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SGIS BOARD
Governance, innovation and strategy for SGIS
The SGIS board oversees the strategic direction and governance of the organization, ensuring its mission is effectively carried out and its operations align with ethical and legal standards. Comprised of dedicated volunteers with diverse expertise, the board provides guidance on policy, financial stewardship, and program development while holding leadership accountable for achieving organizational goals. By fostering transparency, supporting sustainable practices, and engaging stakeholders, the SGIS board plays a vital role in advancing the organization's impact and maintaining its credibility within the community it serves.
Bradley Roberts
Chair
Bradley Roberts is the Director of International School Basel. With just over 30 years of experience in education, Bradley joined IS Basel from Singapore, where he was the Principal at St. Joseph’s Institution International School (SJI) from 2012 to 2019. Prior to this, Bradley spent a five-year period in Qatar, where he was Deputy Principal and Head of Secondary School at Al Khor International School. Bradley has extensive international school experience spending (24 years in total). Bradley spent 13 years of his earlier career as a housemaster and teacher at boarding schools in Switzerland, Japan and South Africa. His wife, Janette, joined Bradley in Basel. They have two sons who are now at university (in Amsterdam and Vancouver). Growing up in South Africa, Bradley completed his Bachelor of Science and Higher Diploma in Education at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. He obtained his Bachelor in Education at the University of South Africa. A lifelong learner, Bradley obtained a Diploma in Personnel Management and completed an International Leadership in Management Programme. He was the Chair of the Singapore IB Heads Network as well as a member of several other educational associations.
Barry Dequanne
Treasurer
Barry Dequanne is currently serving as the Director of the International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL). Barry has more than twenty-five years of international administrative and teaching experience, including work at schools in the Kingdom of Swaziland, the Lincoln School in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the American School of Sao Paulo (Graded), Brazil, and Brasilia. His academic background includes studies in mathematical physics, computer science, education, and leadership. Barry has also served as the President of the Board of Directors of the Association of American Schools in South America (AASSA) and the President of the Association of American Schools in Brazil (AASB). He is currently serving as a member of the Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) Board of Trustees and the TIE Online Advisory Board, in addition to working as a consultant and facilitator at international schools in the areas of strategic planning and governance. His areas of interest include school improvement, leadership, governance, teacher professional development, assessment, and program and policy development.
Denise Coates
Board Member
Denise is the School Director at the International School of Berne. British by birth, Denise has been in Switzerland since 1995 and is proud to have Swiss nationality. Denise was initially trained as a secondary school English literature teacher and taught in the UK for seven years before moving into international education. Denise worked for 14 years at Haut Lac International Bilingual School, where she gained her IB MYP experience, becoming the MYP Coordinator and then Head of Secondary. She joined Knightsbridge Schools International as School Director and subsequently led teaching, learning and curriculum for the school group. Denise is also an IB Lead Educator involved in training IB workshop leaders, site visitors and consultants, as well as IB chairs for synchronised visits. She attends IB regional events as a 'field representative' focusing on quality assurance and workshop leader development. Denise is CIS-trained and has recently been NEASC-trained for the new ACE protocol.
Elsa Hernández-Donohue
Board Member
Elsa Hernández-Donohue is the Director of Zurich International School (ZIS). With more than 30 years of experience in international education, Elsa has worked in nine international schools across Europe, Africa and Asia. She returned to ZIS as Director in 2024, having previously been a Grade 5 teacher at the school from 2004 to 2006. Prior to returning to Switzerland, Elsa spent six years as Head of School at Vientiane International School in Laos. Before this, she spent seven years in Jakarta, Indonesia, where she led the elementary division of a large international school. Her international career has also included school leadership in West Africa. Originally from Venezuela and the United States, Elsa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of North Florida and Master’s degrees in Curriculum and Teaching and Educational Leadership from Michigan State University. In 2017, she was recognised as a National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals in conjunction with the US Department of State’s Office of Overseas Schools. Throughout her career, Elsa has maintained a strong commitment to educational leadership, inclusion and building school communities in which students, families and colleagues experience a genuine sense of belonging.
Alexandra Conchard
Board Member
Alexandra Conchard is the current Head of the International Section at Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz. A French and Swiss national raised in Sharjah, UAE, Alexandra holds a Master’s degree in French as a Foreign Language from Université Paris Descartes (France) and a PGCE from St Martin’s College (UK). She began her career teaching French and Spanish in the UK and France before moving into school leadership roles in Turkey, Switzerland, and Portugal. With over 22 years of leadership experience, Alexandra has developed a deep understanding of international education and extensive experience in guiding teams through growth and change while keeping students at the centre of every decision. Alexandra is passionate about creating an inclusive and dynamic learning environment where every student can thrive both academically and personally. She believes that education should empower young people to think critically, act with integrity, and contribute positively to their communities. Her leadership approach focuses on collaboration, innovation, and wellbeing, ensuring that students not only achieve academic success but also develop the confidence, empathy, and global mindset needed to navigate an ever-changing world. She is deeply committed to fostering a sense of belonging and purpose within the school community and to inspiring both students and colleagues to reach their full potential.
