Our People – Verita International School

About our Educators

Our educators are highly skilled Foreign and Romanian teachers that are required to have an Academic Degree(s) in Education and at least 2 years full-time classroom teaching experience.

Through a rigorous hiring process, we evaluate educators across four areas of professional practice standards that align with the VIS approach.

Application information and background

We interview most staff on more than one occasion to ensure we have thoroughly inquired about their past endeavours and personal values, driving force and passion. After this stage we then explore and cultivate the following areas:

Interpersonal

The interpersonal domain requires leadership and collaboration. Verita educators must seek understanding through empathetic listening, work interdependently, communicate with clarity and precision, and demonstrate capacity for community building.

Instructional

The instructional domain requires critical thinking and self-direction. Verita educators must be responsive; practice informed decision-making based on data and observations; and work with intentionality and patience.

Cognitive

The cognitive domain requires curiosity and creativity. Verita educators must demonstrate capacity to respond with curiosity, question, apply past knowledge, pursue new knowledge, and innovate on their practice.

Empowering Educators

Once we hire exceptional educators, we empower them to facilitate the best education possible for your children.

Educators are supported by

A creative and constantly innovating development model of events and trainings
Opportunities for professional growth and development
The flexibility to create meaningful experiences for their students
A professional learning community from which to draw and share best practices

Employment

If you want to work on our amazing team of world-class educators, or be a part of the administration of staff of the school, check out our open positions below.

Check open positions

Senior Leadership Team

Richard Makis Ioannidis

Founder/ CEO

Richard was born and raised in Athens, Greece. He graduated from Loyola Marymount University – Los Angeles, California with a degree in Early Childhood Education Master Degree from Oxford University in History. He has traveled and studied around the world: Los Angeles, Loyola University Rome, Marymount University Bonn Germany and Oxford University – Queens College.

As a full-time father of three boys, Richard is passionate about children and education and has been working for the last five years as a teacher and Director of Social Emotional Learning. Richard is also a play therapist with young children diagnosed with cancer at the Fundeni Hospital. He has over 10 years of experience with Mindfulness Parenting and teaching.

Verita 4 All Foundation

Our main focus is on Children Educational Programs for orphans and underprivileged families. Education is one of the single most vital elements in combating poverty and our goal is to freely offer and train teachers around the world with the SEE Emory University Curriculum. Other important projects include: Helping children with cancer, the Elderly and Hospice Centers. www.veritafoundation.ro.

“We cannot do great things on this Earth, only small things with great love” (Mother Theresa)

Lila Vasilescu

Head of School

Lila has a long passionate history with the development and growth of the school and of our nonprofit organization, Verita Foundation.
She is an authentic, living, breathing example of the values, mission and vision of Verita and a vibrant advocate of keeping Verita true to its word and promise. For years, she has been a pivotal bridge builder and support for the community of parents, teachers and students.

As co-founder of our Verita Foundation, she has launched in 2020 CERC – Compassion in Education Resource Center, a resource platform for social-emotional and ethical learning which is intended to share our school’s valuable SEL knowledge, results and resources with educators in the Romanian public educational system.

She is a certified trainer with an SEL ( Social Emotional Learning ) course certification from Rutgers University, USA and a Mindfulness Teaching certification from Mindful Schools in the USA.

Lila is also certified by Emory University, USA as an SEEL ( Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning) facilitator.
She is also a mother and believes in the power of kindness, trusting people’s ability to find inner balance and joy of living and she wishes to contribute to a kinder, more compassionate world for our children and for us all.

Tim Springham

Head of Early Years & Primary

Tim Springham has been an educator for over 27 years. Over the past 2 decades in educational leadership in 6 vastly different global settings Tim still firmly believes that the best learning environments are where everyone feels safe secure and valued. This is what Tim sets out to achieve everyday with the Verita learning community.

Tim started his educational journey in the United Kingdom attending state school and then the prestigious University of Exeter. He then went to Roehampton Institute, part of the University of Surrey, to complete his Teacher Training. After teaching in 2 different schools in England, Tim then took the position of Deputy Head of Primary at the British School in the Netherlands. Here Tim took the National Professional Qualification for Headship and helped guide the school through a very successful ISI inspection. Tim then served as Head of Infant School at the British School of Amsterdam where another successful ISI inspection was completed. Tim then served as Head of Primary for 2 different schools in the Middle East for 5 Years and for the past 3 years was Whole School Principal, ages 18 months to 18 years with a Boarding House, of Lae International School Papua New Guinea.

He is very interested in applying current understanding of brain development to create dynamic learning environments where the principles of Vygotsky scaffolded learning are applied to complex problem-solving activities enabling learners to take risks and try new theories without fearing failure.

Tim is a collaborative leader who believes in leading by example and creating a team ethos where everyone’s contributions are valued. He has an excellent track record in developing young leaders and identifying and nurturing middle leadership.

Tim, and his family, love travelling and immersing themselves into new cultures believing that the more you experience, the greater your tolerance and understanding horizon will be. Tim particularly enjoys watching, and occasionally participating, in most sports with football being his passion.

He is delighted to be part of an excellent team at Verita and is committed to delivering the Social and Emotional Learning philosophy to all students.

Ashley Peek

Head of Secondary

Prior to joining Verita, Ashley Peek was School Director at Berkeley International School in Thailand. With over 15 years of experience in international education and school administration, Ashley has moved seamlessly from classroom teacher to curriculum coordinator to principal and then to headmaster.

As a school leader, he designed and implemented their standards-based assessment and reporting system for both the primary and secondary schools and led a comprehensive curricular recording and review process for the first time in the school’s history.

Julie Dinca

Deputy Head of Early Years & Primary

Julie (or Iulia) was born and raised in Bucharest, Romania. She graduated from the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreing Languages and Literatures with a double degree in both English and Spanish. She also holds the Certificate for Teaching from the Teacher Training Department of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences.

