Francois Daneel

Francois Daneel is in his 7th year of teaching in China (his third year with St. Mary’s Wuhan Campus). He is originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, where he graduated from the University of Pretoria with a BCom Honors Degree in Communication Management. Additionally, he has also acquired his TEFL certificate; TKT (level 3) from Cambridge, as well as Grammar Module 1 and 2 certificate from Education First.
Apart from fulfilling his duties as Dean of Faculty at St. Mary’s Wuhan campus, he is also the English Teacher for Grades 11s and 12, specializing in English Literature. His passion lies in reading and analyzing novels and having interesting discussions on different opinions on novels.
As Dean of Faculty on campus, Francois believes in teamwork and open two-way communication. They currently have a great teaching team that unites as a family and ultimately, that is exactly what they are at St. Mary’s Wuhan campus – a family!

Terry Matthews

Terry Matthews is the Dean of Academics and Students of St.Mary’s Wuhan campus. He has 12 years of teaching experience and eight years of management and leadership experience.
At university, Mr. Matthews majored in International Cultural Communication Exchange and minored in math. Mathematics and geography have been his favorite subjects ever since middle school. As an exchange student, he studied at the University of Hong Kong and had the chance to join international events both in Hong Kong and Macao. During the second year of his internship as a co-founder of a educational training company, he had an opportunity to take part in Harvard online courses and learned about aspects of international relations, management, and leadership, especially leadership in the field of education.
He sees himself as an educator. He has always believed that the first step in being an educator is to educate oneself! He immersed himself in the ideas of great educators of the world, such as Maria Montessori, Comenius, Roussea, Pestalozzi, Johann Friedrich Herbart, Friedrich Froebel, John Dewey, etc.

Allan Bowers

Allan Bowers, the Academic Director at Pinghu High School’s St. Mary’s International Division, brings 15 years of teaching experience to his role. With a diverse background, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Education. Before entering international education, Bowers led students to success in provincial and world science fairs at Near North District School in Ontario, Canada.

Bowers began teaching in China in 2012, following experience in the UK. He’s proficient in teaching chemistry, biology, math, and physics. A French-Canadian and member of the Algonquin tribe, Bowers was previously a senior care provider.

His interests span music (trumpet, bagpipes, saxophone), astronomy, archery, and nautical skills. He served as a field medic and piper with the 49th Royal Naval Field Support Force.

Bowers lives by the motto: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”

Shaun Cooper

Mr. Shaun Cooper is the Dean of Academics at the Barstow School in Jiangxi. Mr. Cooper has been an educator for over 12 years. He has received his Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and further completed his Master’s degree in K-12 Administration.
Education has always been Mr. Cooper’s passion. He previously worked as a staff member at Mississippi State University, where he led the team for the BEST Robotics competitions, regional and state science fairs, and countless STEM program outreach events. During these transformative college years, he decided he ultimately wanted to experience education on a global stage.
As a professional educator, Mr. Cooper has worked at public schools in Mississippi, specifically in the state-leading districts of Gulfport and Pass Christian. As a grade 6 science teacher in both districts, he worked with top educators and administrators to use education as a positive force in shaping and enriching the local community while continually planning to make his goal of working abroad a reality.
In 2017, Mr. Cooper embarked on an international journey, moving to China to join KL at the Barstow School in Ningbo. His experience there, working with diverse academic teams and witnessing the school’s growth, has been invaluable. He has seen students successfully transition to colleges worldwide, a testament to the global perspective he brings to his work.
Since 2023, he has had the honor of working at the Barstow School of Jiangxi with the goal of stabilizing the campus and increasing student enrollment. He has had the pleasure of working.
Through his professional experience, he has always focused his efforts on leaving lasting impressions on students that education is the gateway to expanding one’s mind and opening doors to opportunities in order to be the best version of oneself as possible. He looks forward to continued success in Jiangxi and throughout the KL network.

Micheline Leger

Micheline Leger (Mimi) is an experienced educator and Vice Academic Dean at Knowledge Link in Ningbo, China. With a dynamic career spanning over a decade, she has excelled in teaching ESL, leading academic teams, and developing customized curricula. Her expertise includes curriculum development for various subjects, such as English, Art, and Music, and managing academic programs to meet high standards. Micheline holds a CELTA certification and a Bachelor’s in Applied Art. Her roles have spanned multiple countries, including China and South Korea, where she has worked with diverse age groups and facilitated strong parent-teacher collaboration. Fluent in English and French, she brings energy, organization, and a passion for teaching to every role she takes on.