Grant Ferguson
Board Member
Grant Ferguson is the Director of the new Verbier International School. With over two decades of experience in education, Grant has held senior leadership roles in the UK, the Middle East and Switzerland, with a consistent focus on academic excellence, holistic development and community engagement. Before leading Verbier International School, Grant served as Director of Studies at College Alpin Beau Soleil, where he helped to strengthen academic outcomes and curriculum design, guiding the school to record IB results. His earlier experience includes leadership roles in Dubai and the UK, where he was involved in developing innovative learning programmes, enhancing school facilities and supporting teachers to deliver world-class education. Grant’s educational background includes a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Exeter, a PGCE in Secondary Science from Lancaster University and an MEd in Educational Leadership from the University of Buckingham. A passionate advocate for experiential and values-driven learning, Grant believes education should inspire curiosity, resilience and joy. He now leads Verbier International School through an exciting period of growth following the merger of Copperfield International School and VIS, a project rooted in the vision of creating a distinctive mountain boarding school with a global outlook. Outside of work, Grant enjoys skiing, triathlon training and spending time outdoors with his wife and two daughters. A former semi-professional rugby player, he remains passionate about sport and its role in building character and teamwork.
Jonathan Halden
Board Member
Prior to joining Ecolint, Jon read for both his Bachelor's degree and PGCE at the University of Warwick, and holds a Masters in Education and ICT from the University of Leeds. A Swiss and British national, Jonathan Halden joined Ecolint in 2006 after holding teaching roles at Institut Le Rosey and College du Léman. He has served in multiple capacities, ranging from Economics and Business Management teacher, to CAS and IB Diploma Coordinator, Head of Year, Head of Department and Assistant Principal, at both La Châtaigneraie and La Grande Boissière. He was appointed Campus and Secondary School Principal of Ecolint La Grande-Boissière in April 2023. He also served as part of the interim Director-General team for the 2025/2026 school year. A role model of sustainable living, Jon is a keen cyclist, runner and swimmer, and an avid reader, with a keen interest in politics. His teenage daughter was a student at Ecolint Campus des Nations and is a recent IB Diploma graduate.
Renaud Milhoux
Board Member
Renaud Milhoux is Co-Head of School at Haut-Lac International Bilingual School in St-Légier, Switzerland, where he oversees the Crèche, Infant and Primary sections alongside his co-Head, Rossella Cosso, who leads the Secondary section. Renaud has worked in international education for nearly 30 years, with postings spanning the UK, the Middle East and India. Over the course of his career he has served as Head of High School, Middle School Coordinator and Primary Principal, giving him first-hand experience across every stage of school life. He began his career as a Science teacher in East London, having trained as a Mathematics and Physics teacher in Belgium. Renaud brings expertise in curriculum design, NEASC accreditation and international qualifications, having served as an IB Career-related Programme (CP) Coordinator and BTEC Coordinator. In his day-to-day role at Haut-Lac, he focuses on student wellbeing and parent liaison alongside the broader strategic and operational responsibilities of school leadership. Belgian, with an English mother, Renaud is bilingual in French and English. Outside of school life, he is a passionate scuba diver and motorcyclist.
George Walsh
Board Member
George Walsh is an international education leader with significant experience in Switzerland and beyond. His work has focused on strategic development, governance, organisational improvement and the long-term sustainability of international schools. He serves on the Board of the Swiss Group of International Schools and works internationally with the Council of International Schools, supporting governing bodies and senior leaders through evaluation, quality assurance and continuous improvement. George is particularly interested in strengthening leadership capacity, advancing bilingual education and helping schools respond strategically to a changing international education landscape.
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Jackie Chan-Kam
Secretary and non-voting Board Member
Jackie grew up in South Wales and trained as a nurse in Wales and London, where she met her husband. The family moved to Mauritius in 1976, where they spent the next fifteen years before relocating to Geneva. While in Mauritius, Jackie engaged in voluntary social work and, in the immediate few years before coming to Switzerland, in public relations activities with the local media and with national and international agencies in support of her husband’s work in AIDS prevention. These activities prompted her to pursue further studies after arriving in Geneva, and she successfully completed the degree course in Social Sciences from the Open University (UK). She subsequently worked first as a freelance editor and, for two years, as an editor in the publications unit of the World Health Organization. Thereafter she was fortunate to be able to combine for several years a lifelong love of books and an interest in education in general with a gratifying job as an international sales representative for Scholastic International and Follett publications. Jackie has been the Executive Secretary of SGIS since 2003. Email Jackie at secretary@sgischools.com