Staff Biographies
2015/16
Middle and High School
Vahagn Vardanyan
Head of High School and DP Coordinator
[email protected]
Dorothy Mubweka
Teacher, Middle School
[email protected]
Mr. Vahagn Verdanyan is a native of Armenia. Before joining
HWA in 2008, he worked at the Beijing Huijia Private School
(HWA’s sister school) where he taught Economics for the
IB Diploma Programme. Mr. Vahagn is HWA’S IB Diploma
Programme Coordinator and the Head of High School.
He holds an Economics degree, a professional diploma in
teaching, and two Master’s degrees. Currently, Mr. Vahagn
is also working on his doctoral research at the National
University of Singapore.
Ms. Dorothy Mubweka is from Kenya, and joined HWA in
2008. She holds a Master of Education from Adelaide
University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and
Sociology from Egerton University, and a Diploma of
Educational Studies from the College of Teachers in the UK.
Ms. Mubweka has worked in the field of education for over
nine years, seven of which have been spent at HWA.
Max Lew Cheng Wee
Teacher, High School
[email protected]
Huang Xiao Xia
Teacher, Middle & High School
[email protected]
Mr. Lew Wee Max has attended numerous IB Middle Years
Programme and Diploma Programme workshops for the past
three years, and currently teaches HWA’s Middle and High
School Science and Mathematics Programme. He graduated
from the University of Malaya, Malaysia, and has been
teaching for over nine years in Singapore and Malaysia.
Currently, he is the CAS coordinator at HWA.
Ms. Huang Xiaoxia obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Language Education from Henan University, China, and
has also worked as a lecturer and Head of Department at
Hunan Medicine College. She has been teaching Chinese in
Singapore for almost 20 years, and has attended numerous
IB Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme
workshops. She currently teaches the Middle School and
High School Chinese Language Acquisition Programme.
Ms Huang is also the coordinator for languages other than
English for the Middle and High schools at HWA.
Wu Dan
Teacher, Middle & High School
[email protected]
Bhavna Narayanan
Teacher, Middle & High School / University Counsellor
[email protected]
In 2008, Ms. Wu Dan graduated with a Master’s degree in
Mathematics from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her
excellent academic accolades gave her the opportunity to
work with the University of Hong Kong’s Math Department.
Before joining HWA in 2013, Ms. Wu taught both Additional
and Elementary Mathematics to secondary school students
in Singapore. She has been teaching mathematics in
Singapore for almost four years.
Ms. Bhavna Narayanan is an IB Diploma and Middle Years
Programme teacher. She is also the University Counsellor.
She graduated with a MSc in Environment and Sustainable
Development from the University College, London, and
a Bsc (Hons) in Earth Science from the Imperial College
London. She is currently working towards her Master’s
degree in Education. Ms. Narayanan is also an International
Baccalaureate Diploma holder from the United World
College of South East Asia.
Zhai Mei Ling Emily
Teacher, Middle & High School
[email protected]
Sakhar S/O Govindan Nair
Head of Middle School and MYP Coordinator
[email protected]
Ms. Zhai Meiling (Emily) has a Master of Education in
Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, and a Bachelor’s
degree in Primary Education and Chinese Language
Literature. Ms. Zhai has over 21 years of teaching
experience, and has worked in HWA since 2010.
Mr. Sakhar Nair was born in Singapore but has lived,
studied and taught in many places including Nepal, the
USA, Indonesia and Singapore. He obtained First Class
Honours degree in English Literature from the National
University of Singapore. After graduating, he completed
a Master’s degree in English Literature at the Nanyang
Technological University, Singapore. He currently teaches
the English curriculum at the high school level, and has
been teaching for more than 10 years.
Staff Biographies
2015/16
Middle and High School
Ganapathy Sankara Lakshmi
Teacher, Middle & High School
[email protected]
Rufino Gabriel Sacro Villanueva
Teacher, PE Department
[email protected]
Ms. Ganapathy Sankara Lakshmi is from India. She earned
her First Class Master of Science and Master of Philosophy
in Physics from Periyar University in Tamil Nadu, India.
She also has a degree in Education. For two years before
joining HWA, she was a lecturer in Tamil Nadu, India, at the
Mahendra Engineering College for Women, Anna University.