Yolanda Gao

Ms. Gao is the Chair of the Math Department and an experienced AP math teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo and an MBA, complemented by CFA certification. With a background in investment banking, Ms. Gao integrates real-world financial insights into her teaching, making math relevant and engaging for her students. Her approach emphasizes collaboration and active participation, creating a supportive learning environment. Dedicated to professional development, she empowers both educators and students, fostering a culture of excellence within the department.

Sedeeqah Moerat

Sedeeqah Moerat holds an LLB Degree from the University of the Western Cape, a PGCE from Leeds Beckett University, and is set to complete his MBA from the University of the People in October 2024. His experience includes serving as the interim Head of Department (HOD) for English and running the English corner at his previous employments. He also led clubs during his university years and successfully operated a debt recovery business. Sedeeqah believes in transformational leadership, where he inspires and empowers teams to achieve their best. With excellent organizational skills and expertise in managing grading systems, he thrives in both academic and business settings, combining leadership with strategic thinking.

Liam Gan

Born and raised in Ningbo, Liam Gan spent a decade in the United States, where he earned dual B.A. degrees in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by an M.S. in Actuarial Science from Columbia University. After returning to his hometown, Liam dedicated his passion to education. Drawing on his experience as a TA and adjunct instructor at UC Berkeley, he has gained extensive expertise teaching advanced mathematics courses, including AP Precalculus, AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Statistics, and Linear Algebra over the past few years. He served as Head of the Math Department at Barstow Ningbo during the 2022-23 school year and has been the Academic Dean since August 2023.

David Medina

Dr. Medina is currently Vice Principal of Asia for Knowledge Link. For the last Fourteen years he has helped many schools establish a sound curriculum, become accredited through Cognia, College Board Certified for AP classes, Pearson Certified for A-Level, and GAC/ACT certified.
Dr. Medina has over 14 years education experience beginning as an adjunct professor in IEN of Mingjiang University and quickly being awarded top teacher, “Fuzhou Foreign Education and Cultural Expert” and “Top Expat” awards from the provincial government. During his tenure at MingJiang he assisted with the establishment of FMP (Fuzhou Melbourne Polytechnic) and then worked on helping them become the first internationally accredited institution in Fujian province.
He focused on making institutional changes in data collection and retention and integrating technology into the classrooms. Dr. Medina helped develop a local archive of student work and achievements, edited several books published by local teachers, created several interactive electronic books and guided students to win top places in several international competitions.
Before his venture into education Dr. Medina served as a Vice President of Retail Investments at JPMorgan Chase. During his 9 years there he completed his PhD in Finance and developed a diversified equity portfolio including value stocks and funds that is used by many of his former coworkers to date.
Dr. Medina tries to instill a thirst for knowledge and a desire to improve any situation into all that he teaches, coaches or guides.

FRANK PHILLIPS

As Vice President of Academics, Frank oversees faculty and curriculum development for KL’s global academic programs. A Rhode Island native, Frank moved to Oregon in 1989, and started a long career at St. Mary’s School as a teacher and administrator. Frank taught Latin and AP English for many years while coaching basketball and golf. As Head of St. Mary’s School and then as its President, Frank instituted several exciting changes at St. Mary’s School such as establishing the first Confucius Classroom in North America in 2008, a 70-student international boarding program in 2012, launching seven St. Mary’s campuses in China with KL, and converting St. Mary’s School to a seven-term “module system” that offers students over 300 courses to choose from in high school. Frank enjoys working with international students and seeing the fresh perspectives they bring to the American high school curriculum. He has wide-experience in school accreditation in both the public and private school worlds, serving as Chair and Vice-Chair of several accreditation teams. Frank graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a BA in English and minor in Latin. He earned a Masters in Business, cum laude, from Notre Dame’s Mendoza School of Business. Frank and his wife Beverly enjoy life on their fifty-acre hay ranch in beautiful southern Oregon.

Contact: [email protected]