She has been teaching abroad for more than 15 years. She has taught mathematics and science to students ranging from Grades 6 to 12. Norma Jean is passionate about helping our youth to reach their full academic potential so that they can make positive differences in our world.

Navaz Khory is a third culture kid who has spent the majority of her life living and teaching overseas. Navaz has a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences from the University of Western Ontario and a MA in Inclusive Education from Teachers College at Columbia University. She has taught various grades from Grade 1-8 in Canada, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey and Hong Kong. She has a passion for healthy living, cooking/food and travel, as well as all kinds of sports, especially volleyball, softball, yoga and dance. She constantly encourages her students to take on an active lifestyle to become more balanced and well-rounded individuals.

Brent MacEachern is from New Brunswick, Canada. He graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a BA and a BEd, and received his Masters in Science from the State University of New York. He has been teaching Humanities, Math and Science to students in Grades 6 to 12 for more than 15 years. He is passionate about working with our youth and sparking their curiosity about our world.

Ryan loves inspiring students, exploring how the universe works and helping students become reflective, focused learners. He has 15 years of experience across three continents in public, private and international schools teaching students to think like scientists. Ryan studied Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of California - Berkeley, earned a post-graduate teaching certificate and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership. He enjoys participating in physical activities, coaching, and spending time with his family.

Rachel Kirchner is from California. She earned a degree in Environmental Science at UC Berkeley and received her teaching credentials and Master's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of San Francisco. She has worked with students in Grades 3-10 throughout her 13 years in education, but her first passion is teaching Math to middle school students. Prior to coming to CDNIS she taught in California, Bangkok, and London. She has written online lessons and a Grade 6 instructional unit in Math. In her spare time she loves swimming, yoga, playing volleyball, and spending time with her three young children.

Christina Lin was born in Taiwan. She graduated from the University College London in the UK with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees studying Human Genetics. After spending some time in the research field, she discovered her new career as an international school teacher. Before joining CDNIS, Christina worked at the American International School in Hong Kong as a High School Science teacher. She is a passionate teacher who believes in supporting students in achieving their full potential, as well as helping them build connections and conceptual understandings between what goes on within the classroom to the world around them. Fun fact, she has a lovely and very funny Shiba-Inu at home!

Kathryn Cloutier is in her fifth year at CDNIS and hails from Thunder Bay, Ontario. She graduated from Lakehead University with a BSc (Hons) in Kinesiology before completing her BEd, all while playing university volleyball. She then relocated to Ottawa to obtain an MA in Sports Administration (University of Ottawa), with a focus on marketing and grassroots development. She began her teaching career as a French Immersion homeroom teacher before starting her international adventures as an Upper School HPE teacher with the Shanghai Community International School. Kathryn can always be found with a smile on her face, eager to share her passion for wellness through sport, or have a laugh.

Annette Meier is from Nice, France. She completed her undergraduate studies and teaching qualifications at the University of La Sorbonne in Paris. She has been teaching French to students in Grades 6 to 12 for 19 years. Prior to coming to CDNIS, she worked in Normandy, Houston, and Beijing. Annette particularly enjoys helping children to discover their individuality and giving them the confidence to try new things.

Charlotte Charny Nielsen graduated with a B.Sc. in Biology from Yale University and an M.Sc. in Environmental Science from University of Maryland. After running her own environmental consulting firm in the United States for 10 years and working in the environmental sector on projects in Denmark and Jordan, she discovered her new career as an international school teacher. Charlotte has worked in international schools in Hungary, Qatar and Sweden. This is her fourth year at CDNIS where she teaches Grade 7 Science and English as well as Theory of Knowledge. She is also the Coordinator of the Student Advisory Programme in the Upper School. Her great passions include writing poetry and environmental advocacy.

Cecilia Wang is from Taiwan and is the department head of Upper School Chinese Studies. She holds two Master’s degrees in Chinese Literature and in Putonghua Education, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from Hong Kong University. She is also an IBDP Chinese B HL Examiner. She started her teaching journey in 1995 and joined CDNIS in 2003. She has held various teaching positions at both public and international schools in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and has also been involved in developing course syllabus and teaching materials. She is devoted to ensuring that each student has a motivating and comfortable learning experience in her classroom. During holidays, she enjoys travelling, and spending time with her family in Taiwan.

