Faculty Directory

Ms. Elaine Yiu

Ms. Elaine Yiu has been teaching first grade at AST since 2017. She has wanted to be a teacher since she was in first grade herself; her teacher, Mrs. Corbett, made her feel so welcomed and important to the class and that has inspired her to do the same for her students. Originally from Toronto, Canada, after graduating with an Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa, Elaine spent a year in Korea teaching pre-K before deciding to teach in Taiwan for a year or two. Ten years later, she is still here and enjoying the cultural experience. She has also earned additional qualifications in ESL (Part 1) and Special Education (Part 1 and 2) as accredited by the Ontario College of Teachers. Elaine feels privileged to be working alongside a team of dedicated and passionate educators, but is most excited to be teaching the youngest learners at AST. When Elaine is not in the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children.

Lillian Ip

Ms. Lillian (Lily) Ip has been in education for 6 years and has worked in Japan, Canada and Hong Kong. She is excited to be joining the AST community. After graduating from the University of York with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a CertTESOL, she traveled to Japan to teach English for two years. Following a ski season spent working and snowboarding in Whistler, Canada, Ms. Lily returned to her home of Hong Kong, where she became a certified classroom teacher. She is passionate about fostering a growth mindset, developing self-regulation strategies, and creating an inclusive classroom that empowers all learners. Ms. Lily is looking forward to teaching and learning alongside her students in AST!

Ms. Janet Erskine

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Ms. Janet Erskine calls Portland, Oregon her hometown. After completing her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at Oregon State University, Janet taught 6th grade students in a small school in Oregon. Then, drawn by a passion for cultural experiences, she spent two years as a first grade teacher in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Returning to the United States, Janet dedicated two decades to raising her son while also continuing her educational journey. She completed her Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from Portland State University and became a reading specialist in 2013. While attending school, she taught classes from kindergarten to sixth grade. Janet put her graduate degree to use a couple of years later, acting as a kindergarten and first grade reading/math specialist. She enjoys all ages; however, it is the intermediate grades that have captured her heart. In her spare time, Janet loves reading, traveling, swimming, and hiking. She is excited to join the AST community!

Ms. Joanna Torres

Joanna brings a wealth of cultural insight and a passion for learning to her role as a teacher at AST, marking a joyous return full-time. Born in the Philippines and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, she developed a profound appreciation for the world's cultural and physical wonders. A former Rotary Youth Exchange student in rural Finland, Joanna initially aspired to join the United Nations but discovered her true calling in making a direct impact through teaching. Armed with a BA in International Relations and Diplomacy earned in Madrid, Spain and an MSc in Elementary Teaching (PACE, NY), she has dedicated over two decades to serving children in various roles across the globe in Brooklyn, NY, Silicon Valley, CA, Ghana, West Africa, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Madagascar, and Taiwan. Joanna believes teaching is the most meaningful profession- emphasizing kindness, empathy, courage, and social-emotional intelligence in her experiential approach. She considers it a privilege to guide, coach, motivate, and mentor future leaders. Beyond the classroom, Joanna is a certified 500 RYT Yoga teacher, and she speaks Spanish, Tagalog, and Finnish. Her diverse interests include self-development, sailing, soulful world music, mastering a pull-up, savoring artisanal coffee, and exploration. Having lived in 7 countries and visited 67, she is thrilled to be part of AST again, particularly captivated by its warm community and the Mother Nature that embraces it.

Ms. Heather Greenfield

Ms. Heather Greenfield is thrilled to join the AST community for the 2022-23 school year. She began her career in 2010 as a 4th-grade teacher in Box Elder County, Utah. There, Heather taught in the classroom for four years, and then she supported teachers and students as an instructional coach for three years. In 2017, she moved to China where she taught first and fifth grades. After teaching in China for two years, she moved to Jeju, Korea, and taught third grade at Korea International School. Heather earned a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Curriculum and Instruction at Weber State University. Besides having a passion for teaching and learning, Heather loves nature, hiking, and arts and crafts. She especially loves sharing these passions with her students. Heather is excited to move to a city and school where mountain trails are literally outside the door.

Mr. Stacy Doyle

Mr. Doyle has been an elementary teacher for the past 15 years. Prior to that, he was in Korea, teaching ESL. He has spent most of his teaching career in lower elementary (Kindergarten to Grade 2). Although originally from Western Canada, he has been living abroad for the past 20 years. He taught for 8 years in Australia in the Victorian State and Catholic systems and for 6 years in Shanghai. He has a Bachelor of Arts: Communications from Simon Fraser University and a Graduate Diploma in Primary Education from Deakin University in Australia. Before his career in education, Mr. Doyle was an event coordinator with a specialization in security and first aid medical services. He enjoys scuba diving and still plays rugby, occasionally, but spends most of his free time adventuring with his wife and two children.

