Leaders Who Help Every Child Rise.

Dr. Ghadeer Abu-Shamat is a distinguished bilingual educational leader with over twenty years of experience spanning Jordan, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Jordan, a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Management from the UCL Institute of Education, a Higher Diploma in Educational Leadership and Management from the American University of Beirut, and a Doctorate in Education from UCL Institute of Education, University of London.

Dr. Ghadeer began her career as a Chemistry teacher in various international curricula schools. After six years in the classroom, she became the Head of Middle School for the international program at Amman Academy in Jordan. She then established and successfully led a private school offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum in Jordan. Her career continued in London, where she served as an IB Programme Coordinator before her appointment as Principal and CEO of GEMS Al Khaleej International School in Dubai. Passionate about education, Dr. Ghadeer's strong leadership qualities have driven positive change in every role she has assumed. Since joining GEMS Al Khaleej International School in January 2015, she has been instrumental in transforming the school, enhancing educational quality, and improving its KHDA rating alongside teaching and learning practices.

In 2020, Dr. Ghadeer was appointed Executive Vice President of Education at GEMS Education. In this role, she leverages her extensive expertise to support students and enrich educational experiences across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt.

Recognized as one of the 365 Inspiring Arab Women, Dr. Ghadeer's contributions to advancing education and her positive societal impact are commendable. She has significantly influenced the educational landscape through her leadership and advocacy for empowering Arab women, particularly in the field of education.

Mai Yaghmour has been promoted to become Associate Principal. Ms. Mai is a dedicated educator who has been in education since 2006, holding various roles such as a teacher, Head of Department, Assistant Principal, Primary Principal, and Deputy Superintendent. She holds a master's degree in education specializing in teaching and learning. With eight years of experience at GEMS AL Khaleej International School, Ms. Mai is committed to creating a supportive learning environment for both students and teachers and fostering strong home-school connections with parents.

She has successfully led numerous projects at AKIS, working closely with the entire school community to achieve excellence.

She also serves as the Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Cluster Professional Development Leader.

Tania after getting her Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, Language, and Political Science from the University of Jordan in 1994, Tania Al Nasser worked for a year in the communication department at Queen Noor AL Hussein Foundation. A year later, she decided that she wanted to pursue a career in education and began her 25- year journey in education working in leading educational institutes in Jordan, which exposed her to a varied educational experiences and curricula such as GSCE and IB.

She started as a homeroom teacher for the elementary and moved to teaching English language in Middle school and High school grade levels. In 2015, Ms. Tania joined AKIS as an English language teacher in the High school section. In 2016, she took the role of Assistant Principal for Middle and High school/ Girls where she assisted in ensuring that the high standards and quality education that AKIS always strives for are in place. From 2018, she co-led the Middle School/ Boys and Girls in her capacity as Assistant Principal and was part of the team who worked diligently to raise school KHDA ratings.

Her educational experiences have helped her the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse group of people to meet the common goal of increasing student achievement, attainment and well-being.

Her educational philosophy is based on her uncompromising belief that all students can learn, given a positive learning environment, strong and knowledgeable leadership, a committed and focused educational team, an encouraging community, and a supportive family.

Rania is delighted to be in her eleventh year at GEMS Al Khaleej International School, now transitioning from Elementary Principal to Middle School Principal. With over 15 years of educational experience, she previously served as Middle School Supervisor and Elementary Science Head of Department at GEMS AKIS and has taught at the college level in the USA. Rania holds a Master’s in Family and Consumer Sciences and a bachelor’s in nutrition and Dietetics. She is committed to a holistic approach to education, focusing on both academic and social-emotional development. Her leadership has been instrumental in curriculum enhancement, teacher training, and student support programs. Rania believes in Nelson Mandela's quote, “Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world,” and strives to foster a nurturing and dynamic learning environment in the middle school.

Ayat Bakir is a passionate educator with more than 16 years of experience, most in international schools in Dubai. She holds a degree in English Literature and a Postgraduate Degree in Education from Nottingham University. Ayat has taught classes ranging from KG2 to Grade 3 and supported the transition into a play-based curriculum tailored to students' interests and needs. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes a holistic approach, where she integrates academic development with social and emotional learning to empower young minds and hearts.

