Board of Directors
Shawn Seaton
President of ISA Board of Directors
CEO and Founder of Skillquest Corp.
Shawn has spent 28 years as a chief executive officer and chief information officer in self – founded companies. Shawn has always had the belief that technology should serve us to enable better lives. In particular, education technology can allow everyone to experience the same great teachers and concept teaching methodologies.
Shawn originally founded Skillquest Computer Training Ltd. in 1992 in Vancouver, Canada as one of the first Internet training companies. Later expanding into the United States, Shawn founded Skillquest Corporation. Skillquest consulted on web development and infrastructure for companies such as IBM, Microsoft, Boeing, Thiokol, Royal Bank of Canada, Ikea, Kaiser Permanente, Bell Canada, and Telus. Shawn has enjoyed being a speaker at many IBM conferences throughout the world and continues to push the idea that education can happen anytime, anywhere. A native of Vancouver, Canada, he currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Shawn Seaton holds a Bachelor of Computer Engineering degree from University of Victoria and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Shawn served as president of the DC Ranch Association board for 3 years and loved serving his community while saving $1.1 million in assessments and bringing civility back to the staff, residents and board members. Currently Shawn is serving as the International School of Arizona board chairman for his second 2 year term over 10 years.
Stephanie Hughes
ISA Board Treasurer
CEO of Canyon State Electric (CSE)
Stephanie received her bachelor’s degree in finance from ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business and is currently an active member and board member of the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO). She is a true entrepreneur and involved in many different businesses and opportunities. She believes you should always be learning and is committed to investing in personal and professional growth. As she strives to be a teaching leader, she genuinely hopes to have an impact on people that inspires their growth, dedication, and perseverance. She is a 4th generation native to Arizona, has a loving family with 4 kids, and loves to travel, and be outdoors creating amazing life experiences. She has three boys attending ISA in the Spanish track and has been a family at the school for 7 years.
Gurpreet Takher
ISA Board Member
ISA Board Member
His most recent journey has led him to found Happy Lab Media, a company focused on creating stories that represent underrepresented children and families so that every child can see themselves in the books, shows and movies they see.
Gurpreet has worked in education by teaching middle school in Baltimore City and by working with disadvantaged youth to help them graduate high school and get into college. He is committed to the idea that giving back and helping others is one of the most noble actions humans can do. He has put this into practice by continuously volunteering and advocating for families and children at risk and in need as well as having raising guide dogs for the blind.
He and his wife have two children at ISA in the French Track.
Gurpreet Takher
ISA Marketing and Development Manager
ISA Board Member
His most recent journey has led him to found Happy Lab Media, a company focused on creating stories that represent underrepresented children and families so that every child can see themselves in the books, shows and movies they see.
Gurpreet has worked in education by teaching middle school in Baltimore City and by working with disadvantaged youth to help them graduate high school and get into college. He is committed to the idea that giving back and helping others is one of the most noble actions humans can do. He has put this into practice by continuously volunteering and advocating for families and children at risk and in need as well as having raising guide dogs for the blind.
He and his wife have two children at ISA in the French Track.
Ryan Schultze
ISA Board Member
Founder of MagicLight Corporation
Ryan and his wife Sarah are residents of Paradise Valley. They have two daughters, Lyla (4) and Sienna (3 mos). Lyla is a PK-4 student at ISA. Ryan is a board member for the Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH50), and Sarah is a member of the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Beach Ball committee. Ryan and Sarah share a passion for philanthropy and finding news ways to give back.
Ryan Schultze
ISA Board Member
Founder of MagicLight Corporation
Ryan and his wife Sarah are residents of Paradise Valley. They have two daughters, Lyla (4) and Sienna (3 mos). Lyla is a PK-4 student at ISA. Ryan is a board member for the Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH50), and Sarah is a member of the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Beach Ball committee. Ryan and Sarah share a passion for philanthropy and finding news ways to give back.
Kelly Hedberg
ISA Board Member
Attorney at Renaud Cook Drury Mesaros, PA
She is also actively involved with an international network of law firms where she acts on the Insurance Steering Committee. During their undergraduate studies, Kelly and her husband, Matt, attended Semester at Sea; a study abroad program that circumnavigated the globe, stopping in countries such as Vietnam, India, Malaysia, Turkey, South Africa, Kenya and Morocco. It was this journey that instilled their appreciation and motivation to expose their daughters to a multicultural education and raise them as global citizens.
Jenna Mitby-Manning
ISA Board Member
Senior Director Commercial Strategy and Insights at RxCrossroads by McKesson
Jenna holds a BA in Communications from the University of Pennsylvania, a MS in Communications from Boston University, and an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business. Jenna and her husband, Kevin Mitby-Manning, are avid travelers and chose ISA for their children because they believe in raising global citizens.
ISA Board of Directors
As the ISA is a 501(c)(3) corporation, it has a governing board of directors. We encourage interested parties to learn more about the responsibilities of the Board and how to get involved.
Responsibilities of the Board of Directors
The Board consists of up to fourteen (14) members, who meet regularly and serve without compensation and is dedicated to the school’s mission of providing academic excellence through second language immersion. The Board has fiduciary responsibility for governance, policy-making, and strategic planning for our independent, private school.
The Board has 5 Specific Responsibilities:
- To select the Head of School (HOS), approve his/her compensation, and evaluate his/her performance annually.
- To delegate to the HOS administrative functions, including the authority to admit or dismiss students, as well as to appoint or remove employees.
- To monitor the school’s financial health and management, approve capital expenditures, adopt annual capital and operating budgets, hold major fundraising events, and otherwise take steps that may be necessary to protect the financial stability of the school.
- To define and promulgate the general policies for the school necessary for its effective operation, including financial, employment, operating and educational policies and procedures, and to ensure their effective implementation.
- To advise the HOS and require specific board approval on matters that may have a material effect on the educational or financial health of the school.
Finance Committee
Creates a long-range financial plan, recommends policy regarding investments, and manages the master plan for the buildings and grounds. Experience desired: finance, accounting, nonprofit tax, and/or real estate financing
Audit Committee
Evaluates the finance committee's oversight of the school's resources.
Governance Committee
Coordinates the identification, cultivation, recruitment, and orientation of new directors.
Development Committee
Coordinates the school's fund-raising activities, advises on capital campaign and endowment goals, and raises funds.
Policies Taskforce
Creating an ISA Policy Manual consisting of all existing policies and coordinating additional policies to be recommended for board approval.