Lu Chen is from Xi’an, China. She has a BA (Hons) degree in Education and MA degree in Linguistics. Before joining CDNIS in 2010, she worked in China and Hong Kong as a college English teacher and also as an elementary and high school Chinese teacher. She is passionate about teaching Chinese and promoting Chinese culture, and being able to cultivate a love of learning in students. Her interests outside the classroom include travelling, reading and baking.

Irene Gu is from Shanghai China and is the Upper School MYP and DP Chinese teacher. She has a Master‘s degree from The State University Of New York and BA degree from Shanghai Normal University. After graduating, she worked in Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and HK. She has been teaching Chinese as a second language for 18 years. She joined CDNIS in 2012. As an IB educator, she strives to encourage students to gain competence in an additional language with the long-term goal of multilingualism.

Boris Wong is from Hong Kong. He has a teaching certificate from the College of Education in Hong Kong and an MA in Putonghua Education from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He joined CDNIS in 2006 and has been teaching Chinese language for more than 20 years. As an IB educator, his goals include fostering students’ curiosity, inquiry and a lifelong interest in, and enjoyment of, language learning.

Brenda Xing is an Upper School Chinese study teacher. Before joining CDNIS, she taught Chinese at HKIS for 19 years. She also taught Chinese in the CDNIS Lower School for two years. She is originally from Tianjin, China. Brenda obtained her first degree from Tianjin Normal University with a major in Chinese literature and her Master's Degree in teaching Chinese as a second language from Beijing Language and Culture University. She loves working with students and is passionate about Chinese culture, history and society throughout teaching. Her teaching philosophy is to inspire students to not only learn Chinese, but also appreciate Chinese culture and history. Brenda enjoys reading, travelling and writing about her personal journeys after travelling. She is very happy to work with the CDNIS community.

Vivian Fung is a Coding and Robotics teacher at Canadian International School of Hong Kong. She has a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Toronto as well as a PGCE. After graduating, she worked at IBM Canada. Vivian joined CDNIS in 2011 as a Prep EA before joining LTT department. At CDNIS, she has created Chinese eBooks for the Chinese department and supported teachers in technology teaching before focusing on Coding and Robotics teaching. She was certified as an Apple Distinguished Educator in 2015, and a Level 1 Google Educator. She is passionate about advanced technology and has actively promoted the robotics program in recent years through organising robotics competitions. Vivian embraces a growth mindset and believes everyone can code.

David Larson hails from Winnipeg, Canada. He graduated magna cum laude with a BSc in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin and earned an MA in Educational Technology from Michigan State University. He has worked and traveled widely in professional theatre, on a Fulbright-Hays Scholarship curriculum-writing semester in Ghana, and as an Apple Professional Developer. Before he joined the Learning and Teaching Technology team and Design Department at CDNIS in 2012, David taught Humanities, Language Arts, and Technology in Shanghai, China, and Wisconsin, USA. What David likes most about teaching is helping students find and amplify their voice. When he’s not at his computer, you can find David behind a camera, a book, or with his daughters on a hike through Hong Kong’s many trails.

Kayla Cayabyab is from Toronto. She completed her BA (Hons) in Theatre and History, and her BEd at Queen's University concurrently, with a focus on creating art with and for the community. She has taught DP and IGCSE theatre, TOK, media studies, and social studies for grades 6-12 in Bangkok and Bangalore. She is an IB theatre examiner, and will begin her MEd in September. Kayla has coached varsity volleyball and soccer, and toured Asia playing rugby. She enjoys scuba diving, weightlifting, and exploring different cuisines. One of her passions is helping students build confidence, collaboration skills, and communication skills through the arts. She is looking forward to joining the team at CDNIS!

Lily Chan is a proud CDNIS alumna. She has a BA (English) from the University of British Columbia and Bachelor of Education (with Distinction) from Western University. She has worked in Macau, Hong Kong, and recently joined the school after teaching at the United World College of South East Asia in Singapore. She is a certified Ontario and IB educator. She is excited to share her pride of the school and her passion for learning and teaching with the school community.

Joshua Lee was born in Hong Kong but spent most of his childhood in Vancouver, British Columbia. He graduated with a BA in English and BEd in middle school education from the University of British Columbia. He is passionate about using a variety of media to tell stories. As an avid photographer and moviegoer, Joshua endeavours to connect visual storytelling to written and help students build a voice for themselves. 

