Our Team
Ruth Whymark
Ms Ruth Whymark graduated with First Class Honours (BA) in Teaching Studies with English Literature from Roehampton Institute, University of Surrey, with QTS.
Over two decades of experience in international education and school leadership in England, China, and the Middle East, holding the UK NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headship).
Previously served as Senior Vice Principal and Head of Primary at Doha College (a global top 100 school in the Spear’s Index, alongside Harrow Hong Kong), and Head of Junior School at Dulwich College Suzhou.
Douglas Bridges
Mr Douglas Bridges joins Harrow International School Guangzhou as Founding Deputy Head (Academic), bringing over two decades of educational leadership experience across the UK, the Middle East, and Asia.
A graduate of the University of Brighton, Douglas holds a degree in Education with QTS. He began his career as a Mathematics teacher before progressing into senior leadership, developing a reputation for strategic academic vision and a collaborative approach to school improvement.
He has previously served within the AISL Harrow family as the Founding Head of Upper School at Harrow Zhuhai and played a key role in the establishment of King’s School Hove in the UK. Douglas joins Harrow Guangzhou from a leading British international school in Cairo, where he led teaching, learning, and assessment, contributing to the school’s Outstanding inspection in 2025. A trained international school inspector, he brings extensive experience in evaluating and enhancing school performance across a range of contexts.
Tracy Ghomanshchian
Dr. Tracy holds a Doctorate in Education (EdD) from the University of Dundee, Scotland, specialising in supporting teachers and school leaders in designing professional development pathways for effective technology integration within international schools. She brings over 15 years of experience to her roles, having served as an accomplished senior school leader within high-achieving International and UK Independent Schools.
Dr. Tracy holds the UK National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) and Post Graduate Diplomas in both Education and Educational Leadership from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland. Her expertise is formally recognised by her Fellowship Status (FCCT) with The Chartered College of Teaching, UK. Known for her visible presence and commitment to equality, excellence, and high expectations, she consistently fosters a collaborative approach with the wider school community.
Jack Benstead
Mr Jack Benstead graduated from Bishop Grosseteste University with a degree in Primary Education with QTS and holds the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH). He has extensive leadership experience within the AISL Harrow family of schools, most recently as a founding member of staff and leader at Harrow Hengqin, where he combined curriculum innovation with a strong focus on early language development for young learners.
A trained facilitator for the UCL Institute of Education National Professional Qualifications, Jack is passionate about staff professional development and building capacity within teaching teams. His leadership across AISL Harrow schools has included curriculum innovation, cross-campus collaboration, and the design of forward-looking approaches that combine academic rigour with holistic student growth.
Joanna Sun
A British-Chinese, she graduated from the University of Oxford.
She possesses 15 years’ experience in EAL (English as an Additional Language), including 10 years in international education and 8 years in education management and curriculum design.
She has extensive EAL teaching experience across all age groups, from children to adults. Her expertise in teaching immigrant children led to an interview with the BBC.
Fran Fang
Fran Fang graduated from Peking University with a Bachelor’s degree and holds a Master’s degree from Stanford University. She specialises in weaving Design Thinking and Critical Thinking into education, empowering students to develop innovative capabilities and an entrepreneurial mindset through Maker culture and interdisciplinary projects. Her flagship initiatives include launching China’s first comprehensive ‘Community Exploration’ curriculum and integrating ‘Service-Learning’ programmes into the curricula of several universities.
As the Head of the AISL Entrepreneurship Centre, Fran will lead curriculum design and strategic network building. She is dedicated to establishing a dynamic, student-centered entrepreneurial ecosystem that connects students to real-world opportunities.
Andrew Monk
Andrew holds a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard Business School and brings extensive experience from Australia’s top boarding schools. An expert in the British boarding model, he leads the design of residential protocols, safeguarding standards, and enrichment programmes.
Through structured routines and collaborative skills-based curricula, Andrew systematically builds student discipline, time management, and personal accountability to ensure a high-value boarding experience.
John Dixon
He trained as a secondary science teacher in the UK and brings extensive international leadership experience from top-tier schools across Europe and Asia. A specialist in IGCSE, A Level, and IB curricula, he is dedicated to fostering academic excellence and a global perspective in every student.
Matthew Hewitt
Matthew Hewitt is a First Class Honours graduate in Mathematics Education from the University of Brighton, with extensive teaching and leadership experience gained within both the UK and international schools. Having worked across the UK, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, he is dedicated to building high-performing teams whilst fostering curiosity, challenge, and academic ambition.
His approach focuses on deep conceptual understanding and independent thinking, encouraging students to engage in competitions and enrichment activities.
Alessandra Chai
She studied Ancient History at the University of Birmingham and earned her PGCE from University College London (UCL). Holding a Level 5 National Apprenticeship in leadership, she brings over ten years of extensive experience in Humanities education, curriculum development, and academic leadership.
As an Associate Assistant Headteacher on the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), she has contributed significantly to whole-school strategy, staff development, and pastoral leadership. Having led a large Humanities faculty across London and Surrey, she has a proven track record in delivering high-quality teaching and learning.
Nigel Penfold
A Trinity Laban (UK ‘Top 3’) and University of Reading graduate, Nigel is an Jazz Saxophonist whose mastery spans classical, jazz, and rock. With deep experience at Harrow School in London, he brings exceptional flair to both ensembles and solo performances.
A founding music teacher at Harrow Hong Kong and has served as the Director of Music and Head of Visual and Performing Arts at Harrow Shanghai.
