Stella Zhou graduated from East China Normal University with a bachelor’s degree in Chinese language and literature and a master’s degree in education. Since then, she has gained nearly 20 years’ experience of teaching and management in international and bilingual schools.
As the founding principal of Huili School Shanghai, Stella, together with other Chinese and international educators and experts, designed the school’s bilingual curriculum and recruited a team of dedicated teachers. She has led this team tirelessly to develop the best possible bilingual curriculum for Chinese pupils.
Stella is a passionate educator who fully believes in the Huili philosophy of holistic education. She hopes to bring all her experience to Huili and is keen to make it a world-class bilingual school.
Stella understands the importance of implementing a flexible education that focuses on pupils' long-term benefits without losing sight of more immediate concerns. This means empowering our pupils to live a meaningful life while taking the initiative to represent China on the world stage.
Charlotte is an experienced Early
Years teacher and Head of Early Years.
She holds a BA(Hons) degree in Geography from the University of
Oxford. She completed her PGCE(with QTS) specialising in Early
Years at Oxford Brookes University and went on to gain vast experience in
outstanding schools in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, UK. During her time in
the UK she was actively involved in Oxfordshire Moderation teams in addition to
mentoring a number of successful PGCE students.
Charlotte has been teaching internationally for a number of years. She began
her international journey as Head of Early Years, at a leading international
school in Beijing where she led the Early Years to produce outstanding academic
results. During this time, she also
developed a successful Parent Partnership Program (PPP) which has gone from
strength to strength. It was on this
journey that Charlotte discovered her passion for growing effective teaching
teams.
Charlotte says ‘Creating the right culture and environment for our talented
teachers to thrive is ultimately the best way to support our young
learners. If our teachers are well
supported and informed then their genuine passion for learning will shine
through. This passion serves to inspire our children to be curious, independent
thinkers and learners.’
Charlotte says her most important role is being a mother. She has four children; three children join
her and her husband in Shanghai, whilst her oldest daughter studies at
University of Bristol, UK. Charlotte
says ‘I think being a mother allows me to connect with our Huili parents in a
meaningful way. I understand their concerns,
worries and questions. I am here to
understand and support our families on this most important educational
journey.’
With a large family, Charlotte does not have much spare time on her hands! When she has a moment free, she loves to walk
her two little dogs, Echo and Bagel. She
also enjoys reading biographies.
After graduating from Fudan University law school and completing a degree in Chinese language and literature at East China Normal University, Yuki Gong became involved in early childhood education. With six years in public kindergarten, five years in bilingual nursery and nine years in international schools, she gathered a wealth of experience through twenty years’ teaching practice, as well as a solid knowledge of Eastern and Western education philosophies. She uses her expertise to lead the teaching practice at Huili Nursery Shanghai, aiming to provide personalised and holistic education for every pupil.
Yuki’s experience in leadership has resulted in the ability to create a safe, fun and enabling learning environment where the awareness of responsibility and autonomy is stimulated among teachers and pupils. She believes that building mutual trust and respect between pupils, parents and colleagues is at the heart of an inspiring early childhood provision. Only by promoting playing and exploring, active learning, creativity and critical thinking can we support our children to grow up to become effective learners.
Before joining us, Lydia Lim spent four years in the same capacity in Beijing City International School, which accommodates both foreign and Chinese pupils. Lydia also has extensive experience in the accounting industry, where she was attached to several international firms, including Arthur Andersen and KPMG. During this time, she led various financial projects in real estate, resorts and service related industries, assurance and advisory business for multi-national organisations and public listed companies. She is a chartered accountant, a fellow member of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA), an experienced member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She also completed an MBA from Oxford Brookes University.
Nikki Street has been part of Wellington College China since the opening of Wellington College International Shanghai in August 2014. She taught Year 1 at the International School for 2 years. After completing a BA in International Relations and French at the University of Exeter, Nikki returned to Berkshire where she completed her Graduate Teacher Program with Reading University. Whilst teaching Year 3 in a large local primary school, Nikki shared her love of dance with her students, preparing groups for competitions and shows. It was during these experiences that she realised the importance of education outside of the classroom, when seeing quieter children come alive on stage. She firmly believes that the key to a positive and enriching educational experience is the development of a child’s sense of self. Through promoting a child’s physical, emotional and social wellbeing and giving young children the freedom to explore and develop at their own pace, they are far more likely to become confident, inspired and resilient individuals – something that we want for all of the children in our care.