Steve Myrden has been a teacher for 34 years and has lived and taught in six provinces in Canada and around the world including Dubai, Japan, New Zealand and now Hong Kong. He is currently thrilled to be teaching Grade 9 and 10 IB MYP English and Grade 11 IB DP English at CDNIS. He is originally from the province of Newfoundland and loves to get back to ‚"The Rock" every summer; but his Canadian home now is on the south shore of Nova Scotia. He graduated from Memorial University and holds a Bachelor of Education (Secondary Education) and a Bachelor of Arts (English and Geography). His wife Cait is a teacher of Social Studies and English in the Middle School at CDNIS. He loves to read, play basketball, hike, mountain bike, stand-up paddleboard, play guitar, ski, camp and do yoga.

Kristen Pearson is an Ontario teacher who loves teaching and learning in both the English and Drama departments at CDNIS. She landed in Hong Kong after teaching at schools in Morocco, South Korea, and Indonesia. Kristen attended McMaster University where she received her honours BA in English and Theatre & Film Studies, followed by a post-graduate teaching certificate in Adolescence Education at Canisius College. She is passionate about teaching and strives to create spaces and lessons that spark the critical thinking, creativity, and assertiveness of her students. Kristen's interests outside the classroom include spending time outdoors, cooking, and trying to find the best Hong Kong-style milk tea.

Branden Watts is from Seattle Washington. He has a BA in Marketing/International Business from the University of Washington, as well as a Master’s degree in Teaching from Seattle University. Over the course of his teaching career he has had the joy of being an English teacher in Japan as part of the JET Programme, a language arts teacher in Seattle, and a humanities teacher in Bangkok. He is a lifelong advocate of the power of reading, writing, and positive feedback. He is just as excited to learn from his students, as he is to teach them.

Shalyn Tharayil is from Los Angeles, California. She joined CDNIS after working as a College Counsellor in California for six years, and at UCLA Admissions at the beginning of her career. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychobiology from UCLA, and a Master's in Education at USC. In her spare time, Shalyn enjoys hiking, reading, travelling to new countries, and spending time with family and friends.

Maegan Robichaud is from Kapuskasing, a very small town in northern Ontario, Canada. She has a BA (Hons) and BEd from Brock University, a graduate certificate in Educational Technology from Michigan State University, and is completing a Master's degree in Educational Leadership and Management from University of Bristol. Maegan has worked as a classroom teacher, IT integrator, and head teacher before joining the Upper School guidance team at CDNIS in 2016.

Jaime Wilde is a school psychologist. She obtained her Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada where she also obtained her Bachelor of Arts and Education degrees. Before arriving at CDNIS in 2012, Jaime completed six years working at School District #23 in British Columbia, Canada, as a school psychologist across multiple schools and age groups. Her passions lie with helping students with personal health and overall well-being. She enjoys continuing to educate herself by researching and training in new techniques and programs that would benefit the students and school. Outside of the school, Jaime is an avid runner, loves the outdoors and enjoys exploring all that Asia has to offer.

Neil Anderson is from Caledon, Ontario, which is generally considered “farm country” just north of Toronto. He has an undergraduate degree in International Development from the University of Guelph, and earned his teaching certificate from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. Mr. Anderson’s previous teaching experiences include working in Dubai for two years and Beijing for four. Most recently, he taught MYP Humanities, DP Economics, and was the CAS coordinator at the Canadian International School of Beijing. If you see Mr. Anderson around, feel free to strike up a conversation with him about camping, Margaret Atwood, or the future impact of your favourite economic policies.

Robert Holtet is from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and is the Grade 7 and 8 Humanities teacher. He received his Bachelor of Education from the University of Regina before pursuing his MA in Educational Leadership at Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C. Prior to joining CDNIS, he and his family lived and worked in Canada, Korea, Malta, China, United Arab Emirates, Mongolia, and Malaysia over the last 20 years. He is a self-proclaimed 'life-long learner' whose focus includes extending student learning outside of the classroom through technology and integrating learning, experience and civic responsibility. His interests outside the classroom include playing ice hockey, baseball, golf, and travelling the globe. He is married and has two boys in the Upper School section.

