Meet our Awesome Team

I started at Teach Away in 2004. My brother Rene and I traveled the globe forging new relationships with education ministries, schools and institutions to learn how we could help them hire better teachers. Now, 13 years later, I’ve been involved in large-scale education reform, helped thousands of teachers find new opportunities overseas - and even dodged tsunami waves in Sri Lanka. 

If you’re an educator who’s hungry for an international teaching adventure, you’re in the right place. Our recruitment team is so supportive and helpful because of our own experiences with education overseas. We aim to use our knowledge gained through years in the industry to help you make the most of your teaching career today.

I first fell in love with education and recruitment while working as a lecturer at the University of Western Ontario, where I was in charge of faculty recruitment for lecturer positions within the Business department. Since having three children of my own, my belief - and the driving force behind Teach Away - that every child deserves a quality education has only grown stronger. 

Over the past decade at Teach Away, I’ve led recruitment partnerships with government programs and education organizations in over 50 countries around the world, including the UAE Ministry of Education, the Abu Dhabi Education Council, the Hong Kong Education Bureau and the Korean Ministry of Education. We’ve successfully placed thousands of educators, teaching more than 400,000 students, at some of the top education institutions worldwide. At Teach Away, our team is proud to be at the forefront of the movement for student success on a truly global scale.

I started working with Teach Away in 2012 while living in Vancouver, BC with my wife, Sam. I graduated from the University of Stirling in Scotland with a BA in Business and have managed to build my professional career since then while incorporating another of my passions - travel.

Working at Teach Away affords me the opportunity to visit lots of exciting countries, meet amazing people and experience lots of different cultures (and try out some spectacular golf courses!) One of the best things about working with Teach Away is that no two days are the same. Our recruitment partners include governments, conglomerates, international schools and more - all of which have their own unique needs and challenges which we love building solutions for.

I have always believed that education and travel go hand in hand. Opening your mind and hearts to different cultures, meeting people and witnessing the pure beauty of the big world we live in, really is one of the best learning experience you can ever have. I feel very lucky to be a part of a company that values the fact the world is our classroom (literally) and strives to create a place where every student experiences the power of a great teacher and reaches their full potential because of it. 

I've spent my professional career in marketing and advertising, working with various global brands. My passion for education and travel brought me to Teach Away and nothing has made me more proud than to be a part of a talented group of people that are all working hard to find the best teachers and connect them with the best schools, both locally and internationally. I continue to push myself to expand my mind by making a point to go somewhere I've never been every year. Next on my travel bucket list: Tokyo and Thailand. 

As the numbers person at Teach Away, what makes working here so unique is our shared sense of accomplishment - across teams and across borders - in placing so many wonderful educators in awesome jobs around the world. Knowing that what we do here directly impacts children’s education for the better every single day is a huge source of pride for the whole Teach Away team! 

When I saw a job posting, calling for Ontario-certified teachers at a Canadian curriculum school in China, I immediately sent in my resume and that of my partner to the school. It wasn’t long before we received a phone interview and made one of the most important decisions of our lives - to pack up and leave Canada for China. I had an incredible year teaching and traveling Asia and was fortunate enough to witness the beauty of Thailand, taste the best Hainanese Chicken in Singapore and experience the tranquility of Bali, Indonesia. Now working as a Senior Account Manager for Teach Away, I pride myself daily in being able to help others take a leap into the world of international teaching, to reform education and evolve individually.

I have been working at Teach Away for 6 years and currently recruit licensed teachers for the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC). Before working at Teach Away, I lived in South Korea, where I owned and operated an ESL academy. I enjoy going to the theater, playing guitar and - most of all - travel. I’ve been lucky enough to visit many countries in Asia and Europe, as well as across North America and now spend everyday helping teachers follow their own teach abroad and travel dreams.

Unlike most teachers, teaching was not my initial calling. I’m not sure I was ever predisposed to any particular profession. I decided to become a teacher after volunteering at an elementary school. A friend of mine had recommended that I get in touch with Teach Away, who helped me secure a teaching position with the Abu Dhabi Education Council! While I was in Abu Dhabi, I met my husband and shortly after we were married, we applied to immigrate back to Canada (knowing it was a lengthy process). After 5 years of living in Abu Dhabi, I moved back to Canada, with 6 years of international teaching experience which enriched my professional development and more importantly, my life. The number one reason a teacher should experience teaching abroad is for the overall professional and personal growth experience.

