ITP - 55: Diversity in International School Leadership

Kent: Hey, welcome to the International Teacher Podcast. I'm Kent, the cat guy, and with me today is Greg, the single guy. How you doing, Greg?

Greg: I'm doing great, Kent. You know Matt's playing softball right now, but I can't wait to do this episode.

Kent: Why can't you, Greg?

Greg: Because one of our guests is dialing in actually from your hometown of Seattle.

Kent: Wow, who's our guest today?

Greg: We actually have two guests, don’t we? Aparna is joining us from Guadalajara, Mexico, and Alan is coming in from Seattle. Welcome to the show.

Aparna: Yes, I am.

Alan: Hi guys.

Kent: Hi, welcome Alan and Aparna. So glad to have you.

Greg: The last time I talked with you, Alan, you were in Ho Chi Minh City, and now you're in Seattle. I can’t wait to get into this because this whole episode is about the Diversity Collective. I didn’t know a whole lot about it, but I did some research and I’d love to hear more.

Greg: Alan, could you start us off and give us a little bit of your journey into international education?

Alan: Good morning everyone from Seattle. My home right now is actually in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, but I’m in Seattle for another reason. My journey started in the year 2000. That winter before, I went to a recruitment fair from ISS in Boston during a huge snowstorm, and I was able to get a job as a school counselor in Mexico City.

Alan: That was 23 years ago. I started there as a counselor, and that’s where I met Aparna. From there, I’ve gone all over the world—Belgium, back to Mexico City where I became an administrator, then London as a middle school principal, then Barcelona, Chennai in India, Shanghai, and now Vietnam. Next school year, I’m moving back to Seattle.

Kent: You’re one of those world travelers. I love having guests like you on because you have so much to share.

Greg: Aparna, can you give us your journey?

Aparna: Sure. I was working in Northern California in the Bay Area and wanted to go abroad like many teachers. I came to Guadalajara for my first international job and met my husband within three months. He’s from Mexico City, so I moved there, got married, had children, and Mexico became home.

Aparna: I had envisioned moving around every couple of years, but instead I settled. My biggest move after that was relocating to Cleveland, Ohio, which was a very different experience. That’s where I entered the independent school world, which is similar in many ways to international schools.

Aparna: Over the past decade, I’ve focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion work. Even 20 years ago, Alan and I were doing this work in Mexico City without realizing it. Now I’m working full-time on the Diversity Collective with Alan.

Greg: Let’s talk about that. What exactly is the Diversity Collective?

Alan: We are a recruiting and consulting agency. On the recruiting side, we provide a free platform for candidates from underrepresented communities to connect with schools working to diversify their staff.

Alan: On the consulting side, we provide recruitment training, bias training, and support for inclusive hiring and retention. We also help schools throughout their DEI journey.

Kent: That’s really powerful work. What does the candidate pool look like?

Aparna: There are many educators from underrepresented groups who are interested in international teaching. We want them to know there are opportunities and that schools are looking for them.

Aparna: We’re also focused on leadership—encouraging more women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ educators to move into leadership roles.

Greg: That’s a big gap.

Greg: If I’m a candidate, what does the process look like?

Alan: You create an account, upload your CV, provide references, and once verified, you can view opportunities. For leadership candidates, we often connect more directly to support them.

Kent: So this is long-term development, not just placement.

Alan: Exactly—it’s about building a pipeline.

Greg: How do people connect with you?

Alan: Usually email first, then video calls if needed.

Kent: Aparna, quick clarification—independent schools are basically private schools?

Aparna: Yes, generally speaking.

Kent: Do teachers ever hesitate to leave their communities?

Aparna: Sometimes, but bigger concerns are identity and what life will look like abroad—especially for underrepresented groups.

Alan: Representation matters globally. Students need to see themselves reflected in teachers and leaders.

Alan: As an Asian male who is openly gay, I’ve often been the only person like me in leadership roles. Parents have told me how meaningful that representation is.

Aparna: Schools also need to think about what representation really means. If a school identifies as “American,” that identity should reflect diversity.

Greg: That’s important.

Greg: Let’s talk about the pipeline.

Alan: It starts with hiring diverse teachers, then mentoring them into leadership roles. Without that, representation drops at higher levels.

Aparna: It’s also about confidence. People don’t always see themselves in leadership if they haven’t seen others like them there.

Greg: Is the work getting easier?

Aparna: There’s more awareness, but sustained commitment is still a challenge.

Greg: For listeners—how can they connect?

Alan: Visit our website, create a profile, and reach out. We also share resources on social media.

Aparna: And don’t hesitate—even if you’re just exploring.

Kent: Or forever thinking about it.

Greg: Or forever.

Kent: What about schools?

Alan: Schools can partner with us for recruitment and consulting. It requires real commitment.

Greg: Final question—what gives you hope?

Alan: Seeing candidates succeed and create a ripple effect.

Aparna: And the fact that these conversations are happening more openly now.

Greg: That’s a great way to end it. Alan, Aparna, thank you both for coming on the show.

Alan: Thank you for having us.

Aparna: Thank you—this was great.

Greg: And to our listeners, thanks for tuning in. We’ll see you next time on the International Teacher Podcast.