Leadership

Kaylene brings extensive school leadership experience to EBGIS | EBIHS. She started her career in teaching and went on to assume various leadership roles in PK-12 learning environments. Among other things, Kaylene served as Curriculum Coordinator, Curriculum Director, and Middle Years Head of School at public, charter, and private schools in California and Texas. Most recently, Kaylene served as Managing Director of High Schools for a charter school system with fourteen high schools serving over 7,000 students. Kaylene also serves as an evaluator, examiner, workshop leader, and consultant for the International Baccalaureate Americas organization, helping schools across the Americas authorize and implement IB and bilingual IB programs. Kaylene lived and attended school in Germany before returning to the US as a youth.

Julia grew up in the German Rhine-Neckar Region. Pursuing her passion for education, she obtained teaching degrees in Bavaria and also studied in Switzerland. Julia has taught a variety of national and international secondary school curricula and has taken on academic leadership roles in Germany, India, and the United States. In her free time, Julia enjoys spending time with her dog, traveling, visiting national parks, and engaging in cultural activities.

Benedikt is originally from Zug, Switzerland. He holds a secondary school teaching diploma in Science from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Over twenty-three years of teaching, Benedikt has taught science in an International Baccalaureate (IB) school in Ecuador and taught and served as principal in a secondary school in Switzerland. As an educator, Benedikt strives to inspire critical thinking and learning through discovery.

Daniela is originally from Lower Saxony in Germany. She holds a Gymnasium teaching degree (equivalent to a US master’s degree in education) in German and History from Berlin Technical University. Daniela has seventeen years of teaching experience, much of it in bilingual education. She believes the unique connection between educators and students can inspire both to explore life from new perspectives. Daniela loves to travel and is always up for a friendly competition whether it is tennis or a reading marathon.

Amber is from Austin, Texas. She holds a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in children’s learning and development. She received her American Montessori Society Early Childhood Teaching Credential from St. Mary’s College and has been working in the field of education for almost fifteen years. It is Amber’s goal to provide children with a positive, inspiring vision of the world and to help them to find their place within it. In her free time, Amber enjoys traveling the world with her daughter, sailing, and sharing food with friends and family.

Eva is originally from Cologne, Germany. She holds a master's degree in primary bilingual education from the Education University of Freiburg. Eva has six years of teaching experience including in bilingual schools and special education programs. Her teaching focuses on cooperative learning and nurturing a growth mindset. In her free time, Eva loves learning languages.

Rufus grew up in Berlin, Germany, and has lived and worked in the Bay Area and New York City for over 20 years. He studied law at the University of Freiburg, Germany, and at Stanford Law School. He is currently a partner at Fenwick & West LLP, where he advises clients on a wide range of transactional matters involving technology and intellectual property.

Kay grew up as a “global citizen,” spending her early childhood through young adult years in North Africa and South East Asian countries, and ultimately receiving her undergraduate and law degrees in the United States. She began practicing law 30 years ago, initially focusing on litigation and insurance coverage work in the maritime/insurance field, and eventually shifting to more transactional work. Currently, she owns and operates an insurance consulting and claims firm in Oakland, California. Kay’s family heritage is German, although her father did not pass down his German language skills. Determined to bring the German language back into the family, Kay and her husband enrolled their daughter in the school’s kindergarten program several years ago and she is now in 12th grade at EBIHS. Contact Kay at knaumann@ebgis.org.

Bess is a Bay Area native who was born and raised in San Jose, lived and worked in San Francisco before moving to Berkeley where she and her husband have raised their 3 boys. She began working in finance after receiving her undergraduate degree from UC San Diego. Today, she is enjoying her role in making family films with the production finance team at Pixar Animation Studios. In 2013, her family was preparing to move to Switzerland which prompted her and her first child to begin their German language education. Though they did not finally make the move abroad, their love for the school and the community has kept them here at EBGIS to this day. Contact Bess at bess@ebgis.org.