Kirk Kahu is from Kitchener, Ontario just west of Toronto. He has an Bachelor's Degree from the University of Guelph in Philosophy and History, a postgraduate teaching degree from the University of Toronto, and a Master's Degree from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. Previously too teaching at CDNIS he taught in Canada, Bulgaria, and Thailand. However, for the last decade has been happily teaching at CDNIS. In that time he has taught many different humanity courses. Currently he teaches Theory of Knowledge, Career Studies, Civics and DP Economics. A few of his credentials include being a Google Certified Teacher and TOK Examiner. Kirk has coached many sports at different levels at CDNIS. Currently he is the head coach of the U14, U16 and U20 Girls Touch Rugby programme. Outside of school, he plays touch rugby and ultimate frisbee and has represented Hong Kong at international world championships. In his spare time at home he enjoys playing card games with his kids and is an avid reader of The Economist and Foreign Affairs.

Raymond Loo teaches DP/MYP Business Management and MYP Mathematics. Born and educated in Toronto, Raymond received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business, specializing in Accounting. He attained the Chartered Professional Accountant designation and worked as a tax professional with The Toronto-Dominion Bank, KPMG, and the Canada Revenue Agency prior to teaching. Raymond is passionate about teaching and helping his students to think critically and accept responsibility for the outcomes and consequences of their decisions. Raymond looks forward to sharing his own work experiences to help his students understand real life application of the concepts and assist them in developing their applicable skills to reach their potential in this challenging curriculum. Raymond sees the importance of applying math in everyday real life. He hopes to help the students realize this by connecting the lessons to the real world and by instilling confidence and making it an enjoyable experience. He has tremendous patience and endeavours to spend as much time as necessary to help his students learn the fundamentals as well as the extended math.

Jeremy Power is originally from Ontario, Canada. He has a Bachelor’s degree in History and Geography from Trent University and a Bachelor’s of Education from Queen’s University. While at Queen’s he was in the Outdoor and Experiential Education programme and has a passion for this area. Jeremy lived in the Philippines for five years where he taught history and geography for middle and upper school, as well as TOK and he was part of the school’s leadership team. He enjoys exploring global issues including those around the Global Goals for sustainable development. As a historian, Jeremy strives to develop students' research and critical thinking skills. His interests outside of the classroom include travelling, physical activity and spending time with friends.

Stephen Smeed in from Vancouver, Canada. He has a BA in Geography from Simon Fraser University and Bachelors of Education from the University of British Columbia. After graduating, Stephen worked in Korea before moving to Hong Kong where he has been teaching for the past 11 years. In his years at CDNIS, he has taught all grades in the Upper School in courses ranging from Humanities to DP Geography. He is also heavily involved in the planning and implementation of the Model United Nations. His interests outside of the classroom include performing improvisational theatre, playing hockey and raising his two girls.

Christopher is from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and is the TOK Coordinator and Humanities teacher at CDNIS. He graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Education and is qualified to teach Geography and Philosophy. He has also completed two Master's degrees in Buddhist Studies at HKU. He has taught for the past 16 years in Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong. Mr. Tyrrell has published an online TOK course for teachers, is a Team Leader for the IB's TOK examination team, and has led teacher-workshops for TOK. He enjoys outdoor pursuits, travel, and learning languages. He joined CDNIS in 2015.

Norma Jean Adair is from New Brunswick, Canada. She graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a BSc and a BEd, and received her Masters in Science from the State University of New York. She has been teaching abroad for more than 15 years. She has taught mathematics and science to students ranging from Grades 6 to 12. Norma Jean is passionate about helping our youth to reach their full academic potential so that they can make positive differences in our world.

Elisabeth Gussow is from Ottawa, Canada. She holds a BSc in Statistics with an added major in Visual Arts from the University of Ottawa. After earning her BEd from Queen's University, she taught with the OCDSB before moving to Sofia, Bulgaria. In Bulgaria, she taught math from grades 8-12 at the American College of Sofia. In her free time, she loves partaking in varied outdoor activities from hiking to snowboarding, exploring new cities by way of food, crafting, and keeping up with friends and family, near and far.