From an early age, education has always been a passion of mine. I was always driven to learn new things and explore new places. At the age of twenty, I took my first trip abroad and fell hook, line and sinker for what became my next passion - travel!

Since then, I have traveled and taught and traveled some more. I've finally found a great place to combine my first two loves at Teach Away. I love helping teachers step out of their comfort zone, explore the world and spread their love of education to hundreds of thousands of students across the globe.

After graduating from University with a degree in drawing and painting, I wasn't sure about the starving artist lifestyle, so I started teaching English abroad. My experiences in China and South Korea were challenging at times but made me the person I am today. I'm really excited to help our new teachers get started on their adventures abroad and enjoy answering their questions about the expat life.

Besides eating out, binge watching Korean dramas, or dabbling in creative projects, I’m an avid reader. I would escape into worlds and live vicariously through literature, which instilled a passion in me to know more and see more. I realized that the power of education knows no bounds - it has the ability to change a life. So, I became a teacher. 

A chance to teach and travel? To actually live in another country while working in my field and make a difference? It was literally a dream come true for me. I taught overseas in the Middle East where I made expat friends and memories to last me a lifetime. Not to mention in one year alone I traveled to six new countries. 

In my life, I strive to leave a mark and have an impact on others - and that is exactly what I get to do every day at Teach Away. It’s great to be on the other side of things, connecting my fellow teachers to opportunities abroad, with a team that truly puts people first. 

My advice? Take that leap and teach abroad, like I did. You won’t regret it!
 

Coming from a small village in rainy Scotland, I jumped at the chance to travel abroad to sunnier climes. I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to study and work abroad in Spain, France, Italy and Finland! Meeting so many interesting characters along the way, having a deep insight into other cultures and sampling the scrumptious local cuisine were certainly the highlights for me. These experiences came with challenges and rollercoaster rides of emotions which helped me to gain a great deal of perspective and appreciation. I am excited to be working for Teach Away and living in luscious green Scotland again after 11 years overseas. For me, teaching abroad was a truly inspiring and rewarding experience. I love being part of a team that assists teachers to gain the chance to experience such enriching opportunities of their own.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, I have been incredibly lucky to be surrounded by an environment that has fueled my sense of adventure and passion for the outdoors. I love to test myself both mentally and physically, whether it is a challenging multi-day hike or taking on a difficult task that forces me out of my comfort zone. 

I discovered my love for travel during my undergrad, when I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Vienna, Austria. Living in Central Europe I conveniently traveled around the continent to vastly different cities, each with their own unique culture. Coming home to finish my degree I had a different outlook on how I wanted to live my life, shaped by my time abroad.

Here at Teach Away I’m honored to be surrounded by a highly knowledgeable team that is truly enthusiastic about education and international experience. Empowering our educators to follow a path that is exciting and different is an incredibly rewarding experience that I am very passionate about.

With a passion for languages running deep from my early childhood spent in the Middle East, I jumped at the chance to move to Brazil to teach English. Upon my return to the UK, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the field of international education.

Having supported educational institutions with their recruitment goals for over four years, I'm very happy to be a part of the exciting team at Teach Away, working with a group of people who share my passion for education.

Having grown up in Vancouver, Canada, I made the life-changing decision to study abroad for university, where my enduring love of travel and desire to immerse myself in new cultures first took root. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Law from Bond University, Australia and was lucky enough to spend my summers exploring new countries all over the globe.  Since then, the urge to travel has never left me. More recently, I built a motorcycle from scratch to take me one step closer to my dream of exploring the world on two wheels. 

My role at Teach Away combines my three passions in life: technology, adventure and education. Central to my work in supporting progressive international schools and government organizations is my belief that every student deserves a great teacher.
 

The gorgeous city of Edinburgh is where I was born and now call home . H ow ever, I grew up in the Middle East and Europe which exposed me to a diverse range of education systems and cultures at an early age. This ignited my interest in education and the exciting and the ever-changing challenges that are faced every day in classrooms across the globe. 

