Early Years (Nursery and Kindergarten)
Ms. Madison Keller
- Nursery Homeroom Teacher
Madison Keller is an experienced educator originally from the United States and has been living in Chiang Mai for the past eight years. She has four years of preschool teaching experience at international schools in both Chiang Mai and Bangkok, working closely with young learners in supportive, multicultural environments.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business, a U.S. teaching license, and is currently completing her Master’s degree in Child Psychology and School Counseling.
Madison is passionate about fostering confidence, curiosity, and joy in young learners. She believes children learn best when they feel safe, encouraged, and happy, therefore striving to create a warm, positive classroom where students feel confident to try, make mistakes, and express themselves in English. Her goal is to support each child’s growth while helping them develop a love for learning from an early age.
We have got good references and recommendations from her previous school as a preschool teacher in Chiang Mai.
Mrs. Samantha Whiteside
- Head of Kindergarten
Teacher Samantha, a seasoned educator from London, brings her expertise in international teaching to ASIS. With five years of experience teaching English in Spain and another five as a homeroom teacher at a large British international school in Cyprus, she has developed a passion for helping students build confidence in reading and language skills through engaging and supportive lessons. Samantha values fostering a love of learning in her pupils and enjoys exploring new cultures. Having travelled to countries such as Panama, she is thrilled to be based in Thailand and looks forward to being part of the ASIS community for many years.
Mrs. Jay Louise Gotham
- Kindergarten Teacher
Jay Gotham, an experienced educator from the United Kingdom, specialises in Kindergarten and Lower Primary Years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences with a focus on sports psychology and is a certified English language teacher.
Her passion for education and travel has taken her to Cambodia, Spain, Ukraine,
China and Thailand, teaching in training centers, International schools and most
recently through homeschooling, where she designed a personalised curriculum for her three children.
Teacher Jay is dedicated to fostering a lifelong love of learning by blending educational goals with everyday experiences, adapting to diverse learners and creating engaging, supportive environments.
Primary School
Mr. Soren Paul Landreau
- Primary 2 Homeroom Teacher
- ICT Teacher
Teacher Paul, originally from the United States, brings over a decade of experience to his role at ASIS. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Administration from Temple University and a graduate degree in Teaching Profession from St. Theresa University. In addition, he is a certified TEFL instructor accredited by Oxford Seminars. Teacher Paul specializes in
teaching ICT, Coding, Artificial Intelligence, and STEAM subjects to primary-level students, creating engaging and innovative lessons that inspire young learners. Prior to joining ASIS, he worked as a child psychologist in U.S. schools, where he supported at-risk youth and developed programs to foster emotional and academic growth. Coming from a family with strong roots in education, His lifelong dedication to teaching is deeply personal and driven by a passion for helping children thrive.
Mrs. Mairangi Uili-Tamati
- Primary 5 and 6 Homeroom Teacher
- Head of Sports, PE and CCA
Mairangi Uili-Tamati or teacher Mai from New Zealand is an experienced educator with a strong background in both teaching and sports. Holding a bachelor’s degree in sports management and a diploma in teaching English as a second language, she has dedicated seven years to teaching and has accumulated 15 years of coaching experience.
Beyond her expertise in education and sports, she also holds a Chinese Language Level 1 certificate and has 10 years of professional athlete experience. Additionally, she has spent a decade working with professional student-athletes, helping them develop both academically and athletically. Her passion lies in supporting students to reach their full potential, not only in their studies and sports but also in building essential life skills.
Mr. Saumafana Uili
- Primary 1 Homeroom Teacher
- Head of Fitness & Health (ECA)
Saumafana Uili or teacher Kodi from Samoa is a dedicated educator and coach with extensive teaching experiences in international school. He is a certified strength and conditioning coach, as well as health and nutrition. With 10 years of teaching and 15 years of coaching experience, he has helped many students develop their skills both in the classroom and on the field.
He is a certified rugby union coach and has 10 years of international rugby athlete experience. He also holds a Chinese Language HSK Level 4 certificate, demonstrating his commitment to continuous learning. His passion lies in guiding students to achieve their full potential, both academically and athletically, while promoting overall health and well-being.
Ms. Li Yang Yuanyu
- Primary 1 Homeroom Teacher
- Primary Chinese Teacher
Teacher Li, originally from China, brings over two and a half years of international experience in teaching Chinese. At her previous school, she mainly taught primary-level Chinese classes and also worked with adult learners. She has successfully guided students to participate in various Chinese language competitions, achieving outstanding results.
Her educational philosophy emphasises inspiring each child’s potential through engaging and discovery-based learning. She believes that every child is uniquely brilliant. Teacher Li is skilled in interactive, activity-based teaching and enjoys
integrating fun into learning. She also has a passion for sports.
Ms. Zhang Lei
- Nursery Chinese Teacher
Zhang Lei, or Teacher Zhang, from China, is an experienced educator with a strong background in language teaching and interpretation. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Thai from Yunnan University Dianchi College, she has three years of experience in oral interpretation and five years of teaching Chinese to children from kindergarten to primary school.
