School Leadership | American Community School of Abu Dhabi

Our community’s leaders exemplify the ACS Core Values and work to ensure that the school is delivering on its mission on a daily basis.

Senior Leadership Team

Monique Flickinger

Superintendent

Monique Flickinger

Monique has more than 20 years experience of teaching and leading in the United States, Canada, Costa Rica and Panama. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Brigham Young University, Utah; a Masters degree in Education from University of Victoria, Canada; a certificate of Teaching and Leading from Harvard University and is currently writing her dissertation for her doctorate at the University of Wyoming. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Brad, and together they have raised two adventurous children (Lexie and Peter) who are now grown and married. Monique loves to cook, can always find a little extra time for shoe shopping and has a known weakness for chocolate!

Amy Greene

Assistant Superintendent

Amy Greene

Amy completed her BA in history and her MEd at the University of Maryland. In 2002, after five years of teaching high school social studies in the United States, she accepted a job at the Zurich International School in Switzerland, where she held a variety of positions: teacher, Ninth Grade Academy Coordinator, Advanced Placement (AP) Coordinator, and for the last eight years, High School Assistant Principal. Amy’s educational philosophy reflects her experience playing NCAA Division I basketball; her understanding of teamwork, coaching, and hands-on learning is reflected in her focus on advisory programs, facilitative leadership, transitions, and Project Based Learning. An avid reader and enthusiastic traveler, Amy and her husband Rob Pfeiffer, a Middle School Math teacher, can often be found playing or watching sports with their two boys.

Bobbi Donison

Director of Learning

Bobbi Donison

Bobbi with 20 years of experience as an educator, holds a BA and BEd from the University of British Columbia and an MA from Royal Roads University. After teaching in Canada and China, she now serves as the Director of Teaching and Learning in Abu Dhabi. She has taken on various roles throughout her career, including classroom teacher, curriculum coordinator, and educational leader. Bobbi strongly values relationships and collaboration, believing that meaningful connections between educators, students, and the community are the foundation of successful learning. Her approach centers on strengths-based learning, personalized instruction, and fostering a growth mindset. Outside of work, Bobbi enjoys traveling and spending time with her family. She and her husband, a high school science teacher, have two children and enjoy staying active and exploring the outdoors together.

Christina Devitt

Director of Learning Innovation and Technology

Christina Devitt

Christina joined the ACS community in 2021. She holds a degree in Computer Science and Masters in Liberal Arts and Philosophy and has been a teacher and technology leader for many years, working in schools in Brooklyn, NY (where she and her husband call home), Japan and Indonesia. She has relished working in schools at a time when digital tools and the innovator’s mindset are helping to transform every aspect of education, not to mention being critical to keeping us all connected.

Heather Collins

ES Principal

Heather Collins

Heather joined ACS in 2020 from the International School of Düsseldorf where she worked as the Elementary School Principal. She has enjoyed working and living in many different communities around the world. The diverse experiences from Colombia, Mexico, Canada, USA, Syria, Brazil and Germany, have helped shape who she is as a leader, educator and learner. Heather enjoys getting outdoors and exploring because she believes the world we experience outdoors on a daily basis continuously sparks our curiosity and feeds our inherent need to learn. She is joined in Abu Dhabi by her husband, Kevin, who works in the High School as a Science teacher. They have two adult children, Georgia and Sam, in Canada.

Karl Poulin

MS Principal

Karl Poulin

Karl hails from Canada and has worked in international education for more than 20 years. He believes in the power of communities, learning and staying true to oneself. Karl has a master’s in Educational Leadership and is working on completing his Doctorate in Organizational Leadership. Before joining ACS, Karl taught and served in various leadership positions in China, Saudi Arabia, the Dominican Republic and in Lebanon. He joined the ACS community with his wife, Sabine, who works in the Elementary School. They have three sons. Karl is a passionate hockey fan (Go Leafs Go!) and enjoys reading, cooking, diving, traveling and getting out for the occasional run.

