Leadership

Pete Corcoran joined CIS in 2017 and has over 35 years of experience in education, both in Canada and internationally. Pete has been Head of School in academically prestigious schools in both Canada and South East Asia. Prior to his appointment at CIS he served as the Executive Director of the Qatar Foundation Schools where he oversaw a consortium of 10 schools and centers serving a population of 5,000 students. Peter has shared his vision of educational leadership and passion around school improvement in a variety of international settings throughout his career. He holds a Honours Degree in Psychology from the University of Victoria and a Masters in School Administration from the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Heather Beck is a visionary leader and innovative educator with a demonstrated track record of moving high achieving schools to the next level of academic excellence. Prior to her appointment at CIS, Heather served as superintendent of Lake Oswego School District - Oregon, one of the highest performing school districts in the United States. Leading a school district of 7000 students, ten schools and 700 employees, Heather was responsible for all facets of district operations including educational standards and practices, teacher professional development and parent education and engagement. Heather’s educational philosophy is tied to a deep love of learning and a commitment to continuous improvement, both personally and professionally. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado, a Master's in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Denver.

Daniel Smith has worked in international education for the past 20 years in a variety of outstanding schools in Russia, India and Thailand. He earned his MA in Social Studies at Teachers College Columbia University and returned there to complete his M.Ed in Private School Leadership at the Klingenstein Center where he later served as the Assistant Director. During the course of his career, Daniel has worked in US independent schools as a teacher and administrator including travel to many international schools as the Director of International Partnerships for a US based international boarding school. His most recent position was as Head of School at Ruamrudee International School in Bangkok, Thailand.

John Kernis is an American with over 18 years of experience in education. Most recently, John was the IB Diploma Coordinator at St. Joseph’s International School in Singapore. Some of his prior postings include the International School of Tanganyika and the Western Academy of Beijing in China. John holds a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from Hobart College in New York, a Master of Arts in Modern European Literature from the University of Sussex in England, a Master's degree in International Education Administration from Endicott College in Madrid, and just completed his Principal’s Training Center certificate. In addition, John has NEASC / CIS Accreditation Visiting Team Member Certification, has worked with the MYP on interdisciplinary learning curriculum development, is a Google certified educator, and has presented at the annual Teach Up conference here in Singapore.

With over 13 years as an educator, Nicholas Kolentse has worked in schools in South Korea, Columbia, Myanmar, Germany and now Singapore. Most recently, Nicholas was Middle School Assistant Principal & Dean of Students at the Franconian International School in Germany. Nicholas is a passionate educational leader who believes that by adopting a learner-centered approach, students will be prepared for success in a rapidly changing world. Nicholas holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Boston College (USA), a Master in Teaching from Whitworth University (USA) and is completing his UK Principal’s Training Center certificate in leadership.

Dr. Colleen Drisner is a highly respected educator who has spent the last 29 years in senior leadership positions in international schools globally. Most recently, Colleen was Head of Student Support and Wellbeing at CIS where she oversaw the delivery of integrated services of our school counsellors, psychologist, nurses, Learning Support and English Language Learner teachers. Prior to this, Colleen was the Secondary Principal at Beijing City International School. She has also worked as a DP Coordinator, as well as having taught DP Business Management and MYP English. Colleen earned her Bachelor of Arts from Waterloo, Ontario, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto and a Masters in Business from the University of Melbourne. Colleen holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, USA.

Joel Bevan has over 15 years of teaching experience and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Primary Education from the University of Northumbria in Newcastle, UK and a Masters degree in Multidisciplinary Education Studies from Suny Buffalo State. Most recently, Joel was elementary curriculum coordinator and a member of the teaching and learning team at the International School of Panama. He also worked as a COETAIL online 12 instructor and an online coach for Harvard Graduate School of Education (Project Zero). He says: “Creating a culture in a school empowers learners to flourish, make a positive difference and reimagine the world around us. We as educators have an amazing opportunity to empower students to understand themselves as learners enabling them to transform their understandings, dispositions, and skills.”

Xiomara Cruz is an experienced educator and school leader with over 14 years teaching experience. For the last decade, she has focused on supporting the development of cohesive data-driven Bilingual education programmes. Xiomara has worked in Puerto Rico, the United States and Singapore and is skilled in educational leadership, lesson planning, educational technology, curriculum development and teacher training. She holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration from Northcentral University, a Bachelor’s degree in Political Sciences from Universidad de Puerto Rico, a Master’s degree in Child Development from Texas Woman’s University and a Masters Degree in Bilingual Education from Southern Methodist University in Texas, United States. Most recently, Xiomara was Elementary Deputy Principal at Stamford American International School in Singapore.

