Staff Profiles

K1 -  Penguins  (Homeroom Teacher)

Ms. Erin Rysinksi

Licensed US school teacher specializing in both early years’ education and art education, which led her to be chosen as a co-curriculum specialist for Kerria’s art program, Ms. Erin has been at Kerria since its inception having led the curriculum team to formalize the Kerria curriculum and class programs,

as well as periodically lead professional development workshops. She has recently been tapped to collaborate in updating the school curriculum for the purpose of seeking both local and international accreditation.

K3  -  Kangaroos  (Homeroom Teacher)

Ms. Emma. Whittaker

Hello, I'm Emma Whittaker, hailing from the charming city of Canterbury, England. With a master's degree in Education and a bachelor's degree in Primary Education, I've dedicated nearly two decades to the noble profession of teaching. Witnessing the remarkable growth of my students continues to be my greatest inspiration, fueling my passion for being a dedicated and caring educator.

K2  -  Honeybees  (Homeroom Teacher)

Mr.Bruno Albert-Gondrand

Holding a British master’s degree and being trilingual, Mr. Bruno serves as co-curriculum
specialist for Kerria’s art programme. He has served as art instructor and both assistant teacher
and head teacher at various international schools. Mr. Bruno excels at bringing creativity fine arts to his lesson plans
and displays both passion and patience in guiding his students through the process of creating art, including the
concept of creative thinking.
 

Preschool  -  Kittens  (Homeroom Teacher)

Ms. Zoe Elizabeth Lea

Hello, my name is Zoe and I’m from Australia. I have 15 years of experience in early childhood education in Australia, China, Hong Kong and Japan. As the preschool teacher at Kerria, I believe in developmentally appropriate practices, creating positive, nurturing and safe environments, and making sure students reach their development goals in fun and engaging ways. 

Yuki Shiratani  -  Administration  (Japanese Speaking)

Holding a degree in English, and extensive experience in project management in the
private sector, Ms. Yuki has proved to be invaluable member of the Kerria family. Always diligent
and detail-oriented, Ms. Yuki acts as liaison to both Japanese parents and the various local
education bodies under whose jurisdiction Kerria falls. A natural educator who loves working with
children, Ms. Yuki excels at multi-tasking and never hesitates to step up and assist the classroom teachers when
there is a need.

Tanya Sachdeva  -  Administration  (English Speaking)

Diligent and detail-oriented business administrative and marketing assistant with over five years
of experience at Mizuho Bank, and over three years’ experience at an Indian school in the role of
manager. Possesses extensive expertise in software administrative software and database management. Proven
ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced work environment. Fosters positive relationships internally across
all the levels of management and externally with clients (parents) and business professionals.

Miyuki Miyagawa  -   K3  (Japanese & Assistant Teacher)

Licensed as an elementary school English teacher and currently completing her final courses to
receive a license in early learner education (preschool & kindergarten), Ms. Miyuki shows both
devotion and pride in her teaching craft, and never shies away from the opportunity for
professional development. Currently serving as the Japanese Teacher and Assistant Teacher of
K2, she has proven herself to be an invaluable member of the Kerria community and future star in the field of
education, where she displays a keen interest in both differentiated instruction and differentiated assessment.

Ayumi Fapetu   -   Preschool  (Japanese & Assistant Teacher)

Bilingual Assistant Teacher/ Teacher of Japanese who has worked extensively in bilingual
workplaces throughout her career, Ms. Ayumi made the switch to education and has not
looked back since. Tasked with teaching Japanese to our prechoolers, Ms. Ayumi always takes
the opportunity to proactively seek out professional development and is currently focused on
differentiated instruction strategies, as well as assessment strategies.

Amor Escabusa   -   K1  (Assistant Teacher)

The Assistant Teacher of K1, Ms. Amor recently joined Kerria and has proven to be a superstar in
the field of education. Originally having graduated with a degree in Performing Arts, Ms. Amor
displays all the qualities necessary to be a dedicated and successful teacher of early learner
education. Her patience, independence, ability to multitask and ever-calm-under-pressure
composure have her on track to become a head teacher in the near future.

Naoko Yamada  -  K1  (Japanese & Assistant Teacher)

Nagisa Takishima  -  K2  (Japanese & Assistant Teacher)

Kerria’s Japanese Department Head, Ms. Nagisa studied English in Japan before majoring in
Korean and Linguistics at Seoul Sogan University. Besides being the licensed Japanese Teacher
and Assistant Teacher for K1 and K3, Ms. Nagisa has been instrumental in ensuring that the
curriculum is truly bilingual and that the Japanese lessons are practical for our non-native
students, as well as developing differentiated instructional strategies for our native speakers of
Japanese in each class. She has been tapped to join the curriculum committee which is tasked with updating the
school curriculum.

Vince Yamazaki  -  Dance Teacher

My name is Vince, I was born in Japan but moved to Portland Oregon when i was two months old and stayed for 18 years. Now i am a Dance and English teacher living in Japan. I have been dancing since i was 12 and it is my passion and life work. I perform in Dance shows in the tokyo area aand teach at various dance schools. I love children and hope to connect with them through dance.