Jingwen was born and raised in Shanghai. She has more than 13 years’ experience teaching early years in both bilingual and international schools. Jingwen received her first degree from Shanghai Normal University in the field of education, then continued her studies at East China Normal University, receiving a bachelor degree in business management. After graduating from university, Jingwen began her career teaching in a local kindergarten and became very familiar with the Chinese local early years’ curriculum. She then went on to teach in a number of international and bilingual kindergartens and schools in Shanghai. Her work experiences helped her to better understand Western culture and to see the differences between the Western and Chinese cultures.Jingwen looks at ways to combine these two cultures when leading curriculum planning. Just prior to joining Huili Nursery Shanghai, Jingwen worked at East China Normal University Affiliated Bilingual School Early Years as the early years’ Curriculum Co-ordinator, Lead Class Teacher and Acting Principal. During this time, she also finished her Principal course work and training, receiving her Principal Certification. Outside of the classroom, Jingwen enjoys travelling and experiencing different cultures.
Angela obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Pedagogy from Shanghai Normal University. Having studied and taught Early Years in both local and international schools since 1997, Angela has extensive experience in this field. She spent 10 years as a co-teacher at Dulwich International School, where she developed a talent for integrating Chinese and international students and creating a positive and inspiring learning environment. She joined Huili Nursery in 2019 as a teacher and EY1 team lead. Angela enjoys working closely with pupils, parents and staff, and has a desire to contribute to the Huili Nursery community. Angela has a teenage daughter that keeps her busy. They enjoy travelling together and learning about new cultures. Angela also enjoys reading and online shopping. She especially loves to buy homeware and crockery.
Emily joined Huili Nursery in 2019. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree, majoring in Biology. In 2015, she arrived in Shanghai and became interested in education. She then obtained her TESOL certification in 2016 and began teaching in bilingual kindergartens here. Before long, Emily obtained MACAR (Montessori Applied to Children At Risk) certification in 2017 and PGCE with the Institute of Learning, Wellington College China in 2020. Emily feels fortunate to be apart of a nursery that focuses on practices of Characteristics of Effective Learning, the collaboration between teachers, wellbeing and involvement of children. In her free time, Emily enjoys reading and spending time with her husband, two children, their 19-year-old cat named Uma and their two-year-old dog named Molly.
Scarlett holds two degrees, one Preschool Education from East China Normal and one in Chinese Language and Literature from Fudan University. Her solid foundation of specialised knowledge enables her to combine theories and practices in her teaching and make pupils’ learning creative, unique and effective. Scarlett has been teaching at Huili Nursery for four years and has 15 years of overall teaching experience. Over the years she has skilfully combined Chinese and Western educational philosophies to her teaching. She is observant and quick to identify the different psychological needs of her pupils while ensuring that every child can get their maximum support and achieve overall development. A mother of two boys, Scarlett enjoys reading, spending time with friends and travelling with her family.
Lynn McLaren studied Primary Education at the University of Aberdeen and received a BEd. While still at school Lynn always knew she wanted to be a teacher and volunteered at many organisations such as Brownies and Guides. Currently in her second year of teaching at Huili Nursery Shanghai, Lynn has taught at a variety of outstanding international schools in Dubai (UAE) for 12 years. Her passion in education is early years, and she is delighted to be able to bring her experience of the EYFS play-based learning to the nursery. She is most passionate about wellbeing and involvement, child-led learning and learning through play. Travelling the world and embracing new cultures is what brought Lynn to Shanghai, and she is currently learning Mandarin. During the weekends and holidays, she enjoys travelling, cooking, walking her dog and learning about the history of Shanghai.
