Skip To Main Content

Our Leadership Team

Committed to Excellence

picture of michael callan

 

Michael Callan

Michael Callan


Director

Our school Director, Michael (Mike) Callan, joined ISK in July of 2021. Canadian by birth and international by choice, Mr. Callan has strived to make a positive impact on the lives of children for more than three decades. He has led teams of talented educators in Italy, Malaysia, Abu Dhabi, Turkey, and Hong Kong. He began his teaching career in Japan.

Mr. Callan believes that schools must be joyful places in which children are nurtured and challenged. He understands the incredibly powerful influence that dedicated and talented adults can have on student development when they work in harmony. This is why he invests so heavily in fostering communities collectively and unwaveringly focused on student growth and wellness.

He and his wife Michelyne are grateful for the opportunity to join and contribute to the ISK community.

 

Ryan Hopkins-Wilcox

Ryan Hopkins-Wilcox


Elementary School Principal

Ryan is a lifelong learner and progressive educational leader. She embraces new opportunities for learning, reflection and growth. To nurture a love of learning Ryan focuses on building the skills of self direction through learner-driven pedagogy. She also believes in the power of passion and purpose for inspiring motivation and ambition as lifelong learners. 

Ryan started her career as a graphic designer and brings the practices of creativity, design thinking and technology to her work still today. She completed her Maters in Education (international curriculum and instruction) at George Mason University and has spent the last 20 years working as a teacher, learning leader and administrator across the globe with positions in Taiwan, Cambodia, Washington DC, Uganda and Kenya.

Ryan believes learning should be joyful, meaningful, and engaging.  Our role as educators is to curate resources, design experiences and co-construct environments that empower learners to discover who they are. She believes in promoting a culture where students learn how they learn best through experimentation and discovery. 

Ryan joined ISK in 2019 with her husband who teaches in the Middle School. Together they love exploring the beauty of Kenya and our world. 

picture of Alexa Schmid
Dr. Alexa Schmid

Dr. Alexa Schmid


Middle School Principal

Alexa Schmid is a student-centered, progressive educator. She believes in the power of a growth mindset, collaborative partnerships, open and transparent dialogue between all stakeholders, and the importance of being a lifelong learner. Alexa has been a leader through several change processes in schools, believes in the importance of educating the whole child, and puts a strong emphasis on nurturing relationships and community building. She is passionate about amplifying student voice, and providing students with opportunities to grow as leaders who can make a difference.

Alexa joined ISK in July 2017. She has previously worked as an educator in Egypt and India, and started her international career as a Peace Corps Volunteer with the fisheries program in Zambia. She has an undergraduate degree from Duke University, a Master of Education degree from Plymouth State University (PSU - New Hampshire), and her Doctor of Education in Learning, Leadership and Community (topic: cultural competence in international school leaders). Prior to being a principal, Alexa taught middle school math.

Alexa lives in Kenya with her husband, Stewart, who is a High School English teacher and coach, and her twin daughters, Sophia and Isabella.

 

 

Julie Lemley

Julie Lemley


High School Principal

Julie Lemley is a collaborative international educator with a strong background in innovative learning, STEAM, Design Thinking, social and emotional learning, and she has a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work. With more than two decades of experience in the field of education, Julie has dedicated her career to fostering safe school environments where community members can thrive and have a strong sense of belonging. 

Julie has previously worked as an educator and leader in the US, Peru, Japan, and China. Julie holds an undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech and a Master's degree in Education with a Pre-K to 12 Education Leadership certificate from Georgia Southern University. 

Julie firmly believes in challenging and joyful learning. Education should go beyond academic achievement and encompass service learning and hands-on authentic learning for students both in and out of the classroom. Julie actively promotes the integration of social and emotional learning into strong advisory programs and through the curriculum and systems of schools, providing students with the tools to develop self-awareness, empathy, resilience, and effective interpersonal skills.

Julie joined ISK in July 2023 with her husband, John, a High School English teacher, and their two children: Maximo and Lola.

Dr. Virginia Prairie

Dr. Virginia Prairie


Director of Teaching and Learning

Virginia (Ginny) joined ISK in July 2022 after serving as a learning leader in Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. Before becoming a schoolwide leader, Ginny taught a variety of subject areas from 5th grade to 12th grade in Virginia, Florida, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia. She holds a doctorate in Educational Administration and Leadership. 

Ginny is a voracious researcher who loves working with other thinkers and doers by listening to the community, piloting new ideas, seeking feedback, and sharing progress. She strives to cultivate and model a culture of trust, transparency, and flexibility. Ginny believes that school should be filled with experiences for every student to learn who they are, how to be better humans, and how to create opportunities for others to be better humans.

Home for the Prairie family is in the Colorado high country. Ginny’s children are both students at Western Colorado University, and her husband is a Social Studies teacher. The family enjoys live music, outdoor activities, and taking adventures together.

David Neudorf

Dave Neudorf


Director of Technology

Our school Director of Technology, Dave Neudorf, joined ISK in July 2022. 

Dave has held Educational Technology leadership roles in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and most recently, Poland at the American School of Warsaw. His work focuses on strategic planning and moving schools forward with achievable educational technology plans. Dave believes that technology departments work best when their efforts are aligned with school curriculum and learning objectives. He enjoys working with faculty to enhance learning and engage students with skills they need to succeed in their future.

He and his wife Joan O’Donnell, an ISK elementary ELL teacher, are both Canadian by birth and have been working in international schools their entire teaching careers. 


PTO

Board Governance