Julie joined Verita in its first year and has seen it grow and flourish into an amazing school that values kindness, inquiry, project-based learning and innovative teaching. Julie is a tech enthusiast and as a technology integrationist, she has tried to enrich and support teaching and learning while strengthening the technology skills of students, staff, and the community. She is a Google Level II Certified Educator and carries a certificate of Leadership of Educational Technology in Schools.

Julie values the relationships between students and teachers, between teachers and parents and between all the staff and considers them to be the foundation of great teaching and learning. She is passionate about gamification, mindfulness, social-emotional and project-based learning. She has always enjoyed learning, and she is determined to inspire students to love learning and to pursue their naturally curious minds through her teaching.

Roxana Din

Curriculum Coordinator of Early Years & KS1 and EY Campus Leader

Roxana graduated from the University of Bucharest with a BA in Foreign Languages (English – Italian) and an MA in English Linguistics part of which she has done at the Ca’Foscari University in Venice, Italy. During college she worked as a volunteer teacher at various NGO’s and as an Educational Therapist at a centre which offered educational and psychological assistance to children with learning disabilities such as Dyslexia or Specific Language Impairment.

Her desire to get involved in education and especially in emotionally based learning stems both from her own experience as a student/learner and from her observations of the methods children use in order to acquire certain information. She strongly believes that children need an environment which would allow them to express their needs and feelings, to know themselves in order to be able to absorb information from the outside. They only need guidance and a lot of understanding.

Irina Cazacu

Deputy Head of Secondary Middle School

Irina has been part of the Verita community for many years, during which she has worked in a variety of roles, including Early Years Teacher and Coordinator, Primary Teacher, EY and KS1 Assistant Principal, Secondary Assistant Principal for Pastoral Care, and currently, Deputy Head of Middle School.

Although her journey into working with children came later in life, it quickly became one of the most rewarding paths she could have chosen. Each day at school brings both challenges and joys, all of which she embraces wholeheartedly. Education continues to be a field that challenges her professionally while also supporting her personal growth. Irina is passionate about creating supportive, engaging, and meaningful learning experiences for all students and is grateful to be part of a team that shares this vision.

Doria Draghiciu

Deputy Head of Secondary High School

Doria is from Romania and has a Bachelors degree in Pure Mathematics from the University of Bucharest as well as a Masters degree in Secondary Education from Georgia College State University in the USA, where she lived and worked for ten years. She has taught various high school mathematics courses in the Seattle and Atlanta areas.

Doria also helped develop a competitive project-based learning STEM program at the last high school she worked at. She is passionate about building student leadership capacity and empowering educators. In her spare time, she likes to run with her dog, take pictures and travel.

Luiza Joita

Head of School Operations

Luiza graduated from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, specialized in Tourism & Services and she worked for 15 years in marketing and events management. Her professional journey helped her develop abilities to plan, organize and manage complex projects. The interest for education started when her two daughters reached the age for schooling and because she truly believes in Verita School’s vision, she embraced a career change and accepted the challenge to join the Verita team. She loves to travel and spend time outdoors, as well as listening to music and reading a good book.

Cornelia Cacu

Head of Finance

Cornelia graduated Cybernetics, Statistics and Economic Informatics at the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. Being passionate about numbers she joined, while she was still a student, an accounting company where she developed her accounting skills for several yeas, growing from Junior to Senior Accountant. She moved forward by working as a Financial Manager for a Romanian Publishing House, blending in her passion for numbers with the passion for words, reading and writing.

Because she believes that people are multitalented and multidisciplinary and when there is an appropriate environment they can develop their inner beauty and skills, she joined Verita with the confidence that it provides the kind of space that allows children and grown ups as well, to meet the most authentic and harmonious version of themselves.

Gabriela Simionescu

Co-Founder

Gabriela graduated Languages from the University of Bucharest and worked for 1 year in a state school. Then she founded a private English Kindergarten and taught over 220 children English, Math, History and many others for 32 years. Her life went through schools, marriage, 1 son, lots of hobbies (reading, music, sports, travel, theatre, film, languages, sewing) and, lately, 2 lovely granddaughters. In 2014 Gabriela joined Richard in this beautiful project called Verita International School, a dream that she had for a long time… So she continues teaching with passion, in a new environment. Continuity and change!

School Coordinators & Phase Leaders

Roxana Din

Curriculum Coordinator of Early Years & KS1 and EY Campus Leader

Adrian Zanfiroaica

KS1 Phase Leader

Adrian is a graduate of the Pedagogical Highschool, where he discovered his passion for working with children.
He graduated University of Bucharest majoring in Foreign and Romanian Language and Literature and from the age of 20, his desire materialized when he started working in the educational system. He’s a passionate young man eager to excel and bring joy to his classroom through his instructive-educational process. His passions are reading, hiking, and travelling.

Saskia Brookman

Lower KS2 Phase Leader

Saskia was born and raised in South Africa. She obtained her Bed Teaching Degree at the Nelson Mandela University. She taught intermediate phase students in South Africa for 2 years when she decided to take the next step in her teaching career. Saskia loves to travel and explore new things, and this led her to complete a TEFL certificate and travel to China where she taught at an IB International School for nearly 2 years. She got to travel Asia and gain more experience on inquiry-based teaching and participated in IB training. She has a deep passion for teaching and strives to encourage her students to find their own passion, to reach further and continue to grow.

Amal Diab

Upper KS2 Phase Leader

After graduating from Manchester University with a degree in Biotechnology, Amal’s passion for education led her to obtain her Post Graduate Certificate in Education from Sunderland University. She has spent the last 9 years teaching in various international schools around Europe and Asia. During her teaching career, she has worked as a Maths and Science coordinator.

Amal believes that primary education presents an opportunity to shape the thinking of future generations. By instilling inquisitiveness, curiosity about the world, and the ability to think critically, she helps young students to gain the social-emotional skills necessary to cope with everyday challenges. She loves seeing the students in her class grow in confidence and develops a real sense of enthusiasm towards their inquiry based learning in a positive and kind learning environment. Taking every opportunity to provide learning experiences outside the classroom is very important to Amal as students put their skills to use in the ‘real world’.