A founding member of Huili Nursery Shanghai, Jean Jin has worked in bilingual and international kindergartens and language learning institutions in Korea, Hong Kong and Shanghai since 2012. Her experiences working abroad have instilled in her a strong interest in working with bilingual children. When offered the opportunity to work at Huili Nursery in 2016, she was ecstatic and has been with the nursery ever since. In 2012, she entered the ‘Misulo’ internship in Korea and Hong Kong. Following this, she continued her studies in Chinese Linguistic Literature at Fudan University. To build up her experience working with children, she obtained a primary school English teacher qualification and kindergarten teacher qualification. When Jean is not busy with the children at Huili Nursery, she enjoys watching movies, reading and doing volunteer work, which in the past has included the 2010 Shanghai Expo and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Ms Nina Schatz has a PhD in Chemistry. During her
spare time, she likes cooking, playing Lego and swimming. She has two boys,
aged three and five. She is eager to learn more Chinese and embraces a growth
mindset and a positive attitude towards lifelong learning.
Vivian grew up in Shanghai and has more than 17 years’ experience teaching in international schools in Shanghai. She holds a degree in primary education from East China Normal University and is a published author. As a teacher, she has always aimed for excellence by harnessing her natural ability to motivate and inspire others, inject warmth into her teaching practice and create harmonious, challenging and rewarding environments for children. She has found that children achieve greater success in learning when activities are delivered in highly creative ways. She also believes that children have the ability to learn everything through play, and therefore provides her pupils with a variety of materials and resources to support their play. Vivian also holds the responsibility of being team lead for EY2. Outside the classroom, Vivian loves travelling and experiencing new cultures with her family and spending time with her cat, Dai Dai.
Ms Jani Van Wyk has a degree in Human Science
(Psychology). She also has PGCE in Early Years Education and a master's degree
in Special and Inclusive Education. Ms Jani has been teaching for nine years.
She has been in China for eight years and will soon be starting her ninth year
in China. She loves photography and enjoys travelling. She also enjoys scuba
diving and reading as many books as she can to get her hands on. Ms Jani really
enjoys being a teacher to young children. She would like to continue to work
with children in the future and is hoping to complete her postgraduate degree
in Educational Psychology to better support young learners in their school and
home environments.
Hannah Zhang was born and raised in Lingbi, Anhui Province. Hannah has lived in Shanghai for 18 years. After attending university she went on to teach, with over 13 years’ experience working in a British international school in Shanghai. She is a founding teacher at Huili Nursery Shanghai. She believes that every child is uniquely different and that each child’s experience in the early years is very important. A secure, safe and happy childhood provides the foundation for children to make the most of their abilities and talents. Learning should be carefully scaffolded, with an emphasis on activities that are fun, relevant and motivating for all pupils. When she is not teaching, Hannah loves cooking and enjoys gardening, reading and listening to music.
Michael began teaching in 2012 after graduating from the University of Manchester, UK. Having spent his formative years growing up in Singapore, he had a love for all things Asia and decided to take the plunge and move to Beijing, where he spent a year teaching. In 2013, he relocated to Shanghai and has not looked back since. Michael has taught at several early years institutions and kindergartens across the city and has gained valuable experience in various teaching methods, from the PYP program to Montessori-style learning. Michael completed his teaching degree last year in 2019 and continues to pursue valuable learning opportunities to improve his teaching pedagogy. Outside of nursery life, Michael enjoys spending time outdoors, cycling and travelling. He is also passionate about electronic music and yoga and enjoys organising events in his spare time.
Carmen is originally from Toronto, Canada. After graduating from the University of Toronto with a BA (Hons), she earned a Bachelor of Education degree from Charles Sturt University in Canada in 2009. The idea of living and teaching abroad has long captivated Carmen, and she is grateful to all the pupils and staff she has taught and worked with as an international teacher. While teaching first grade in the United Arab Emirates, Carmen witnessed the impact a quality Early Years program could have on the social, emotional and academic development children. She has since worked with children ages 3-6 first in Istanbul and then at a British international school in Shanghai before joining the Huili Nursery as an EY2 teacher in 2019. Carmen is thrilled to be returning to the EY2 Nursery team for her second year. She is very much looking forward to meeting the new pupils and being a positive role model for them on their journey of learning and self-discovery. When Carmen is not wearing her teacher's hat, she enjoys visiting Shanghai’s bookstores and cafes, learning Mandarin and daydreaming about her next travel adventure.
