Meet our talented Secondary Years teachers.
We read over 250 applications each year before carefully selecting candidates for any new teaching positions. All teachers receive 2 weeks of rigorous training before they start and benefit from around 70 hours of ongoing professional development support throughout the school year.
Teachers must be qualified and experienced, but most of all they must be ready to be role models to our students. We know we ultimately teach through modelling and expect all teachers to fully embrace the values of the school and develop personal attributes in line with the school’s 12 Wise Habits.
At Panyaden, we value passion, personality, commitment.
Christine Vithayathil (Kru Christine)
Middle School Coordinator
Student Support Coordinator
IB English B
Kru Christine comes from a small and beautiful village in the Austrian Alps. She holds teaching qualifications from Austria, as well as the UK. In addition, she has a Master’s Degree in English Literature and various certificates in English language teaching. After several years of teaching in Austria and the UK, she ventured into the big wide world of teaching in international schools.
As an English language learner herself, Kru Christine feels very passionately about being an advocate for multilingual learners. She has shared this passion with students, parents and staff at international schools in Austria, the UK, India, Japan, China, the Philippines and now at Panyaden International School.
At Panyaden, Kru Christine serves as the Student Support Coordinator and Middle School Coordinator. She also teaches IBDP English B and supports students' academic English language development throughout secondary school.
Outside of school, she keeps herself busy by reading books about education and connecting with and learning from educators around the world. She enjoys spending time in the kitchen baking bread, sweet treats and making jams. She also enjoys knitting and drinking cups of tea in her garden. Most of all, she loves spending time with her family: her husband Daiju, their daughter Nina (Year 6) and their cat Rollo.
Paul Sebastian (Kru Paul)
High School and IBDP Coordinator
Social Studies, IB Economics
Kru Paul was born and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada. He has a BA in Economics (University of Regina, Saskatchewan), an MA in Curriculum; Int’l Teaching (Michigan State, USA), and a certificate in International School Leadership from the Principal’s Training Centre. He started his career in private business development and international trade with the Canadian government before beginning his teaching career at AISB (Hungary) in 1994. He has taught IBDP and IBMYP (Economics, ToK, Individuals & Societies, and various electives) and, for the past 17 years, has also been a principal and head of school.
He met his wife Ildiko in Hungary, and they have since lived and worked in eight countries around the world. Kru Paul loves to explore philosophy and cultures of any variety, play any sport, and discover great foods of the world with Ildiko.
Christopher O’Connor (Kru Chris)
Science, Theatre, Film, Media and Communication
Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, USA, Kru Chris taught basic STEM engineering in Shenzhen, China. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from Southern New Hampshire University. Kru Chris was also a performer in New York City for over a decade where he performed sketch, improv, stand up, and theater. He enjoys designing, building, writing, performing, film making, and spending time with his wife, 10 year old daughter, and pets. His wife is an English and Film teacher here at Panyaden and his daughter is a Year 6 student. This is Kru Chris’s second year teaching at Panyaden International School.
Clayton Dowty (Kru Clayton)
English Language and Literature, Film , IB Film and IB English A
Like many of our students, Kru Clayton grew up outside of her home country. She spent most of her childhood in Malaysia, and moved to New York at the age of 18, where she experienced some of the same cultural diversity she enjoyed as an international student. She was an actress for six years before getting a Master’s Degree in English and Theater Education. She taught English and Drama in public schools in Harlem and Queens for seven years before moving to China, where she taught at Shekou International School in Shenzhen, China.
Kru Clayton loves acting, writing, and filmmaking, and is passionate about infusing physical play and movement into everyday learning. She is excited to start her second year at Panyaden!
Bipin Kattuparambil Karunakaran (Kru Bipin)
Physical Education and Life Skills
Kru Bipin has been a Physical Education teacher for over 20 years. He completed his teaching credentials in India and holds Masters and M.Phil.degrees in Physical Education and Sports. He has taught PE in middle and high school at different international schools in India and has coached several sports, including table tennis, badminton, volleyball, and football. Kru Bipin is a passionate sports person who believes that the most essential part of his job as a teacher, other than teaching the game, is to motivate all
students and adults to take up any form of the sport of their choice for life.
Apart from playing badminton and cricket as recreational sports, Kru Bipin enjoys riding bikes, exploring new roads and places, and looking forward to the new experiences that these trips might bring. He also likes to enjoy quieter moments of the day with some light, retro music. Moving to Chiang Mai and working with the team at Panyaden International School seems nothing less than a venture that Bipin is excited to discover.
