Leadership

DR. HEATHER BECK

Head of School since 2023

Dr. Heather Beck became The Awty International School’s 12th Head of School in July 2023. 

After serving as Deputy Head of School at the Canadian International School of Singapore, she decided to make Awty her next home. She was drawn to Awty for its global mindset and its diverse community of teachers and learners. 

As a child, Dr. Beck struggled in school, but she didn’t have the words to explain her needs — and often her teachers didn’t have the awareness or resources to support her. That’s why she became an educator: to be a voice for children and a champion for schools that recognize, embrace, and celebrate each child’s unique needs and contributions. 

With over 30 years of experience in education, Dr. Beck has taken part in several wide-ranging, transformational efforts, including leading Lake Oswego School District to its recognition as #1 out of more than 10,000 school districts in the United States. 

Dr. Beck believes today’s schools must prepare students for a world that is increasingly connected and driven by technology — with curricula built on compassion, sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. Most importantly, she believes school communities are responsible for creating an environment where every child and teacher is empowered to ask for help when they need it and no one is left behind. 

Dr. Beck is an alumna of The Lovett School, a K-12 independent day school in Atlanta, GA. She earned her undergraduate degree in International Affairs at University of Colorado, Boulder and her master’s degree in Special Education at University of Northern Colorado. She completed her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at the University of Denver. 

Dr. Beck is an avid reader who enjoys painting and quilting, hiking, tennis, and traveling the world. She lives with her wife, Jamie, and their Shih Tzu, Tibby.Their son and daughter-in-law, Edward and Johana, have a beautiful daughter named Eliana. 

 

HEAD OF SCHOOL'S CABINET

SCOTT BENSON
Executive Director of Facilities & Construction

EGMOND BOON
Chief Innovation and Engagement Officer

GWEN CARIO
Senior Creative Director and Executive Assistant to the Head of School

JAMILA MACARTHUR
Chief Academic Officer 

JOHN MURPHY
Chief Financial Officer

CHANTEL OLUFSEN
Executive Director of Advancement

ADMINISTRATION

ERIKA BENAVENTE
Director of Admissions

CAROLIN ESCOBAR
Director of Educational Technology

LEAH FISCHER
Head of Early Learning

AMANDA GREEN
Director of Communications

LILIAN HABIB-SHENODA
Director of Human Resources

SEVERINE IRELAND
Proviseure

TIM LONG
Head of Lower School

PATRICK MILLER-PEÑA
Director of Spanish Program

TOM ODEN
Head of Secondary

CHRIS WOZNIAK
Director of IT and Information Systems

LINDSAY YOUNGDAHL
Director of Athletics