Ms. Ganapathy has been with HWA for three years, and
currently teaches Physics and Mathematics.
Mr. R.G. Villanueva is from the Philippines, but grew up in
Chicago, Illinois, USA. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in
Secondary Education at the University of St. La Salle, and
has a Master of Arts in Teaching Physical Education from
the University of Negros Occidental - Recoletos, both from
the Philippines. In 2008, he became a certified Physical
Education teacher in Illinois. He now teaches Physical
Education in HWA, in addition to being the CCA Supervisor
for the Primary, Middle, and High School students.
Mika Pejovic
Teacher, Middle & High School
[email protected]
Hanna Elisabet Ucko Neill
Manager, Marketing Communication Office
[email protected]
Ms. Mika Pejovic is from Australia, but grew up in Asia and
Europe. She graduated with a BSc in Physiology from the
University of Melbourne, Australia, and has a DipEd from
the University of Queensland, Australia. Ms. Mika is also an
International Baccalaureate Diploma holder from United
World College of South East Asia.
Ms. Hanna has a MSc in Development Studies from SOAS in
University of London, UK, and a BSc Econ in International
Relations from London School of Economics in the UK.
She is currently completing a Postgraduate Certificate of
Education with the University of Buckingham. Ms. Hanna
has held media roles as Press Officer, Media Consultant
and Information Officer at the United Nations in New
York and Geneva. Prior to joining HWA, she worked at the
International Institute for Strategic Studies as Coordinator
and Global Conflicts Analyst.
Luz Jose Antonio
Teacher, Middle School; MYP English Language Coordinator
[email protected]
Sonja Bretschneider
Teacher, High School
[email protected]
Hailing from the Philippines, Tony grew up in Vancouver,
Canada, and has lived and worked as a teacher in Japan,
Taiwan and Singapore. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Interdisciplinary Studies from Ateneo de Manila University,
Philippines, and he completed his graduate degree studies
in TESOL at Mount Vernon College in Washington, D.C..
He also trained as a fine artist (painting) at the Emily
Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver. At HWA, he
currently teaches MYP English Language Acquisition as
well as the MYP Design course. Tony is also the English
Language Coordinator for the middle school.
Ms. Sonja Bretschneider is a third culture kid, born to
American parents and raised in Germany. Asia has been Ms.
Bretschneider’s home for 19 years, 13 of those were mostly
spent as an educator of English and the Humanities. She has a
Master of Education degree from the University of Minnesota,
and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Asian Studies from St. Olaf
College, both from the USA.
Staff Biographies
2015/16
Primary School
Manju Nair
Head of PYP and PYP Coordinator
[email protected]
James Anthony Tobin
Teacher, Primary School
[email protected]
Ms. Manju Nair has a Master of Science degree in Early
Childhood Education from Wheelock College in Boston,
USA, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language
and Literature. She was an adjunct lecturer for Wheelock
College’s BSc in Early Childhood Education programme in
Singapore. Ms. Manju has worked with the Primary Years
Programme as a HWA homeroom teacher, and returned to
the school in 2011 after a period of three years as Head of
Primary Years Programme.
Mr. James Tobin comes from Florida, USA. He obtained
three Bachelor’s degrees and a Master of Education degree
from the Florida Atlantic University. He has been working
in the education sector for three years, and has the
experience of teaching young children in China and Taiwan.
He joined HWA in 2011.
Ritchelle Valdez
Teacher, Primary School
[email protected]
Uyen Nguyen
Teacher, Primary School
[email protected]
Ms. Ritchelle Valdez comes from the Philippines. She has a
Bachelor of Arts degree in English with Applied Linguistics,
and has completed the academic requirements for a Master
of Education in Special Education. She has over seven
years of teaching experience in the lower primary level.
Ms. Valdez taught in the Philippines and Indonesia before
joining HWA in 2014.
Ms. Nguyen is Vietnamese-American. She obtained a Master of
Education in America, and has teaching experience in Japan,
America, and Singapore. She joined the HWA team in 2015.
Mandy Lau
Teacher, Primary School
[email protected]
Joshua Alan Medendorp
Teacher, Primary School
[email protected]
Ms. Mandy Lau is a graduate of the University of Hong Kong
with a PGDE in Mathematics and Visual Art. She joined HWA
in 2013.
Mr. Joshua Medendorp comes from Michigan, USA.
