Stella Zhou graduated from East China Normal University with a bachelor’s degree in Chinese language and literature and a master’s degree in education. Since then, she has gained nearly 20 years’ experience of teaching and management in international and bilingual schools.
As the founding principal of Huili School Shanghai, Stella, together with other Chinese and international educators and experts, designed the school’s bilingual curriculum and recruited a team of dedicated teachers. She has led this team tirelessly to develop the best possible bilingual curriculum for Chinese pupils.
Stella is a passionate educator who fully believes in the Huili philosophy of holistic education. She hopes to bring all her experience to Huili and is keen to make it a world-class bilingual school.
Stella understands the importance of implementing a flexible education that focuses on pupils' long-term benefits without losing sight of more immediate concerns. This means empowering our pupils to live a meaningful life while taking the initiative to represent China on the world stage.
Before joining us, Lydia Lim spent four years in the same capacity in Beijing City International School, which accommodates both foreign and Chinese pupils. Lydia also has extensive experience in the accounting industry, where she was attached to several international firms, including Arthur Andersen and KPMG. During this time, she led various financial projects in real estate, resorts and service related industries, assurance and advisory business for multi-national organisations and public listed companies.
Lydia is a chartered accountant, a fellow member of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA), an experienced member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She also completed an MBA from Oxford Brookes University.
Mrs. Rosalie Pietsch looks forward to joining the Huili School community. Most recently Mrs. Pietsch held the position of Head of Primary at Canberra Grammar School where she was a member of the Whole School Executive and responsible for all aspects of schooling for students aged three through to twelve. Located in the capital city of Australia, Canberra Grammar School is the district’s premier school providing high quality internationally focused education.
A dynamic and innovative leader, Mrs. Pietsch significantly built enrolments at Canberra Grammar School, while also broadening the educational offerings ensuring students were challenged, engaged and inspired by their learning. As an educational leader, Mrs. Pietsch is mindful of the significant responsibility that rests in making a positive difference for the learning of all students within her care. Establishing high expectations, developing a shared language of learning, drawing on data to inform pedagogical practice, and charting a clear course which is understood by all are markers of her approach to education leadership.
Mrs. Pietsch is excited to be continuing to build the strong bilingual community that currently exists at Huili School, Shanghai; to further develop students’ creative thinking and capacity to successfully engage with the complex opportunities of a changing world.
Laura graduated from Dalian University of Foreign Languages, majoring in English language and literature. Early in her teaching career, she taught English at Shandong University, one of the top universities in China. She was elected as the ‘Young Backbone Teacher' for her creative problem solving and tireless work ethic. She has been devoted to international education for over ten years. Laura joined Yew Chung International School of Shanghai in 2008. Since then, she successfully held the posts of Chinese language teacher, Chinese studies subject leader and Chinese year group coordinator.
In 2015 she worked as a founding member of the leadership team at Yew Wah International Education School, a bilingual sister school founded by Yew Chung Education Foundation. Laura was a key contributor in the process of setting up the primary and secondary curriculum and other managerial processes. Laura believes that the goal of education is to motivate pupils to be lifelong learners and help them become the very best young adults they can be. Outside work, Laura has a wide range of interests, including music, travelling and reading.
After graduating from Oxford University with a BA (Hons) in English language and literature, Lana Kulas went on to study for a postgraduate general certificate in education (PGCE) at the University of London. She began her teaching career in London, UK, where she worked in several large schools in the city. As an assistant principal, she set up a sixth form at Chelsea Academy. Most recently, Ms. Kulas has been a head of a secondary school in Doha, Qatar, where she was one of the founding members of a leadership team of a brand-new international school.
As a school leader, Ms. Kulas believes in developing well-rounded students who have access to a wealth of opportunities that enable them to discover their passion and find a sense of purpose. This begins with rigorous academic qualifications and teaching that develops a love of learning and the ability to persevere and inquire in times of challenge. Students need to be guided, supported and unafraid of making mistakes in order that they may discover their true potential.
In her spare time, Ms. Kulas enjoys travel and sport. Originally from Bosnia-Herzegovina, she is also involved in charitable work and supporting an orphanage in her hometown by organising fundraising events and service trips for students. Ms. Kulas is very excited to be moving to Shanghai to set up Huili High School and is looking forward to discovering a rich new culture and way of life.
Maggie Zhou graduated from East China Normal University with a BA and MA. She has over 20 years’ experience in teaching and school management. Prior to joining Huili School Shanghai, Maggie worked in Shanghai as the Head of International Education Department of Shengda Garden Primary School.
Her passion in exploring Eastern and Western cultures inspired her to develop the best bilingual curriculum for Chinese pupils by combining the strength of Chinese compulsory education and the concepts of collaboration and investigation promoted in Western education philosophies. She genuinely looks forward to working with the talented Huili team of local and expatriate educators to establish a world-leading bilingual school in China.
Ms. Penelope (Penny) Mulholland holds a B.Ed (Hons) degree, having graduated from Westminster College in Oxford in 1987. She began her teaching career in the north of England, teaching in a variety of school settings in both urban and rural areas. It was whilst working as a primary teacher that her interest in children's wellbeing and additional needs began. Her international teaching career started in Qatar at a very large international school of over four thousand students aged three to eighteen years.
