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Principal
B.S.: Fort Lewis College
M.A.: Norwich University
Washington State University
Nathan is originally from Denver Colorado, but he has been traveling and working in education in various places around the world since 2007. He greatly enjoys the process of learning, be it as a teacher, school leader, or even student. Nathan has returned to Taiwan because he views Taiwan as serving an important role as a bridge between the Eastern and Western worlds. He is proud to be a part of building this important bridge. He also finds this country to be his true second home. His educational leadership belief is that a leader’s main role is to serve others. This includes serving students to ensure they have a challenging yet enjoyable learning environment, serving parents with ensuring their voices are heard and responded to as well as serving teachers with providing the goals and support needed for professional growth to benefit student learning. He believes that to lead others truly means to serve others! If you would like to learn more about his background, please feel free to explore his personal website at www.deanbryanteducation.com
Assistant Principal
B.S.: New York University
M.A.: Columbia University NY
Doctorate: Vanderbilt University
Dr. Taye Kamara is originally from New York City and has been working in Education for over 15 years throughout North America, Asia and the Middle East. During his time living and working in Shanghai, China, he became fully immersed in the culture, which has now brought him to beautiful Taiwan. He firmly believes in the importance of students attaining a high-quality education at HCAS with a joyful and balanced pursuit of learning both in and outside of the classroom. It is his strong belief that our responsibility as educators is to shape the next generation of learners into highly educated, upstanding citizens who have the tools needed to improve society.
Outside of school leadership and counseling, he enjoys hiking, traveling and exploring different cultures, tennis, reading and various genres of film. He hopes students and all members our HCAS community approach every day with the following inspiring quote from Toni Morrison:
“I’m a believer in the power of knowledge and the ferocity of beauty, so from my point of view, your life is already artful – waiting, just waiting for you to make it art.” – Nobel Laureate & Novelist Toni Morrison
Director of General Affairs
Holmes Colleges Sydney
Christine Wu is in charge of General Affairs at HCAS, ensuring the functioning of purchasing, security, and cafeteria maintenance. She also helps Student Affairs with the needs of the kindergarten and field trips.
Director of Student Affairs
M.S.: Bristol University
B.S.: National Changhua University of Education
Alicia Chuang is the Director of Student Affairs at HCAS. She was born in Taiwan but raised in Paraguay (South America), graduating from an American school. She then returned to Taiwan to pursue her dream as a teacher and entered into National Changhua University of Education. Alicia started her job as a teacher then she took some time off to do her master’s degree in TESOL from Bristol University (England). She has 15 years of teaching experiences plus administrative experiences in bilingual and private education systems.
Kindergarten and First Program Director
B.A.: University of Toronto
M.Ed.: Queen’s University
Miette Beynon is the homeroom Kindergarten 3 teacher as well as the Kindergarten Head of Department. She graduated from the University of Toronto with an honors degree in Political Science, holds a Master of Education from Queens University, is licensed K-3, ESOL K-6, and IB (PYP), and has a Certificate in Early Education Leadership from Harvard University. Originally from Canada, she has a wealth of experience working with young learners across Asia. She has taught in Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore. Whether it was working as a teacher mentor for the MOE in Malaysia or as a Reading Specialist in Singapore, she thrives in collaborative environments that focus on children’s holistic development. She believes that young children develop their understanding of the world around them when learning is rooted in their own interests, questions, and experiences, and Miette strives to ensure that the kindergarten environment is fun, engaging, encouraging, and reflects the joyful nature of the students and teachers who make it their home.
Head of Department and English Teacher
B.A. Wilfred Laurier University
Dave Vaughan is a Canadian with experience teaching in Beijing, Taichung, and Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. He discovered the joy and value of teaching growing up in a largely connected extended family in small-town Ontario. Dave has shown great interest in developing his institution’s approach to international education, both through the organization of extracurricular activities (MUN conferences and Young Diplomats training) and curriculum flexibility (project-based learning courses and international learning projects). He enjoys hiking for the sake of feeding his need for adventure and exploration, while also contributing to a coalition of writers and activists online.
