Náše týmy

Jan Švihálek
jan.svihalek(zavinac)isob.cz

I was born in Brno, where I live now together with my family. Both my parents and some of my grandparents are teachers, so my professional path was quite clear. I earned my Master's at the Pedagogical Faculty of Masaryk University specialising in German and Physical Education and I have been teaching PE and German language at various schools since I was a universtity student. I have been working as Head of School at the International School of Brno since it's founding in 2008. I speak English, German, Spanish, Russian and Czech. I am also an active musician, with passion for literature and art.

Sara Akbari
sara.akbari(zavinac)isob.cz

Creating inspirational educational environments has always been an ongoing passion for me. I received my master's degree and teaching degree from London and after working a few years in England, I decided to travel further afield and broaden my horizons. Once I was in Dubai I started my leadership career in an MYP/DP school and decided then that this was the path I would continue, as the IB curriculum truly embodies what education is about, sparking the natural curiosity of students through challenging yet significant inquiry. From Dubai I continued onwards to the German Embassy School of Tehran a PYP school with very high academic standards and diverse cultures, that continued to develop my skills for creating meaningful actions in a global community. I feel very honored to be starting my new career at the International School of Brno with an outstanding group of educators. I was very warmly greeted by the school community in March and I would like to take this opportunity ahead of time to thank my team for fostering, what I know will be, an inspirational, caring and an intellectually stimulating academic year for our students.

Christianna Simmons
christianna.simmons(zavinac)isob.cz

Hello! My name is Chrissy Simmons, and I am excited to join the International School of Brno as the PYP Principal. Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, I have worked in international education since 2009, with experience across Asia, the Middle East, and now Europe. In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing music, and traveling. I am excited to be part of the ISOB community and look forward to getting to know our students and their families throughout the school year.

Dylan Vance
dylan.vance(zavinac)isob.cz

I grew up in Thunder Bay Canada on the north shore of Lake Superior. I have a BA in Philosophy and am currently working towards a Master's in Education specialising in Administrative Leadership. I have been teaching for over ten years and am very proud to see how far ISB has come as I've been here since the beginning. Along with spending time with my family, I love cooking, photography and playing music. I can speak English, Czech and French.

Barbara Albrechtová
barbara.albrechtova(zavinac)isob.cz

I am from Brno and hold two Master's degrees: one in Experimental Biology and in the other in Secondary School Education specialising in Physical Education. I've been teaching at ISB for two years now and I'm also the IB Diploma Programme Coordinator. While I was studying, I belonged to a figure staking club here in Brno - first as an athlete and later as a coach. Besides sports, I love nature and animals. I speak English and French.

Lara Mayer
lara.mayer(zavinac)isob.cz

I am Australian and have a Bachelor of Education (Primary) from the University of New England. I taught in government schools in Sydney and London, and PYP schools in Kyiv and Ulm (Germany). I love gardening, crafts such as cross stitch and crochet, and visiting new places. I am excited to be here in Brno and am looking forward to learning more about Czech culture.

Estelle Schoeman
estelle.schoeman(zavinac)isob.cz

I am from the beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa. I obtained my teaching certificate from the University of Cape Town and have recently completed my Masters in Advanced Teaching. I grew up in central and southern Africa, before broadening my horizons and moving to Asia. Before coming to Brno, I was living and working in Hanoi, Vietnam, and prior to that in Seoul, South Korea. I love spending time outdoors and I especially love to hike. I also really enjoy doing yoga, reading, listening to live music and being creative through pottery and sketching. My ultimate aim as an educator is to instil a love for learning in my students as I share my lifelong commitment for learning with them.

Lenka Caine
lenka.caine(zavinac)isob.cz

Hi, my name is Lenka Caine. I’m originally from Namest nad Oslavou. I have studied Social Work at Vocational School of Social Matters in Brno. After finishing my studies as a social worker I moved to Uk, where I lived till last year. In Uk I completed Diploma for the Young People’s Workforce and attended many other courses to further progress my knowledge in this field.

Paul Guerin
paul.guerin(zavinac)isob.cz

I moved from London to Brno with my family in 2022, having enjoyed a 27 year career teaching a range of subjects at secondary level, leading on IT and business studies, as well as spending the best part of two decades in educational management and leadership as assistant or deputy headteacher. I studied geography with a focus on political and economic geography, and Information Technology at the College of St Mark and St John - Exeter University - before completing my teacher training at the University of Wales.

Jerbylyn Agtutubo
jerbylyn.agtutubo(zavinac)isob.cz

Hi! I’m Ms Bing. I graduated with a degree in Secondary Education majoring in Mathematics from the Philippine Normal University and completed my Master’s degree in Educational Measurement and Evaluation from Miriam College. I am from the Philippines but have lived in several countries, teaching IB MYP/DP Mathematics to Secondary students for the last 12 years. I taught at a Cambridge IGCSE school in Indonesia, and IB Continuum schools in the Philippines, Mexico, Japan and most recently in Albania. I enjoy traveling and meeting people from different cultures, and working with students from different cultural backgrounds is something I have grown accustomed to. This is my first year at Brno and also at ISOB and I am really excited to be part of this school community.