Andreea Cosma

Literacy Coordinator

Andreea Cosma has been an educator for more than 13 years. Prior to joining Verita, she worked at a British International School in the Rhein Ruhr area in Germany for the last 7 years. Before that, Andreea studied and worked in UK schools. Her career started after graduating from the University of Bucharest and experiencing the vast educational landscape in Bucharest. Andreea is passionate about teaching and believes in respectful, kind and creative classrooms.

Andreea is originally from Bucharest and is happy to have returned home with her husband and two young children. She is excited to start her journey at Verita and be a part of The Verita Family.

Irina Safta

Phonics Coordinator

Irina was born in Bucharest, Romania, but travelled the world due to her parents’ career as diplomats. This provided her a rich, diverse and multicultural education. She moved to Canada when she was in high-school; there she graduated from Glebe Collegiate Institute and later from Algonquin College from Ottawa.

Irina’s passion for children began from a very early age. Her first job right out of high school was as a part-time Kindergarten teacher in Ottawa, Canada. She then moved on to Teacher’s Assistant in Primary School in Ottawa, Canada.

Alin Nitu

Maths Coordinator for Primary

Full of joy and with a thoughtful disposition, Alin comes from a town at the foot of the Carpathian Garden. Alin worked for a Publishing House for a few years and there he discovered his love for children. Organizing various workshops with students, teachers and parents around Romania, represented Alin’s first stepping stone that supported him develop long lasting relationships and partnerships with all these individuals.

Alin decided to challenge himself and he decided to focus on a Customer Service career. He followed this path for more than 5 years and he developed his understanding about human relationships and communication. Further deepening his studies, Alin graduated recently from the Faculty of Primary and Preschool Pedagogy to have a better understanding of learning.

Georgeta Gherghinoiu

IMYC Coordinator

Georgeta graduated from the National University of Visual Arts in Bucharest, holding both a B.A. and a M.A. in Graphic Arts. She also trained in becoming an art teacher. During school years, she came across two wonderful art teachers that inspired her not just in the artistic field, but also in wanting to guide others understand art. She coordinated various workshops in Romania and the USA.

Doria Draghiciu

IB DP & EE Coordinator

Claudio Guerra

IGCSE Coordinator

Guerra was born in Rio de Janeiro. He holds a bachelor and a teaching degree in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of Parana, Brazil, and a postgraduate diploma in Education (PG Dip Ed) from the University of Essex, England.

He has worked with a wide range of students, from elementary school to post graduates. He started teaching Biology as a volunteer at an NGO for underprivileged teenagers 14 years ago.

Rona Luz Duran

CAS Coordinator

Rona was born and raised in Asia’s Latin city situated in the southern part of the Philippines, and holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s degree specialising in Mathematics. She joined Verita IS in 2022. Before moving to Romania, she taught in Ukraine, Guyana, Kazakhstan, and the Philippines.

Besides teaching Maths, she’s taken on a range of key roles such as Student Council advisor, Maths competition coach, IGCSE coordinator, and Head of Maths. She’s passionate about working with young minds and values the social and emotional side of learning to support all kinds of learners. Outside of teaching, Rona enjoys travelling as a way of shifting perspective. For her, travelling has become a practice of humility. She also likes hiking, and her favourite time of the day is twilight.

Hilary Conway

Humanities Department Coordinator

Hilary was born and raised in the northeastern United States and graduated from the University of Delaware with a BA in International Relations and a minor in History. Since then, she has 9+ years of experience teaching internationally, and is an avid traveler with a passion for learning languages and learning more about other cultures. She has been with Verita for two years, teaching MYC Humanities, IGCSE History, and DP History. Her favorite topics to teach include 20th century authoritarian leaders, modern Chinese history, and the Cold War!

Matthew Werth

Languages Coordinator

Matthew has had a passion for languages from a young age, ever since he attended French immersion school as a child. After graduating from the University of Delaware in 2013 with a degree in French, Spanish, and Mandarin, Matthew spent two years in Taiwan as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. He then earned his Masters and teaching license from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Since then, he has taught in both the US and abroad sharing his love of language learning with others. In his spare time Matthew also enjoys reading, climbing, and playing board games.

Rocio Martin-Jimenez

Modern Foreign Language Coordinator

Rocío was born and raised in Spain and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Sevilla and a Master’s in Spanish as a Second Language from the University of Cáceres. She has lived in Italy, Ireland, Singapore, and South Korea, where she taught for the last six years in the latter two countries. Rocío is passionate about sharing her love for languages and cultures, especially with her students, inspiring them to explore and appreciate diverse perspectives. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, and sewing.

Corina Dodan

Science Department Coordinator

Corina is a passionate and dedicated IB and IGCSE Physics teacher with extensive experience in international schools and a proven track record of student achievement. During her tenures at ACS International School London and Rabat American School, she has guided numerous students to outstanding success in their IB exams, Internal Assessments, and Extended Essays. Many of her students have gone on to study at top universities worldwide.

Corina embraces an inquiry-based, student-centred teaching philosophy that encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity—preparing learners for the challenges of an ever-evolving world. She integrates educational technology into her lessons, using platforms like PhET, LoggerPro, Phyphox, and AI tools to make learning interactive and meaningful.

With more than 20 years of multicultural experience, Corina thrives in diverse school communities and excels in fostering inclusion, communication, and student leadership. Outside the classroom, she enjoys travelling, dancing, swimming, and painting—activities that inspire her creativity and global outlook.

Leah Wahl

Mathematics Department Coordinator

Leah is currently in her second year at Verita, teaching IMYC and IGCSE Mathematics. Over the past year, she has grown in both confidence and clarity as an educator, refining her approach to meet the diverse needs of her students while maintaining high academic expectations. Leah believes that mathematics is not just about finding the correct answer, but about developing logical thinking, perseverance, and confidence. She values strong relationships and strives to create a classroom environment where students feel supported, challenged, and encouraged to take risks in their learning. Being part of the Verita community has strengthened her commitment to continuous growth—both as a teacher and as a person.