Emily graduated from East China Normal University. She also obtained a bilingual teaching certificate from Goldsmiths, University of London. Emily worked in international schools for several years before joining Huili Nursery four years ago. She is experienced in teaching British curriculum framework EYFS and is adept at combining the Chinese and Western educational ethos in her teaching. She is rigorous yet patient with her pupils and aims to create a safe and caring environment and maintaining an open line of communication with parents. Emily is outgoing and loves life. She likes travelling with family and friends to explore magnificent natural scenery and different cultures.
Shortly after obtaining a Law degree at the University of Stellenbosch, Paula pivoted to teaching, where she found her true vocation. She has over six years’ experience teaching in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Shanghai, where she has lived and worked for the last four years. Her experience has been centred around early years, having worked exclusively in bilingual kindergartens, preschools and nurseries. Paula earned her Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with distinction, from the University of Durham, where her research papers explored creativity and assessing for wellbeing and involvement in early years education. She plans to continue her studies with a Master’s degree in education in the near future. Outside of school, Paula’s interests include cooking and reading. She is also passionate about her rescue cat and her recently adopted dog.
Elaine started her teaching career after completing an undergraduate degree in Education (BA Hons) in 2012. She taught in Seoul, South Korea for a year before moving to Shanghai. After one year of teaching nursery in Shanghai, Elaine then returned to the UK to complete her PGCE and NQT induction years. After a further year working for a UK children’s charity, Elaine then decided to return to Shanghai because she missed the liveliness of living and teaching overseas. She believes in a holistic approach to children’s education and hopes to inspire her students in the way that her teachers inspired her. When Elaine is not teaching, she loves playing badminton and keeping active.
Being awarded Shanghai Excellent Graduate of the Year, Emma graduated from East China Normal University in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Preschool Education. Since then, she has been teaching in Early Years. In her previous role, she had an opportunity to get involved in developing a textbook as part of The Twelfth Five-Year Plan series textbooks for National Pre-school Education. This book, namely The Professional Ethics of Nursery Teachers, later won the prize of High Quality Textbooks developed by universities based in Shanghai. While working with children, Emma focuses on helping them build good habits from an early age because it has a more important and lasting impact on children than any cognitive skills. She believes that children are more likely to be influenced by parents than by the education they receive at nursery, therefore she strives to engage parents as partners in each child’s learning journey. Emma has always been interested in all kinds of musical instruments. She likes going outdoors to enjoy the natural world and spending time with her children, making sweet and happy memories.
Sarah graduated from East China Normal University majoring in Language Education. She holds a certificate of Early Years Education, a TCSL certificate and a Senior Interpreter certificate. She is particularly interested in language development in early years. Sarah has gained a wealth of experience working in international schools for five years teaching early years and grade 1. This is her fourth year at Huili Nursery. She is particularly interested in improving children’s attention and bilingual speaking abilities using methods such as picture talking and story talking. When not teaching, Sarah enjoys travelling with her daughter and son.
Bunny Zhang studied in New Zealand for four years and
holds a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. Working in a local
kindergarten enriched her experience of teaching children from different
language backgrounds. After returning to China in 2016, she joined the Huili
Nursery Shanghai. As a young teacher, she loves being an educator and hopes to
make her pupils’ educational journey memorable and interesting.
Ms Flora Lu graduated from East China Normal
University with a BA in Preschool Education. While in university, she was
fortunate to be selected to serve in the Chinese Air Force for two years. Her
military service had a profound influence on her and led her to teaching
children. In her work, she applies all the excellent qualities developed
through her military training, to her pedagogy. She supports the children in
her class to become more independent, brave, kind and warm-hearted. She loves
to take her children into the natural environment to observe the change of
seasons, plants and animals.
Ms Flora is cheerful and lively. She values the
communication with parents and would like to create a caring and happy learning
environment for children. In her spare time, she likes going out with her
family, read children's picture books and educational books. She believes that
teachers and children grow and progress together.
