Grรกinne OโReilly is the Global Head of Leadership Consultancy at Leading Your International School, bringing over four decades of educational experience to her role. She is an expert in navigating the challenges of international leadership, having been a startup specialist involved in 13 new schools throughout her 32 years of Headship.
Her extensive career includes the unique experience of starting up schools in diverse locations across the USA, Korea, Belgium, China, and Saudi Arabia. This rich background has fueled her unwavering commitment to advocating for women in leadership within international schools.
Grรกinne's leadership philosophy centers on creating independent thought, encapsulated in her quote: "The purpose of education should be to teach how to think, not what to think."
She also champions proactive leadership, believing firmly in the principle: "Do the job before you've got the title."
With LYIS-Q, participants will have the chance to engage with her directly in one-to-one mentoring sessions, offering a unique opportunity to gain personalised insights from her vast experience.
Grรกinne O'Reilly
Director of Education, EtonHouse International Education Arabia;
Global Head of Leadership Consultancy
LYIS
Dr. Megel Barker is an experienced international school leader, author, and educational researcher with over 30 years in education across Jamaica, Oman, and the United Kingdom. He now serves as Head of Middle School at TASIS England, where he is in his third year of leading inclusive, innovation-driven initiatives that foster student growth and curricular relevance.
Dr. Barker has served in several key leadership roles, including MYP Coordinator and Middle School Principal at ABA Oman International School. He is passionate about curriculum development, instructional leadership, and cultivating school cultures that encourage creativity, thinking, and belonging.
A recognized thought leader in international education, Dr. Barker is the co-editor of three major publications: Critical Issues and Global Trends in International Education, Diversity and Inclusion Challenges for International School Leaders, and Issues and Trends in International School Leadership. He is also co-author of a white paper for Leading Your International School, exploring leadership practices in diverse international contexts.
He has presented at numerous international conferences and is a certified Maxwell Leadership Coach, an AAIE Fellow, and an instructor and course reviewer for the AAIE Institute. Dr. Barker also reviews manuscripts for Corwin Publishing and remains actively involved in research focused on leadership, innovation, and responsible AI integration in schools.
Dr. Jake Madden is a seasoned educational leader, author, and researcher with a career spanning over 40 years across Australia and the Middle East. His professional journey includes principalship roles in diverse educational settings and executive leadership in international schools, most recently serving as Group Head of Schools for Aoba Education. Renowned for his focus on school improvement, teacher development, and curriculum innovation, Jakeโs work centres on building teacher capacity through job-embedded professional learning and evidence-based strategies. He has earned accolades such as Fellowship with the Australian Council of Educational Leaders and recognition as a top global education leader.
Jake is a published author of numerous books and academic articles, advocating for sustainable teaching improvement through models like the Contemporary Teacher Learning Model (CTLM). His work blends strategic leadership with a teacher-first philosophy, promoting coaching, mentoring, and inquiry-driven practice. A firm believer in the โteacher as researcherโ model, he has consistently championed professional learning that is context-based and collaborative. Jakeโs leadership style is grounded in integrity, community engagement, and a deep commitment to raising student achievement through empowered teaching.
Dr. Jake Madden
Group Head of Schools
Aoba International Education Systems
Justin Zhang, Ph.D., is a dedicated educator and educational leader specializing in educational technology, language education, and pedagogy. Currently serving as Assistant Professor and Director of IBEC at Namseoul University, he brings previous teaching and leadership experience across Beijing, Barcelona, and Hong Kong. With a Ph.D. in Educational Technology (Cum Laude) and dual Master's degrees, Dr. Zhang is a registered teacher in both the US and UK who fulfills multiple roles within the International Baccalaureate Educator Network and examines for international curricula including IB, IGCSE, and A-levels. He created and advocates the "EdLIT" framework--Learn, Innovate, Transform--and applies this approach to both teaching methodologies and teacher professional development. As a passionate educator committed to lifelong learning, Dr. Zhang focuses on empowering teachers and fostering comprehensive student development while advancing educational innovation in international contexts.
Mr. Juma Nyamori is a seasoned educator with more than 20 Years experience in the area of education, especially in Educational Leadership, with specific skills in school international accreditation, curriculum planning, delivery and organisational development. He has successfully
carried out lead roles in Project and Change Management in the area of education, with specific focus on Quality Management and Organisational Development. He has led a successful school international accreditation programme.
Juma holds a Bachelor of Education Degree from Kenyatta University, with majors in Literature and French. Juma's postgraduate training has been focused on gaining skills in overall management and specifically school leadership. His postgraduate degree was a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Strategic Management, with a school case study on Total Quality Management Practices. He has also taken a certification of the UK Department for Education, the
National Professional Qualification for Headship, NPQH. The NPQH is a premier global qualification for Educational Leadership, and gave him a prime opportunity to engage with fellow school leaders
from around the world to gain insights into the key thematic areas of the programme: Leading
School Culture, Leading Teaching and Learning, Leading Organisational Management, Leading Implementation and Leading Partnerships.
Juma has undertaken Corporate Governance Training with the Kenya Institute of Directors. Heis a Certified Change Management Practitioner, by the Prosci Global A๏ฌliate Network. He has just completed a Leadership, Ethics and Corporate Accountability Certification with the Harvard
Business School.
He serves as the Executive Head Teacher at Rusinga Schools, Nairobi and the Chair of the Board of
Leading Your International School, a Global Educational Leadership Development Forum. He is a champion of Multicultural Learning and Global Citizenship, besides being a keynote speaker and
Educational Leadership Trainer.
Juma Nyamori
Head Teacher, Rusinga Schools, Nairobi
Chair of the Board, LYIS
Matt Topliss, an international school leader and experienced educational consultant with a demonstrated history of sustained success in educational leadership over the past fifteen years. He has completed an MA in Education from the University of Bath in the UK and the National Professional Qualification for Headship. Matt is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, where he is currently completing the Chartered Teacher (Leadership) status accreditation.
Matt has led schools in several different contexts, including the UK, Bahrain, Egypt, and Morocco, and is now Principal at Kyoto International School in Japan. He is the BSME country representative for Egypt and is a Leadership Performance Coach and NPQ Assessor for Best Practice Network. He has contributed to many internationally focused articles in the educational press, has spoken at leading educational conferences, and is an International Subject Matter Expert for the SELIN Club organisation.
His educational philosophy is centred on valuing people within any school that he leads, and this involves excellent communication and the development of trust and confidence with students, teachers and parents.
"I am a committed leader who develops excellent relationships with students, teachers, and parents", says Matt.
He also play a very active role in day-to-day teaching and learning and the development of staff and students. He has recently completed the Accredited Performance Coach course and is now using this regularly to support and develop colleagues within my own school.
Alongside Mattโs school leadership roles, he has also held consultancy roles with the International Baccalaureate Organisation, which have seen him mentor 14 schools through the candidacy phase of the IB Middle Years Programme authorisation. Matt has significant experience with IB programmes, particularly the IB PYP, MYP, DP, and the IB Career-related Programme.