Faces of EARCOS

Janel Perez, International School Manila Margaret Sanders Winner

Janel was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. Her academic journey was a rocky one, consisting of eight different schools, some of which she was awarded a scholarship to attend. In 2013, Janel joined the ISM community as a Filipino Scholar on a full five-year scholarship.

During her five years at ISM, Janel developed her passion for writing and the social sciences and has annually received awards for her academic efforts. Beyond the classroom, Janel has been most active in public speaking and service, as a key member of ISM’s Model United Nations team and Founder of Project BEST, an education-based service organization. She perceives education as an avenue for socioeconomic mobility and hopes to use her college education to continue working towards poverty alleviation in her home country through education reform and alternative human capital development.

Mark Ulfers, AAIE New Executive Director

EARCOS is pleased to announce that Mark E. Ulfers, current head of school of the American School of Paris will become AAIE’s next executive director, beginning July 2018.

An overseas educator since 1987, Mark is completing 31 years overseas, with postings that include the Singapore American School, Cyprus International School, Taipei American School, Frankfurt International School and his current headship at the American School of Paris. Mark also commits time to building community elsewhere, having served on the board of trustees of EARCOS, the Jane Goodall Foundation in Asia and as a founding board member of the Academy of International School Heads. And appropriate to this announcement, Mark also served on the board and as president of the Association for the Advancement of International Education in years past. Mark also helped create the Kalahari Education Experience Trust with a mission to teach and support matriculation of Kalahari Desert youth in South Africa.

By his own admission, Mark is a student at heart, and knows that as an educator and leader he is still trying to make sense of it all. Like all of us– he cares deeply for the AAIE spirit of community and sees a continued bright future because there is such strength in tapping the expertise, diversity and drive of our membership. Mark is 41-years married to Wendy, and their children, Adam and Lara, are products of international education, drawing on a world of experiences from being raised overseas.

Remembering Dr.Elsa Lamb

(September 1944 - December 2017)

Renowned international educator and leader, Elsa C. Lamb passed away on December 21, 2017 at the age of 73. Elsa had a long and distinguished career as a teacher, a school director at schools in Spain, Paraguay, and Nicaragua, and finally as Executive Director of AAIE from 2008 until her retirement in 2015. She also actively helped shape international education as a member of of the board for the regional associations of MAIS, ECIS, and AASSA. Elsa leaves a legacy that lives on through the the growth and success of the many schools she led and the countless students, teachers and colleagues that she positively impacted in her many years of service. The entire international educational community mourns her passing.