Emily Simbaña- Indonesia Chair
BA in Psychology and Education; MASpED K-12th grade
Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Emily graduated with her BA in Psychology and Education from Whitman College in Washington state. After her BA she pursued her MA degree in Special Education from the University of New Mexico.
She worked as a self-contained teacher for both students with learning and emotional disabilities in grades K-4 in the United States, after which she moved to Cairo, Egypt. She spent 2 years in Cairo, Egypt before moving to ISManila where she was in the classroom for 2 years before the school hired, and brought her on to help open up the secondary Learning Center program at ISM. She was the head of that program, and its journey for 6 years until recently moving to Jakarta Intercultural School this year in preparation for the secondary JLC program. Emily will be working with the JIS community to help provide further options and pathways for students with more neurodiverse needs in the secondary. Emily is also part of SENIA International as a Associate Director, and has a passion for providing families and students the tools they need to find the best fit path.
Jami Sefiane- Assistant Chair
Jami is the Director of Student Support Services at the Sekolah Pelita Harapan Schools in Jakarta, Indonesia. She has lived and taught in Morocco, the UAE, on the island of Saipan, and in China. She calls Washington State home but is equally at home in Texas.
Jami graduated with a master’s degree in Special Education from Western Oregon State College. Her work in Houston, Texas with Deaf/Hard of Hearing gave her extensive experience with language development, as well as working with a wide range of students with disabilities. She is fluent in American Sign Language.
With over 15 years of overseas teaching experience, Jami has been involved in the growth and development of inclusion programs in international schools. She is involved with ISLES (International School Leaders for Educational Support) an organization supporting the development of leadership in international schools working toward inclusive programming. Jami has been involved in SENIA since 2016 and helped found the Shanghai local chapter. Her passion is empowering teachers and leaders to see that all students can succeed.
Boy Faisal- Social Media Manager
Boy is an experienced educator passionate about shaping young minds and brings over a decade of expertise to the classroom. Since 2010, he has honed his skills teaching social studies, business management, and civics within the dynamic environment of Jakarta’s international schools. Beyond academics, Boy has been a high school advisor since 2010, guiding students through personal and academic challenges. Notably, his experience as head of year equipped him with the valuable ability to leverage his knowledge of pastoral care, SEL, ATL skills, and UDL to cater to individual student needs and empower his team with a deep understanding of the curriculum, subject matter, and developmental stages of their students.
Carmen Cano- Secretary
Carmen has been in education working with students with learning differences for over 25 years. Carmen is from Paraguay where she earned her School Psychologist degree and a Master’s degree in Psychopedagogy. She worked as a School Psychologist for ten years and then opened her own Learning Center. Carmen started her career as an International teacher in Cairo where she worked as a LS teacher for five years, then moved to Bangkok, where she worked as an EAL teacher first and then as ES Learning Support teacher for nine years. Before joining JIS in August 2023, Carmen worked for three years in Abu Dhabi. Carmen loves reading, swimming, meeting new people, traveling and learning from different cultures.
Sarah Wallace- Community/Business Rep
Sarah is the director of Mes Amis community center which focuses on promoting play in the early years, inclusivity for neurodiverse learners as well as building a nurturing community focusing on social emotional wellness. Born in Dubai to Indian and Pakistan parents, she grew up in Jakarta and is a proud JIS alumni (Class of 2003)
Sarah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s degree in Special Needs and Inclusion from the University of Melbourne. She has taught in special needs and international schools in Australia and Singapore.
William Tea
William is a dedicated EAL teacher at SPH Kemang Village campus who is passionate about nurturing young minds. With nine years of teaching experience, he has consistently demonstrated his commitment to mentoring and character development. We’re confident that William’s expertise and enthusiasm will make a valuable contribution to SENIA Indonesia’s mission of promoting English language education in Indonesia.
As a board member, William is committed to advocating for equitable practices for all learners and supporting the professional development of English language teachers.
Melissa Saja
Parent Rep living and building up neurodiversity understanding in her Bali community.