He obtained his Master of Arts in Education from the
Dominican University in Illinois, and his Bachelor of
Business Administration from the Ferris State University in
Michigan, both in the USA. Mr. Medendorp has over seven
years of teaching experience, and joined HWA in 2012. He is
the Grade 5 Homeroom Teacher.
Fu Wen Juan
Teacher, Primary School
[email protected]
Tan Joshua Lee-Wai
Teacher, Primary School
[email protected]
Ms. Fu Wen Juan has an Advanced Diploma in Chinese
Language Teaching and a Diploma in Early Childhood Care and
Education Teaching, both from the KLC International Institute
in Singapore. She has about 10 years of experience teaching
Mandarin in local and international schools.
Mr. Joshua Tan comes from Perth, Australia, and was born to
Malaysian-Chinese parents. Mr. Tan has a passion for lifelong
learning, and holds a Bachelor of Education, specialising in
primary education at the Curtin University, Australia. He has
classroom teaching experience in Australia and at IB World
Schools in Indonesia and Taiwan. Mr. Tan joined HWA in 2015.
Staff Biographies
2015/16
Primary School
Song Peng
Teacher, Primary School
[email protected]
Chen Qing
Teacher, Primary School
[email protected]
Ms. Song Peng holds a degree in Education from Shenyang
Normal University in China, and has taught in several preschools and primary schools in Singapore for the past eight
years. She teaches Mandarin, and Chinese music and dance
in HWA.
Ms. Chen Qing is from China. She obtained her Master of
Education in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, and
has over five years of teaching experience as a Chinese and
Art teacher. Ms. Chen joined HWA in 2007, and currently
teaches Chinese Language to Grade 5 and 6 students.
Qian Hong
Teacher, Primary & Middle School
[email protected]
Lydia Wong Yee Jia
Teacher, Music Department / Arts Coordinator
[email protected]
Ms. Qian Hong is from China. She holds a Master of
Education in Teaching English as a Second Language. In
2008, she graduated from Rhode Island College, USA, and
taught American college students Mandarin for four years.
When she pursued her Master’s degree, she taught English
as a Second Language (ESL) for two years. She joined HWA
in 2014 as an ESL teacher at the primary and middle school
levels. She enjoys reading and travelling in her spare time.
Ms. Wong Yee Jia (Lydia) comes from Malaysia. She
obtained her Bachelor of Music from the University of Texas
in Austin, USA, and her Master of Music from the Steinhardt
School at New York University, USA. In June 2014, she
completed the Orff-Schulwerk professional studies and
practical training, and received the ANCOS Certificate of
Accreditation (Level 1). She is also a licensed Encore Music
teacher for the Kinder Beat programme. She has taught
students ages four to 18 in Malaysia, Singapore and the
USA for over six years. Ms. Wong joined HWA in 2012, and
currently teaches the Kindergarten, Primary and High
School Diploma Music Programme.
Cong Hui
Teacher, Art Department
[email protected]
Ms. Cong Hui comes from China. She obtained her Master
of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts from Harbin Normal
University in China. She has over nine years of teaching
experience, and received several awards and achievements.
Ms. Cong joined HWA in 2013 and teaches the Primary,
Middle and High schoool Visual Art Programme.
Kindergarten
Elisa Muliasari Murdiono
Teacher Assistant, Kindergarten
[email protected]
Natalie Bennett Rose
Teacher, Kindergarten
[email protected]
Ms. Elisa Murdiono comes from Indonesia. She obtained
a Master’s degree in Commerce before getting certified
in pre-school teaching. She has experience in developing
students emotionally and intellectually, and has worked
with nursery children. She joined HWA in 2012.
Ms. Rose comes from the UK, and holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Interior Architecture from the Teesside University, UK.
She obtained her Post-Graduate Certificate of Education at Edge
Hill University in the UK, and has taught students aged four to
adults in college. She joined HWA in 2014.
Staff Biographies
2015/16
Kindergarten
Lu Na
Teacher, Kindergarten
[email protected]
Eda Go
Teacher, Kindergarten
[email protected]
Ms. Lu Na has been teaching Mandarin in Singapore since
2003. She graduated from the Asia International College,
Singapore, with a Diploma in Early Childhood Care and
Education.
