Board of Directors

Lee Skluzak Vice Chair, AIT/K Representative

Johnson Tsai Chair

Johnson Tsai, a native of Kaohsiung, holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Finance from National Taiwan University, as well as an MBA with Beta Gamma Sigma honors from Columbia University.

He leads his family’s business, a global leader in stainless fastener manufacturing, and also founded a company specializing in high-efficiency solar cell production. This venture later expanded into system installation services and has since become the market leader in household solar systems in Taiwan.

Throughout his career, Johnson has driven initiatives in factory development, production optimization, and business transformation, successfully navigating market fluctuations and intense global competition. His expertise includes strategic planning, financial management, and corporate governance.

As a proud father of four and a KAS parent for more than six years, Johnson is dedicated to leveraging his financial acumen and extensive network to help KAS optimize its resources and support its continued growth.

Ellen Tsai Treasurer

Ellen Tsai was born and raised in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and moved to Canada for her university education, earning a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Victoria. After completing her studies, she gained valuable experience in the trading industry, working for companies in both Hong Kong and Japan. This experience provided her with strong analytical and strategic planning skills that she now applies in her current role.

Currently, Ellen oversees the operations of her family business, which specializes in the import and export of petrochemical equipment. Her career trajectory has included roles from project manager to operations director, where she manages projects on a global scale.

Ellen's dedication extends beyond her professional life. As a KAS parent for nine years, with two children currently attending the school—one in middle school and the other in elementary—she has a strong understanding of the school community. In the 2022-2023 academic year, she served as the president of the Middle School Parent Teacher Association (PTA), where she successfully facilitated communication between parents and school administration, enhancing the partnership between home and school.

With her extensive experience in business and active involvement in the school community, Ellen is committed to contributing to the school board. She plans to leverage her skills and insights to support the school’s vision and mission, ensuring the continued excellence of KAS. Ellen is eager to collaborate with fellow board members, parents, and educators to foster a nurturing environment for all students.

Hsiang-Yi Lin Secretary

Hsiang-Yi is a Kaohsiung native. After 30+ years in the United States, she returned home to Kaohsiung with her husband and daughter in 2023. Her daughter is a proud KAS dragon in the Elementary school. Hsiang-Yi is excited to work with the KAS
community as a board member and contribute to its continued success.
Professionally, Hsiang-Yi is the CEO of a consultancy and coaching firm helping executives and leadership teams thrive in times of change. Hsiang-Yi has worked with leaders and organizations across various continents and industries and brings her intercultural fluency as well as her strategic foresight to help leaders and companies successfully navigate dynamic and fluid environments. Prior to being an executive coach and transformation consultant, Hsiang-Yi led teams in the Product Marketing, Product Management and Analytics capacities in Silicon Valley start-ups and large tech companies characterized by rapid growth and change.
Hsiang-Yi attended Cornell University where she received a B.S. degree in Operations Research & Industrial Engineering and Master of Engineering degree in Financial Engineering. Additionally, she received an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Edwin Cheung

Daniel Wu

Daniel currently has three children attending the school in Grades 4, 3, and 2, with two younger children preparing to join the KAS community. With a professional background in architecture and construction, he hopes to contribute his expertise to support the school and its students in meaningful ways.

Chia-Yen Tsai

Chia-Yen Tsai was born and raised in Kaohsiung. She studied mathematics at National Chiao Tung University before earning her doctorate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
In 2013, she joined her family business in China, where she led improvements in manufacturing, promoted automation, and strengthened data-driven management. Today, she works at the head office in Kaohsiung, guiding financial governance and helping launch new growth projects.

Chia-Yen is the proud mother of three KAS students—one each in elementary, middle, and high school—and enjoys being actively involved in their education. She looks forward to supporting the school’s mission and working with the community to help KAS continue to thrive.

Kai Kao

Dr. Kao was a native of Kaohsiung City. He is the proud father of a son who is currently attending grade 3 at KAS.
He earned a Ph.D. degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, majoring in Aerospace Engineering Sciences. After graduation, he joined NASA, where he participated in multiple research programs, involving High-Speed research, Space Shuttle simulation, and satellite remote sensing observation. He then transitioned to the U.S. Department of Defense and GE Aerospace, where he worked on the development of the Future Combat Systems (FCS), specializing in Signature Management (Stealth) analyses and Active Protection Systems (APS).
In addition to his work, Dr. Kao joined with International Humanitarian Organizations to provide disaster relief in countries ravaged by war and natural disasters. He witnessed the suffering of young children, hunting for food on the streets and living every day on the brink of death threat with no chance to access education. With that, he felt deeply that the only chance to eradicate poverty was to start with early childhood education.
Dr. Kao encourages all KAS students to treasure every educational opportunity, achieve excellence and success, and give back to the community in need.