Kathy Mackay

HS Principal

Kathy Mackay

Kathy just completed her eleventh-year tenure as Principal of Poudre High IB World School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Technical Communication and a Master of Educational Leadership and Human Resource Studies from Colorado State University. Kathy also earned a Certificate of Educational Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and was selected as a fellow for “School Retool,” a Stanford University leadership program focused on change management through the lens of deeper learning. Kathy is passionate about maintaining a positive school culture centered on belonging and respect, while challenging students to reach their full potential. Kathy is joined in Abu Dhabi with her husband, Kerry and their son, a first grader at ACS. They also have two older sons, who are attending university.

Leadership Team

Hanadi Dayyeh

Chair of Arabic Institute of Excellence and Director of Arabic Studies

Dr. Hanadi Dayyeh

Hanadi is a specialist in Arabic language and linguistics and has taught Arabic to native and non-native speakers for more than 15 years. She led and audited Arabic programs in several international and American schools in countries including Lebanon, Jordan, Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE and has trained Arabic language teachers in international conferences and private schools. She chaired the Near East South Asia (NESA) Arabic Advisory group and is also a member of the American Education Reaches Out (AERO) World Language team that oversees the development, implementation and review of world languages standards and benchmarks in international and American overseas schools. She also has developed Arabic programs for both heritage and non-native speakers from KG1 through middle school. Hanadi and her husband moved from Beirut where she was the Curriculum and Arabic Program Coordinator. They have two daughters, one in university and another in our High School.

Robert Desormeau

MS Assistant Principal

Robert Desormeau

Rob is from Ontario, Canada, and has been an educator in international schools for more than 15 years in China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. He enjoys living overseas and the many traveling experiences that have helped him continue to be an open-minded, lifelong learner. He is also an avid sports fan who grew up playing multiple competitive sports. Rob is joined by his wife, Amy Mulvihill, who teaches in the Elementary School, and their two children, who attend the ACS Elementary School.

Preben Gietz

Director of Athletics & Activities

Preben Gietz

As an international educator, Preben has more than 10 years of experience in providing students of all ages with opportunities to participate in sports and in developing co-curricular activity offerings. He has worked in schools of all sizes and in many different cultural settings. Preben's personal background - being born in Germany, having grown up in an international environment in Belgium where he obtained the International Baccalaureate diploma and attending college as a student-athlete in the United States – allows him to appreciate the value of cultural diversity within a school’s community and the role co-curricular engagement plays in developing a young person’s character. He holds a Master of Education in Athletic Administration from Endicott College, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Clark University.

Preben and his wife, Emily, have two young children. He enjoys being active, listening to a wide range of podcasts and has recently developed an interest in cooking, which Emily hopes is not just a fad.

Evelyn Lucero

ES Assistant Principal

Evelyn Lucero

Joining ACS in 2022, Evelyn has more than 20 years of experience in education as a K-12 curriculum coordinator, classroom teacher and instructional coach. She also worked at Saigon South International School in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, as the Elementary School Literacy and Social Studies Coach and Summer School Director. She has also worked in Beijing, China and Los Angeles, California, USA. Evelyn is a National Board Certified Teacher with a Master in Educational Administration from California State University, Northridge and a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts from Azusa Pacific University. She holds a Teaching Credential and Administrative Credential from the state of California.

Meme Spurgeon

Director of Student Support Services

Meme Spurgeon

Meme has worked in education for more than 25 years. She believes that fairness is not about giving everyone the same thing, but about giving each student what they need to be successful. This is what drives her as an educator and a leader. Her experience with special education prompted her to create and author a direct-instruction program. She has served in various leadership roles in grades K-12 and holds a Master of Education in Exceptional Student Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Her greatest reward is that she plays a role in the lives of so many students, by helping them surpass milestones and overcome barriers many people thought were impossible. Outside of school, she enjoys outdoor activities both on land and in the water. MeMe is an avid reader and does not go anywhere without her Kindle. She also likes to attend concerts, plays and any theater-based activities and is ready to take full advantage of the numerous activities offered in Abu Dhabi.

