Meet the Board!

Speech and Language Therapist / Early Intervention Specialist

Originally from Cardiff, Wales, Hayley has over 15 years of experience of working with young people with diverse learning needs and styles. Her experience ranges from small community schools in the UK to large international schools in Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore. Hayley believes in employing a multimodal approach to developing communication in young learners, and her love of signing has led her to become a certified Makaton Tutor.  Hayley also enjoys working closely with families and educators, and as a certified Elklan and Hanen trainer, she enjoys providing highly interactive training that offer evidence-based approaches and practical resources for home and school to achieve the best possible language outcomes for young children. Hayley currently works as an Early Years Intervention Specialist at the British International School, Phuket.

Education: MSc Psychology, MA Autism, PGCE: SENCo and BSc Speech and Language Therapy.

PreK Teacher

Elizabeth is a passionate and experienced teacher hailing from New Zealand. With a decade of teaching experience in Thailand, she has impacted students of all ages, from 3 to 18 years old. Elizabeth is on a mission to make education more equitable and inclusive. Her journey began as a physical education teacher, followed by a transition to an English teacher, and for the past 6 years, and Early Years teacher, showcasing her adaptability and commitment to versatile teaching roles. Currently working as an Early Years teacher at Canadian International School, Elizabeth continues to foster an inclusive and nurturing classroom environment. She is actively pursuing a master’s degree in inclusive education, underlining her dedication to this vital field.

Education: BPhEd Sport & Exercise Science, PGDip Inclusive Education.

Whole School SENCo

Lissa has worked in inclusive settings since 2003, when she was hired in her first “special education” position to integrate a self-contained program into being full members of the middle school community. Since then, she has been part of the SKIES (Skills & Knowledge in Inclusive Education Settings) program at Northern Arizona University, graduating with her second Master’s in Special Education with a focus on Inclusive Practice. After working in several states, she moved to a fully inclusive school in Hong Kong as a Learning Specialist and then to her current position in Thailand. Her primary interest is in developing systems that meet the needs of all students and in which teachers feel supported.

Education: BA Secondary Education/English, MA Special Education Cross-Categorical Learning Disabilities,  MA Special Education Severe and Profound Disabilities with a focus on Inclusive Practices and minor in Assistive Technology, Doctoral Program in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Special Education.

Whole School Director of Learning Support

Sofia began her experience of working with neurodivergent young people back in Cambridgeshire, UK, where she ran a network of summer playschemes for children and young people with diverse special educational needs. During her university experience in London, Sofia completed a dissertation on teaching language to non-verbal autistic children and then moved onto Cambridge university where she qualified as a teacher. 

Moving on to Brighton UK, Sofia opened a new facility for learners with severe/profound learning difficulties which was attached to a mainstream secondary school and later moved on to working in underprivileged coastal schools where she qualified as a SENCO. 

Sofia is now the Whole College Director of Pupil Support for a leading school in Bangkok who hold the international school award for Inclusion. Her specialist subject is in-class adaptation strategies and she is also a qualified psychometric assessor and can provide access arrangement testing services. 

Education: BA English 1:1, PGCE Secondary Education, NASENCO, Psychometric Testing Level 7, currently working towards MEd in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Head of Primary Learning Support

Samantha initially qualified as a speech and language therapist before obtaining her iPGCE and moving into learning support teaching. She is originally from the North East of England and worked in a range of settings there with children and adults with speech, language and communication needs. Samantha’s professional journey then led her to Malaysia where she worked in two well-known international schools, firstly as an SLT/LS teacher and secondly as a learning support coordinator. Samantha recently moved to Bangkok, where she currently oversees the learning support provision for primary students at Bangkok Prep. 

Samantha has many years experience in training teachers and families to support communication and learning. She also enjoys organising neurodiversity awareness events with the aim of educating the next generation as well as the wider community. With personal and professional experience of neurodivergence, Samantha is passionate about advocating for inclusion and breaking down barriers for all.

Education: PGCert SEND iSENCO, iPGCE, TQUK TEFL, BSc(Hons) Speech and Language Sciences.

Primary Learning Support and Pastoral Care Co-Ordinator

Born and raised in Essex, UK, James has been working in education for over ten years. Previously working as primary school teacher in the UK, Spain, South Korea and Thailand, he has been co-ordinating learning support provision for the last three years in Bangkok.  James spends much of his time working with families and carers of young people with a range of differing needs, bridging the gap between school and home and advocating for their continued development within a mainstream setting. Alongside this he co-ordinates a small team who deliver in-class support, interventions and other additional services. James teaches at St Andrews International School S107 across the primary phase.

Education: BA(Hons) Primary Education with MFL Spanish (QTS), MA Special and Additional Learning Needs

High School Learning Support

The experience of teaching English while living in Japan in the late 1990s was enough to convince Matt that teaching overseas was for him a dream come true. After moving back to the USA in 2000, Matt eventually moved to Las Vegas, where he focused on supporting students with various academic and behavioural needs for five years. In 2008, an opportunity arose for Matt to pursue international teaching in Bangkok, Thailand, where he could continue to work helping students with a wide variety of learning differences. Currently, Matt is teaching at Ruamrudee International school, where he has been happily ensconced for going on 16 years. Matt’s primary focus has been working with high school students in grades 9–12 within the RIS learning support program. His role as a specialist educator means assisting students in various roles, including as their advocate and support teacher whenever (and wherever) he is needed.  His position as a specialist means Matt may be found working one-on-one, providing push-in support, or preparing students for life after high school–often in the space of one school day.   

Education: BA in Political Science, University of Vermont; MA in Ed, Special Education emphasis, Ohio University

Inclusion Specialist

Since embarking on her special education journey in 2017, Najwa had the extraordinary opportunity to learn and grow under the wise guidance of SENIA’s Executive Director, Lori Boll. Najwa’s career began at an intensive learning program Lori founded to teach children with significant support needs. This initial experience was transformative, leading to a lifelong commit to special education as a career.

In her second year, Najwa pursued a Master’s Degree in Arts of Teaching – Special Education, a decision that deepened her passion and commitment to this field. Post-graduation, Najwa’s journey has been one of continuous learning and fulfillment. Najwa currently serves as an inclusion specialist at St. Andrews Samakee International School, where she continues to apply and expand her expertise in education.

In 2019, Najwa embarked on a new venture, assisting husband, Philip Bowman, in co-founding MARIO Education and serving as the Chief Operating Officer for a short period of time before jumping back into the classroom.