Employees

Áróra Gunnarsdóttir is originally from Ísafjörður. In addition to her work at ISI, she is a Certified tourist guide from the Iceland Tourist Guide School, from which she graduated in 2015.

She has a passion for languages and different cultures and loves to travel and work with children. Before coming to ISI, she has lived and volunteered in Mexico, working with children ages 3-16. In her free time, she enjoys singing/playing guitar, reading and travelling the country with her daughter.

Email: arora@internationalschool.is

• arora@internationalschool.is

Berta has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Boston University and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Growing up in Saudi Arabia, Berta attended international schools in both Saudi Arabia and Italy. She has many years of teaching experience, having taught all levels, from kindergarten to university preparation in the U.S., Iceland and Japan.

In 2004, Berta founded the International School of Iceland. She has attended numerous conferences and workshops on education through the European Council of International Schools and AERO Office of Overseas Schools in Washington DC.

​Email: berta@internationalschool.is

• berta@internationalschool.is

Daniel Roh graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor's Degree in English. He worked in a 5th grade math classroom for a year in Richmond, Virginia and was an instructor at the NYC Outward Bound Schools and Northwest Outward Bound Schools in New York, Washington State and Oregon. He has also volunteered as a GED Instructor at the Richmond City Justice Center for Incarcerated Residents. His educational philosophy is centered around Outdoor and Experiential Education. He believes in cultivating student self-sufficiency by empowering academic, social and emotional development in all aspects of student life.

Outside of the classroom, Daniel is an Association of Icelandic Mountain Guides certified Glacier 1 and Mountain 1 guide and graduate of the FAS Mountaineering school. He writes about Iceland and the outdoors for small online publications. Please say hello if you see him around town with his young son and large Icelandic family!

• daniel@internationalschool.is

Elísa Ósk has a Masters degree in Special Education and a B.Sc. degree in psychology. She has worked as a behavioral instructor for children with special needs, specializing in social skills and behavioral training, since 2012.

Elísa grew up surrounded by mountains in the Westfjords of Iceland. She enjoys music and plays the guitar.

Email: elisa@internationalschool.is

• elisa@internationalschool.is

Ella grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in the United States before pursuing a BA at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. At UW-Madison, she earned two majors, one in Spanish and one in Communication Sciences and Disorders, as well as a certificate in Scandinavian Studies. Ella then moved to Washington State to complete an MS in Speech and Hearing Sciences.

During the Fall of 2016 Ella studied at the University of Oslo and interned at an outdoor educational program for kids in Norway ages 4-14 years. During her final year of graduate studies, she worked as an interning Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) at several different primary and secondary schools in Washington State. Ella spent a year working as a licensed SLP in early childhood intervention with the birth-three population. It is there she acquired her passions for working with families, parent/teacher coaching, and the intersections between community support, communication in children, and mental health.

Outside of being an SLP, Ella loves to learn about psychology, neuroscience, theology, art, and different languages and cultures. She also loves camping, traveling, writing, being around trees, soccer, music, spending time with loved ones, and swimming in any body of water she can find.

• ella@internationalschool.is

Ellie (Eleanor) Wheeler graduated from the University of Karlsruhe (Germany) with a B.Ed in Primary Education with a focus on bilingual teaching. She is currently completing her M.Ed from the same University. During her graduate studies, she worked as an English, maths and science tutor. During the past term, Ellie completed her internship at the International School of Iceland. This adds to her experience teaching in primary schools in Germany and England.
In her free time Ellie enjoys a variety of interests including running, cycling, and hiking in the forest. Additionally she also volunteers with a guides group and has a passion for travel.

• ellie@internationalschool.is

Hanna has extensive experience in the private sector, both as an administrator and entrepreneur. She received a BA in Human Development and Educational Science from the University of Iceland in 2005. In 2007, she received her MA in Education Administration and Leadership from the same university. She joined the ISI team in 2007. In 2008, she was promoted to Assistant Headmistress and, in 2013, to Headmistress.

Hanna has attended numerous courses and conferences on leadership with the European Council of International Schools, AERO Office of Overseas Schools and Dale Carnegie.

A true believer in the partnership between home and school, Hanna sat as a member of the School Board, School Council and as President of the Parent Association in Alftanes Primary School.

Email: hanna@internationalschool.is

• hanna@internationalschool.is

Hanna Sirrý graduated from the University of Iceland with a B.Ed in 2013 and a Master's in Teaching in 2021.
​
Hanna Sirrý has experience teaching both in Iceland and abroad. Before coming to ISI, she taught English as a second language to children in Thailand, Cambodia, and Brazil. She also worked as an assistant humanities teacher in a secondary school in England. In Iceland, she worked as a substitute teacher for Sjálandsskóli.

Hanna Sirrý has experience with and an affinity for the principles of Responsive Classroom methods, having attended workshops in the past and implemented the practices throughout her teaching.

Hanna Sirrý is a board member of Stop the Traffik, an organization in Iceland with the goal to raise awareness about human trafficking and inhumane work conditions. She also frequently participates in improv theater courses. She has an active interest in environmental sustainability and enjoys spending time with her two daughters.

• hannasirry@internationalschool.is

Jaris graduated from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), obtaining a BA in Early Childhood Education and Care in 2021. Her multicultural background (Greece, Spain, Dominican Republic) has motivated her to engage in learning experiences in the field of Intercultural Education. She has volunteered in the Refugee Camp of Filippiada (2016), in Thessaloniki’s “School of Nature” summer camp (2019), and completed two 6 month internships in Greek public kindergartens. Additionally, she completed 2 Erasmus internships, at the University of Eastern Finland (2020), and at the International School of Iceland (2021).