With her years of teaching experience across different age groups, she creates a relaxed and engaging classroom environment. She is skilled at understanding each child’s habits and personality to inspire their interest in learning Chinese, strengthen their confidence, and cultivate a positive attitude toward language learning. Her passion lies in helping students discover the joy of learning while developing essential communication and cultural understanding skills.
Ms. Chananya Ketkaew
- Primary 4 Homeroom Teacher
- Thai Language Teacher
Teacher Chananya holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and is pursuing a master’s in Thai Language Education at Mahamakut Buddhist University.
She has over 10 years of experience teaching Thai to early childhood and primary students at Chumphae Kindergarten School and has volunteered teaching Thai and social studies to monks and novices in a Buddhist monastic school.
Committed to professional growth, she makes Thai language learning creative,
engaging and easy to understand, inspiring students to value the beauty of the language and the richness of Thai culture.
Mr. Dapson Gotham
- Primary 4 Homeroom Teacher
- Head of Science
Mr. Dapson is an experienced science teacher who holds a Bachelor of Science in BioMedical Science from the University of East London and a teaching certification in Primary and Secondary Education (PGCE 7-14).
He has over 10 years of experience in teaching middle and high school science,
including; biology, chemistry, physics and environmental science.
Mr Dapson is committed to making science fun and accessible by fostering curiosity, encouraging experimentation and connecting concepts to real-world
applications. Mr Dapson is also passionate about inspiring a lifelong love of science and developing students’ problem-solving skills through interactive and
student-centered instruction.
Prof. Juliano Baraqueti
- Head of Martial Arts and character development
Professor Juliano, a third-degree black belt with over 30 years of experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, brings extensive knowledge and expertise to ASIS. Through his academies in Brazil, Argentina and Cyprus, he has developed numerous champions and positively impacted hundreds of students’ lives. As a direct student of Grand Master Flavio Behring, Prof. Juliano’s lineage is one of the shortest to Jiu-Jitsu’s founders today.
His teaching approach helps embed core values like respect, discipline and perseverance in our students, who not only gain physical self- defense skills but also develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others.
Dr. Wayne McConnell
- Head of Music
Teacher Wayne from the UK is a highly qualified and experienced music educator and performer. He holds a PhD in Music from Khon Kaen University in Thailand, as well as a Master of Arts in Musicology and Piano Performance from ARU, Cambridge, and a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Music from ARU,
Cambridge, where he graduated with Upper Second Class honors.
With 16 years of teaching experience at the university level, Wayne has taught music at Khon Kaen University, specialising in jazz and music psychology. Prior to that, he was a lecturer in music and jazz piano tutor at the University of Chichester for 12 years. He is also the founder, director, and teacher at Brighton Jazz School.
A professional jazz pianist since 1995, Wayne has extensive expertise in jazz improvisation, music theory, and performance studies. Additionally, he has experience in digital film production and freelance video editing, blending his musical talents with his skills in multimedia.
Mr. Rashid
- Primary 5 and 6 Homeroom Teacher
- Head of Mathematics and Science
Mr. Rashid is an experienced educator with a strong background in mathematics and science. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching from the National Institute of Education (NIE) in Singapore, specialising in the teaching of mathematics and science at the primary level. His teaching career spans nearly two decades, starting at Yew Tee Primary School in Singapore from 2006 to 2012, where he taught primary mathematics and science, including foundation mathematics and gifted science programmes.
From 2012 to 2023, he taught at Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah, covering a wide range of subjects such as primary mathematics, secondary science and biology, secondary elementary and additional mathematics, as well as IB Diploma mathematics for grade 12 students. From 2023 to 2024, he taught at an international school in Bangkok, focusing on Singapore primary mathematics and science. With his extensive experience across different curricula, he is committed to fostering a deep understanding of mathematics and science while inspiring students to reach their full potential.
Mr. Jadon
- Primary Mathematics Teacher
- Primary Science Teacher
Mr. Jadon is a trained teacher from the National Institute of Education in Singapore, holding a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education specialising in Primary Education. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Maritime Studies with a second major in Business Studies from the established Nanyang Business School of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. He possesses over 4 years of teaching experience in Singapore and is very familiar with the Singapore Curriculum that is currently implemented at ASIS. His earlier engagement with Overseas Immersion Programme at the Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway and also at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand have helped him developed deep cultural capital to operate well in a multi-cultural environment.
Prior to joining ASIS, he already had extensive teaching experience in Thailand, having spent several years with International Schools in Chiang Mai and Bangkok. He has served as the chief Math Olympiad trainer in these schools and also the Science coordinator at the International School in Chiang Mai. With his vast background in working with young learners where English may not be their first language, he is able to utilise varied learning methods to help them engage with the subject despite their language difficulty.
Mr. Jayan Ravendra
- Primary 3 Homeroom Teacher
- English Coordinator
Mr. Jayan, is an experienced English educator from Singapore. His expertise lies in English Language and Literature and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Language and Literature and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Linguistics (TESOL) from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, and is also CELTA-certified.
With over six years of teaching experience in Singapore, Mr. Jayan has taught both Primary and Secondary students in enrichment settings. His experience includes curriculum planning, lesson delivery, assessment, and providing detailed feedback. He has worked with a diverse range of local and international learners and is well-versed in Singapore-based curricula and exam-focused requirements.