Faculty

APIS strives for excellence in teaching:

  • To ensure measurable, standard-based student performances and achievements by implementing a cutting-edge curriculum and research-based instructional strategies.
  • To assemble a superb group of educators, who are not only excellent teachers but also accomplished individuals serving as role models.
  • To provide a Christ-centered, loving, and caring community that promotes students’ creativity and passion for learning.
Searching APIS Faculty
  • Andrew Ris
    High School Principal
    M.A. Endicott College / B.A. University of Pittsburgh
    Mr. Ris has spent over a decade in international schools. Entering his seventh year with APIS, he graciously served as an Assistant Principal and Dean of Residential Life at the APIS Hawaii campus, before joining the Seoul campus team. Previously, he also taught history and worked as a school administrator for many years at an international boarding school in Shanghai, China. He has earned a master's degree in International Education Administration from Endicott College and a bachelor's degree in History from the University of Pittsburgh. He has a strong passion for whole child education and firmly believes in the dual importance of building characters and citizens along with self-motivated, rigorous learners. Mr. Ris comes from a family of accomplished educators and grew up on various school campuses his entire childhood. He gets excited about the mission of APIS and the focus on personalization, strong positive relationships, and college preparation and success. Mr. Ris loves traveling, spending time on the water, and spending as much time as he can with his wife and two young daughters.
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  • Judy Park
    K-8 Principal
    M.Ed. American College of Education / M.A. Seattle University / B.A. University of Washington
    Ms. Park has taught students in classrooms from elementary to middle school both in private and public school systems before she took a position as an administrator. She has served as an educator for 28 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in teaching from Seattle University. Mrs. Park has also completed her degree from the American College of Education receiving a master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Supporting students, teachers and families for the sake of students’ well-being and learning is her ultimate goal so they can reach up to their fullest potential. She believes that every student is unique and valuable and therefore personalized education provides individual student’s needs. Ms. Park joined APIS in 2007 because of the school’s mission and vision. Her passion grows stronger each year as she works closely with talented faculty members to provide a caring Christian environment for each student who walks into APIS. Helping our young learners cultivate their identity, passion, values and academic achievement to face the world with confidence is something that she envisions when our Green Hawks graduate from APIS. Outside of school, Ms. Park enjoys taking road trips with her husband and her lovely daughter, Claire.
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  • Jason Kirsch
    Dean of Students
    M.S.Ed Corban University / B.S. Texas State University
    Mr. Kirsch’s passion for education started at a young age. Being raised in Texas provided an ideal backdrop for learning and growing. He graduated from Texas State University and soon afterward began teaching in Korea. He is certified as an elementary school teacher as well as a middle school science. His master’s program emphasized instruction and curriculum from a Christian worldview. Serving in the local church is also important to Mr. Kirsch. He enjoys working with youth and encouraging them to build a strong foundation of faith while they are young. Leading students to discover their passions is another priority for Mr. Kirsch. He believes that students should be safe, challenged, free to learn, free to explore, and free to grow.
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  • Goeun Anna Sea
    Curriculum Coordinator
    M.F.A. Boston University / B.F.A. Boston University
    Mrs. Sea has 18 years of teaching experience in the public school system in Winchester, Massachusetts, U.S., and from APIS, Seoul, South Korea. Outside of the school setting, she also worked as a museum educator at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, and has led various summer camps in and outside of the country.

    After serving students at APIS for the past 13 years and developing the curriculum for art department as well as being involved in managing school-wide academic programs such as summer school coordinator, NPCA teacher, and a chair for the Visual Art and Literary Magazine (Pacific Pencil), she is excited to share her pedagogical knowledge and experience with faculty at APIS.

    She hopes to support teachers to be engaged in their teaching so that the teachers can guide students to be engaged in their learning. She is also excited to solidify the school’s identity by developing the coherence of the curriculum based on the mission and vision of the school.

    She feels very blessed to be in a Christian community where she can help students to develop skills to become globally enlightened citizens with the love of Jesus Christ.