She believes in the importance of the elementary school years for building a strong educational foundation by creating meaningful learning experiences, instilling a passion for reading from a young age, and fostering independence.

This is her second year with us as Elementary Principal.

Amani Hajir brings a wealth of experience in program management, development and implementation, funding, and partner management.She has worked for over 7 years in the non-profit organization sector, and another 5 in event management, communications, and marketing within the education and private sectors.

During her time at a private school in Jordan, Amani designed and implemented the International Baccalaureate's Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS) Program as well as organizing other academic and extracurricular activities for middle and high school students. Within the non-profit sector, she notably and successfully developed and boosted peer-to-peer and crowdfunding fundraising methods and programs.

On a managerial level, she has been actively involved in upper management strategy development, working on developing new processes, team and program evaluation, analysis, and systems’ review on a departmental and foundational level.

Passionate about languages and connecting with new peoples and cultures, Amani chose to obtain her B.A. degree in Foreign Languages-Spanish and English Language and Literature.

Chelsea joined GEMS AKIS in 2022. Prior to joining GEMS AKIS, Chelsea worked as Director of Teaching and Learning at Nansha College Preparatory Academy in Guangzhou, China. She joined NCPA's faculty in 2015 as an English Teacher and later English Head of Department, and over her seven years at the school moved into senior leadership, completing a Principal Licensure Program through Colorado State University.

Prior to that, she spent two years at the American International School of Bamako as an English Teacher and College Counselor, and five years at the American School of Kuwait as an English Teacher and Department Chair. Chelsea has a Bachelor's Degree in English from Colorado College and a Master's Degree in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado.

As an educator, Chelsea focuses on developing and implementing a rigorous standards-based curriculum with fidelity, while ensuring the diverse learning needs of students are met through appropriately differentiated and scaffolded instruction. She enjoys partnering with teachers to maximize student learning.

Personally, Chelsea is looking forward to making a home in Dubai with her husband and two children, aged one and three.

Belinda Weweje has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Chemistry and Psychology in 1988 and immediately stepped into a classroom and started teaching while studying part time to obtain her teaching credentials. She taught Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Maths for 29 year in South Africa. During this time she furthered her studies and in 2004 she completed a Bachelors of Education (honors) degree specializing in Mathematical Teaching and curriculum writing and was selected to be part of a panel that would write the curriculum for Mathematical Literacy, a new subject introduced in South Africa.

Her passion is Science and she was selected by the Shanduka foundation to be part of a program to improve the skills of Science teachers in disadvantaged schools in South Africa.

She has 15 year experience in Education Management and was Head of High School for 7 years and it is from this position that she left her country and went to her first International School in Qatar.

In 2016 she started working in Abu Dhabi as a Chemistry teacher at ADEK’s model school for girls and was seconded to the Head Office where she started writing the Chemistry Curriculum while still teaching 4 days a week at the model school.

Later on she moved to Dubai where she started teaching IB Chemistry. She has a sincere passion for teaching . For the past 35 years she has never been out of the classroom.

Noura has been working in the educational field in the UAE for 15 years. She holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from the Lebanese

University and a professional teaching diploma from the University of Balamand in Dubai.

She taught at various grade levels and was the head of the English department for primary and elementary and the head of the Personal Social Development department across all grade levels.

She believes that the school team members' main role is to support learners in identifying and enhancing their unique potential for academic and personal achievements.

Seema is an experienced educator and proud mother with over 14 years of teaching and leadership experience in various GCC schools, specializing in American, British, and IB curriculums. Originating from Jordan, she holds a degree in Early Childhood Education from Lebanon and has continually enhanced her skills through leadership and teaching courses. Seema has taught from KG 1 to Grade 6 and has held roles such as Year Group Leader at Swiss International School and Science Coordinator at Emirates International School. Recently, she published her first children's book and aims to continue writing. Seema believes in holistic education, nurturing children to become independent, confident, and well-rounded individuals.

