James Laney, Jr. Head of School

Jim Laney began his teaching career in the US Peace Corps in Kenya in the early 1980s. He has served in American and international schools in New York City, Nicosia, Taipei, Warsaw, Addis Ababa, New Delhi, and Maputo. He has taught at all grade levels from K to 12, including computer science, technology, math, and his favorite—physics. He has been a principal in elementary, middle, and high school programs, prior to becoming Head of School at the International Community School of Addis Ababa in 2010. Since 2005 he has been a principal or director in three distinguished IB schools. Jim has four adult daughters, two in Oregon, and two teaching abroad, one in Tajikistan, and one in Hsinchu, Taiwan. He lives in Kaoshiung with his partner Laura, an experienced and qualified ESL and Learning Support teacher from New Hampshire.

Jennifer Mitchell Director for Teaching & Learning

Jennifer is originally from Wisconsin but has spent most of her career overseas. She has taught in Colombia, Morocco, Singapore, Germany, Sudan, and Croatia. Her teaching experience has been in both American and IB schools, teaching elementary homeroom and PYP and MYP Visual Arts. She has also been a team lead and PYP Coordinator.
Jennifer truly enjoys working with future and current teachers and has taught for Moreland University and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She has a Master’s in Education from Aurora University and is finishing her doctorate in Educational Sustainability through the University of Wisconsin. Jennifer is passionate about education and the power it has to create a more equitable, sustainable, and peaceful world.
When she is not teaching, Jennifer enjoys scuba diving, gardening, reading, exploring, and being outdoors. She lives in Taiwan with her husband, Colin, and two young children, Adelina and Kristof.

Shan Ahmed Principal, Elementary School

Shan has a BA (Honours) from De-Montfort University and an MBA in International Education from Keele University in the UK. He is a Qualified Teacher in the UK and also has a certificate of International School Leadership from the Principals’ Training Center.
Shan started his career with eight years of elementary classroom teaching in the UK, Colombia and China, in international, American and PYP classrooms. He gained administrative experience in China as an ELL trainer, a Learning Support and PYP Coordinator, followed by eight years as Elementary Principal in two American program schools in Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.
Shan is thrilled to bring his passion for inquiry-based and experiential learning to continue to grow the KAS Elementary School. Outside of school and family life he has a passion for photography, loves playing sports, reading up on all things electronic and following his football team, Manchester City Football Club!

Chelsea Armstrong Principal, Middle School

Chelsea Armstrong is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She came to Kaohsiung from Cairo, Egypt, and has also taught and led schools in Vietnam, the Marshall Islands, and Chicago. These experiences have fostered her love for student-led experiential learning, school improvement through accreditation, and restorative justice practices. Chelsea has a BA in Education from the University of New Mexico, an MA in Educational Leadership from Concordia University, Chicago, and is an Illinois-certified Learning Behavior Specialist. Outside of school, Chelsea enjoys reading, painting, swimming, and cooking for her family while listening to true crime podcasts.

Kimberly Clark Sifunganyambe Principal, High School

Kimberly Clark, an educational leader and San Francisco native, serves as the High School Principal at KAS. She holds an Ed.S. from Mercer University, an Ed.M. from Harvard University, and a B.A. from Spelman College. Her professional experience includes time spent as a Deputy Principal in Abu Dhabi, UAE, a Vice Principal and Instructional Coach in Houston, USA, and an AP World History Teacher and Department Chair in Atlanta, USA.

Ms. Clark hopes to continue impacting the lives of students through her dedication and commitment to the words of Marian Wright Edelman – “education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.”

Outside of work, Ms. Clark and her partner Audrey both enjoy traveling the world, experiencing new cultures, relaxing on the beach, and desert dune bashing.