Denison Lane (Kru Denny)
Social Studies, English Language and Literature, IB Theory of Knowledge
Buddhist Education Coordinator
Kru Denny is originally from Sonoma, California, where he taught English literature and composition at the high school level. He received his bachelor’s degree in English Literature and teaching degree from Sonoma State University, where he focused on literacy for English Learners. This is Kru Denny’s fifth year teaching at Panyaden. Outside of work, his hobbies include reading, hiking, swimming, cycling, and playing games with friends and family.
Xin Wang (Kru Elena)
Mandarin
Kru Elena originally comes from Nanjing, China and worked as the Grade 10 English teaching assistant and then school librarian at the British Columbia Academy of Nanjing Foreign Languages School for five years. After moving to Canada in 2017, she assumed an international programme advisor role in a private Canadian high school in Burnaby. Most recently, Elena worked in both Langley and Abbotsford school districts in Canada. Elena holds a BA in Computer Science and an Independent Schools Teaching Certificate from British Columbia, Canada.
Outside school, Elena is married with two children, and one of them is studying at Panyaden. She enjoys trying various cuisines and hiking with her family, doing yoga, modern dance and writing poems to help her relax and stay healthy. Elena is also interested in watching psychology and economics lectures in her leisure time. She is very much looking forward to joining this big and warm community of Panyaden, where she can meet, explore and work with great people, create wonderful learning experiences and adventures with the students, and personally pursue a genuine connection with Buddhist philosophy.
Meriska Bock (Kru Meriska)
Science, Mathematics, IB Biology
Kru Meriska is an enthusiastic, compassionate and goal driven Science and Mathematics teacher who is living out her passion for teaching and traveling, teaching Science and Mathematics at Panyaden International School. She advocates for the environment, enjoys being outdoors hiking and exploring the ocean and its conservation through diving. In 2013 she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Life Sciences and Psychology, and in 2014 she qualified as a teacher after completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Previously, Kru Meriska taught in South Africa at an under-privileged school for two years followed by three years in an international school in Dubai.
This is her third year teaching at Panyaden teaching Year 7 Mathematics, Year 8 and 9 Science and Technology, Years 10 and 11 Pre-IB Science (focusing on Biology) and IB Biology for Year 12.
Michael Arthur Neights (Kru Michael)
Mathematics, IB Mathematics and IB Physics
Kru Michael was born in central Pennsylvania, USA and moved to Philadelphia to study secondary math education at Temple University. After teaching for 20 years at the J.R. Masterman School in the School District of Philadelphia, he went on to teach at the American School of Angola and Colegio Maya in Guatemala. This is Michael’s first year at Panyaden and he will be teaching Mathematics and Physics. He enjoys outdoor activities such as backpacking, white water kayaking, sailing and gardening, along with a love for travel and experiencing new places, cultures and people.
Joseph Barry (Kru Joe)
English Language and Literature
Social Studies
Kru Joe is originally from Wisconsin, USA, and has taught Social Studies, English and elementary grades for 15 years. He began his career teaching in Southern California, spent several years in Colorado, and most recently taught in Kansas City, Missouri. He holds a BA in English Literature from the Colorado College and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Missouri.
Kru Joe has experience leading outdoor education seminars, coaching sports (soccer, baseball, flag football), working with youth in outdoor settings, and leading many extracurricular clubs. He has worked as and advisor to the National Junior Honour Society in the United States, led student government and activism clubs, and coached robotics.
Outside of school, Kru Joe is married with three active and curious children. He enjoys reading, fly fishing, hiking, backpacking and skiing. Academically, his interests include world history and religions, naturalism and curriculum studies. He is very excited to join such a vibrant and diverse community at Panyaden and share his love of learning and exploration.
Gabriela Di Muro Arcia (Kru Gaby)
Secondary School Counsellor
College Counsellor
Kru Gaby is originally from Maracay, Venezuela. She holds a BS in Psychology from Universidad Arturo Michelena and has a Certificate of International School Counseling. For the past six years, she was a secondary counselor at Colegio Internacional de Carabobo in Valencia, Venezuela. At Panyaden, Kru Gaby will work as a member of the Student Support team, as a social emotional counselor and college counselor, as well as a co-teacher for Life Skills. Kru Gaby will also be an important supporter of our first IB class as they start their college application journey.
Outside of school, Kru Gaby enjoys reading literature from all parts of the world, cycling and cooking. Although she will miss her family and friends, she will miss her cats, Cafe and Ponque, the most. Kru Gaby is very excited to be in Thailand and she has no doubt she will meet many wonderful people this school year.