Ms. Eda Go is from the Philippines and has a Bachelor’s
degree in Early Childhood Education from De La Salle
University, Philippines, and a Master’s degree in Early
Childhood Education from Wheelock College, Boston, USA.
She also has a certificate in KinderMusik and Encore on
Keys Music Programme for young children. Ms. Go has been
teaching children from ages one to six for seven years. She
joined HWA in 2011.
Monique Laufs
Teacher, Kindergarten
[email protected]
Liu Chunyan
Teacher, Kindergarten
[email protected]
Ms. Monique is from South Africa, where she obtained her
Honours Degree in Psychology at the University of South
Africa. She also completed her education certificate and
has taught in Cape Town, Turkey and Singapore. She has
been with HWA since 2014.
Ms. Liu Chun Yan comes from China. She obtained a
Bachelor’s degree majoring in Finance from the Central
Radio and T V University in China, and holds a Diploma
in Pre-School Education from Jilin Vocational Teachers’
College. She has nine years of teaching experience having
taught all levels in local pre-school from Toddlers, N1, N2,
K1 to K2.
Tian Yurong
Teacher, Kindergarten
[email protected]
Fan Xia
Teacher, Kindergarten
[email protected]
Tian Yurong is from Jilin, China, where she worked as a
kindergarten teacher for 17 years. She moved to Singapore
in 2007 to teach Mandarin at EtonHouse International
School, where she overhauled the Mandarin syllabus for
primary students.
Ms. Fan Xia is from China. She has a Bachelor’s degree in
Education from the Beijing Sport University, China. She
taught in Huijia Private School for 2 years, before joining
HWA as a kindergarten teacher in 2014.
Chen Qingxia
Teacher Assistant, Kindergarten
[email protected]
Ms. Chen Qingxia comes from China. She completed her high
school education in 2008, and has the experience of working
with nursery children. She joined HWA as a Teacher Assistant in
2014.
Staff Biographies
2015/16
Other
Lusine Vardanyan
Teacher, Primary /Middle
[email protected]
Lusine Khachatryan
Teacher, Armenian
[email protected]
Mrs. Vardanyan obtained Bachelor of Arts in Layout Art and a
Bachelor of Arts in Italian Language in Armenia. She has been
teaching in HWA since 2014.
Lusine Khachatryan comes from Armenia. She graduated from
the Yerevan State University where she obtained a Bachelor’s
degree in Oriental Studies and Literature, followed by a Master’s
degree in the field of Political Science and International Affairs
from the American University of Armenia. Prior to joining HWA,
Lusine taught high school students at local and private schools
in Armenia, and now provides support in teaching Language A:
Armenian Literature to Armenian students at HWA.
Oh Eun Jeong
Teacher, Korean
[email protected]
Mona Lim
Teacher, Music Department
[email protected]
Ms. Oh Eun Jeong is a native of Korea, and has been
teaching in schools for over 10 years. She has two
Bachelor of Arts degrees in Korean Language, Culture and
Literature as well as a Master’s degree from SungKyunKwan
University in Seoul, Korea. Before joining HWA, she worked
in a number of schools in Korea, China and Singapore
including the Beijing No.15 Middle School, the Singapore
Korean International School, and the National University
of Singapore. Ms. Oh holds a Korean language teaching
license, and joined HWA in 2012 as the High School
Korean Language teacher, and is currently the IB Diploma
Programme Korean teacher.
Ms Mona Lim has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) degree from
Kingston University, UK, a Master of Arts in Education, and
was a research scholar from National Institute of Education in
Singapore. Ms. Lim is also certified with a Postgraduate Diploma
in Education from Durham, UK, and a Postgraduate Diploma in
the Teaching of Higher Education. She has also obtained her
Licentiate in Music from the Royal Schools of Music and from
the Trinity College of Music, London.
Ms.Lim has more than 10 years of teaching experience,
and currently conducts music lessons at HWA. She has
choreographed for the Chingay performance in Singapore, the
St. Patrick’s Day event with the Irish Embassy in Singapore, and
for the inaugural Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010. She is
also a member of the Artistic Resource Panel for the Singapore
Chinese Orchestra, contributes to the Singapore Symphony
Orchestra, and has been an external examiner for the University
of Wales. For her contribution to the Arts in Singapore, she was
recently awarded a Special Recognition Award.