Evelina Catoi

Primary School SEL Coordinator

Evelina has a Bachelor degree in English-German from the University of Bucharest and a Master’s degree in Management and Business Communication from SNSPA. She mostly worked in communication, PR, online management and content writing.

But after working as a volunteer within an NGO which offers psychosocial support for children and teenagers hospitalized in the paediatric oncology wards of various hospitals, she realized how much she enjoys working with children and that her childhood dream to become a teacher could still be possible. This experience made her understand that working with children is something that she wants to do on a regular basis.

Marius Luca

Secondary School SEL Coordinator

For more than 10 years he traveled far and wide in pursuit of climbing and human experiences through which he could get a glimpse of purpose and make meaning in life.

The quest outside turned out to be a quest inside. He started the inner journey through individual psychotherapy. He then joined a personal development group using the method of psychodrama to find balance and make sense of past experiences.

Marius explored various aspects of the mind by taking Consciousness Quotient Institute’s course on human consciousness and development.

He graduated a 4-year Psychodrama group training program to throw more light on the human psyche, to understand and work with group therapy methods and to use the insights in supporting human well-being endeavors.

He found inspiration, a renewed sense of purpose and drive in life by graduating servicespace.org’s 6 week Laddership program.

Marius is certified by Emory University, USA, as an SEEL (Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning) facilitator, who can train other educators in this state of the art curriculum, with the aim of introducing it to public schools in Romania.
Marius also holds a certification from Mindful Schools, USA, after completing the Mindful Educator course.

Marius taught Social Emotional Learning from 2016 to 2021 to children aged 5 to 16 and is presently engaged in Verita’s mission to promote quality integral – mind and heart – education in a kind and compassionate school environment.

He is part of the Social-Emotional Learning team.

Tommy Sheldrick

Special Educational Needs Coordinator

Tommy is originally from Hertfordshire, England, and spent part of his upbringing in Spain. He holds a Master’s Degree in Education with a specialism in Special Educational Needs and Disability, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), and a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering. After briefly working in the engineering sector, he discovered his passion for education while training others and transitioned into teaching in 2012.

With over 13 years of experience in education, Tommy has taught students aged 4 to 18 across both mainstream and specialist settings. His teaching experience spans Early Years and Primary, including Kindergarten, Year 1, and Year 4, as well as secondary teaching in Mathematics across Years 7-11 and Engineering and Design from Years 11-13. Within Learning Support, Tommy has held roles as a coordinator and programme lead, working in England, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Argentina, and most recently Romania. He has extensive experience across both primary and secondary phases, supporting learners with a wide range of needs, including Autism, ADHD, and complex neurological profiles.

In 2016, Tommy established one of the first Life-Centred Education programmes in South America – the first of its kind in Argentina – for students with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities, supporting learners from diverse backgrounds. This pioneering work later formed the basis of his Master’s research and reflects his strong commitment to inclusive, evidence-based practice. He is currently delighted to be working in a whole-school inclusion leadership role, overseeing learning support provision and collaborating closely with teachers, families, and external professionals.

Beyond education, Tommy is a qualified Private Pilot and enjoys flying light aircraft whenever possible. He has a strong appreciation for the wilderness, enjoys travelling widely, playing pool, and values building meaningful connections with people from diverse backgrounds.

Diana Mihalache

Camps Coordinator

Diana’s passion for English made her think about how she can make use of it and, after seeing her aunt working in a school as a teacher, Diana decided to study to become a teacher. Diana has been working in education for 6 years now and loves every single day of it. She is very passionate about working with children and she wants to create for them a loving and inspiring environment where they can become independent thinkers with a loving and kind heart.

Yoana Vastree Estevez

ECO Coordinator

Yoana was born in Spain and raised in the Netherlands, always feeling ‘international’ wherever she goes. With both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education, she has been working in education since 2012 and truly lives and breathes the teacher’s life with passion. After teaching languages for several years, Yoana made the switch to international primary education and spent 3.5 years teaching in tropical Thailand before joining the Verita family in Bucharest in 2022.

Now in her fourth year at Verita, Yoana works in several capacities across the school. Alongside her role as a Primary homeroom teacher, she is also the school’s Sustainability Lead, coordinating whole-school sustainability initiatives and running the student-driven Verita ECO Team. Through this role, she enjoys working closely with students, staff, and parents to make sustainable thinking a natural and meaningful part of everyday school life.

Ever curious and deeply people-oriented, Yoana believes in learning that connects to the real world and empowers children to become thoughtful, responsible global citizens. Anyone interested in supporting the Verita ECO Team or contributing to the school’s sustainability journey is warmly invited to reach out to her!

Secondary School Teachers

Ahmet Salgur, PhD

IGCSE & IB DP Chemistry Teacher

Ahmet graduated from the Faculty of Science Education (Chemistry Teaching) at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara. He obtained his masters’ degree in the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at University of Bucharest and completed his Ph.D. in the Faculty of Sociology and Social Assistance at the same university.

He has had many years of experience as an international teacher, mentor, academician, supervisor, director and manager in various international schools from different countries since 1994. He has done a lot of scientific research focused on education, communication, internationalism and multiculturalism. Ahmet took part in some educational European Union Projects. Furthermore, he has participated in many scientific international conferences. In his free time, he enjoys reading. Basketball has been his other passion from childhood. He played for many years and still plays when he has time.

Alice Iwada

Y7 and Y8 PE Teacher

Alice is a Secondary PE Teacher at Verita International School, bringing four years of teaching experience. She holds a professional qualification from the Romanian Federation of Sports, which equips her with a strong foundation in physical education and sports coaching. She is dedicated to helping students build confidence, develop physical skills, and foster a positive mindset through inclusive and engaging PE lessons. She strives to create a safe and supportive environment where every pupil feels encouraged to participate and grow.

