Board of Trustees
From its beginnings in 1953 as a parent-driven project to educate the children of American diplomats, to the large, diverse and accredited K-12 IB institution we know today, ASW is the center of a vibrant community of expats and locals from our wonderful host country.
ASW’s Board of Trustees is comprised of parents who work to honor the School’s more than 65-year legacy, strengthen the academic excellence for which it is known, and set the strategic vision and direction for its future success. To accomplish this, the Board works in partnership with the Director and his team, guiding their efforts through policy formulation and adherence, as well as long-term strategic planning.The ASW Board of Trustees is the governing body of the school, responsible for:
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Defining policies and standards
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Shaping strategy and facilitating long-term planning
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Sound financial management
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Hiring and supporting the Director
The Board of Trustees is composed of twelve (12) members: two (2) appointed by the US Ambassador; five (5) members selected and appointed by the existing Board; and, four (4) members of the school community elected by ASW parents. Each elected member serves for a 2-year term, while the term of office for appointed members is no more than three (3) years. The ASW Director is an ex-officio member of the Board.
Board meetings are open to the ASW school community.
If you are interested in serving on the Board of Trustees, please click here to apply.
Board Members
My association with ASW started in 2011 when our oldest son, Nicholas, commenced his high school studies. Currently, our second son, Oliver will be a twelfth-grader in the upcoming academic year. I was born in Poland and moved to the United States being 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 retired. This interest stems from my summer internship jobs I had in the 1980’s 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”.
I have been a proud member of ASW community since 2013 and one of my children is currently enrolled in grade 7. I deeply enjoy the spirit and positive vibe of the school and I have been involved in school life in different positions, most recently as the Warrior Wearhouse Manager.
I was born and brought up in Warsaw but I have always enjoyed the international spirit. I graduated from the University of Warsaw with a master's degree in Computer Science. I also studied Japanese Philology, which led me to spend two years in Japan. I was a Fulbright scholar and received my MBA from Thunderbird School in Arizona.
I worked for international companies like IBM, Oracle and the Boston Consulting Group. Currently I run my own real estate business.
I deeply believe in volunteering and engaging in the community. I have always been very active as a volunteer and I would like to pass that passion to my children. For me, it is a great way to change things for better and make new friends.
As a mother of four kids, I have always been interested in education, in exploring what are the necessary skills and knowledge that transform young learners into successful and happy adults. I am a strong advocate of teaching science to kids and I would like to promote science as an important field of study.
My family and I arrived in Warsaw in 2019 on our second adventure in Poland, previously having lived in Warsaw from 2015-2017. My wife Shawn and I love everything about ASW and are incredibly happy with the school, as are our two daughters Avery (2nd grade) and Harper (K).
I am originally from New Mexico in the US but have traveled the world as a member of the United States Coast Guard. I have worked professionally as a Naval Engineer, Marine Science Officer, Deck Watch Officer, Ice Breaker Sailor, Diver, and Financial Manager. I hold a BS in Marine Environmental Science from the US Coast Guard Academy and an MBA from the University of Maryland.
I retired from the Coast Guard in 2015 and started a financial consulting firm, Avery Harper Solutions,
aimed at providing targeted financial services for small to midsize companies. I enjoy the challenge of using financial data to create the information necessary for organizations to make informed decisions. I hope to use these skills during my tenure with the Board. I also enjoy the camaraderie of meeting other parents for a nice cup of coffee on a nearly daily basis after drop off. For me it represents the best part of ASW, a deeply rooted culture designed to make everyone feel welcome in an exceptional academic setting. I am proud to be a member of the ASW board and will work to maintain everything that makes it special.
A native of Virginia, Matthew Shields is a career Foreign Service Officer, having begun his career as a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State in 1998. Matt has held a variety of jobs in the Foreign Service and has served in various posts around the world, including Nigeria, Costa Rica, Brazil, Washington, Iraq, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and now Poland. Matt is married to Gladys Shields, a native of upstate New York, has one daughter, Sophia—an 12th grader at the American School of Warsaw. Matt enjoys spending time outdoors, reading books about history and politics, and following American baseball. Matt attended James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA, graduating in 1992 with a B.A. in International Affairs.
Ajla has two kids at ASW in grades K and 8, and has served on the board since 2019.
Hello, my name is Dayana Stockdale. I arrived in Warsaw in September of 2019 with my husband and my three children Matthew, who is in third grade, Jacob in Kindergarten, and Alexander, who is only two years old. Poland is the fourth country we have moved to but, ever since we were deciding where our next home would be, we had it very clear that the quality of school was our top deciding factor. ASW has clearly raised the bar high, as a parent of two kids currently in school, my desire is to be involved and to give back and contribute in any way possible to this amazing community.
My professional background stems from the nonprofit sector, participating in different boards as well as coordinating and directing a regional board for the Hispanic Youth Ministry in Michigan. Before I ventured into the nonprofit sector, I worked in the banking industry focusing on helping small businesses develop within minorities through small business loans and financial planning. After we joined the foreign service my career took a turn and I ended up working for the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement US agency as an Outreach Regional Coordinator in Mexico. I am grateful to have gained much experience in Public Affairs, as well as in the importance of Economic and Political relations, with different government agencies. It is an honor to serve on the ASW board and I would like to offer my networking, team building, and action-oriented skills to the best use.