Angela is a well-respected educator with over 25 years experience in primary education in Canada, USA, and Asia. She brings a wealth of educational leadership skills to her role as Principal and delivers educational focused workshops in Singapore and overseas. As the co-founder of the South East Asia Primary Administrators Conference (SEAPAC), and a facilitator for the Singapore Principal’s Network, Angela stays abreast of trends and best practices. Since joining CIS, Angela has played an integral role in developing CIS’ vibrant learning environment. Angela has received a variety of awards for her ongoing dedication and commitment to education excellence. Angela holds a Certificate of International School Leadership and a Masters of Education in Divergent Learning from Columbia College in the USA.

Cherie Boltong is a passionate educator with 27 years experience: 10 years in Australia and 17 in Singapore. She has a special interest and passion for early years education. Serving as Vice Principal at the CIS TK campus, Cherie has gained a significant amount of educational expertise by working across a diverse range of roles including PYP coordinator and Open Minds Coordinator. Cherie’s Bachelor of Education was awarded by the Australian Catholic University (ACU), and she remains committed to staff and students though her current study towards a Diploma of Counselling at the internationally recognised Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors. She looks forward to progressing into a Masters in the same field.

Huali Xiong has 35 years experience in education, 18 of which have been in an international setting. Huali is the author of the acclaimed Big Apple Chinese reader series which is used in schools around the world. Huali is frequently invited to be the keynote speaker at language conferences, consults to schools regarding Chinese curriculum development, and is an adjunct lecturer at NTU (National Technological University). Huali holds a Master of Science in international education - from the State University of New York.

Pete Corcoran joined CIS in 2017 and has over 35 years of experience in education, both in Canada and internationally. Pete has been Head of School in academically prestigious schools in both Canada and South East Asia. Prior to his appointment at CIS he served as the Executive Director of the Qatar Foundation Schools where he oversaw a consortium of 10 schools and centers serving a population of 5,000 students. Peter has shared his vision of educational leadership and passion around school improvement in a variety of international settings throughout his career. He holds a Honours Degree in Psychology from the University of Victoria and a Masters in School Administration from the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Heather Beck is a visionary leader and innovative educator with a demonstrated track record of moving high achieving schools to the next level of academic excellence. Prior to her appointment at CIS, Heather served as superintendent of Lake Oswego School District - Oregon, one of the highest performing school districts in the United States. Leading a school district of 7000 students, ten schools and 700 employees, Heather was responsible for all facets of district operations including educational standards and practices, teacher professional development and parent education and engagement. Heather’s educational philosophy is tied to a deep love of learning and a commitment to continuous improvement, both personally and professionally. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado, a Master's in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Denver.

Daniel Smith has worked in international education for the past 20 years in a variety of outstanding schools in Russia, India and Thailand. He earned his MA in Social Studies at Teachers College Columbia University and returned there to complete his M.Ed in Private School Leadership at the Klingenstein Center where he later served as the Assistant Director. During the course of his career, Daniel has worked in US independent schools as a teacher and administrator including travel to many international schools as the Director of International Partnerships for a US based international boarding school. His most recent position was as Head of School at Ruamrudee International School in Bangkok, Thailand.

Huali Xiong has 35 years experience in education, 18 of which have been in an international setting. Huali is the author of the acclaimed Big Apple Chinese reader series which is used in schools around the world. Huali is frequently invited to be the keynote speaker at language conferences, consults to schools regarding Chinese curriculum development, and is an adjunct lecturer at NTU (National Technological University). Huali holds a Master of Science in international education - from the State University of New York.

Dr. Colleen Drisner is a highly respected educator who has spent the last 29 years in senior leadership positions in international schools globally. Most recently, Colleen was Head of Student Support and Wellbeing at CIS where she oversaw the delivery of integrated services of our school counsellors, psychologist, nurses, Learning Support and English Language Learner teachers. Prior to this, Colleen was the Secondary Principal at Beijing City International School. She has also worked as a DP Coordinator, as well as having taught DP Business Management and MYP English. Colleen earned her Bachelor of Arts from Waterloo, Ontario, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto and a Masters in Business from the University of Melbourne. Colleen holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, USA.

Angela is a well-respected educator with over 25 years experience in primary education in Canada, USA, and Asia. She brings a wealth of educational leadership skills to her role as Principal and delivers educational focused workshops in Singapore and overseas. As the co-founder of the South East Asia Primary Administrators Conference (SEAPAC), and a facilitator for the Singapore Principal’s Network, Angela stays abreast of trends and best practices. Since joining CIS, Angela has played an integral role in developing CIS’ vibrant learning environment. Angela has received a variety of awards for her ongoing dedication and commitment to education excellence. Angela holds a Certificate of International School Leadership and a Masters of Education in Divergent Learning from Columbia College in the USA.