As a half Lebanese, half Romanian, Alice embraces the richness of two incredible culinary traditions, which fuels her passion for food. She is also passionate about contact sports, especially boxing and kickboxing and brings their energy and discipline into her teaching as well.

Ally Stegman

University Counsellor

Ally is from the United States and has been working in education since graduating from the University of Michigan. She is a dedicated university counsellor and has spent the last decade working internationally in Thailand, Ecuador, and the UK. She is passionate about building meaningful relationships with her students and offering personalized, culturally sensitive guidance to support their academic and career journeys.

In her free time, Ally loves exploring and traveling. She enjoys climbing, kayaking, hiking, and being in the mountains. A lifelong learner, she is particularly interested in history, sociology, and art, always seeking to expand her knowledge and learn from others.

Anca Hornyak

Middle School Spanish

Anca was born and raised in Romania and graduated from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a Masters Degree in Public Relations and Communication. After one year working in banking, life took her to the USA, where she lived and worked for 12 years. She pursued her dreams of studying in the US, graduating from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR with a BA and a MA in Spanish Language and Literature, with emphasis in teaching.

She taught Spanish as a teacher assistant at the University of Arkansas, she was a substitute teacher in the local public schools, and also worked in Human Resources for five years, using her bilingual language skills.

As everything happens for a reason, Covid brought her back to Romania, where she decided to get back to teaching. She obtained her Spanish as a Foreign Language International ELE Certificate from University of Salamanca and also the CELTA certification from Cambridge, continuing to help students with their journey into the foreign languages. She worked as a teacher assistant in another international British school in Bucharest and is happy to join the Verita family starting the 2025-2026 school year.

As a mother of a teenage girl, also a Verita student, she hopes to instill in her students a multitude of valuable skills, including communication skills, cultural awareness, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of learning. “A new language is a new life” (Persian proverb)

Andrei Hultoana

Y7 – Y8 Romanian Teacher

Andrei is a certified teacher with a bachelor’s degree in Geography and English, as well as a master’s degree in Journalism. He graduated from the Teaching and Leadership program offered by Teach for Romania, during which he taught at several rural and urban schools. Following this experience, he took on the role of recruiter and mentor for new teachers until joining Verita in 2021.

Andrei is a passionate reader, with a deep love for literature. He strives to inspire his students to read, guiding them in understanding and learning from stories. He firmly believes that literature is a unique pathway to personal development.

Woody Kalayanamit

Year 8 Humanities, Year 10 History and Economics Teacher/h4>

Born and raised in Bangkok, Woody holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, a master’s in International Relations from Monash University, and a master’s in Secondary Education – Social Sciences from The College of New Jersey. With a decade of experience teaching world history, political science, sociology, and Asian studies, Woody is passionate about helping students connect global issues to their everyday lives. Woody is a licensed educator in the state of New Jersey and thrives in diverse, international environments.

Outside the classroom, Woody loves playing football, going to the gym, exploring new destinations, and unwinding with sharp political satire. His teaching philosophy centers on curiosity, critical thinking, and inspiring students to become thoughtful global citizens.

Betha Howell

Y7 and Y9 Maths Teacher

Betha is originally from New England, having lived originally in Massachusetts and subsequently in Vermont as well as Maine. She initially received a degree in Education from Bridgewater State University. While spending 10 years in Alaska, she received her graduate degree in the field of Special Education, from the University of Alaska. With a whole child approach, Betha focuses on individualizing instruction by developing strategies that utilize each child’s strengths while supporting any areas of need.

Most recently, she received a Graduate Certificate in K-12 math leadership from University of Maine. With an interest in the outdoors, Betha enjoys backpacking, kayaking, camping and traveling. She is the proud mother of three adult children and can most often be found with her goldendoodle, Brady, by her side.

Katherine Nistler

Y9 Science, IB DP Environmental Systems and Societies Teacher

Katherine graduated from The College of St. Scholastica in the United States with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Graduate Degree in Secondary Life Science Education and a Masters in Education. She has been enjoying sharing her knowledge and love of learning with youth for over 13 years as an Environmental Learning Center counselor, after school care specialist, leadership forum coordinator and a science educator of eight years.

Corina Dodan

IGCSE and IB Physics Teacher

Hilary Conway

IB DP & IGCSE History Teacher

Claudio Guerra

IGCSE & IB DP Biology Teacher

Guerra has worked with a wide range of students, from elementary school to post graduates. He started teaching Biology as a volunteer at an NGO for underprivileged teenagers 14 years ago.

Doria Draghiciu

IB DP Mathematics (A&I)

Leah Wahl

Year 8 & IGCSE Maths Teacher

Rona Luz Duran

IGCSE & IB Maths Teacher

She’s spent 15 years teaching secondary Maths at various international schools, showing a good understanding of different cultures around the world. She’s an experienced teacher with expertise in major international curricula like the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, Common Core, Advanced Placement, Pearson IGCSE, and Cambridge curriculum. Besides teaching Maths, she’s taken on a range of key roles such as Student Council advisor, Maths competition coach, IGCSE coordinator, and Head of Maths. She’s passionate about working with young minds and values the social and emotional side of learning to support all kinds of learners. Outside of teaching, Rona enjoys travelling as a way of shifting perspective. For her, travelling has become a practice of humility. She also likes hiking, and her favourite time of the day is twilight.

Doina Lavric

Y7 – Y8 Science Teacher

Doina has been teaching Science at Verita International School for 8 years, working with all age groups from Middle School to IBDP Biology students, both standard and higher level. She currently teaches Year 7 and 8 Middle School students.

Prior to joining Verita, Doina taught Middle and High School Biology at Jean Monnet High School in Bucharest, Romania, for 17 years and Middle School Science at Riverview Middle School in Bay Point, California, USA, for 14 years. She holds the highest (1st degree) teacher certification in the Romanian system, as well as a valid California Teacher Credential in Biological Sciences.

