Senior Leadership & Administrative Team

To supervise the respective school divisions (lower elementary, upper elementary, middle, and high), ICS employs four principals who are directly responsible to the Head of Schools to ensure student learning via achievement of the ESLRs. ICS principals exercise their role as learning leaders by promoting a collegial, quality school environment that sustains a high level of learning, overseeing day-to-day school life by keeping a finger on the pulse of classroom instruction and curriculum development.

  • Mr. Keith Welch has worked in education since 1997, beginning his career as an EAL teacher in U.S. public schools. He joined the ICS community starting in 2003 as a Grade 4 teacher and began serving as Upper Elementary Principal in 2005.

    Prior to beginning his career in education, Keith trained for Chrisitan ministry, receiving an undergraduate degree in Bible from Zion Bible College. He earned a Master's degree in Education from the University of Southern Maine and engaged in postgraduate work in Educational Leadership at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

    Keith is joined by his wife Vanessa and has 4 children, one alum from the Class of 2016 and 3 that presently attend ICS.

  • Mrs Erin Johnson has most recently been working in university administration as Director of Global Connections and as faculty. She has also served for more than 5 years in secondary education and over 12 years in elementary education, working at international schools in Indonesia, China, and Vietnam. She has held various leadership positions, from Academic Leadership Team, to Team Leader, to Head of Department. Erin holds a Master's Degree in Teaching and Bachelor's degrees in Communications and Spanish, as well as endorsements in Gifted Education and Structures of English Immersion. Erin and their two daughters join her husband, Jay, who teaches 4th grade at ICS.

    "One of the reasons ICS stands out is because of the biblical foundation of learning that takes place here. We seek Knowledge and Truth. I believe the culture within a school is just as important as what is being taught, and I am glad to be part of a positive, supportive environment."

  • Mr. Van Tassel is passionate about supporting whole-person growth: head, heart, and hands. He grew up in Hong Kong, speaks Putonghua, and has been serving at ICS for more than 24 years. He has served in multiple roles while at ICS and is currently the Dean of Co-curricular Education and Pastoral Care, which includes overseeing the Service Learning office. He particularly enjoys supporting the spiritual formation of ICS students and developing their hearts to serve. He also enjoys mentoring student leaders and seeing them grow.

    Mr. Van Tassel has Master’s degrees in Mathematics (University of Notre Dame) and Educational Leadership (Bristol University) and a Diploma in Christian Studies (Regent College, Vancouver). Brian’s wife is ICS's Chinese Program Coordinator and World Languages Department Chair. His daughter and son experienced an ICS education from R1 through Grade 12.

  • Mrs. Gillian Wu joined ICS in 2012. She has been an early childhood educator for more than twenty years and has worked in a variety of different schools in both teaching and administrative roles before joining ICS.

    Gillian believes that high-quality early childhood education forms a strong foundation for a child’s educational journey. She believes each child is unique and a gift from God, and being able to share the love of Jesus and partner with parents during the first few years of a child’s education is a privilege. She is married to Paul, and they have two adult children living in the UK.

  • Revd Nick Seward was born in Zambia and grew up in Papua New Guinea. He is an ordained Christian pastor with a passion for Christian education, having been a Chaplain, Housemaster, teacher of Theology, Economics and Mathematics and sports coach for over two decades in schools. He was Headmaster of a Christian school unique in the UK for having both British and US curricula for fourteen years. He holds a Master of Education degree from Buckingham University, alongside MA and BA degrees in Theology from Durham University, and a Bachelor of Engineering Degree from Imperial College London. He is married to Hannah, and they have four children, three of whom are at ICS.

"I am grateful to God for ICS and the privilege of leading it. The vision of spiritual formation allied to academic rigour is very much my heart in education, and I know of no school which points its students to Jesus Christ as this one does."

  • Mr Tom Penland has been involved in Christian international education as a student, teacher, coach, and principal. Having spent much of his formative years in Malaysia and Korea, he is the definition of a third-culture kid (TCK) and is passionate about supporting fellow TCKs as they navigate their paths through high school. Mr Penland holds a bachelor's degree in Business Management from Toccoa Falls College and a master's degree in Secondary Education. He is currently working towards his EdD in Educational Leadership through the American College of Education. He and his wife, Carre, have three children attending ICS.

