12 AMISA Schools Welcome New Heads of School for the 2024-25 Academic Year

My educational journey and extensive experience in Turkey, Singapore, Colombia, Canada, and Brazil have forged a firm belief that schools serve as a sanctuary and safe harbor where awareness, compassion, and commitment to individuals should resound in every aspect of our organization.

I am 42 years old, originally from Central Pennsylvania. I did my studies at Eastern University outside of Philadelphia and taught for a few years at a small Mennonite School in Lancaster County, Pa. I have lived in La Ceiba, Honduras for 16 years and have been at Mazapan School for 11. My wife and I have 3 young children and live in the mountains above the city and have decided to make La Ceiba our permanent home.

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, I attended school and lived in Venezuela, Barbados and the U.S.A. After completing my bachelors in Caracas, I attended Columbia University in NYC where I earned an M.A. in Special Education and M.Ed. in Administration in Education. I relocated to Connecticut and while working at the Wilton Public Schools I completed an M.A. in Library and Media Education at Fairfield University. I served as Media Specialist, IB Coordinator, Dean of Curriculum and Practices, and Interim Head at the International School at Dundee (public/choice) and the Whitby School (private) in Greenwich, CT. Upon moving to New Jersey, I was the Associate Head of School and IB Coordinator at the Red Oaks School. My latest assignment was as Head of School at HudsonWay Immersion School in NYC and NJ. I am honored to join Escuela Americana in El Salvador as General Director.

Now beginning my 38th year in independent schools, 36 of which were in the U.S., I am excited to be beginning my second year at ASF. Prior to arriving in Mexico, I was for 18 years the head of a Pre-K through Grade 12 day school in the states. I began my career as an English teacher.

This July, I started my first year as the Head of School at the Escola Americana Brasilia – an international school serving 700 students, PK through grade 12.

Previous to his current role, I served as principal of the Elementary School at Academia Cotopaxi, an international school in Quito, Ecuador. In this role, I oversaw the school’s early childhood and elementary divisions, serving nearly 400 students, ages 1-11.

My career in education started in the early 90’s as a classroom teacher, serving fourth and fifth grade in a New Orleans public school for four years. The experience led to a life-long interest in education as well as the pursuit of a doctorate in educational leadership, which I completed in 2003. While working on my doctorate, I also served as an early leader of Citizen Schools – a Boston-based nonprofit leading after-school programs around the US.

From 2004 to 2008, I served as principal of Wayland Middle School, a school of 725 students outside of Boston. Later, I served as principal/superintendent of Avondale Meadows Academy (AMA) – a public charter school serving a high poverty community in Indianapolis.

Beginning in 2006, I also helped design and served as a lead teacher in Marian University’s Educational Leadership program, helping aspiring principals earn their license and develop the knowledge to be school leaders. I had the chance to design and lead classes in school culture, instructional quality and family involvement.

In March 2012, I started a new school, Vision Academy – a sister school to AMA, and also took responsibility for two high-poverty charter schools on the cusp of closure. In this role, I supervised the team responsible for all four schools, serving 1,200 students, PK-12.

My name is Kathleen Serverian-Wilmeth and I have been working in the educational field for over fifty years. I began my career working with students with emotional disabilities in St. Louis and Illinois. I then worked abroad for twenty-eight years in International schools until I had the opportunity to continue my studies in the Brazilian Studies Department at Brown University and work in the Public School system in Rhode Island.

The professional development received during my tenure in the States was exceptional. I became more knowledgeable about Language Acquisition and working with students whose first language was not English. Opportunity for Administration training arose and I was able to further my training, which was enhanced in Educational Administration at Columbia University in later years.

I have been the General Director for Colegio Americano del Sur for almost twelve years and find each day a privilege to work and learn from my team and our students. We are "Planting the Seeds of Success" in Guatemala, providing a rigorous learning environment and preparing future leaders for Guatemala.

Christopher Terrill is an accomplished educator with over 30 years of experience in the field. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to lead and inspire educational communities, driving growth and fostering innovation. Christopher's journey in education is marked by significant achievements, including his recent eight-year tenure as the founding Director of Crosstown High in Memphis, Tennessee. Under his leadership, Crosstown High emerged as a model for progressive education, emphasizing project-based learning and community engagement.

Before his work at Crosstown High, Christopher played a pivotal role in the expansion of Pine Lake Preparatory in Davidson, North Carolina. During his five years there, the school experienced tremendous growth, both in enrollment and academic offerings, solidifying its reputation as a premier educational institution in the region.

Christopher's passion for education is further exemplified by his foundational work in Cape Coral, Florida, where he served as the founding principal of Oasis Middle School and Oasis High School. His leadership was instrumental in establishing these schools as pillars of academic excellence and innovation within the community.

Beyond his professional life, Christopher is a devoted family man. He and his wife, Keena, are the proud parents of four daughters: Ellana, Elise, Evelynne, and EmmaClaire. The Terrill family shares a love for travel, having visited 43 countries and counting. They also enjoy cooking and embracing the local culture, especially the art of "liming" around, a popular pastime in Trinidad, where Christopher has recently taken on a new role as the director of an international school. Christopher's commitment to education and his vibrant family life make him a dynamic and inspiring leader in the field.

Mr. Kerry brings a wealth of international and stateside experience in education. He has served as an administrator in various schools, ranging from small to medium-sized international schools in the UK, China, and the UAE to large suburban U.S. schools over his 20+ years as a school administrator. Kerry previously served as Deputy Head of School at EABH and is excited to move into the Head of School role.

Priscila Torres is an international educator with over 20 years of experience impacting and leading international schools in Latin America and in North America. Priscila holds a Masters in International Education (Framingham State University), a graduate degree in Neurological Development (University of Brasília, Brazil), an additional graduate degree in Leadership and Supervision with a focus on Technology (Johns Hopkins University), a certificate in Gifted and Talented Education (University of California, San Diego), and multiple certifications in the areas of Leadership and Finance (Harvard University, Principals' Training Center, Governance Training Center).

Inspiring others is Priscila's passion and she has had the opportunity to do so through workshop engagements and keynote speaking opportunities worldwide to include schools, conferences, central training centers, and recruitment agencies in China, Singapore, Italy, Spain, Mexico, the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile among other countries. Her most recent professional experiences include serving the Grupo SEB educational group at the corporate level as a Business Unit Director of their most innovative school brand, Escola Concept, while simultaneously serving as Head of School of Escola Concept São Paulo, Brazil.

Originally from the UK, I began my teaching career as a PE and Math teacher in Southern England. My first international position was as an Athletic Director at the American International School Budapest. Following this, I held positions as Athletic Director and PE Teacher in Jordan, Malaysia, and Venezuela. In Venezuela, I transitioned into administration, first as an IB DP Coordinator and then as the MS/HS Principal.

After returning to the UK with my wife and two children, I worked as the HS Principal at an International School in London. With our children now in university, my wife (an ES Teacher) and I moved to the American International School Kingston, where I have served as the MS/HS Principal for the past five years.

I am now excited to take on my first Headship at AISK. I look forward to engaging with the AMISA community, as we collectively strive to enhance international education. I am committed to improving the quality of teaching and learning in our schools, and I am excited by the opportunity to collaborate with others as we all work to meet the challenges of educating our children for an ever-changing and complex world.