Jeff Wessel

HS Assistant Principal

Jeff Wessel

Jeff is an experienced international educational leader from the United States. He earned his undergraduate degree while living in his adopted hometown of Saint Augustine, Florida, where he began his teaching career. Jeff has now been an educator and school leader for over 17 years, and his career has taken him to Florida, Dubai, Singapore, Qatar, and now back to the UAE. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of North Florida, a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Massachusetts and an Administrative Credential in Educational Leadership in Washington, D.C. Jeff is joined by his wife and two young daughters, who are enjoying their new community at ACS. Outside of school, Jeff enjoys spending time outdoors: hiking, fishing and camping. He also loves to visit new places, try interesting foods and cook for family and friends.

Operational Leadership Team

Mahmoud Bafagih

Director of Government Relations

Mahmoud Bafagih

Mahmoud has been a member of the ACS community since 1995. Originally from Mombasa, Kenya, Mahmoud has lived in the UAE for more than 30 years. Mahmoud loves watching, playing and coaching soccer. He is the proud coach of the ACS Under-14 Boys Soccer Team!

Yvette Campbell

Director of Institutional Advancement

Yvette L. Campbell

Yvette has been actively involved in the Abu Dhabi community prior to joining ACS leadership in 2019. She served as a business development consultant to the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and has also served as a Board of Trustee member at ACS. In the United States, she was the President and CEO of the Harlem School for Arts and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Yvette holds a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics and Dramatic Art-Dance from the University of California Berkley. Her eldest daughter is a 2019 graduate of ACS and her younger daughter is a 2022 graduate of ACS. Yvette is a passionate and committed not-for-profit professional who enjoys dance.

Jacqueline King

Director of Finance

Jacqueline King

Jacqueline is a Canadian Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with over 25 years of experience in finance and accounting. In addition to her roles within Canada, she managed financial operations for King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia and served as Director of Finance at the University of Calgary in Qatar.

Jodi Lefort

Director of Admissions

Jodi Lefort

Jodi and her family joined ACS in August 2016 but have lived and worked in the region since 2000. She has a daughter enrolled in ACS and three adult children.

Jodi has more than 25 years’ experience as an educator. Before arriving in Abu Dhabi, she was Assistant Director of the Takatuf Scholars Programme, a scholarship program initiated by Oman Oil Company. Prior to this, most of Jodi’s career as an educator has been at the tertiary level working with academic writing and student support programs. In 2007, Jodi joined other like-minded colleagues in the region to form the Middle East North Africa Writing Centers Alliance (MENAWCA). Jodi served as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in the early 90s, working as a teacher trainer at Luhansk Pedagogical Institute in Ukraine. She has an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction.

Ashiq Muhammed

Director of Facilities and Maintenance

Marise Jayendran

Director of Human Resources

Marise Jayendran

Marise comes from Oakville, Ontario, Canada. She is a certified human resources specialist and has worked both in healthcare and education in Canada, South Korea, China and South Africa. She and her husband, Jay, are the proud parents of 'Kaitlin, ACS class of 2019 and Celina, ACS class of 2022. The Jayendrans enjoy traveling all over the world and experiencing new adventures.

Yahaira Pineda

Director of Communications

Yahaira Pineda

Yahaira brings extensive experience in the education sector, having served as the Chief Communications Officer at ASDoha since 2017. Her career includes significant roles within international higher education at Drexel University and as a Senior Education Advisor for the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Yahaira has demonstrated expertise in managing and developing communications strategies with both internal and external stakeholders in various educational environments. Yahaira holds an undergraduate degree in International Business from Howard University and a Master’s degree in Global and International Education from Drexel University.