    "I am blessed to work at a school with highly capable educators who provide a world-class college preparatory education, all the while integrating biblical truth to our students on a daily basis!"

  • Mrs. Tammy Cole has been in education since 1998. She has more than 25 years of educational experience and holds Master's degrees in Educational Leadership and Special Education. She began her career as a public school teacher in the United States and joined the ICS community in 2020. Tammy and her husband, Greg, have three daughters, two of whom are studying at Universities in the U.S., one of which is a 2021 ICS alumni, and another currently attending ICS.

    Tammy believes working in education is not a job but rather a calling. Learning is a lifelong endeavor. As educators, all stakeholders must ensure that each student gets a firm foundation and the opportunity to become a lifelong learner. She shares that it is a privilege and duty to positively influence the lives of all children. She believes each child is a gift from God. Each child has been made unique, with individual needs, interests, and abilities. And given the time and opportunity, every child can learn!

  • Mr. Albert Yeung is a seasoned Human Resources professional with over 30 years of extensive experience in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, and the Asia Pacific region. Before joining ICS, Albert held senior human resources leadership roles in multinational organizations or listed companies in the educational, real estate, technology, and industrial sectors, including Pearson Group plc., Link REIT, and British Oxygen Group plc. Albert holds a Bachelor of Social Science degree from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is an Associate of The Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators. He is married to Anna with two children. He has attended the Tsuen Wan Church of Christian and Missionary Alliance since studying in secondary school.

  • Mr. Richard Lam joined ICS in 2019 as the Chief Financial Officer overseeing the operations of three departments, including Finance & Procurement, Facilities Management, and IT & AV. Richard holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Glamorgan in the United Kingdom. He is a fellow member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Australia. Before joining ICS, Richard had extensive exposure in the manufacturing and commercial sectors since the early 90s, with mainly Greater China and Asia Pacific coverage. He also earned a Master's in Counseling from Monash University in Australia and has been providing professional counseling services to individuals and couples in his church since 2016. Richard is joined by his wife, Alice, a local middle school chemistry teacher. They have a son who is working in the banking sector.

    “I believe children are our future and that being able to serve the ICS community with what God has equipped me all these years is a delight and blessing.”

Additional Administrative Team Members

  • Mr Brad Wedderburn joined ICS in 2020 as the Communications & Publications Manager. In his role, he is responsible for overseeing both internal and external communication within the community. Additionally, Brad assists the admissions department with marketing the school and strengthening the ICS brand.

    Brad has lived in Hong Kong with his wife, Jamie, and their two daughters since 2016. He brings a Bachelor's Degree in Design and experience working in several industries, including tech start-ups, manufacturing, and marketing. Brad's diverse background and skill set allow him to make valuable contributions to the ICS team. Additionally, while pursuing an Executive MBA, he continues developing his business management knowledge and skills, further enhancing his ability to serve the school.

  • Mrs. Phebe Fong joined ICS in 2020 and oversees Admissions from Reception 1 to Grade 12. Her favorite part of this role is witnessing Christian education encourage students and their families to grow in their knowledge and love for God.

    Her passion for education ignited when she worked for the NBA in Beijing. She supported migrant communities, participated in redevelopment efforts after the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, and witnessed firsthand how education gave many children a second chance at life. Subsequently, Phebe pursued an MBA with the intention of scaling up community impact. She worked for IBM and LinkedIn before joining HKUST and CUHK Business Schools.

    Phebe currently pursues a Master's in Educational Counseling to expand the depth and breadth of how she serves families. Together with her husband Chun-Man, who teaches PE at a fellow Christian international school, they enjoy spending time with their two young children.

  • Mr. Steve Taylor has served in education since 1996 – as a middle school & elementary classroom teacher, sports coach, curriculum coordinator, and principal. He has served as an accreditation consultant for Christian schools in South East Asia, planned and delivered professional learning activities in various contexts, and held various leadership roles in South East Asian International schools. Mr. Taylor holds a Bachelor's degree in Sports Science and postgraduate qualifications in education from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. He and his wife, Deborah, have three children who attend and have graduated from ICS.

    “I love being part of Christian education to see students learn within a context that values academics and spiritual formation. ICS is a fantastic school with quality and caring teachers committed to helping students develop their skills and abilities.”