One of her greatest strengths is her passion for connecting with each student, supporting their unique learning styles, and inspiring their curiosity. Doina’s mission is to help all her students reach their maximum potential. She is committed to continuous professional growth, consistently refining her teaching strategies and classroom management to meet her students’ needs.

Béla Zoltán

Middle School Art Teacher

Béla is a known contemporary artist. Although he graduated from UAD (The University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca) specializing in painting, he has been active in the Bucharest art scene for over 15 years. His works range from painting to objects and installation.

Georgeta Gherghinoiu

IGCSE & IB DP Visual Arts Teacher

Ximena Reyes

Year 7 Spanish Teacher

Ximena is an Intercultural trainer for global leadership and intercultural management.
She has been leading the intercultural activities at Verita, has been a speaker for the Families in Global Transition summit, is Mentor in the PWN mentoring program, and has a Studies at Swedish International Red Cross Institute on Children’s rights and Intercultural Communication at Shanghai International University.

Rocio Martin-Jimenez

IGCSE & IBDP Spanish Teacher

Astrid Bourland

IB DP French & Spanish Teacher

Astrid was born in France and grew up in Burundi, central Africa. She graduated from the university of Rouen, France with a Masters in French as a foreign language and then went on to study at the University of Sheffield where she got her teacher degree.

She first taught languages in the remote Orkney islands, north of Scotland and then taught most of her career in IB schools in different African countries. She has a passion for languages and strives to share it with her students. She is an outdoor enthusiast and goes hiking whenever she can.

Elizabeth Reed

Y7 – Y8 English Teacher

Elizabeth is from Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States. She has a Master of Arts degree in Education and a K-12 teaching license in ESL/EFL. She has worked as a teacher for 8+ years, teaching English at international schools in China, Honduras, and Ecuador. Her passion for teaching began when she worked with non-profit education organizations in the U.S.

She has a desire to help students to build vocabulary and grammar skills, strengthen their reading and writing skills, while supporting their social and emotional development. Elizabeth enjoys traveling to new places and meeting new people.

Matthew Werth

Y9 & IGCSE English Teacher, English Department Head

Since then, he has taught in both the US and abroad sharing his love of language learning with others. In his spare time Matthew also enjoys reading, climbing, and playing board games.

Tesal Sangma

Year 9 & IB DP English Language & IB DP TOK Teacher

Tesal brings over a decade of teaching experience, drawing primarily from his time at an international boarding school in the Himalayas, where he connected deeply with students from diverse cultural backgrounds and educational needs. He specializes in teaching literature and the English language, having taught a wide range of age groups from elementary to college level.

Tesal holds a Master of Arts in English and a Master of Education in Advanced Teaching at the Secondary Level, providing a solid foundation in both subject expertise and instructional strategies. He is adept at designing curriculum and resources using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to ensure accessibility and inclusivity in education for all students. Outside of education, Tesal enjoys the mountains, going for long walks, traveling, learning languages, and capturing candid moments through photography.

Malina Montois

Middle School & IGCSE French Teacher

She is both French and Romanian and she has always had a way with words and languages. It was only natural for her to choose languages for her higher education (Japanese and French for her BA and French linguistics for her MA).

She equally developed a passion for the learning and teaching process, which she finds ever exciting and inspiring. She has always been grateful for everything she learned from the interaction with her students and considered herself privileged to have been offered all the opportunities that she had during her teaching years.

She is committed to early second language acquisition as an integral component of education, so she decided, after working in higher education, to take up the challenge of teaching to a younger population – Y3 to Y8. So she has been doing her best to put herself in the students’ shoes and has learned precious lessons about the importance of building relationships, engagement, diversity in activities, adaptability and flexibility. She also has been constantly encouraging students to become aware and use their prior knowledge of languages and especially to learn from each other. She loves how this brings forth her inner child and never forgets the words one her mentors told her one day: you cannot really call yourself a teacher if you are not able to teach children.

Luciana Rusu

IB DP Romanian Teacher, IB DP Theory of Knowledge

Luciana´s passion for literature has begun since the highschool years when she discovered To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Since then she pursued her devotion in the domain by attending two different bachelor programmes obtaining degrees in both Romanian and Spanish Language and Literature and in Comparative and Universal Literature at the University of Bucharest.

During her college years Luciana developed her writing skills by publishing a few papers and studies related to various subjects such as modern poetry, baroque literature and contemporary novels. After obtaining her bachelor´s degree, Luciana started a master´s program in Literary Studies and she is currently a PhD student in Literature and Cultural Studies.

Hanan Kreiker

Middle School ICT Teacher

Hanan, a Lebanese national born in Kuwait, has been passionate about school activities since her early years. As a student, she actively participated in the school folklore group, proudly representing Lebanon at various festivals. She pursued her higher education at the Lebanese University, earning a bachelor degree in Physical Education and a Master’s degree in Education.

With over 22 years of experience in teaching, Hanan’s true passion lies in educating children, particularly in introducing them to the latest advancements in technology. She is especially dedicated to teaching ICT and STEM subjects, recognizing their critical importance in preparing students for the future. Her enthusiasm for these fields has driven her to create engaging and innovative learning experiences that spark students’ curiosity and foster a deep understanding of complex concepts.

Hanan began her career as a teacher, quickly advancing to become a trainer and coordinator for both curricular and extracurricular activities. Her dedication to education led her to coach robotics teams, guiding them to compete in international competitions in Denmark, Germany, Qatar, the UK, Spain, and the USA. In 2016, her team achieved remarkable success, earning the title of World Championship runner-up at the FLL competition in St. Louis.

Hanan’s expertise extends beyond coaching; she has also served as a judge for the international FLL competitions in USA, Spain, South Africa, Germany, Hungary, Austria and Egypt. These opportunities have enriched her understanding of diverse cultures and reinforced her commitment to education.

Recently, she and her husband co-founded ROBOSTEAM in Romania, a company committed to advancing STEAM and Robotics education. Their mission includes organizing local robotics competitions, such as MakeX and RoboG, to inspire and engage the next generation of innovators.