Jennifer started her teaching career in 2011 here in Shanghai. Having taught for six years within both bilingual and international schools, she returned to England to pursue professional development opportunities and eventually returned once more to Shanghai, the city she loves. Jennifer has a wealth experience in teaching young children in a range of schools and settings, including nurseries and primary schools. Jennifer’s passion for adventure, travel and exploring different cultures is what brings her to Asia. Some of her previous travels have included diving the Komodo Islands, multi-day hiking, Tour de Mont Blanc and scrambling in Scotland’s Cuillin Mountains.
Ms Komal Patel holds a BA degree in Sociology Early
Childhood Studies and has a PGCE. She spent ten years working and learning with
very young children and enjoys discovering new things, learning alongside her
pupils on their own individual educational journeys. She moved to China two
years ago.
Ms Komal is always willing to learn new skills and is
eager to learn photography. Her hobbies include hiking, exploring new places,
socialising with friends and she loves to discover good coffee shops. In her
spare time she likes to practice and teach yoga.
Chris Haley studied Environmental Science at Aberystwyth University in Wales before entering the police force in England. In 2013 he moved to China with his wife and two-year-old daughter, and he obtained his PGCE through Nottingham University. He spent two years working for the Nord Anglia International School in Pudong, working with children in their early years setting as well as the primary school. Chris started work at Huili Nursery in 2015, during which time he has worked with classes in EY2, EY3 and EY4. Outside of teaching, he is very active, whether that means going climbing with his family or for long bike rides with his friends first thing on a Sunday morning.
Katie joins us from England, where she obtained her BA in History and English from the University of Derby and her PGCE from the University of Nottingham. She is also qualified as a Taekwon-Do instructor and a certified rugby coach. Katie aims to keep developing her growing range of abilities and qualifications, beginning with working towards achieving her QTS with the University of Durham this year. Katie has taught for five years in China. This is her second year teaching at Huili Nursery. In her free time, Katie is the captain of Shanghai Rugby Football Club’s ladies team and coaches the youth squad. She also enjoys playing netball and spending time in the gym.
Jenny Xu, is a Shanghai native. Jenny graduated from East China Normal University, where she studied Preschool Education. Her love of English and American literature drove her to minor in English and she passed both the Test for English Majors and Interpretation Test, making her uniquely qualified to teach in a bilingual setting. After graduation, Jenny worked in an international school. Her art skills enabled her to support pupils' participation in the International Children’s Art Exhibition. In her eight years of teaching, she has developed her own unique style that motivates pupils to explore knowledge through play, open-ended questions, performing stories, etc. She always encourages pupils to try different activities, treating them with kindness and patience. Her relationship with pupils is equal, collaborative and harmonious. In her free time, Jenny enjoys painting, photography and reading.
Nicolle Horn was born in England, and, at age 11, she moved to Spain, where she learned the language and immersed herself in the culture. She believes this personal experience has helped her to appreciate, understand and support children in a bilingual environment. Nicolle holds a degree in Education, specialising in English as a Second Language. She completed her fourth year in Sweden on the ERASMUS programme and experienced teaching in Mexico and Spain. As a teacher, Nicolle believes that there is always something new to learn and practise. Therefore, she is always on the lookout for opportunities to improve her teaching skills by attending as many professional development workshops as possible, while learning from fellow teachers and leaders. This is Nicolle's seventh year of teaching. She has taught EY4 through to grade 3 but has recently declared that her favourite year group is EY4. Outside of teaching, Nicolle loves to socialise with friends, keep fit and experiment with cooking.
Ms Mary Crowley has a BA in English and Psychology; an
MA in American Literature and Film; and a PGCE. She is currently studying for
her master's degree in Education. Although she lives in one of the biggest
cities in the world now, she grew up in the beautiful countryside of Ireland
and has lived in China for 6 years. Similar to Huili pupils, she had a
semi-bilingual experience in Primary school, so she truly understands this
experience. As a teacher, she aspires to provide a safe environment for her
pupils to thrive and achieve their best. Ms Mary likes reading, yoga, traveling
and cooking the food she learns about when she travels.