Mr. Derrick Blake

Mr. Derrick Blake has been teaching for the past 12 years and in education for 15 years. He began his career in elementary education teaching 3rd grade in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. In 2013, Mr. Blake began teaching internationally. He has worked in Tianjin, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi and Shenzhen throughout his career, teaching grade 1, 3, 4 and 5. Mr. Blake has also held other titles such as Team Lead, and PE teacher. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. Mr. Blake believes in exploration and empowering students to be self-directed learners. He is extremely excited to be a part of the AST community!

Ms. Mackenzie Bell

Ms. Mackenzie Bell is thrilled to join the AST team and explore this new opportunity in a different part of the world! She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in International Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, along with a certificate in Digital Media Design and Making in Education. She holds a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education from Aurora University. Ms. Bell started her career in 2019 teaching 5th grade in Illinois, where she discovered her passion for teaching elementary students. Additionally, she has served as an Assistant Coach for the High School Varsity dance team within the district. With a strong desire to teach abroad, she moved to Madrid, Spain, in 2021 to teach ESL to 5th and 6th graders in a public bilingual school. During her summers off, Ms. Bell spends her time working at an International Summer Camp in the Swiss Alps, where she has the opportunity to meet and teach students from all over the world. Ms. Bell loves hiking, traveling, reading, and practicing yoga. Her next goal is to become a certified yoga instructor! She is eager to become a part of the AST community and looks forward to welcoming her students in the Fall.

Ms. Joyce Huang

Ms. Joyce is excited to be teaching ES Chinese at AST! Prior to working at AST, she had 6 years of teaching experience as a Chinese teacher in public elementary schools in Taipei. She majored in education and received her B.A. from the University of Taipei. Ms. Joyce also has a certificate for teaching Chinese. She was born and raised in Taichung, and currently has one child studying at AST. Ms. Joyce believes that the most important part of learning a language is developing a reading habit. She is working on promoting a classroom library and picture book programs for the early grades. While learning Chinese, children can be immersed in the world of books, feel the culture and cultivate humanistic accomplishments.

Ms. Amber Chang

In her 15 years as a Texas and International educator, Amber has been privileged to work with students and teachers in a variety of K-12 settings in the U.S., Taiwan, and China. She holds a BA in Education- Applied Learning and Development from the University of Texas in Austin. She is also a certified educator in EC-12 TESOL and LOTE- Mandarin Chinese. She has worked as a classroom teacher in grades K-3 in both Title 1 and private sectors. She has also had roles in coordinating AST Summer Camp and after-school programs. Her goal is to create academically engaging learning experiences through an environment that fosters creativity, curiosity, and kindness. Committed to sharing her passion for literacy and learning, she also volunteered and organized story time in her neighborhood community. Amber has been married for 9 glorious years and has a spirited daughter who is turning 4 this year. Whenever she is not teaching, she enjoys reading, music, cooking, church fellowship, and spending time with family and friends. She is very excited and looks forward to being a part of the AST community! ​

Ms. Evelyn Kuo

Evelyn Kuo is excited to be back with the AST Coomunity. She began her teaching career in 2011 as a summer camp Chinese teacher in Taipei, Taiwan. In 2013 she moved back to Taichung which was her first time joining AST and taught elementary school Chinese for five years. She left her hometown and started her overseas career in Shanghai since 2019 where she taught grade 1-5 CFL students and participated actively in a school-wide committee “SEL (Social Emotional Learning)”. Evelyn earned her Bachelor degree, Chinese literature at Tunghai university and her Master degree, TCSOL (Teaching Chinese as second/other language) at Taiwan Normal University. She started to study her second masters this spring which focuses on special education. Evelyn enjoys building relationships with her students and school community, and she likes outdoor activities such as hiking and swimming. She has two rabbits with her now.

Ms. Amber Chin

Ms. Chin has been an integral member of the AST community for the past 7 years, beginning her tenure as a summer camp teacher assistant. Her initial role, driven by a profound passion for collaborating with educators and witnessing the joy of student learning, laid the foundation for her subsequent contributions. A certified elementary school teacher licensed in Washington D.C., Ms. Chin has a diverse teaching portfolio that includes Chinese and art classes. Additionally, she successfully led a Grade 4 homeroom two years ago and a popular cooking club. Currently, she is responsible for teaching Grade 1 Chinese for the 2024-2025 academic year, while continuing her role as an elementary teacher assistant. Ms. Chin’s commitment to education is reflected in her dedication to supporting her colleagues and inspiring her students. Her multifaceted experience and unwavering passion for fostering a love of learning underscore her contributions to the AST community.

Ms. Maggie Tsou

Ms. Maggie Tsou is excited to be the teacher's assistant at AST’s Elementary School. This is her third year at AST. She received her Bachelor's degree in Piano Pedagogy from Brigham Young University-Hawaii and is a certified teacher. This year, she will also be teaching some visual art and performance art (VAPA) classes. With a great passion for helping students learn English and music, Ms. Tsou has been an English and piano tutor for more than 20 years before joining AST. She looks forward to helping students learn and grow.