Driven by a deep desire to share her knowledge and experience, Hanan is committed to teaching and training the next generation of innovators. She continues to inspire her students by establishing and mentoring robotics teams that compete in national and international competitions, fostering a love for learning, technological exploration, and a strong foundation in ICT and STEM disciplines.

Ioana Vlad

Lab Assistant

Ioana is from Romania and she is a dedicated person with an academic background in biotehnology because she graduated the Faculty of Biotehnologies and has joined Verita as laboratory tehnician. Ioana has gained experience working in a pharmaceutical laboratory before Verita. Her educational journey and practical experience reflect her passion for innovation and excellence in the pharmaceutical field.

Paul Borchescu

Middle School & High School Physical Education

Paul is a passionate Physical Education teacher from Romania, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from the West University of Timișoara, as well as a degree in Psychopedagogy in Physical Education and Sport, and an international Zumba presenter, Paul brings energy, joy, and positivity to every class. With over four years of teaching experience, Paul’s mission is to share his love for sports and inspire students to explore and appreciate motivation, movement and discipline every day. Outside the classroom, Paul enjoys traveling, dancing, and collecting memories, always embracing life with enthusiasm and a love for new experiences.

Daniela Boboc

Y7 & Y9 Humanities

Born and raised in Moldova region, Miss Daniela discovered her passion for teaching 6 years ago while given the opportunity to work with children. She holds a PGCE in education from Sunderland University, UK and gained experience by working with children from across the world in all these years, ages 6-15.

She is passionate about travelling, cooking and all the things that enrich one’s mind and soul. Also, she aims to inspire her pupils in becoming their best version.

Georgiana Craciun

Cover Teacher

For Georgiana, teaching is more than a vocation, it is an endeavor infused with emotion and dedication. She fondly remembers the moment she decided to become a teacher of Romanian and Spanish, back in the 5th grade, inspired by her aunt. From that moment on, she followed her path to the University of Bucharest, where she graduated from the Faculty of Letters. She builds her lessons as reflections of life, first considering the particularities of each student, the aspects that emphasize their uniqueness, and then focusing on the concepts they will learn.

She approaches grammar lessons as stories, offering students knowledge in a more accessible form, combined with a fun and engaging approach to learning Spanish grammar.

During her journey at Verita International School, she hopes to share her passion for Spanish and Latin American languages, culture, music, and traditions, inspiring students with their cultural richness, magic, and vibrant colors. At the same time, she sees this as a valuable opportunity for her own growth, allowing her to further develop her skills and knowledge, and to deepen her understanding and collaboration with children.

Ioana Visinescu

Cover Teacher

Ioana has been studying music since she was 9 years old, therefore singing, composing music and playing different instruments are all important parts of her identity. She also enjoys poetry, drawing and wearing colorful socks. Ioana graduated from Dinu Lipatti Art School in Pitești – classical guitar and her Bachelor’s Degree is from the National University of Music Bucharest in Jazz Composition, vocal training.

She also completed a Master’s Degree in Jazz and Pop studies and her second module in Music Teaching. She enjoys new experiences and she thinks it’s very important to learn new things from everyone you meet. Working with children inspires her everyday to be more creative, to appreciate the little things in life and to spread some kindness every now and then.

Primary & Early Years Educators

Adina Costea

Primary & Early Years Teacher

With a caring and approachable nature, Adina has more than 18 years of experience as a teacher, a Degree in Early Childhood and Primary Years, and a Bachelors at Babes Bolyai University. She is known as Adina Albina by an entire community of parents and children, as she is always making sure that her classroom is the ideal environment for learning, and her main focus is ensuring the social and emotional growth of the child.

The other half of her is a passionate illustrator, a talent that she uses to mix art, joy and learning not only in her classroom, but also at her extracurricular workshops.

”Hello friends!” is her morning salute to the young children of her classroom and ”enjoy the little things” is her motto.

Agnes Vlahos

Primary & Early Years Co-Teacher

Andreea Balan

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Andreea was born in Bucharest and graduated Romanian Language and Literature from the University of Bucharest.

She has had various job experiences including restoration at the National Art Museum, eight years of advertising, and another eleven years of owning a floral design studio, but has realised her true calling lies in a more human-oriented domain, a professional path that reflects her values.

Andreea believes in a healthy, safe and secure environment, where children’s individual needs are met and positive relationships with adults lead to a better learning process and progress. Freedom, patience and open-mindedness are the key elements which she has passed on to her children, and which she hopes to keep sharing on this exciting journey working with children in Verita school.

Alexandra Cristescu

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Alexandra is originally from Galați but moved to Bucharest to pursue her university studies. She graduated from the Faculty of Letters with a double degree in Romanian and English, and also completed the teaching training module at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. She has always been passionate about teaching, a passion that deepened during her volunteer work with an NGO, where she had the opportunity to work with students.

She describes herself as empathetic, creative, and supportive. In her spare time, she enjoys writing poems, listening to music, and traveling. She is motivated to become part of the Verita team because she wishes to contribute to the balanced and positive development of students, helping to shape a better future.

Fedora Torok

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Fedora graduated from the Romanian American University, International Tourism Economy faculty. She is an optimistic person and loves working with people. During her childhood she practiced gymnastics for 8 years.

Her first connection with teaching children was when she was 15 years old, when she had the opportunity to teach other children gymnastics. She worked in sales and in the administration field for a while. However when she had her two boys she discovered her passion for working with kids.

She believes that teaching children is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable jobs in the world. It’s a great pleasure seeing them learn, evolve and become the brave, caring and responsible leaders of tomorrow.

Adelina Vlad

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Adelina has joined Verita in November last year and works as a Teaching Assistant in Year 1. She has a strong passion for supporting children’s learning and development and she strives to help create a nurturing, positive, and engaging classroom environment where every child feels safe, valued, and encouraged to grow.