Miss Gillian Zhu has a bachelor's degree. This is her
tenth year in education. She enjoys music and can play some instruments. She is
adept at combining musical elements into her teaching and believes that good
communication and co-operation will help to create a happy and inspiring
learning environment for children. In her spare time, she enjoys playing and
listening to music, reading and sports.
Ms Linda Dai is a graduate of the Shanghai University
of International Business and Economics, where she majored in English. Her
experience as an exchange student in Australia during her university years has
sparked in her an interest in different cultural approaches and education
systems. This is her fifth year working in the education industry. She enjoys
spending time and exploring with children. As a new mother she has new
perspectives on educating young children. She believes in an education that
allows children to fully use their minds and imaginations and to learn through
independent exploration.
Ms Sherry Tang has been engaged in Early Years
education for more than seven years and recognises the importance of
establishing a good rapport with pupils. She taught in Singapore for four
years, participated in the small treasure program of the Singapore Heritage
Bureau and was responsible for the dissemination of the traditional culture of
the four ethnic groups. Subsequently she taught in Shanghai-based
bilingual schools.
Sherry believes that every pupil is unique and also
believes in providing a balanced, supportive and engaging environment for
pupils. Outside of teaching, she enjoys music, dance and travel.
Cookie Xu has over 10 years of teaching experience at both international and bilingual schools. Although she started her teaching career in a classroom setting, Cookie quickly showed a strong interest in children’s books, compelling her to shift her to become a library teacher. This move has provided Cookie with the opportunity to share great books with pupils, parents and other teachers. She believes everyone loves reading, they just need help finding the right book. Being the resource centre of the Nursery, the library plays an important supporting role in all learning activities on and off campus. Cookie is excited to join Huili Nursery to promote the joy of reading to the Huili community.
Hailing from Canada, Sarah Peel is an early years music specialist and classroom teacher. Sarah earned her Bachelor of Arts at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Canada. She also holds a Professional Certificate in Teaching in Early Childhood Settings from the University of California – Riverside. Sarah began her teaching career as a member of the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme. After moving to Beijing in 2006, she established China’s first Kindermusik studio. In 2012, she transitioned back to the classroom full time. She has worked in both international and bilingual nursery settings and joined Huili Nursery Shanghai in 2016. A keen cook and baker, Sarah enjoys trying new recipes and exploring flavours inspired by her travels. She also practices yoga, makes music with friends, and occasionally performs as a vocalist at local venues. She is also a regular volunteer with Shanghai Mamas, a not-for-profit community organization that supports international families living in Shanghai.
Inês discovered that she had a passion for teaching and coaching at age 15 when she was teaching volleyball and dance to younger children. She also dedicated most of her childhood and teenage years to playing this team sport. She then graduated from University of Coimbra, in Portugal with a degree in Sports – Physical Conditioning and began working as a personal trainer and group class teacher. Her career has taken her from her home country of Portugal to England, where she managed a health club. It was her dream to become a teacher, so moved to China in 2016 and completed the teacher training through Institute of Learning and Durham University. She has been enthusiastically teaching Physical Education since then. In her spare time, Ines loves to dance, go to the gym, play volleyball and she travels around the world at every available opportunity. She has been to more than 25 countries and loves to learn about different cultures.
Ms Joy Qiao is the founder and Chair of Governors of Huili Education and Wellington College China. She has been devoted to international education in China for many years and is committed to fostering exchanges and partnerships with Britain. Having grown up in Shanghai, Ms Joy Qiao attended the University of Oxford from which she holds a BA in Computer Science. She then worked in the IT industry for a decade in a variety of sales and marketing roles in the UK, Germany and China. Becoming a mother motivated her interest in education and inspired her advance into the international education sector. She has extensive experience in multi-lingual communication and cross-cultural co-operation and is a critical bridge for bringing together the multiple partners involved in setting up Wellington College in China. Ms Joy Qiao also holds an EMBA degree from the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and is fluent in Mandarin, English and Shanghainese. She is married with two children, both of whom are attending Wellington College International Shanghai.