I consider myself to be a creative and passionate person with a great enthusiasm for trying new things and meeting new people. I studied fine arts and painting at university, later qualifying as a teacher. This allowed me to apply my background in the arts to deliver a variety of subjects across the curriculum. I am fascinated and excited by the endless possibilities that new technologies bring to education. 

A quality education unlocks doors that money cannot buy and being a part of the Teach Away team brings together my love of education and sales as part of an ever-evolving company at the forefront of the education recruitment sector.

I completed my degree in International Relations in Toronto where I grew up, and had a serious case of wanderlust. I traveled Europe extensively over a decade and fulfilled a lifelong dream of volunteering in East Africa.  I’m passionate about world history and love learning about other cultures. I’ve just made my first big move abroad to Edinburgh and am spending every spare minute exploring this beautiful city with my golden retriever, Summer. 
 
Working 15 years in food service and retail operations, my career has been focused on customer satisfaction and process improvement. Working with the awesome team at Teach Away allows me to apply my extensive service and technical experience to the exciting world of education, connecting schools with teachers and making professional and educational opportunities more accessible to students around the globe. 

My name is Casey and I’m known as the "crazy cat lady" to many of my coworkers in the Teach Away office because I love everything about my little furry feline friends. I don't own a cat, but I have dreams, and that is definitely top of the list! 
 
After studying at Western University I started my career at Canadian LMS company, D2L, and fell in love with online learning and the power of educational technology. I've been working in business development since 2013 and couldn't be happier to be part of the Teach Away team. I’m continually inspired and challenged to connect with people and companies to find innovative ways to help each other.
 

I have always loved to travel, so when my parents announced we were moving from Scotland to Zurich, Switzerland when I was 17 years old, it was a no-brainer - or, as my mum says, "there’s no show without punch".

During my time in Zurich, I was introduced to the international schools system. I loved the fact that my teachers and peers were from different countries and cultural backgrounds and made friends for life who now live all over the world.

As a member of the Education Partnership Team at Teach Away, I am at the forefront of connecting schools and organizations with innovative recruitment solutions and great quality candidates. I am over the moon to be a part of the team and working as a collective to improve education on a global scale.

I had often dreamed of moving to France, but I never imagined that this dream would become reality until it did when I became a TEFL certified English teacher in Paris. I learned as much from the students I taught as they did from me. It fuelled my passion for education and ignited a lifelong love of travel.

The experience of working and living in a foreign place was one that shaped me in ways I had never imagined. It inspires a confidence that you carry with you always and everywhere. Put simply, teaching English abroad is always a good idea!

Having graduated from Lucian Blaga University in Sibiu, Romania, my wife and I decided to make the move to Toronto, Canada three years ago. I’m an avid photographer - telling stories and capturing memories through photography is a special kind of magic for me.

After photography, traveling is my biggest passion. In my life so far, my travels have taken me all over Europe, including Austria, Italy, Croatia, Germany, Ireland, France and England. My favorite place in the world remains my home country of Romania - it’s the closest to my soul. I’m planning a visit to Machu Pichu at some point in the future - maybe when my newborn son is old enough to keep up with all the hiking! 

While I have never had the privilege of teaching abroad I am lucky enough to have lived in two countries as I was born in England and grew up there until my family immigrated to Canada in my early teens. After living on Vancouver Island since my arrival in Canada I made the decision to move to Toronto upon completion of my degree. 

My family is spread out all over the world, which can be both a blessing and a curse. While I may not get to see them as often as I would like, visiting my family members has taken me to some amazing places such as Los Angeles and the British Virgin Islands. I’ve also had the privilege of travelling to some other great destinations, my favourite being Barcelona. 

Between my educational background in marketing and my passion for education, my position as Marketing Specialist at Teach Away is the perfect fit! I firmly believe that while we all come from different walks of life, everyone has the right to an education and deserves a great teacher.

Before coming to Teach Away, I worked on the marketing team at one of the world’s leading educational publishers for over 10 years. Education is very important to me, so I was proud of the small role I played in putting high-quality resources into the hands of educators and students.
 
