Board of Directors

Lee Skluzak Vice Chair, AIT/K Representative

Lee Skluzak assumed his role as Branch Chief of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Kaohsiung Branch Office, on July 2, 2026.

Before arriving in Kaohsiung, he served as Internal Political Chief at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. Since joining the U.S. Department of State in 2011, he has held diplomatic positions in China, Japan, the Netherlands, and Washington, D.C., covering political, economic, and consular affairs. His service has earned him multiple Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards.

Originally from Chesapeake, Virginia, Mr. Skluzak holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in Chinese Studies from the University of Michigan. As a U.S. Fulbright grantee, he studied China-Russia relations at East China Normal University in Shanghai. He speaks Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Dutch. He and his wife have two children.

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 long-standing member of the KAS community, with two children currently attending the school—one in Middle school and the other in High School—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.

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 Middle 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

Edwin joined the KAS Board in 2026.

He is a parent of two sons (Grade 6 and Grade 8). He studied Marketing at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and is an IT industry veteran who has held APAC regional director and commercial leadership roles with leading European and United States IT vendors.

Born in Hong Kong, Edwin relocated to Kaohsiung with his family last year. He previously served for five years as Chairman of the Alumni Association and as a member of the School Management Committee of a primary school in Hong Kong. This experience gave him a practical understanding of multi-stakeholder collaboration and board processes.

In his leisure time, Edwin enjoys travel and road trips with his family, go-kart racing with his sons, and restoring classic cars.

He looks forward to working with fellow members and the Senior Leadership Team in support of the KAS community.

Daniel Wu

Daniel is a dedicated member of the KAS community, with four children currently attending the school across different divisions and a younger child preparing to join the school. His family's connection to KAS gives him a personal understanding of the school community and the needs of its students and families. With a professional background in architecture and construction, Daniel looks forward to bringing his expertise and perspective to support the school's continued development and contribute to a positive learning environment for students.

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— two in High school, and one in Middle 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 Elementary School 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.