Ms. Helen Kavanagh is Chief Executive Officer of Wellington College China. Helen is a native of the UK who was employed as the International Business Director for Wellington College, quality assuring the schools in China and leading business development globally. She has served on the Wellington College China Board as the Deputy Chairman since August 2014 and already has a deep understanding of our needs as a fast-growing organisation.
With over 30 years’ experience in education Helen has operated in a wide range of contexts in the UK and internationally. After two successful Headships in England she became a Senior Inspections Manager with responsibility for the quality of inspections in over 1500 schools, and from there went on to lead a school reform project in the UAE before being promoted to Regional Director Middle East. She was next appointed as Executive Vice President of an American education company providing advice and guidance to schools in the US, UK, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, India and Jordan.
Helen has represented employers nationally and internationally up to government level. She has mentored many Heads for over 15 years and still gains a buzz from being in the school environment. She has a BA (Hons) from Sheffield University; a PGCE (Leicester University) and 2 further postgraduate degrees in Education Management from Manchester Metropolitan University. Her elder daughter is a teacher in the UAE. Her younger daughter is a graduate of Wellington College and currently studies at McGill University, Montreal. She enjoys travel, keeping fit and food.
Elton Huang has over 20 years of experience serving the Chinese Government, Chinese companies and multinational companies. Since 1995 when he joined PwC Shanghai， Elton has completed a number of overseas assignments in London with the European M&A Group and in San Jose, California in the US. Elton has a wealth of experience in tax planning, investment and finance structuring and has been leading a professional team in serving Chinese companies to invest overseas. Elton is the Senior Partner of PwC Shanghai. He is also the Vice Chairman of Shanghai Association of Enterprises with Foreign investment, Shanghai Services Federation Committee Member and advisor to the Shanghai Municipal Government. Elton is a board member of Shanghai Charity Foundation – United Way Fund. Elton is married and has two children , both are presently attending Wellington College International Shanghai. Elton enjoys running marathons and ultra-trail races.
Jacky Ni is the Headmaster of Shanghai Pudong High School, with over 20 years of school leadership experience across six schools. He graduated from Shanghai Normal University and began his teaching career at Shanghai Jianping High School and progress his career there. In July 1996, Jacky took up his first headship position. He studied part-time at East China Normal University and the National Training Centre for Secondary School Principals by Ministry of Education. In order to extend his professional learning beyond the education sector, Jacky also studied EMBA courses at Fudan University, the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and Freeman Business School, Tulane University. In 2004, he took part in a Leadership program sponsored by the British Council and Shanghai Education Commission and in 2006 led Hualin Middle School successfully through an inspection by 2 HMIs. Between 2006 and 2007, Jack completed a Leadership and Self Inspection programme at the Institute of Education, London University and he also attained a Master’s Degree in Education from Towson University, USA. Jacky has undertaken more than ten research projects at national, municipal and district levels for which he has been awarded two National First Prizes and numerous other prizes. Throughout his career, Jacky’s leadership has been recognised with a wide range of honours, including the award of Excellent Teacher and Excellent Master by Shanghai Education Commission. He has also been bestowed the ‘Prominent Master Development Project’ in Shanghai and requested to deliver Advanced Master Workshop Training for High Schools nationwide organised by the Ministry of Education. Furthermore, Jacky has been invited to deliver lectures by The British Council and a wide range of universities. Jacky is motivated by finding ways to effectively integrate western and eastern education, to link the traditional and current educational approaches and is fully committed to continuous school improvement. Born in Shanghai, Jacky is married and has one child. He enjoys travelling.
Helen is a qualified Chinese CPA and started her career as an auditor with PwC Shanghai. Her six years of audit experience provided her with sound accounting, tax and auditing technical knowledge and practical skills and extensive experience in internal controls under the US Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Helen subsequently joined Johnson Controls in Shanghai where she took on diverse roles with enhanced business and management responsibilities including the Regional Lead Auditor of Asia Pacific, the Finance Controller of Power Solution Asia Headquarter and the Controller of Supply Chain Management. Helen got her Bachelor’s degree from Fudan University with the major in International Finance. She loves traditional Chinese culture including Chinese characters (Han Zi) and Book of Songs (Shi Jing). She also enjoys travelling, reading, cooking and baking. Helen is married and has two children.