Angeline J. Angeles (Kru Angie)
Middle School/High School Learning Support
Kru Angie graduated with a BA in Communication Arts from the University of the Philippines, Los Baños. She is also a certified MARIO Educator and is currently finishing her Master’s Degree in Special Education from the University of the Philippines, Diliman. Prior to Panyaden, she spent eight years working at Brent International School Manila (BISM) and three years at the International School Manila (ISM). She supported students with special needs from primary to middle school. She actively attended seminars, including Social Thinking and SENIA (Special Education Network and Inclusion Association) workshops held in the Philippines.
Most of Kru Angie’s time is spent with her husband, Earle John, and two lovely kids, Andrei and Andrea. She loves hiking, travelling, and is passionate about helping students become successful self-directed learners. She is very excited to start her first year at Panyaden!
Lin, Hsin-Ju (Kru Amy)
Mandarin Acquisition, IB Mandarin ab initio
Kru Amy is from Taiwan and earned her qualification of Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language in 2007. Since then, she has been exploring the world through teaching Mandarin and scuba diving internationally. She joined Panyaden as the secondary Mandarin teacher in 2019 after teaching at the United Nations International School (UNIS) in Hanoi, Vietnam. This is her third year of teaching at Panyaden and she teaches students from Year 7 to Year 12.
She believes that a positive interpersonal environment is vital to student growth. In class, students will learn from a variety of activities that explore different dimensions of Chinese culture through an international perspective. Her goal is to make learning Mandarin meaningful and fun for all students. In addition to her passion for Mandarin teaching, Kru Amy also loves practicing yoga, hiking, rock climbing, playing badminton, squash and, last, but by no means least, scuba diving!
Theodore Guggenheim (Kru Ted)
English Acquisition and EAL
Kru Ted is from New Jersey, USA. He holds a BA in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies, an MA in Political Theory, and an MEd in Teaching English as a Second Language. He has taught at secondary schools in Namibia, China, and now Thailand. He enjoys reading about history and politics, gardening, woodworking, playing rugby, backcountry hiking and camping, and fitness. He is very excited to begin another academic year as a teacher-learner at Panyaden!
Manju Dominic (Kru Manju)
Mathematics, IB Mathematics
Kru Manju has been teaching Mathematics for the past 12 years in IB schools in India, one of them being the oldest IB school in Asia, situated in the beautiful hills of Kodaikanal, India. She has also taught in Bahrain. She likes to bring to her students conceptual learning and understanding of the “whys” and “why nots” while solving problems. Besides Mathematics, Kru Manju
is interested in poetry and all nature, art, drama, dance or music-related activities. She is a people person although she loves being alone too.
Having lived in Toronto and visited Singapore and various places in Europe, she is very excited to be here in Panyaden to contribute to the well-being of its students and, in turn, grow better as a person. She loves the Panyaden culture of Buddhist philosophy and looks forward to imbibing more of this way of living.
Olexiy Koumpan (Kru Olexiy)
Music, Social Studies and Psychology
Kru Olexiy has eleven years of professional teaching experience. His career has taken him from school districts and vocational colleges in British Columbia, Canada, to international schools in China and Hong Kong. Kru Olexiy has taught a multitude of curricula, including IBMYP, IBDP, and AP, as well as its Ontario and BC counterparts. He holds a Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Education and a Humanities Master of Arts from California State University. Covering a broad spectrum in the Humanities, he has forged his focus on Music, Psychology, History and Literature.
Over the years, he has dedicated his time to extracurricular clubs, such as band, sound design, auto mechanics and submission wrestling. Outside work, Kru Olexiy enjoys reading and writing, composing music and keeping fit with his kids.
Robert MacConnon (Kru Robert)
Science and Technology, IB Chemistry
Kru Robert has been teaching Science (specialising in Chemistry) for the past 18 years. He studied Environmental Chemistry and Science education at the University of Melbourne and has taught science in countries including Singapore, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, Oman and Australia. Kru Robert has a young and energetic family. His interests include running, music, environmentalism and being outdoors.
Paula Pasanen (Kru Paula)
Visual Arts, Media and Communication and IB Visual Arts
Kru Paula comes from Finland, the land of thousands of lakes and northern lights. She holds a BA in Fine Arts and an MA in Media Arts from the UK. In addition, she is also a certified Apple and Google platform teacher and an IB Visual Arts examiner. Kru Paula is passionate about Visual Arts and has shared her expertise in the past with the school community in Khartoum, Hong Kong, and now at Panyaden International School. At Panyaden, she teaches Visual Arts and Media and Communication.
In her classroom, she provides a place for students to explore and develop their unique artistic and creative voices and curiosity. Meditation and mindfulness are integral practices in Kru Paula’s personal life. She believes in the Panyaden values-based educational approach and is excited to start the new school year as part of this community.