Jaris was part of a theatre group and attended a Training Seminar about "Feasible Theater in Education"(Panhellenic Network for theater in education, 12/2019). She enjoys travelling, camping and playing board games.

• jaris@internationalschool.is

Originally from Germany, Kirsten has a BA in Early Education from Alte-Eichen in Hamburg, Germany. Her MA, in Elementary School Education, is from Elly-Heuss-Knapp. Kirsten also attended art school for 2 years at Christian-Albrecht University in Kiel, Germany.

Kirsten has more than 20 years of teaching experience in Europe and the United States. She worked in Sweden at the International School of Lund, in the US at St. James Episcopal School in Los Angeles and Cedar Creek Elementary School in Canyon County, CA.

In addition to her education degrees, Kirsten studied Art History and Painting, Drawing and Sculpture at Temple University in Rome. Her talent and experience is perfect as the Art Department Head at ISI.

Kirsten has also completed Forest School Teaching training (Level 3) which allows her to teach effectively in nature. Kirsten loves horses and dance. She started horseback riding at age 5 and is a certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning, specializing in Interactive Vaulting. She has danced professionally and at a competitive level for 13 years and is a certified Ballroom Dance instructor (Level 1) from the Dance Vision International Dance Association.

• kirsten@internationalschool.is

Lára worked at Sierra Vista Kirk Baucher School in Modesto, California, from 1999 to 2012. At first, she taught art and culture related subjects to children ages 6 to 14. As she was going to school, she served as support staff in various classrooms until she graduated from Stanislaus with a degree in Art and minor in Art History. In 2005, she took over teaching technology at the same school as well as yearbook creation with the help of the 7th and 8th grade students.

Since returning to Iceland in 2012, she has taught Icelandic at Centrum Studium Linguae in addition to her work at ISI. In the summer of 2013, she attended the IPC Summer School conference in the Netherlands.

She is currently enrolled in a program to earn an International Teacher Certificate through Cambridge University and the European Council of International Schools (ECIS).

Beyond teaching, Lára is an accomplished artist. She participated in a group show at the Jay Jay Art Gallery in Sacramento, CA, in 2012. The following year, she showed her art at the Götusýning Reykjavik Art Festival.

• lara@internationalschool.is

Lucy originates from Scotland and graduated with a B.Ed in Primary Education from the University of Edinburgh. In 2020, she achieved a PG.Cert. in Bilingualism in Education from the University of Birmingham.

Lucy taught in a primary school in Scotland before joining ISI in 2013. During the summer breaks, she has enjoyed traveling to different parts of the world. She has worked as an arts and crafts specialist at a children’s summer camp in New York and spent two summers teaching English to children in Kenya and Bali.

In the summer of 2018, Lucy participated in an AERO workshop in Washington D.C. which focused on the teaching of English Language Arts within the curriculum.

• lucy@internationalschool.is

Ólafur graduated from the University of Iceland with a B.Ed in 1998 and has taught music ever since. He is a full-time music teacher at our host school, Sjálandsskóli, and has taught ISI students since 2007. In addition, he works part-time at the University of Arts. Alongside his teaching, he is working on a MA degree at the University of Iceland.

Music is Óli´s passion and he is both a classical and jazz pianist. He can also play various other instruments, when necessary. In his free time, he creates educational materials for the National Association of Educational Materials, plays football, reads and, of course, listens to music!

• olafurs@sjalandsskoli.is

Pam has a Diploma in Educational studies from the University of Iceland. She also completed B.A. degrees in Icelandic for Foreigners and English at the same university.

Originally from England, Pam worked in scientific research before setting off on her travels. She lived and worked in Australia and Israel before arriving in Iceland in 1986. During her time in Iceland, Pam has taught English in Icelandic primary and secondary education, adult ESL and in the Moðurmál English Program.

At ISI, she teaches English and Humanities. Pam is passionate about literature and all things connected to reading. As a result, she is perfectly suited to being the school librarian.

Pam has been the High School coordinator since September 2016.

Pam has been teaching at the International School of Iceland since 2004, apart from the 2011-2012 school year, when she was on sabbatical at the International School of Oslo.

• pamla@internationalschool.is

Rachael grew up in Columbia, South Carolina in the United States. She has earned an undergraduate degree in English Literature from Furman University, a master's degree in English from Wake Forest University, and a second master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston University.

Rachael has worked in K-12 education in a variety of contexts. After completing her master's degree at Wake Forest, she moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to serve as the Coordinator for Youth Leadership and Education at a community nonprofit. In this role, she organized educational programs for K-12 students focusing on local history and oral history storytelling. She then moved to Lynn, Massachusetts after accepting a secondary English teaching position. Throughout the next four years, she taught 9th, 10th, and 11th grade English Language Arts, Multimedia Journalism, and Creative Writing. At ISI, she teaches English and Humanities and works with the IB team.

Outside of working in education, Rachael loves reading, cooking new and exciting foods, being outdoors, knitting, and spending time with family and friends. She graduated from Háskóla Íslands with a diploma in Icelandic as a Second Language, and is continuing to learn in her spare time. Her favorite things about living in Iceland are the beautiful nature and being closer to family and loved ones.

• rachael@internationalschool.is