Maria Szalay serves as the ISBerne AG Chairman of the Board and brings more than 20 years of strategy, operations, and development capability to ISBerne. Currently, she is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Pansophic Learning UK. Previously part of K12 where she was instrumental in growing the company from a pre-revenue startup to a $900 million public company. In this time, Ms Szalay served in a variety of roles including product management, product development, operations, strategy, and corporate development.

Before joining K12, she was practice director at Operon Partners, an e-business consulting firm where she led consulting teams assisting clients with business strategy, product management, and business transformation consulting services. She worked directly in client organisations developing business plans to obtain funding and assisted with the implementation of online initiatives, with specialized expertise in integrating these solutions with their bricks-and-mortar business.

Martha Burnige is a senior education executive with more than 10 years’ experience of working with schools and education institutions. After seven years as a lawyer in London with two leading education law firms, Stone King and Veale Wasbrough Vizards, she became the in-house lawyer for Prospects Services, a large UK education and training group with a turnover of more than £80m.

In 2013 she was recruited by a former client, Mosaica Education, an international education company operating charter schools in the US and private schools overseas, where she worked on international business development focused on the Middle East. In July 2015 Mosaica was taken over by Pansophic Learning. As Executive Vice President, Martha Burnige is responsible for all UK operations and is a trustee and a member of the executive team of Aurora Academies Trust, a group of five UK schools sponsored by Pansophic Learning.

As well as being a governing board member of ISBerne, she is also a board member of iCademy Middle East.

Steve Goetzinger has a broad experience in all aspects of accounting and financial management. Steve is a hands-on manager with expertise in small to mid-size high-growth companies. He has vast experience in education, software technology, service and manufacturing industries.

Steve’s specialities are Financial and SEC reporting, GAAP accounting, IPO, mergers and acquisitions, financial analysis, technical research, accounting software implementation, taxation, risk management and equity administration.

Annelies Buysse Recently joined ISBerne from Belgium. Annelies has a Master in Applied Economics from University of Leuven, Belgium and a Master in Economics from the University of Montpellier, France. She has work experience in European accounting and controls as a Senior Financial Auditor, Regional CFO and Plant Controller at the multinational corporations; FedEx, Deloitte and Crown Cork. She also worked as an independent consultant supporting multinationals in financial management, reporting, controlling and budgeting.

“I appreciate this opportunity to give back to this welcoming community and contribute my skills and experience in finance for the benefit of the school. For me, the PSA is a structured approach that enables regular, open and honest but respectful communication between school management, staff and parents. It’s a partnership in which all stakeholders work for the same goal: to have a school environment where our children can flourish and become the best possible version of themselves.”

Margaret Griffiths has a Postgraduate Diploma from the University of Gdansk in European Union Law, an MA in International Relations from Warsaw University and is currently studying the role of the government in the world economy and the effects of tax cuts on budget deficit through Columbia University. She has held various positions in the Polish Ministry of Finance, starting from Assistant of the Head of the Legal Department to Counsellor to the Undersecretary of State, Head of Polish Customs. Main duties included advising the Undersecretary of State on all matters related to customs, conducting research, collecting, analysing and evaluation of data, etc. After moving to the UK in 2004 she became an Independent Consultant researching for McKenzie Security Consultancy UK and various polish-based companies.

“I believe that today’s students need “twenty-first-century skills,” like critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and digital literacy but also, they need a robust educational system where the teachers are professionally trained, motivated and well supported.”

Sonmi Park is a medical doctor and works in the pharmaceutical industry in drug development and medical information. She recently joined a small company which is currently setting up teams in Switzerland and in other European countries.

“I have learnt that this community appreciates every minute and every hand we offer and that each contribution adds up to a great idea, project, or event, which is the foundation of this community and ensures the long-term success of the school and our children. I am honoured to represent this great ISBerne community as a PSA Board Member ”