Muna started her career in education in Amman in 2005 as a grade 1 homeroom teacher and quickly realized that education is where she belonged. After a few years of teaching and taking on other administrative roles in the primary and secondary school, she was assigned as the assistant principal and began her journey as part of the leadership team. Muna then moved to Dubai in 2014 and joined AKIS in 2016 as the elementary assistant principal for 4 years. She is ecstatic about rejoining the AKIS team again as an assistant principal in 2022.

With over 10 years of experience in education, Muna strongly believes in the power of communication between the school and parents to create true synergy within the school community. Her ultimate passion is to help find and unlock the potential in every student and teacher.

Muna holds a Bachelor's Degree in food technology and dietetics and is planning to obtain her post graduate certificate in Education.

Ruba Tarabay is a passionate educator with 7+ years of teaching experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the Lebanese University. She joined AKIS as a science teacher in 2019 and has been a Subject Lead for Middle School Science since 2021, as well overseeing STEAM education across the school.

With a demonstrated track record of success in educational leadership, she led the department to achieve significant improvements in student achievement and teacher performance.

She is committed to creating innovative learning experiences and fostering a positive learning environment and is enthusiastic to motivate all students and teachers for their potential growth.

Musab Al Hassoun holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and management and is a licensed school principal certified by the UAE Ministry of Education. With over 27 years of experience in education across the UAE and Jordan, he has held diverse and impactful leadership roles, including Secondary Principal, Head of Department, Dean of Students, and Students Academic Supervisor. He is currently serving as High School Assistant Principal. As a bilingual leader with extensive experience in the American curriculum, his academic foundation and broad leadership background have equipped him with deep expertise in curriculum design, instructional leadership, performance management, and school improvement at both the strategic and operational levels.

Throughout his educational journey, Musab has led ambitious school development initiatives anchored in accreditation frameworks, national agendas, and student-centered outcomes. He has directed self-evaluation systems, introduced effective appraisal and observation models, and overseen performance-based planning aligned with DSIB, CIS, and NEASC standards. His experience in utilizing internal and external data has enabled him to drive evidence-based decision-making and close learning gaps with targeted interventions. His experience in the Advanced Placement (AP) program as an AP Administrator has helped strengthen curriculum rigor, support teacher effectiveness, and enhance student readiness for college-level learning and assessments.

Musab’s leadership philosophy is rooted in collaboration, innovation, and inclusion. He believes that strong leadership begins with shared vision and mutual accountability, and he empowers educators through structured professional development, coaching and mentoring. His approach emphasizes high expectations, equity, and building a culture of continuous improvement where every stakeholder contributes to student success.

Musab has established programs that foster student voice, leadership, and global citizenship. He is a firm believer in holistic development, ensuring students grow academically, socially, and emotionally within a values-driven environment that celebrates diversity and promotes well-being.

Complementing his academic leadership, Musab brings a strong foundation in sports education. He holds a Professional Football Coaching License from UAFA, is an internationally certified Swimming, Taekwondo, and Basketball coach, and holds membership in local and international sports associations.

Ms Serpouhi started her passion for teaching and inspiring young learners in 1996 and my many years of experience has confirmed her belief in the importance of students’ role in their learning and the value that would be added through the teacher’s dedication and commitment.

She worked in different well-known schools in Jordan as well as in the States, with different age groups and curriculums, and her devotion to work has promoted her to take a role of a coordinator, team leader and a reference teacher as well as being a PYP teacher for the last 9 years.

Her teaching experience has also given her an opportunity to work with students from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds as well as with students with different learning difficulties.

She has a Bachelor’s degree in Education and finished her Professional Development in Early Childhood diploma from Wisconsin Stout University. She considers teaching as her mission in life, it is her passion. She is a big believer in the inquiry based teaching method; concept based learning, hands on activities and creative thinking, learn through play and agency. She is a team player as well as a long life learner and that’s why she chose to work at AKIS with other likeminded educators for the betterment of students in all areas which is the main objective in AKIS‘s mission. She joined AKIS last year as KG Coordinator and KG1 teacher at the same time .