Rachel Kirchner is from California. She earned a degree in Environmental Science at UC Berkeley and received her teaching credentials and Master's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of San Francisco. She has worked with students in Grades 3-10 throughout her 13 years in education, but her first passion is teaching Math to middle school students. Prior to coming to CDNIS she taught in California, Bangkok, and London. She has written online lessons and a Grade 6 instructional unit in Math. In her spare time she loves swimming, yoga, playing volleyball, and spending time with her three young children.

Raymond Loo teaches DP/MYP Business Management and MYP Mathematics. Born and educated in Toronto, Raymond received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business, specializing in Accounting. He attained the Chartered Professional Accountant designation and worked as a tax professional with The Toronto-Dominion Bank, KPMG, and the Canada Revenue Agency prior to teaching. Raymond is passionate about teaching and helping his students to think critically and accept responsibility for the outcomes and consequences of their decisions. Raymond looks forward to sharing his own work experiences to help his students understand real life application of the concepts and assist them in developing their applicable skills to reach their potential in this challenging curriculum. Raymond sees the importance of applying math in everyday real life. He hopes to help the students realize this by connecting the lessons to the real world and by instilling confidence and making it an enjoyable experience. He has tremendous patience and endeavours to spend as much time as necessary to help his students learn the fundamentals as well as the extended math.

Chris Young is from Cranbrook, BC, Canada. He has an Electrical Engineering degree and a BEd from the University of Victoria, and a Master of Educational Leadership from the University of Calgary. He has worked in Canada, and Dubai as a high school science and IB Math teacher before joining CDNIS in 2011. His interests outside the classroom include cycling, travelling, and spending time with his family and friends.

Charlotte Hill is from the United States and has taught music in schools in California, Japan and Washington State. She completed her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Miami and her Master of Music in Music Education from Northwestern University. Charlotte has taught instrumental music, choral music, general music and has directed the music for musicals. She started learning the violin at age four and music continues to be a passion in her life. Outside of the classroom, Charlotte enjoys hiking and trying new foods.

Kathryn Cloutier is in her fifth year at CDNIS and hails from Thunder Bay, Ontario. She graduated from Lakehead University with a BSc (Hons) in Kinesiology before completing her BEd, all while playing university volleyball. She then relocated to Ottawa to obtain an MA in Sports Administration (University of Ottawa), with a focus on marketing and grassroots development. She began her teaching career as a French Immersion homeroom teacher before starting her international adventures as an Upper School HPE teacher with the Shanghai Community International School. Kathryn can always be found with a smile on her face, eager to share her passion for wellness through sport, or have a laugh.

Jon Kavanagh hails from Yorkshire, England and has been teaching for the past 11 years both in the UK and abroad. He studied a BA (Hons) in Physical Education and Sport at Liverpool John Moores University and worked in London before embarking on an international teaching career where he has worked in Vietnam, India and most recently Shanghai. Jon enjoys watching and playing many different sports but is most passionate about football, rugby, cricket and golf, as well as being a great lover of the outdoors. Aside from sport and physical activity, he loves to travel, sample cuisines from around the world and socialise with friends. Jon is very much looking forward to joining the CDNIS community and starting a new life in Hong Kong with his wife and their dog, Ernie!

Anne Boyle was born and grew up in Ireland but spent many years working on the west coast of Canada. She is fiercely proud of and strongly identifies with her Irish roots. She completed her BA (Hons) in German Language and Literature with a minor in French at Queen’s University, Belfast, Ireland. She found her first teaching job in England teaching French and German before moving to BC, Canada. Anne has taught almost every level from Grade 1 to Grade 12 and currently teaches MYP French and DP French Ab Initio. When she is not teaching, she likes to stay fit and loves to hike, cycle or run. If Anne were asked to describe herself, she would use three words; firm, fun and feisty.

Annette Meier is from Nice, France. She completed her undergraduate studies and teaching qualifications at the University of La Sorbonne in Paris. She has been teaching French to students in Grades 6 to 12 for 19 years. Prior to coming to CDNIS, she worked in Normandy, Houston, and Beijing. Annette particularly enjoys helping children to discover their individuality and giving them the confidence to try new things.

Josh Arnold is from Silverton, Oregon where he developed a love for the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Josh studied Biology at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, and later earned his MEd from Portland State University. Over the last 16 years, Josh has taught Math and Science in Grades 6 - 12 at public schools in Washington State, and internationally at Hong Kong Academy and most recently at International School of Latvia. Josh is passionate about the environment and helping students investigate our relationship with the natural world. His free time is often spent birdwatching and creating experimental music. He is joined in Hong Kong by his wife of 17 years, who is an elementary school teacher.