Ms. Mulholland was part of a successful pastoral team and responsible for the creation and implementation of a Safeguarding Policy in a large international school. For the past two years, Ms. Mulholland has been Head of Learning Support and Safeguarding Officer at NAIS Pudong. Ms. Mulholland is pleased to be joining Huili as she knows that the values of courage, integrity, kindness, respect and responsibility, reflect her own personal and professional principles.
Ms Joy Qiao is the founder and Chair of Governors of Wellington College China. She has been devoted to international education in China for many years and is committed to fostering exchanges and partnerships with Britain. Having grown up in Shanghai, Ms Joy Qiao attended the University of Oxford from which she holds a BA in Computer Science. She then worked in the IT industry for a decade in a variety of sales and marketing roles in the UK, Germany and China. Becoming a mother motivated her interest in education and inspired her advance into the international education sector.
She has extensive experience in multi-lingual communication and cross-cultural co-operation and is a critical bridge for bringing together the multiple partners involved in setting up Wellington College in China. Ms Joy Qiao also holds an EMBA degree from the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and is fluent in Mandarin, English and Shanghainese. She is married with two children, both of whom are attending Wellington College International Shanghai.
Helen is a native of the UK who is employed as the International Business Director for Wellington College, quality assuring the schools in China and leading business development globally.
With over 30 years’ experience in education Helen has operated in a wide range of contexts in the UK and internationally. After two successful Headships in England she became a Senior Inspections Manager with responsibility for the quality of inspections in over 1500 schools, and from there went on to lead a school reform project in the UAE before being promoted to Regional Director Middle East. She was next appointed as Executive Vice President of an American education company providing advice and guidance to schools in the US, UK, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, India and Jordan.
Helen has represented employers nationally and internationally up to government level. She has mentored many Heads for over 15 years and still gains a buzz from being in the school environment. She has a BA (Hons) from Sheffield University; a PGCE (Leicester University) and 2 further postgraduate degrees in Education Management from Manchester Metropolitan University. Her elder daughter is a teacher in the UAE. Her younger daughter is a graduate of Wellington College and currently studies at McGill University, Montreal. She enjoys travel, keeping fit and food!.
Elton Huang has over 20 years of experience serving the Chinese Government, Chinese companies and multinational companies. Since 1995 when he joined PwC Shanghai， Elton has completed a number of overseas assignments in London with the European M&A Group and in San Jose, California in the US.
Elton has a wealth of experience in tax planning, investment and finance structuring and has been leading a professional team in serving Chinese companies to invest overseas. Elton is the Senior Partner of PwC Shanghai. He is also the Vice Chairman of Shanghai Association of Enterprises with Foreign investment, Shanghai Services Federation Committee Member and advisor to the Shanghai Municipal Government. Elton is a board member of Shanghai Charity Foundation – United Way Fund. Elton is married and has two children , both are presently attending Wellington College International Shanghai. Elton enjoys running marathons and ultra-trail races.
Jacky Ni is the Headmaster of Shanghai Pudong High School, with over 20 years of school leadership experience across six schools. He graduated from Shanghai Normal University and began his teaching career at Shanghai Jianping High School and progress his career there. In July 1996, Jacky took up his first headship position. He studied part-time at East China Normal University and the National Training Centre for Secondary School Principals by Ministry of Education. In order to extend his professional learning beyond the education sector, Jacky also studied EMBA courses at Fudan University, the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and Freeman Business School, Tulane University. In 2004, he took part in a Leadership program sponsored by the British Council and Shanghai Education Commission and in 2006 led Hualin Middle School successfully through an inspection by 2 HMIs.
Between 2006 and 2007, Jack completed a Leadership and Self Inspection programme at the Institute of Education, London University and he also attained a Master’s Degree in Education from Towson University, USA. Jacky has undertaken more than ten research projects at national, municipal and district levels for which he has been awarded two National First Prizes and numerous other prizes. Throughout his career, Jacky’s leadership has been recognised with a wide range of honours, including the award of Excellent Teacher and Excellent Master by Shanghai Education Commission. He has also been bestowed the ‘Prominent Master Development Project’ in Shanghai and requested to deliver Advanced Master Workshop Training for High Schools nationwide organised by the Ministry of Education. Furthermore, Jacky has been invited to deliver lectures by The British Council and a wide range of universities. Jacky is motivated by finding ways to effectively integrate western and eastern education, to link the traditional and current educational approaches and is fully committed to continuous school improvement. Born in Shanghai, Jacky is married and has one child. He enjoys travelling.
Helen is a qualified Chinese CPA and started her career as an auditor with PwC Shanghai. Her six years of audit experience provided her with sound accounting, tax and auditing technical knowledge and practical skills and extensive experience in internal controls under the US Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Helen subsequently joined Johnson Controls in Shanghai where she took on diverse roles with enhanced business and management responsibilities including the Regional Lead Auditor of Asia Pacific, the Finance Controller of Power Solution Asia Headquarter and the Controller of Supply Chain Management. Helen got her Bachelor’s degree from Fudan University with the major in International Finance. She loves traditional Chinese culture including Chinese characters (Han Zi) and Book of Songs (Shi Jing). She also enjoys travelling, reading, cooking and baking. Helen is married and has two children.
