Robert Batchelder, Chair

My wife Karen and I are the proud parents of two ASW students: Matthew and Sofia. As Chair of the Board of Trustees, I am humbled to have the opportunity to serve the school they love, and to facilitate the work of the dedicated faculty and staff to whom we entrust our children every day.

For the past 23 years, I have represented the United States as a diplomat and consular officer in Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, South and Central America. I have also worked in Washington, D.C. and as a foreign policy advisor to senior military leaders at NORAD and USNORTHCOM in Colorado—my home state.

Here in Poland, I lead a team of 70 hard-working professionals who provide the full range of consular services at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, the U.S. Consulate General in Krakow, and the U.S. Consular Agency in Poznan.

I have learned over the years that public service is a sacred trust--a weighty responsibility, but one that can bring tremendous satisfaction. ASW is what brought my family to Warsaw and I look forward to serving the ASW community and working to uphold the long tradition of excellence for which our school is known.

Back to top

We arrived in Warszawa from Brussels two years ago. We liked the city with its green spaces, its freedom and its memories. Our two daughters, Christa (8) and Despina (14) fell in love with ASW immediately and unequivocally. I still “hold court” most mornings in the school cafeteria.

I was born in 1960s Bulgaria, which gave me a couple of decades to appreciate some of Real Socialism’s experiences like mind-bending youth organizations, Bulgarian People’s Army, South Asian Linguistics at Sofia University and even a couple of months of ‘career propelling’ Communist Party membership. It took me an American university degree and years living in Belgium (in a house, with a family and a dog, like a true member of the petite bourgeoisie) to see the humor of it all. It also taught me to distrust prophets, saviors and a free lunch.

Being a Visual Designer and running an independent practice for almost 20 years (getting more virtual every year) has shown me the importance of clear strategies and transparent communication. If a book of words can be replaced by a single sentence – I am for that sentence. I believe being a Trustee is a service and not a position. What I will bring to the Board table again, in the second year of my appointment, is no-drama conversation and clear, objective reasoning.

Back to top

Artur Banaszak

I was born in Warsaw and this is the place where I have spent most of my life. I live here with my family: my wife Andreja and our daughter Laura who is a 6th grade student. I am a medical doctor, an alumnus of the Medical School of Warsaw. I am also an MBA graduate with honors and I have been working in the pharmaceutical industry all of my professional life. My family joined the ASW community in 2015, after our return from Bucharest, where I held the position of general manager of an international pharmaceutical company. Prior to this, I worked in Poland and Croatia.

I am familiar with various aspects of business management, marketing and sales, strategy development, as well as change management. I am goal- and results-oriented and feel comfortable with challenges.

My family feels closely connected to ASW. It is a place we deeply care about and have a long-term commitment to, and so it is a great privilege and responsibility for me to serve on the Board of Trustees.

Using my knowledge, skills and experience, I will do my best to promote the role of ASW as an inspiring, enabling and empowering environment for our children.

Back to top

Raymond V. Banks, Jr.

My family and I moved to Warsaw from Brussels (for my 5th consecutive diplomatic assignment) in July of 2016. My wife Kristen and I are United States (U.S.) citizens with a daughter (Katelyn) and son (Jacob) attending first grade at ASW. As a family, we have also lived in both Central and North Africa. We are now happily settled into our new home in Ursynów-Centrum and extremely pleased to be a part of the ASW community.

I am a commissioned U.S. Army officer and I support two U.S. diplomatic missions in Poland and our NATO allies in this region. I am also the U.S. Department of Defense liaison for dependent education for Poland. I hold a BSBA in general management and my voluntary government and non-profit leadership experience is extensive.

Experience has shown me that success requires the full participation of all an organization’s stakeholders. Therefore, I believe that the significant accomplishments of ASW’s students and alumni are attributable to the enduring commitment of the entire ASW community. Together, we must continue to overcome challenges, realize opportunities, and advance the interests of our students. For my part, I will help us refine our strategic plan and work to improve the quality of our collective efforts.

Back to top

Christopher F. Biedermann, MBA, CPA

I am originally from New Jersey in the US, however, I have spent the last 23 years in Europe, primarily in Poland. I currently live here with my wife, Katarzyna, and two children, Patrick (13) and Anna (8), both of whom attend ASW.

In 1994, I came to Wroclaw, Poland with the USAID program “MBA Enterprise Corps” which was developed to help startup companies in emerging markets by matching them with recent MBA graduates.