    During her free time, she loves to cook, travel, and find good places to eat, but most of all, she enjoys spending time with her husband and her daughter.
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  • Boburjon Abdukhamidov
    High School Math and STEM
    M.S./B.S. Stony Brook University
    Coming from a diverse background, Mr. Boburjon's journey has led him to become a fervent technology enthusiast. He has majored in the Technological Systems Management field that focuses on the interaction between technology and society. Throughout his career, Mr. Boburjon has explored various facets of Computer Science, from delving into data analytics to crafting innovative web development projects. His hands-on experience in these dynamic fields has provided him with real-world applications. Recognizing the power of project-based learning, he has found his calling in sharing his experience with students. By focusing on practical, real-world applications, he aims to empower the next generation of tech-savvy minds.
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  • Nicholas Anderson
    High School English Language Arts (ELA)
    M.A. University of Central Florida / B.A. Florida State University
    Originally from Orlando, Florida, Mr. Anderson began his career teaching ESL in Korea from 2007-2012 before returning to the U.S. to pursue his master’s degree in education. He taught in U.S. schools for ten years, focusing on college preparatory English Language Arts, AP English Literature, and AP Research. His focus has been in helping students deepen their critical thinking and writing skills through a study of engaging literature to help them analyze themselves and their world. He strives to create a classroom environment which encourages students to become more curious, more questioning, and more able to take ownership of their own education. Outside of the classroom, he enjoys reading books, hiking, and cooking.
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  • Chanmin Anh
    School Chaplain
    M.Div. Alliance Theological Seminary / B.A. Calvin University
    Pastor Chan is an ordained minister in the Christian & Missionary Alliance (C&MA). He was born in South Korea, grew up in New York City for over 25 years, and recently moved back to Korea with his family to pursue mission work. Pastor Chan has served in various churches pastoring children, youth, and young adults. He is passionate about developing potential and growth in young students by training them to dream big, to think globally and to step outside their comfort zones. He desires for young students to see and feel the vastness of the world God has created for them to live in. Pastor Chan’s favorite message in the bible for young students is “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young.” He desires for young students to step up now, not later, and become the leaders that the world needs today. Pastor Chan is also a Global Missions Project Director of All Nations Dream, an independent mission organization run by his family in South Korea. He has global missions experience in coordinating well-digging, school development, medical, and refugee care projects in various countries around the world.
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  • Naomi Anno
    Japanese
    M.Ed. Hiroshima University / B.A. Shiga University
    Ms. Anno earned her Bachelor of Arts from Shiga University and a Master of Education from Hiroshima University. She was a lecturer at Iwakuni Nursing College, teaching social psychology. After marrying a Chilean citizen, she moved to Chile and taught at a Japanese school in Santiago. During that time, she became aware of the importance of language as a tool of communication and started to teach at a Japanese language institute organized by the Chilean Japanese Association. To gain her formal qualification as a Japanese teacher, she completed the Japanese Teachers Training course in Tokyo. Ms. Anno is an excellent Koto (Japanese traditional string instrument) player, and she enjoys Japanese cultural activities such as Ikebana (flower arrangement) and Sadou (Japanese tea ceremony). She is also interested in art and has learned and taught Medup (Korean traditional knot). While her native language is Japanese, she also speaks English, Spanish, and Korean.
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  • Samuel Bae
    Elementary School
    B.A. University of Washington
    Born and raised in Seoul for most of his life, Mr. Bae is extremely happy and excited to be back at APIS. Upon graduating from APIS in 2014, Mr. Bae earned his bachelor’s degree in communications at the University of Washington, Seattle, and has built a diverse portfolio of teaching as a church volunteer to an in-court interpreter. Mr. Bae loves to build meaningful relationships with his students through active engagement and dynamic interaction and is currently working towards a master’s degree in teaching. This upcoming year, Mr. Bae looks forward to taking on the next load of responsibilities in a familiar and loving environment. In his free time, Mr. Bae enjoys playing basketball, running, and playing board games.
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  • Nicole Borja
    High School Math
    B.A. California State University Fullerton
    Ms. Borja is a passionate and dedicated math educator with years of experience teaching middle school and high school students. Holding a BA from California State University Fullerton, she has journeyed across the globe, leaving her mark on the educational landscape in China, England, and presently South Korea.
    Her teaching philosophy centers on creating a supportive and inclusive environment where students feel comfortable enough to make mistakes, recognizing them as valuable learning opportunities. This fosters a growth mindset and fuels continuous progress and understanding in math.
    Beyond the classroom, Ms. Borja enjoys engaging in a variety of activities. When she's not helping her students discover the wonders of mathematics, you can find her immersed in a captivating book, going for a refreshing run, or experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
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