I have earned my bachelor's degree in Economics from Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and my Masters in Management from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids Michigan.
Maria has one daughter in grade 6, and another daughter who graduated from ASW in 2020.
My family and I arrived in Warsaw in 2018 and since then we have been proud members of the ASW community. I have two sons in ASW, Tan (Grade 7) and Can (Grade 11). I work for Procter & Gamble as Vice President for IT, Global Data Management and Central Europe IT Function Leader.
I was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey. I am a computer engineer, graduated from Boğaziçi University. I have many diverse experiences in technology, business and organization in many different countries such as Turkey, Kazakhstan, UAE, India, Switzerland and in Poland with P&G, which gives me the ability to easily navigate and work collaboratively in different cultures and environments. On top of my business and technology leadership roles, I have led Diversity and Inclusion programs across multiple regions in partnership with schools and colleges to contribute to gender equality efforts and inspire young students to pursue STEM careers (careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine).
ASW creates a very productive and happy learning environment by customizing the learning plan for each kid based on their strengths to unlock their potential. As I have been taking a similar approach with many young people in my organization, I believe I can contribute to strengthen and further develop this approach in ASW.
I believe in the importance of community involvement and giving back to the community. It is an honor for me to collaborate and contribute in the strategic direction and future of ASW and leverage my passions and skills and contribute to our community.
Hello, my name is Magda Kowalska. My family joined the ASW community in 2018, having arrived to Warsaw from Cairo. My daughter, Karolina, is an eighth grader. As a family, we have always been part of the international community. In the course of an amazing 20+ years of our international journey, we have moved homes multiple times between countries, started new relationships, integrated into new communities and cultures, and built life time friendships. We lived in Cairo, Kiev, London, Riga, Sofia and Zagreb.
Though I was born and brought up in Gdansk, it felt like we were new comers when we moved to Warsaw. I am passionate and engaged in sustainable development work in both my professional and personal life. I specialize in private equity investing and have been working with organizations like private equity funds and development finance institutions (DFIs) that provide financing and know-how to companies in developing economies.
I am a promoter of equality and inclusion in the workplace and spearheaded a regional conference on the topic in Warsaw in December 2019. I am happy to be part of the ASW diverse community and honored to serve on the Board of Trustees of the school.
I am here to add value with my know-how in finance and project management, relevant experience from corporate boards and to support with my engagement, commitment for building inclusive teams, community and society. As a parent I am striving to pass a spirit of aspiration, engagement, openness and respect on to my young daughter in hope that the new generation will sparkle and accelerate positive changes to our lives.
Our family moved from the Philippines to Poland in 2005 for what was originally a one-year assignment. By happy chance we got to stay on. Together with my lovely wife Conch, we became part of ASW in 2009 with our boys Caleb (17) and Reiley (14), who are actively growing up in the friendly ASW community.
I have over 30 years’ experience in computer development for banking applications and had extensive dealings with multi-cultural teams comprising people from Belgium, India, Singapore, Germany, Taiwan, and the USA among others. I am honored and humbled to be chosen to serve the school and community in which our children are enabled, entrusted, and inspired to grow.
Ethnically Chinese, born in the US, and raised in the Philippines (truly the definition of diverse), I hope to be able to share my experience working with different cultures with tolerance, resiliency, and understanding as we work together towards a common goal. With the great differences, it is in knowing what our values are, which makes decision making easier. As a devoted Catholic, my family is actively involved in church activities and currently working for the Wilanow Shrine to provide regular English mass.
I believe with all of us working together with our goals in front of us and our values as our base, we can face all the challenges and look forward to a bright year ahead.
Get Involved
INTERESTED IN SERVING?
If you are interested in serving on the Board of Trustees, please click here to apply.
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 Board is currently seeking Association members with experience in fields like human resources, fundraising/development, and strategic planning. We are also seeking association members with strong social networks within both ASW and our host community.
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 Documents
Strategic Planning
Committees
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.
Chair: TBD
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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 approval, an independent auditing firm to audit the School’s financial statement and accounts.
Chair: Paul Rodriguez
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Monitoring and Risk Management Committee
The Monitoring and Risk Management Committee has a role to develop and manage a review cycle of school policy to consider the utility and functional viability of all adopted policies. With human resources being the most critical asset of the school, the Committee focuses on monitoring policies ensuring a high level of employee satisfaction and well-being. The Committee is also responsible for managing Governmental Relations, risk assessment, mitigation monitoring, non-financial audits of systems and procedures, and accreditations.
Chair: Matthew Shields
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Advancement Committee
The Advancement Committee supports and oversees formal strategic planning and the areas of admissions, marketing, and communications. It focuses on broad issues with a multi-year consequence including endowments and scholarship programs. The Committee enables the Board to be more involved in external outreach including further fostering of contacts with the local community, developing corporate partnerships, and extending alumni contacts. The Committee oversees the outcomes of strategic planning and development of new strategic initiatives.
Chair: Esra Yavuz
Contact
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 Chair, Mr. Gregory Liddle, through the ASW's Chief Administrative Officer: bwaliszkiewicz@aswarsaw.org
Please note: If your question or issue has to do with the operations of the school, please go through the procedure listed in the school handbooks, contacting the teacher first, if possible and then moving up the organizational chain of command.