Following my one year assignment, I determined that I enjoyed it here in Poland and decided to stay a few more years. As a result I continued my professional experience in Poland as the audit manager for Ernst and Young office Wroclaw. After this, I spent some time working with larger US corporations, namely Coca-Cola and GE, in various finance roles. Following this, I spent a number of years with a Polish based NASDAQ listed spirits company CEDC, as CFO for the group. I am at present a Management Board Member and the CFO for PKP Energetyka, which is currently owned by CVC Capital Partners.

Prior to coming to Poland in 1994, I completed a BS in Accounting at Lehigh University and received an MBA from the University of Texas-Austin. In addition, I spent my early career in the US as an auditor with KPMG. I believe that over this period I have been exposed to a broad range business and financial experiences which I hope to be able utilize to support the ASW Board and the broader ASW community.

Back to top

Peter Chudy

My association with ASW started in 2011 when our oldest son, Nicholas, commenced his high school studies. Currently, our second son, Oliver will be an eighth grader in the upcoming academic year. I was born in Poland and moved to the United States at eleven years old. Our kids are the fifth generation of this back and forth immigration movement between Poland and USA which started way back in the 1890’s.

With the collapse of communism in Poland, I left Los Angeles in 1990 where I was working for Chase Manhattan Bank to join Central Europe Trust, a new financial advisory firm being formed in Warsaw. Participating in the economic transformation of Poland and other central-east European countries has been one of my most rewarding experiences. When time allows, I enjoy meeting with US college students whose academic program entails visiting this region to learn more about various aspects of the on-going Polish transformation process.

In my spare time, I enjoy speaking with World War II veterans and have accumulated quite an extensive collection of interviews from which I hope to make a documentary film when I retire. This interest stems from summer internship jobs I had in the 1980s with Radio Free Europe in Munich, Germany. There I met some incredible individuals who survived WWII, such as the legendary “Courier From Warsaw” Jan Nowak Jezioranski. Living in Warsaw allows me to continue meeting more incredible individuals, some of whom I was able to introduce to the ASW community during “Living History Day”.

Back to top

Clay Crawford

My family and I proudly joined the ASW community during the 2016/2017 school year, and I have been impressed with the outstanding education that ASW delivers.

I am currently serving as the Regional Medical Officer with the U.S. Department of State, and I am the father of two ASW Warriors, Margot (10) and Malcolm (9). I am joined in Warsaw with my wife, Darcey, an active volunteer in the school community and Emergency Physician, as well as our Norwich terrier, Quincy.

I joined the Foreign Service in 2012, with previous posts including Mali, Morocco, and Iraq. Board certified in Emergency Medicine, I completed my residency at Boston University/Boston Medical Center, and graduated from the University of Illinois School of Medicine in 2000. I completed my undergraduate studies in English Literature at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, I practiced Emergency Medicine in Nashville, TN.

In many ways, my family’s decision to join the Foreign Service was about the conscious decision to give our children an international experience. Working closely with the schools in my region, which include Stockholm, Oslo, Vilnius, Krakow, and Copenhagen, I understand the unique role our schools serve in the life of a child. I look forward to an exciting and productive year ahead!

Back to top

Our family has been part of the ASW community since 2014, when I relocated to Poland along with my husband, Reid, and two children, Cameron and Madison. I am a full-time mom, and have very much enjoyed becoming involved in the ASW community. I served as the PTO treasurer in 2015-2016, helped facilitate the English Language conversation group, and helped organize many community events. I enjoy this type of work because of the positive impact it brings to the community, as well as close interaction with the school and my children’s education.

Prior to relocating to Poland, my professional career was in finance and customer service management roles for one of the U.S.’s largest restaurant management groups. My responsibilities included oversight of the financial and customer relations management programs of 36 restaurants in the Northeastern US with annual revenues over $50 million. I also participated with a national team tasked with opening new stores within the group, including negotiations with suppliers and the hiring and training of new employees.

Over my career, I gained an appreciation for the critical importance of clear and effective communications strategies in achieving corporate goals – experience which I plan to contribute serving on the board at ASW.