Julie Cook is from Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and is the MYP Coordinator and a Science teacher. She first attended the University of Guelph where she received his B.Sc. (Human Kinetics) before completing a Bachelor of Education at York University. Later, she completed a M.Sc. (Interdisciplinary Studies in Education). Julie has taught high school science in Ontario as well as Sofia, Bulgaria and Bangkok, Thailand for grades 9-12. She has been teaching for over 17 years. Julie is a Middle Years Programme curriculum reviewer for the IBO as a part of the Building Quality Curriculum team. Julie is passionate about facilitating the learning of all students with the goal of making the world a better place. Her professional interests involve curriculum development and the use of data to improve education.

Ryan loves inspiring students, exploring how the universe works and helping students become reflective, focused learners. He has 15 years of experience across three continents in public, private and international schools teaching students to think like scientists. Ryan studied Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of California - Berkeley, earned a post-graduate teaching certificate and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership. He enjoys participating in physical activities, coaching, and spending time with his family.

Ben Leung was born in Hong Kong but spent the majority of his life in Winnipeg, Canada. He received his Bachelor of Science and Education from the University of Manitoba. Due to the long wait to teach in the public sector, he decided to journey overseas first to London, England where he taught at Enfield Grammar School. Shortly after he decided to rediscover his roots and returned to Hong Kong where he worked at two international schools. In his free time, Ben enjoys spending time with his children, playing volleyball, hiking, swimming and especially the practice of Chinese martial arts.

Tracie Liu is from Mississauga, Ontario. She graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a BSc (Hons) before completing her B.Ed. at the University of Toronto. She joins CDNIS after four years at the Canadian International School of Beijing, where she taught MYP Science and DP Biology.  Her role as Science Department Head gave her the opportunity to help develop an MYP Science Fair framework. She presented this initiative at the 2016 IB Regional Conference in Spain, indulging in both her love of science and delicious tapas. Prior to teaching internationally, she spent six years teaching Biology in Ontario. Now abroad, she returns home in the summers to enjoy time with her family and watch the Toronto Blue Jays in action.

Mikel has a mission to instill a passion for lifelong learning in students by implementing an energetic and varied teaching methodology. He has experience of teaching in the public and private sector in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. He studied Chemistry at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, then gained a Ph.D in Chemistry and a post-graduate certificate in Education. He is active in the local Hong Kong music scene, playing in a few bands, and enjoys surfing.

Dean Krawchuk is from Edmonton, Alberta, and has a BEd from the University of Alberta and a BFA from UBC Okanagan. Since 2006, he has taught in London, Edmonton, and Dubai prior to arriving in Hong Kong in 2017. Dean has worked with International Schools Theatre Association as an Artist at their TaPS events, and he is also an IB Examiner for DP Theatre. His interests include movies, music, live theatre, reading, yoga, and sound healing meditation.

Paula Pasanen is originally from Helsinki, Finland. She moved to the United Kingdom in 1999 where she gained her BA Arts Hons (University of Sunderland), before going on to completed her MA Media Arts (Manchester Metropolitan University) and PGCSE at UWE (University of West England). Before embarking on a career in teaching, she worked as a freelance photographer and studio assistant. She has been teaching in Khartoum, Sudan for the past two years and has a passion not just for arts but all the amazing cultures she has come across in her travels around the world. Paula believes strongly in providing opportunities to students to express themselves through art and creativity in a traditional manner, as well as in new innovative digital styles. She is looking forward to sharing her lifelong love of culture and art at CDNIS.

Iris Chang joined CDNIS in 2002 and is an Upper School Visual Art Assistant and Yearbook Coordinator. She graduated from Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, majoring in Graphic Design. Iris has a Postgraduate diploma in Education focusing on Early Childhood from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. Previously, she taught English and Art to high school students with special needs. Leading the Yearbook club, she trains editors and members in graphic design and desktop publishing and is proud that CDNIS won Hong Kong’s Print Awards 2016 for the best school yearbook. She is delighted to work with such talented professional colleagues and creative students. She loves animals especially dogs and enjoys doing arts and crafts and calligraphy.