At Teach Away, I'm excited to help international schools around the world connect with world-class educators, ensuring students around the world have the opportunity to receive the best education possible.
 
Like most of the team, I have a passion for travel. I consider myself fortunate to have visited many countries around the world - Vietnam, Indonesia, Nicaragua and the UK among my favorites - and am always eager to embark on my next journey.
 

After graduating from university, I taught and lived in Australia, England and South Korea. These opportunities allowed me to meet new friends, explore new lands and create tons of new memories. Now, as a Placement Coordinator at Teach Away, I am fortunate enough to get to help other educators pursue their own dreams of teaching abroad every day.

Outside of work you can find me playing, watching and reading about pretty much any sport that has ever existed (although my two favourites are basketball and soccer). Other hobbies of mine include endless Wiki-spirals on Wikipedia, cooking and eating every food imaginable and relaxing anywhere the sun is shining.

Born and raised in Ireland, I moved to Toronto a couple years ago and joined the Teach Away family shortly after. I am a lover of live music, good food and exploring the great outdoors. I absolutely love traveling and jump at any opportunity to meet new people and try new things. Of the places I’ve traveled to, my absolute favorite was Malta - a small country in Europe with fascinating history and incredible scuba diving. Since moving to Toronto and working with Teach Away, I feel so lucky to work with such hilarious, amazing and like-minded people. Supporting our teachers on their own overseas journey and sharing our passion for travel are just two of the many reasons I love what I do

As my final year of undergrad wound to a close, I was unsure what career I wanted to pursue after graduation. A friend told me about Teach Away and within a few months I had been hired and was on a plane to go teach English in South Korea! This was the start of an amazing six-year adventure that took me all over the globe and allowed me to grow and experience the world in a way I didn’t know was possible. 

I now work at Teach Away as an Administrative Coordinator and love that I get to help teachers start their own adventures living and teaching abroad!
 

It has always been a dream of mine to work with awesome people and to design products that can impact hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of people in the world. This is exactly what we do every day at Teach Away. We make quality education accessible by bringing thousands of teachers to countries where there are millions of students with a thirst for knowledge.

I truly believe traveling is one of the best forms of education the world has to offer. Though travel, we’re exposed to diverse types of art, culture and people. We’re not trapped in our own little knowledge bubble. By living in this global village, we can all become more well-rounded human beings.

Besides working as a designer, I’m also a part-time teacher at my local church, a Muay Thai kickboxer and a heavy caffeine addict. Drop by and have an espresso with us :)

The journey that brought me to Teach Away's Digital Learning team has been a long and exciting one. I first started teaching ELL in South Korea for four years and went onto teaching in the United Kingdom for three more. There's no other field where you're consistently learning something new every day, or one that can take you just about anywhere in the world, than education.

As a part of the Digital Learning team at Teach Away, I'm privileged to work with an amazingly creative team producing learning that reaches all corners of the earth.

My name is Katherine and while my coworker Casey might say she's the crazy cat lady of our Vancouver office, I'm definitely the crazy cat lady of the Toronto office!

After completing my master’s degree in English at McMaster University, where I also worked as a teaching assistant, I realized how much I enjoyed teaching. While I'm not a certified teacher, I love education and here at Teach Away, I'm able to turn that love into a job where I work on creating custom elearning courses for students around the globe.

When I'm not working on new digital learning projects at Teach Away, you'll find me at home reading feminist literature with my cats or working as a PA and set designer on my wife's films.

I grew up and studied in Canada. After graduating from university with a degree in music, I decided to step outside of my comfort zone (my parents!) and make the big move back to Hong Kong, the city where I was born.

During my time in Hong Kong, I worked in different academic institutions and had lots of opportunities to interact closely with both students and teachers. These experiences gave me a deeper understanding of the Chinese education system and the passion that teachers have for their profession.

Here at Teach Away, I’ve been given the opportunity to work closely within the Chinese education market and to pursue my interest in the growing field of digital learning. When you drop by Teach Away office, come and say “ni hao” to me!

My adventures in education began when I left home to teach English in South Korea. I was absolutely terrified to leave, but I loved the experience and learned that I was capable of facing challenges and accomplishing what I put my mind to.