Back to top

Massimo Merighi

I was born in Bologna, Italy and that is where I spent most of my youth until the moment I decided to explore the world. I have been living in Warsaw since 2007. Prior to this, I had the opportunity to live and experience different places such as the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Sichuan in China and Zurich in Switzerland. All these experiences I shared with my family: my wife Elena and three kids Carolina, Giacomo and Guglielmo. Due to these travelling experiences, we understand what it means to move often, to adapt, express and behave in a multicultural environment and, more importantly, have international friends.

I am an engineer with an MBA plus a master in regional development. Here in Warsaw, I work for the European Investment Bank in the energy field and I am also a contract professor for the European Institute of Public Administration in Barcelona.

My involvement in ASW comes from the fact that the school is shaping our kids’ future and that of a global future generation. Plato said it is “the direction in which education starts a man that will determine his future in life”. Therefore, it seems natural to me to support the school and try to contribute my experience gained during these last nine years as a father of three different-level students.

Back to top

Audrey Ting

Our family has been a part of the ASW community since we moved to Warsaw in 2017. I grew up as a first-generation Chinese-American in a small town in northern New Jersey. My parents instilled strong values of education over the course of my upbringing, which I now pass onto my daughter and son.

I earned my A.B. in Geology from Bryn Mawr College and hold a M.Ed. in Teaching and Curriculum from Harvard University. I have over 15 years of experience as an Education professional; I was an educator and running coach at public and elite private schools, a textbook writer for the CME Project, a research fellow at the Center of Mathematics Education at the University of Maryland, a test developer for international, state achievement and graduation tests. I was also a board member for the Bryn Mawr College Alumnae Association, where I worked on issues such as alumnae giving and admission of legacy children.

That said, I am also a parent who believes in active community involvement in our schools. I have been a room parent and volunteer for 4 years in 3 different schools in both the United States and overseas. I will draw from my experience of having worn multiple hats and the ability to bridge multiple views to collaborate in maintaining ASW’s educational excellence. In my spare moments, you might find me running in the Kabaty forest, cooking a new recipe, or planning our next travel adventure.

Back to top

Elin Witschas Thomassen

I was born and raised in Denmark. My husband Peter and our daughter Nikoline (Grade 8) have been part of the ASW community since August 2016, and we really like the spirit of the school.

In my experience at ASW so far, I have observed that it is a place distinguished by an atmosphere of enjoyment, enthusiasm and great care for our kids. I also see a school with a great willingness to innovate. I would like to strengthen and further develop this dynamic, and help expand the community’s knowledge through cultural and social interactions, since, throughout my career, I have been working with culture as a way to facilitate meeting and learning about others and generally enriching our lives.

I have experience within the NGO field, such as Roskilde Festival, Homeless World Cup - Save the Children, and Danish Food Culture at the Food and Environment Ministry, including economics, culture and campaign management, strategy, development and fundraising as well as management of volunteerism.

It is my great pleasure to join the Board of Trustees, and be of service and help to ensure the creation of a good and rich school life for our children. I am an enthusiastic person with great energy and drive, who enjoys bringing concepts and ideas to life. I hold a Master of Arts in Education studies and Social Welfare Studies from Roskilde University, Denmark. Beside being a wife and mom, I am also a traveling partner, and Focal Point, Poland for "Here we are global".

Stay connected!

Back to top

Governance Committee

The purpose of the Governance Committee is to provide oversight of the Board’s governance practices with the objective of ensuring good governance, accountability and transparency. The Committee is responsible for organizing elections and appointments to the Board of Trustees, inducting new Trustees, ensuring that the Board of Trustees assesses its own performance annually, maintaining the Bylaws and Policy Manual.

Members:

Raymond Banks, Chair

Clay Crawford

Artur Banaszak

Audrey Ting

-----------------------------

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is responsible for developing annual budget guidance for Board approval, reviewing annual budget execution, monitoring income and expenses throughout the year, ensuring that the question of risk management is properly managed, and nominating for Board of Trustees approval an independent auditing firm to audit the School’s financial statement and accounts.

Members:

Chrissie Graeber, Chair

Chris Biedermann

Rob Batchelder

Massimo Merighi

------------------------------

Human Resources Committee

The Human Resources Committee is responsible for overseeing the school’s compensation and benefit policies, ensuring its long-term ability to remain competitive in terms of attracting human capital that will best serve the school community.