Kru Paula loves spending time with her Yorkie called Naksu (meaning “cheese puff” in Finnish), being in nature, cycling, hiking or venturing to dog parks and cafes. Her favourite time outside school is to explore new places and find hidden cultural gems and delicious food.
Susan Lee Scott (Kru Susan)
English Acquisition and EAL
Kru Susan has long dreamed of a school like Panyaden, a school that builds students’ intellectual, academic, and moral life rooted in Buddhist philosophy. As an English Acquisition and EAL teacher, she believes that forging relationships and understanding students’ cultures are crucial to her work as a teacher. She is committed to helping students achieve and celebrate success throughout the school year. Teaching for over 20 years in schools in the USA, China, Egypt and Vietnam, she is thrilled to be here, her first year at Panyaden.
Outside of school, Kru Susan is a voracious reader of young adult novels and rarely reads the same book twice. She loves poetry, learning about learning, and music, especially folk music, as it is a window into culture. An avid yoga practitioner since she completed her yoga teacher training in India in 2017, she finds the practice both exhilarating and relaxing. She especially enjoys exploring her surroundings (including cafes, cultural events and the natural environs) with her husband, Patrick, a travel journalist and media communications teacher. Their two grown daughters live in the USA and are excited to visit Chiang Mai.
Prawitra Chaimanee (Kru Fern)
Thai Language
Kru Fern graduated from Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Humanities with a major in English. Kru Fern has been living in Chiang Mai for 16 years. This year is her fifth year as a Thai teacher. Kru Fern believes that learning new languages opens doors to a new world. She enjoys seeing students use their newly acquired language skills in their daily life. She is also very passionate about baking either alternative baked goods for those with food allergies or extraordinarily delicious cakes!
Bongkot Theppiman (Kru Ying)
Thai Language, IB Thai A , Thai Culture Coordinator
Kru Ying has worked as a Thai language and culture teacher at an international school in Chiang Mai and as an English teacher at a secondary school in her hometown, Kamphaeng Phet. This is Kru Ying’s ninth year at Panyaden. Kru Ying is passionate about working with children and believes that the focus of education should be to teach children a sense of responsibility towards themselves, their community and the environment.
Jutharat Songkham (Kru Goong)
Thai Language
Kru Goong graduated from Rajabhat Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Education with a major in Special Education. Having worked as a primary homeroom teacher at a public school in Chiang Mai for three years, she then went to New York and spent almost five years learning English whilst teaching Thai language and culture to Thai families there. After moving back to her hometown of Chiang Mai, she then taught Thai language and culture at an international school for almost ten years. This is her first year at Panyaden as Thai language and culture teacher.
Kru Goong is so excited to join the wonderful Panyaden team and she will do her absolute best for the students and the school community. She enjoys reading, watching movies, and travelling. She also loves crafting. In particular, she enjoys paper crafting, sewing, scrapbooking or making other handmade gifts. But, the most joyful moment for her is when she can gift her creations to someone and brighten their day!
Nipada Punjai (Kru Maggie)
Student Support Teaching Assistant
Kru Maggie received her degree in Business Administration from Payap University. After graduation, she worked in Queenstown, New Zealand for almost three years before moving back to her hometown, Chiang Mai. She completed the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Certificate at Chiang Mai University. As a former member of the Thailand national badminton youth team, she believes that a vital part of success is having a great coach. She, therefore, would like to support all students with the same dedication as her coach showed her team.
She spends most of her free time wandering in books, learning Mandarin, listening to podcasts, and playing Thai traditional xylophone (rá-nâat àyk).
Phatnaree PhahonThammasan (Kru Tukta)
Secondary School Teaching Assistant
Kru Tukta graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna. She has 16 years of experience working in international schools. In her free time, she enjoys running (road and trail), cycling, travelling and reading books.
Chomnaad Suteevasinnon (Kru Fai)
Science Laboratory Technician
Kru Fai came to Panyaden in 2019, holding a Bachelor of Science degree. Before joining Panyaden she worked as a senior laboratory technician at an international school in Bangkok for four years and supported a science department at an IB school in Chiang Mai for three years. At Panyaden, Kru Fai is the science laboratory technician. She is based in the Science Preparation Room where she prepares and delivers equipment and materials for science classes and sets up apparatus in the laboratories. She is responsible for maintaining the science laboratories and preparing the rooms, equipment and services so that they are in good order and in line with health and safety expectations.
She also provides support to other teachers upon request: preparing classrooms and experiments, supporting during examinations, student field trips and science activities, translating documents, and creating practical resources.