When I returned home, I worked in educational publishing for five years, creating print and online resources for the classroom. Now at Teach Away, I build digital learning to support people in their personal and professional development. I love that I'm constantly learning about different subjects and fields, and always have to keep up with the latest in educational trends and technology.

Toronto born and raised! After graduating from OCAD University and dabbling in both graphic design and hospitality, I discovered my true passion- creating engaging and delightful user experiences. Surprisingly, a great user experience is not unlike a great guest experience!

Outside of office hours I love exploring new eats, playing soccer with Teach Away FC (you should join!), giving my rescue cat chin rubs, and pursuing the recommended 10,000 steps per day (pretty much convinced it's not actually possible).

From graduating in the field of computers to kick-starting as a software developer and then transitioning to Product and now having moved from Mumbai to Toronto, the driving force that has always been constant is to keep learning and exploring every aspect, every domain. I feel immensely honoured to be a part of Teach Away team, who believe in the power of learning as much as I do.

Apart from being a product person, I enjoy being creatively involved in the world of DIY crafts or dancing to some crazy “Bhangra” music.

My first experience in education technology was when I competed in the annual Hult Social Enterprise competition on the topic of early childhood education - an initiative under under Former President Bill Clinton.

Shortly after that, I tried hacking together a mobile app where the aim was to recognize the out-of-the-classroom involvement of the high school student. This was when I knew I had fallen in love with product.

My journey in product ranges from corporate to early stage startups to non-profits. Being part of the Teach Away family means I'm surrounded by people who are passionate about disrupting the education space just as much as I am. It's a humbling experience to be part of a team that is changing lives around the world!

Travelling has always been close to my heart. After school I spent a year planting bell peppers and cleaning hotel rooms around Europe and loved every bit of it Coming from Turku, Finland I moved to Edinburgh to study at university and fell in love with the city and its people. I was lucky enough to start working at Teach Away as a graduate with like minded colleagues with a passion for travel and a love for education.

As a wannabe polyglot and enthusiastic traveller, I feel pretty cozy in my role as Community Engagement Specialist at Teach Away. I passionately support the pursuit of learning languages, connecting with different cultures and exploring new countries. Education and exploration are core Teach Away values and I want to support our community to do both, in tandem.
I was born in the capital city of Azerbaijan (which is not a country many people even realize exists!) and came to Canada with my parents when I was 4 years old. I fully credit Sailor Moon and Pokemon with helping me to pick up English while I attended kindergarten, and spoke pure gibberish to my classmates for a long time. I have been lucky to travel a lot, mostly through Europe. I hope that my next travelling adventures take me through East Asia, as I have Japan on the very top of my list of countries to see.
Regarding my plans for language learning, I’ve got German, Korean, Spanish and Italian next on my list. (That’s not a lot, right?)

After graduating from teacher's college in 2012, I've always wanted to apply my passion for education in creative ways. Recruiting teachers to work abroad and be able to shape the minds of tomorrow's youth is one small way that I believe I am meeting that goal. I firmly believe that focusing on the students of tomorrow is how we build the best world we can.

I've been in school for a really long time and I'm probably in grade 23 this year! I am a researcher at heart and I am determined to always learn more whether it is about pedagogy, photography, or puppies! After spending my days designing online courses for Teach Away, I am at home taking care of my plants, trying to win the title of crazy plant lady of the Toronto office.

Teaching was my dream career when I was a kid. As I grow older, I became more passionate with numbers and decided to become an accountant. Joining Teach Away provides me an opportunity to have the best of both worlds. Knowing that our work can promote and impact education worldwide have given me a great sense of belonging and pride.

As someone who has been in school most of her life, I can honestly say I love learning. Whether that's learning new skills and knowledge within my field of study or just learning facts about basically anything, I enjoy every bit of it. I am super excited to be apart of a company who allows students all over the world to be given the opportunity to learn from our qualified teachers.

Outside of work, my dream is to travel wherever, whenever. While I have not had the opportunity to travel much outside of North America, the ultimate goal is to visit every country in Asia!

I have always believed that if you stay open to the universe, the universe will open itself to you. I credit this belief, plus some good advice and a little hard work, with finding a home at Teach Away. I'm thrilled to be part of an amazing team of smart, strategic and passionate people that care about the work they do and those who benefit from it.