Lavin Benes
lavin.benes(zavinac)isob.cz

Hello, my name is Lavin and I am from Palm Springs, California! I have been in the Czech Republic since 2022 and have had the privilege of sharing my love for math with all the students in Primary. When I am not igniting the excitement of math on campus, you can find me training for triathlons, Brazilian Ju Jitsu, cooking, or practicing my new found love for gardening. I love being an active part of the growth here at ISB and your child's education journey!

Jazmin Herrera
jazmin.herrera(zavinac)isob.cz

Hello! My name is Ms. Jazmin Herrera, and I am one of the new After School Club teachers. I am from the United States of America and am a second year student at Masaryk University working towards a Medical Degree. Some of my hobbies include pottery, reading and learning new languages. With this, I hope to bring a good mixture of science and art into the After School Club for your child(ren) to enjoy. I am honored to be a part of ISB and excited to have the opportunity to work with all of the incredible students at the International School of Brno.

Tamara Penn
tamara.penn(zavinac)isob.cz

Originally from New York, I have spent most of my adult life living overseas and teaching mathematics at international schools in Asia, Latin America and Europe. My passion is to help students see the beauty and relevance of mathematics in their world. I have a Master's degree in Math and Technology and have worked with the IB for the past 15 years as an MYP/DP mathematics teacher and examiner. In my free time, I enjoy travel adventures, nature photography, learning auto mechanics, and reading mystery novels.

Hana Polanská
hana.polanska(zavinac)isob.cz

Hello my name is Ms. Hana, I am originally from Brno. I studied at Akademie Sting, o. p. s., Business economy and management. I love playing sports, reading, and spending time with my family and friends . I am very happy to be a member of the ISB team!

Anie Kubíková
anna.marie.kubikova(zavinac)isob.cz

Hi, I am Anie and I am sitting at the reception. I take care of multiple administration tasks and I am in contact with everyone who comes to our school. I am originally from Moravian-Silesia region and came to Brno to study and decided to stay here forever. I have two daughters and I love spending time with them and my husband. In my free time I enjoy music, books paired with good coffee, visiting new places and camping.

Michaela Seidlová
michaela.seidlova(zavinac)isob.cz

Hi! My name is Míša and I’m from the Czech Republic. I grew up in Eastern Bohemia and moved to Brno for my studies at the University. I have tried many different jobs like administrative assistant in a law and insolvency office, real estate agent or cafe manager. I don't like stereotypes, so I really enjoy the varied work, which I found here at ISB. I love spending my free time with my friends and family, also I like reading, nature walks, listening to music and exploring international cuisine and culture.

Hana Mohrová
hana.mohrova(zavinac)isob.cz

I am from Brno. After finishing my secondary school I left for London where I spent more than 2 years. Later I studied a Master’s Programme in Translating and Interpreting English/German at Charles University in Prague. I spent one semester at the University of Vienna and one semester at George Washington University in Washington D.C. Since my graduation I have been working as a translator. I enjoy spending time with my family, genealogy, hiking in the nature and growing herbs and vegetables in my garden.

Lucie Vlachová
lucie.vlachova(zavinac)isob.cz

I’m genuinely interested in people and their stories. My career has taken me from over ten years in corporate procurement and supplier management to recruitment, global mobility and HR.
Today, I’m responsible for HR at ISB, and I’m happy to grow in an environment that inspires me, working with colleagues from different backgrounds and with different experiences. Whether it’s a new teacher finding their way around Brno or a colleague with years of experience, my goal is always the same: to be there with care, reliability and a human touch.

Vladimír Konopáč
vladimir.konopac(zavinac)isob.cz

I live near Brno in the village Veverska Bityska. I graduated with a Master's degree in Applied Computer Science and with an MBA in Cyber Security. Every day when students and teachers have technical problems, I'm here to save you! I will set up Internet connections, printer connections, repair computers, laptops and projectors, and even help with education about modern technologies. When you get lost in the digital world, I will show you the way. I love spending time with my family. My hobbies are my work, travelling, skiing, swimming and Formula 1.

Valentine Švihálek
valentine.svihalek(zavinac)isob.cz

I am from San Diego and Antwerp. I am bilingual English and Flemish, and speak limited Czech. After completing my Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, I enjoyed graduate studies in K-12 Teaching, Special Education, and Literacy, Culture and TESOL. I have been teaching for over 10 years in four countries. I love playing sports, creating abstract paintings, writing, and spending time with my friends and family.