The leadership team at Dresden International School school comprises the Directors (CEO and CFO) and senior educational leaders (Principals and IB Coordinators/Assistant Principals). Our leadership team is responsible for working together to achieve the mission and strategic goals set for DIS annually.
Director
We are pleased to welcome Dr. James Brightman as the new Director of DIS, starting in August 2025. Originally from Indianapolis, USA, Dr. Brightman brings over 25 years of international experience in education, having held leadership roles in the USA, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Austria, Ethiopia, and the UK. He holds degrees from Indiana University, the University of Notre Dame, La Salle University, and a university in London, where his passion for globally oriented education was first sparked. Dr. Brightman also holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and is a certified IB Coordinator with in-depth expertise across all four IB programmes. Most recently, he successfully led the high school section at the International Community School in Addis Ababa. With his strong international background and dedication to educational excellence, Dr. Brightman will guide DIS into an exciting new phase of growth.
Business Manager
Andrea Harnisch grew up on the edge of Saxon Switzerland. After completing her vocational training in the field of taxes, she began a course of studies in business administration with a focus on taxes and auditing, graduating as a Diplom-Kauffrau (certified merchant). Afterwards, Mrs Harnisch started her first employment at Arthur Andersen, Steuerberatungs- und Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft. In 2002 she joined Ernst & Young, also a tax consulting and auditing company. Andrea Harnisch has been working as a Business Manager at DIS since 2006. She is married and has one son and one daughter. Both children enjoy attending DIS with great pleasure.
Primary School Principal
Mr. Boreham is a citizen of Australia and was appointed Primary Principal in 2022. He was Primary Principal for seven years at another IB PYP school, the Luanda International School of Angola. Prior to that, he held various leadership and teaching positions in both Australia and an international school in Thailand. In addition to being an experienced school Principal, Chris is also a PYP workshop teacher trainer and has considerable school development experience working with accreditation agencies and school boards.
Secondary School Principal
Ana Gonçalves is a Portuguese French citizen who grew up and studied in France until she went abroad to study the poetry of Seamus Heany in Northern Ireland. This marked the beginning of her international career in education. She trained as a teacher in England in order to get a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Thereafter, she worked in England, Portugal, Germany and, very recently, in Indonesia, where she worked as an Assistant Principal in charge of Wellbeing. Ana holds a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management. In the course of her career, she held several positions in leadership and is now excited to explore the role of Secondary School Principal at Dresden International School. Ana is an International Baccalaureate school visitor and workshop leader. She is also a New England Association of School and Colleges (NEASC) and a Council of International Schools (CIS) school visitor. Ana speaks English, French, Portuguese and Spanish and is currently learning German.
PYP Coordinator & Assistant Principal
More information about her background will be available here soon.
Preschool Coordinator
More information about her background will be available here soon.
DP Coordinator
Wendy Bassam-Coles is the Assistant Principal and DP Coordinator for Grades 11 and 12, in addition to teaching history and individuals & societies. She has worked in IB schools for almost 20 years in the UK, the Philippines and at DIS. Originally graduating from the University of Liverpool, Wendy gained her PGCE from the University of Birmingham and her MA in Education from the University of Bath. At Bath, her dissertation that focused on the experiences of students transitioning into the Diploma Programme received the International Baccalaureate Prize. Wendy continues to focus on the students' experience of transition and aims to enhance pastoral care and student wellbeing in grades 11 and 12. She is particularly interested in the potential impact of restorative practice and positive education.
MYP Coordinator & Assistant Principal
More information about her background will be available here soon.
MYP Pastoral Assistant Principal
More information about her background will be available here soon.
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