My career has always straddled marketing and creative, allowing me to build up a unique skill set for growing businesses through strategic, creative and holistic marketing and brand plans. My passion for leading teams that care has given me the opportunity to work with some incredible people and some amazing companies. It has also guided me to always work somewhere that has a mission I can get behind - a value I hope to share with my kids. As a mother of two littles and a firm believer that young people can truly affect powerful change, I'm proud to support Teach Away's mission to create a world where every student experiences the power of a great teacher and realizes their full potential because of it.

I was born in sunny Albania and after living in Italy for seven years, I decided to move back to Tirana in Albania, which was in the midst of a massive tech boom. I’ve been at Teach Away for almost four years now, helping the team solve tech issues.

What started as a side hobby for me is now my full-time job. I began my career as an electronic engineer - now I’m a web developer here at Teach Away! What I love most about Teach Away is our drive. We’re tirelessly committed to connecting teachers with their dream jobs - wherever in the world they might be.

The best place I’ve been so far in my lifetime? Definitely France - the people are welcoming and the architecture is hard to beat! The best food I’ve ever eaten was in Istanbul. I firmly believe that the best is yet to come - next up on my radar is Japan. I’m excited to experience the calm oasis and tranquility of a Japanese garden - and to try some delicious Japanese street food.

As a Electronic Engineering student, I’ve just recently begun my professional and personal journey. I love getting to work with a group of talented and inspiring people as part of a team that changes the lives of teachers and students in every corner of the world.

I was born and raised in Albania but I have big plans to see the world. My time in Greece has been my most memorable travel destination: Andros Island and Meteora were by far my favorite spots to visit. The US, Canada and Brazil are next up on my list of countries to see.

I've always been someone with my head in the Sciences and soul in Arts and Social Studies.

After I discovered that technology was a great falling for, I have been into that ever since. Exploring different aspect of working in tech, has been a great opportunity to getting to know motivated, hardworking and inspiring people who stand for what they believe.

From being a back end developer to database admin, messing with front end and now exploring the paths of projects, from dealing with big projects to chasing ideas, from code over a black background to lecturing students and motivating them into tech, the journey has been tough, full of ups and downs but certainly an amazing one I would never change.

While everything rolls, I love to sing whenever and whatever I am, I just need to hear the bit of a song.

My biggest challenge is to know the song’s lyrics, and I am always up for it.

Although I’m originally from Albania, I’ve lived most of my life in Greece. After finishing up my studies in computer technology at Lamia University, my wife and I decided to make the move back to our home country, where I started working at Teach Away as a front end developer. 

Being a part of the Teach Away team is a surefire way to get bitten by the travel bug - I haven’t ventured further than Europe just yet, but I’ve been busy compiling a long list of places I’m hoping to travel to over the next while. Life’s too short to stay put and I plan on seeing as much of this beautiful world as I possibly can!

I got hooked on video games when I was only six years old. Since then, the question that stuck in my mind was: “How are they built?”

That’s what got me into programming in the first place. It started as a hobby and now has became my dream job. Things change fast in the tech world but I’m lucky to work with a great group of talented people who genuinely care about solving problems, making a difference and helping others be more successful.

Right after graduating with my degree in computer engineering, I landed my first “grown-up” job with Teach Away as a QA Tester. I feel so inspired to be part of a team of energetic, amazing people who work tirelessly to help teachers discover their potential and follow their dreams of teaching abroad every day.

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.

Teaching is among the noblest professions. Teachers make us who we are. At Teach Away, it’s our privilege to work to improve educational outcomes all around the world so we can help ensure a bright future for the next generation.

As a Front End Developer at Teach Away, I get to be a part of a highly-motivated, fast-moving and incredibly collaborative technology team. One of my biggest aims outside of work is to slowly but surely work through my travel bucket list, one country at a time!

I have graduated from University with a degree in Information and Communications Technology - now I’m a System Administrator on Salesforce here at Teach Away!

The best place I’ve visited so far? I would say Copenhagen, but I know that there are a lot of wonderful places out there, waiting for me to see and explore.