Head of Department and Mathematics Teacher
B.S.: Michigan State University
M.A.: Seattle Pacific University
Shu Tan is excited to join HCAS. She has nine years of experience teaching middle and high school mathematics in the United States – California and New York. She received her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University, and her master’s degree in Mathematics Education from Seattle Pacific University. She finds the most fulfilling part of being a teacher is fostering a curiousity and love of learning mathematics in her students.
This is her second year living in Taiwan, and, when she is not at school, she enjoys biking, cooking, hiking, and trying all the delicious food in Taiwan!
Head of Department and Chinese Teacher
B.A.: Wenzao Ursuline
College of Languages
M.A.: National Kaohsiung
Normal University
Prior to joining HCAS, Mina Lai taught at St. Theresia Tourism High School in Indonesia. She currently teaches Chinese as an Additional Language at HCAS and leads the World Languages Department. When she is not working, she enjoys her time with family and exploring the world as a backpacker.
Head of Department and Music Teacher
M.: University of Auckland
M.M.: Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
D.M.A.: Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresden
Dr. Afra Su grew up in Auckland, New Zealand, and has been passionate about music for as long as she can remember. She started to learn piano when she was 6 years old and, during her school years, she also learned violin, guitar, and voice across a variety of genres. She attended the University of Auckland for her Bachelor of Music with honors and went onto Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover for her Master and D.M.A in Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresden. As a teacher at HCAS, her goal is to encourage students to appreciate music, master their own talents, and be creative! She tries to explore her students’ favorite genres and styles of music, helping them to create a passion for music, just as she has. She also enjoys traveling, hiking, and reading outside school.
Hermann Hesse is one of her favorite writers and once said, “Oh, music! A melody occurs to you; you sing it silently, inwardly only; you steep your being in it; it takes possession of all your strength and emotions, and during the time it lives in you, it effaces all that is fortuitous, evil, coarse, and sad in you; it brings the world into harmony with you, it makes burdens light and gives wings to depressed spirits.
Head of Department and Social Studies/Social Sciences Teacher
Mark Vickers is a high-school teacher of 3 years, and he hopes to help cultivate our school climate and culture of success as well as have a positive impact on the students. He joined HCAS after teaching 3 years as a business, economics, and PE teacher within a high school in Taiwan. He also has over 9 years of teaching ESL within Taiwan. Before Taiwan, Mark worked as a manager and coach at a university in the UK.
He received his bachelor’s degree in the UK from the University of Sunderland but received his master’s degree within Taiwan at MingHsin University.
Outside of work, Mark loves to play basketball and is an avid computer game player. One of his main passions is to travel, and he really enjoys traveling around the island of Taiwan on 2 wheels.
Data Manager and Tech Coach
B.S.c.: University of Melbourne
David has been with HCAS since 2019 and has taught all levels of Computer Science. Originally from Melbourne, Australia where he studied Computer Science at The University of Melbourne, David has taught English in Korea and China, worked as an Analyst/Programmer, and as an FX trader. After visiting Taiwan in 2016 and falling in love with Isla Formosa, he made the move to Hsinchu and back to teaching. Since joining HCAS, he has enjoyed sharing his knowledge of computers with all the inquisitive young minds here. In addition to teaching and solving technical issues, David has also been involved with the school tennis team, ran the first HCAS Hedge Fund, been Green Dragons House Leader, and, along with the MADD Department, started the HCAS Film Festival. He even wrote and directed two teachers movies (can be viewed on our school’s YouTube page). In his free time, he travels, trades, and explores more of Taiwan.
Science Teacher
B.Ed.: Kurukshetra University
M.S.: Kurukshetra University
Raman Gupta is a licensed science teacher. She teaches science to students in Middle and Upper School. She possesses a master’s degree in Chemistry (Kurukshetra University) as well as in English Literature with extensive teaching experience of 14 years. She is an enthusiastic and committed teacher with natural ability to appreciate and inspire children. She is a mature, positive, and hardworking individual, who always strives to achieve the highest standard possible, at any given task. Her passion for learning, teaching, and loving children lead her to this road. When she is not teaching, she is very fond of spending time with family and friends, shopping, traveling, doing yoga, and listening to music.