Sheliza Dinmahomed
With nearly two decades of experience in education, Sheliza brings a lifelong passion for creativity and the arts to her role. Before her teaching career, she honed her professional expertise within London’s leading craft galleries, a background that continues to inform her unique artistic perspective. As a practicing ceramicist and florist, she seamlessly weaves her own creative practice into her pedagogy, dedicated to inspiring students to unlock their potential, cultivate confidence, and discover their own distinct artistic voices.
Sam Ghomaschian
Mr Ghomaschian holds a Master of Science (MSc) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from the UK, alongside Member status (MCCT) with The Chartered College of Teaching, UK, highly recognised by authoritative British educational bodies.
He possesses over a decade of teaching experience in Physical Education and Swimming across both Primary and Secondary phases, deeply understanding the physical development and sports psychology of students at different age groups.
Our Head of PE extensively contributed to elite international schools across Malaysia, China, and Singapore, demonstrating exceptional international experience in PE department development and Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) coordination.
As a certified Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Leader, Mr Ghomaschian excels in fully developing student resilience, leadership, and wellbeing through experiential learning.
Ada Liu
Ms. Ada Liu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chinese Language and Literature and a Master’s degree in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. With over eight years of frontline teaching experience in prestigious international schools across Qingdao, Zhuhai, and Guangzhou, she has developed a solid academic foundation in Chinese and professional expertise in language pedagogy. Her diverse teaching background has given her profound insights into the learning needs of students from various regions and cultural contexts.
Ms. Ada Liu has accumulated extensive practical and teaching experience in international curricula. She is well-versed in teaching both “Language and Literature” and “Language Acquisition” across the IGCSE and A-Level programs, providing students with highly targeted academic guidance.
Ms. Ada Liu places great emphasis on students’ multicultural backgrounds and excels at designing differentiated instructional strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners. In her classroom, she prioritizes the organic integration of practical language application and literary analysis. Through inquiry-based learning, she encourages active thinking, fostering students’ critical thinking and intercultural communication skills to help them build a broad international perspective alongside language mastery.
Thomas Webb
Thomas Webb graduated with a First Class degree in English and a PGCE from the University of Brighton.
He brings 16 years of secondary English teaching and leadership experience in the UK and internationally, having most recently served as Head of the English Department at a well-established British International School in Portugal.
Believing that education has the power to change the world, he is excited to inspire a genuine love of language and literature at Harrow Guangzhou and help build a warm, caring school community.
Lisha Yang
Lisha holds a Master’s degree in TESOL from the University of Edinburgh and is a UK Qualified Teacher (QTS). With six years of experience in international schools across the Greater Bay Area, she has developed a deep understanding of students’ language-learning needs and academic aspirations. Her student-centred approach focuses on building both language proficiency and learner confidence.
As an EAL teacher, Lisha specialises in supporting students with diverse English language backgrounds. Through differentiated instruction, targeted language intervention, and close collaboration with subject teachers, she helps students overcome language barriers, engage confidently in learning, and thrive in an international academic environment.
She looks forward to bringing British educational values into her daily teaching practice, supporting students in achieving both academic success and personal growth. Outside the classroom, she enjoys playing squash and fitness, and hopes to contribute to the wider school community through co-curricular activities.
Jessica Cheng
Jessica is a graduate of Birmingham Conservatoire, UK, where she received a Master’s degree in Piano Performance. She has previously worked as a piano teacher and accompanist in music studios, as well as an interpreter for ABRSM exams.
Since 2020, she has worked at Harrow International School, Shanghai, teaching piano, accompanying rehearsals and concerts, and supporting the music department in an administrative capacity. She is excited to join the founding team at Harrow Guangzhou, where she will continue much of the work she undertook in Shanghai, with the additional responsibility of serving as a House Parent.
Jessica has extensive experience working closely with children of all ages and brings a strong understanding of pastoral care. Originally from Taipei, she also offers valuable bilingual skills that will help our new boarders feel at home.
Raphael Gao
He holds a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, Image Recognition, and Robotics from Paul Sabatier University, bringing a robust cross-disciplinary engineering and technology background. With extensive frontline teaching and K-12 innovation leadership experience, he has achieved remarkable results in whole-school STEAM curriculum design, maker laboratory establishment, and Project-Based Learning (PBL). He has successfully guided pupils to achieve outstanding results in prominent domestic and international technology competitions, such as FRC robotics.
Mr Gao is deeply committed to seamlessly embedding STEAM education into the IB and national curriculum frameworks, actively nurturing his pupils’ innovative thinking and future-ready competencies.
Andrea Sherman
Andrea Sherman brings over 15 years of boarding experience from leading schools across Australia, working with both boys and girls alongside her husband, Andrew Monk.
Throughout her career, Andrea has been passionate about pastoral care and creating a warm, supportive environment where students feel safe, valued and at home. She particularly enjoys building strong relationships with students and supporting them as they develop confidence, independence and resilience.
Andrea is delighted to be beginning this new chapter at Harrow Guangzhou and looks forward to getting to know the students and families and helping to create a happy, supportive and inclusive boarding community.
Echo Li
Echo Li holds a bachelor’s degree in applied psychology, with professional long-term training in psychodynamic psychotherapy, crisis intervention and clinical counselling.
Having accumulated four years of frontline experience across international boarding schools, hospital adolescent mental health departments and youth psychological hotline services, she specialises in student safeguarding, emotivonal crisis intervention, one-to-one pastoral support and cross-team case coordination. She believes sustained empathetic companionship and targeted wellbeing programmes help adolescents process stress, resolve behavioural and peer challenges, and build long-term emotional resilience.
As a well-being support teacher within a boarding house, she aims to help young people improve emotional self-management and grow into resilient individuals.