Members:

Simeon Netchev, Chair

Elin Witschas Thomassen

Peter Chudy

-------------------------------

Strategic Planning (ad hoc)

The main objectives of the Strategic Planning Committee for the current school year are to review, update, and/or affirm the school’s Core Values, Mission and Vision; identify strategic initiatives, outcomes or impacts that are relevant and goal oriented in addressing the direction of the school toward the achievement of mission and vision define and align action plans and articulate methods for progress measurement and ultimate assessment of main strategic initiatives’ outcomes.

Members:

Artur Banaszak, Chair

Raymond Banks

Elin Witschas Thomassen

Rob Batchelder

Dear Fellow ASW Parents,

Please join me in congratulating Mr. Olgierd Świda and Mr. Marek Zdziech, who were elected to ASW’s Board of Trustees for two-year terms beginning July 1, 2018. Although both candidates ran unopposed for their respective seats, each received more than 400 votes from members of the ASW community. On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, I want to thank you for your participation in the elections and for your support of these two outstanding candidates, whom we look forward to welcoming to ASW’s 11-member governing body in the coming months.

I also want to inform you that the Board of Trustees, at our April 9 meeting, appointed Mr. Artur Banaszak and Ms. Sheri Brienza-Wypyski to fill two additional seats on the Board that are turning over at the end of this school year. Artur has already served on the Board for the past two years as an elected representative—he currently chairs our Strategic Planning committee—and we are pleased he will remain for at least two more years as an appointed member. Ms. Brienza-Wypyski brings a strong finance background as well as other professional experience that will make her a valuable contributor to the Board’s work in strengthening the foundation of ASW’s long-term success.

Finally, I am pleased to announce that U.S. Ambassador Paul Jones has appointed Mr. Raymond Banks to replace me as Chair of the Board of Trustees upon my departure from Warsaw at the end of this school year. Ray is a member of the U.S. Embassy’s Defense Attaché Office, the father of two ASW students, and he has served on the Board for the past 15 months in a board-appointed position. Ray is currently the Board’s Secretary and Chair of our Governance Committee. He is an experienced Army officer and a proven leader whose steady hand will assure continuity as the Board and Director continue our work to build on the many successes of the past two years.

Thank you all again for your participation in ASW’s recent Board of Trustees elections, and for your continuing support of the Board’s work to make ASW the best possible educational experience for our children. We invite you to join us at any of our monthly, public meetings, the next of which will be held at 6:00 p.m. next Monday, May 14, in the ASW Library.

With best regards,

Rob Batchelder, Chair

ASW Board of Trustees

INTERESTED IN SERVING?

Board members come from many backgrounds. Typical backgrounds that add value and perspective to the Board include experience in finance, marketing, construction, risk management or law but there are many other skill/knowledge areas relevant to the school’s work. The most important personal characteristics include, among others, the ability to ask good questions, to maintain a broad and long-term perspective, to put the best interests of the School ahead of personal interests, and a willingness to work constructively with others as a team member.

If you feel you can contribute to the benefit of the school community, you can follow one of the following paths:

Run for election

To be eligible, candidates must be parents or guardians of a current student or students who will remain enrolled at ASW for the following two academic years. Board elections are held in May. Please see the 'Elections' tab on this page for more details. [Note: ASW employees and family members of employees are not eligible for election to the Board of Trustees.]

Apply for board appointment

Interested individuals should contact the Board Chair to express interest in serving on the Board. The Board of Trustees normally appoints new members for one or two year appointments. The appointment process for the following school year is completed by the end of June.

Apply for committee membership

Interested individuals may be selected to support one of the following committees: Finance, Governance, Human Resources, or Strategic Planning (ad hoc). Committees meet monthly. Non-Trustee committee members are typically selected for their expertise in a particular subject matter area, and serves as ad hoc, non-voting members.

Board Meetings:

9 April 2018

5 March 2018

11 December 2017

25 September 2017

19 June 2017

22 May 2017

6 April 2017

6 March 2017

30 January 2017

12 December 2016

14 November 2016

26 September 2016

26 September 2016

Other Documents:

Policy Manual 2017-2018

Updates coming soon

The ASW Board of Trustees deals with issues relating to the school on a strategic level. If you have an issue or question regarding school finances, the strategic plan, long-term building goals, or school governance, you can email the Board of Trustees directly at aswtrustees@aswarsaw.org .

To participate in one of the Board committees, contact Board Chairman, Mr. Robert Batchelder, through the ASW's Chief Administrative Officer: bwaliszkiewicz@aswarsaw.org