She truly enjoys working with children and being part of their everyday discoveries. Outside of school, she loves spending time with her family and pets, cooking, reading books, and traveling, activities that continue to inspire her creativity and perspective.

She is committed to supporting both students and teachers while contributing to a kind, respectful, and supportive learning community.

Laura Ivanov

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Laura is an experienced educator who has been part of the Verita community for many years, contributing in a variety of roles and supporting both the growth of the school and her students. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English and History, a Certificate for the Teaching Profession, and a TKT Young Learners Certification.

With over fifteen years of experience working with children across different educational settings, Laura has developed a deep understanding of how children learn and grow. She has undertaken professional training in phonics, as well as in children’s wellbeing, safeguarding, and digital safety, and has been actively involved in initiatives supporting positive behaviour within the school community.

Laura believes in teaching with kindness, patience, and care, creating learning environments where children feel safe, supported, and inspired to explore. For her, teaching is a journey of continuous learning—for both her students and herself.

Anca Asofronie

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Adrian Zanfiroaica

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Larisa Colonelu

Primary & Early Years Co-Teacher

Larisa is 24 years old and has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from SNSPA. She has been working as a learning intervention focused tutor for 2 years at AISB. She chose to change her workplace because she is looking forward to advancing her career and finishing her module with the Moreland University to become a certified international teacher.

She discovered her passion for teaching children by chance, and ever since then, she has been discovering the wonders and secrets of teaching, building connections with children and herself. She enjoys reading, listening to music, self-development and spirituality. She is really looking forward to being a part of Verita International School this new academic year.

Evelina Catoi

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Alexandra Popescu

Primary & Early Years Co-Teacher

Alexandra was born in Pitesti but she eventually moved to Bucharest where she graduated from the faculty of Sociology and Social Work with a degree in Sociology in English. She is currently studying a master’s degree in Advanced Sociological Research at the same university.

Alexandra is also involved in volunteering, currently she volunteers at Greenpeace Romania where they work hard to create a greener and more peaceful future.

The reason she came to Verita was because she always wanted to work in a diverse, open-minded environment where all cultures are appreciated and embraced.

Yoana Vastree Estevez

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Ana-Maria Zugravu

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Ana is an expert in Early Childhood Education and Behavioral Therapy with extensive experience in evaluating, planning and applying interventions for counseling children and families in need. Her intuition guided her to choose Psychology and this changed her life path for good.

She was fascinated by people and their stories and this is how she started her journey towards herself.

Ana loves children and she feels like every child she has worked with has helped her grow and become a better version of herself.

After 10 years of working with children and their families, after many programs of personal development and individual therapy, she considers herself a balanced adult that can offer support to children in their development. She understands the child in his complexity and she never forgets she was a child as well.

She thinks she can offer them a safe model to follow and all the support they need to grow up and develop as confident, independent, socially adapted individuals, ready to enjoy their lives.

Georgiana Tat

Primary & Early Years Teacher

For the past years, Georgiana has taught in International schools in Cluj-Napoca and Bucharest. She studied at Babes-Bolyai University and she has a master degree in British Cultural Studies. She knew from a really young age that she wanted to become a teacher. Her grandmother was a teacher and she inspired her a lot, as she did her teaching with lots of love for her students.

Georgiana loves teaching because the children’s enthusiasm for learning makes every day they spend together and each topic they explore a new adventure. She believes children learn best when their natural curiosity is fostered and creativity is encouraged. Her goal is to encourage the students to love learning, to strive to achieve their highest potential, to be compassionate and responsible citizens, and to actively pursue a healthy lifestyle.

Sabina Onet

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Sabina graduated Communication and Public Relations (SNSPA, Bucharest), worked in advertising for a while and is now a Nursery Teacher Assistant in our school. She has several communication trainings as well as the First Level Psycho – Pedagogical certification.

Irina Safta

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Alexandra Virban

Primary & Early Years Co-Teacher

Alexandra hails from Craiova, Romania, where she was born. In 2019, she successfully obtained her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Bucharest. Notably, Alexandra holds accreditation from the Romanian Psychologists College since 2020. Her journey into the world of working with children with special needs began during her second year at university, igniting a profound passion for engaging with youngsters.

Over the course of the past 3 years, Alexandra has assumed the role …

of a therapist, primarily focusing on children with autism and diverse developmental challenges. As she embarks on this fresh chapter of her professional life, she firmly believes that her prior experiences will serve as an invaluable asset in forging connections with children and adeptly discerning their unique requirements. Her dedication to this field is underpinned by a genuine enthusiasm for working with children, which she strives to channel into her endeavours.

The vision of Verita lies in its innovative approach to education, which resonates with Alexandra. The school’s commitment to providing students with a solid foundation for cultivating independence and compassion is what drew her to be a part of the community. With her rich background in psychology and her steadfast passion, Alexandra Virban eagerly anticipates contributing her skills to Verita’s ethos of nurturing young minds.

Mihaela Andrei

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Born and raised in Bucharest, Mihaela has been part of the Verita Team for six years already. She has always been interested in the wellbeing of children and keen to discover their unique world. Therefore she followed the path of education after her first child was born and specialised herself in this domain. She has a Psycho-pedagogical Course for the Teaching Staff’s Training, a specialised education certificate, Attachment and Early Childhood education course, First Aid course and Child Safety course.

She also used to live in Jersey Channel Island, UK and could get a glimpse of british life. Her Master and Bachelor Degree in Management gave her the skills to work with groups, facilitate communication and support those in need. She enjoys traveling with her family, doing yoga and participating in different volunteering programmes.

Alexandra Mihaiu

Primary & Early Years Co-Teacher

Alexandra was born and raised in Constanța, Romania, where she graduated from the Faculty of Letters with a specialisation in both Romanian and English language and literature. She is currently completing a master’s degree in Intercultural Management under the UNESCO Chair at the University of Bucharest.

Teaching is her passion and her purpose. She believes that every child has unique potential, and her role is to inspire curiosity, nurture creativity, and guide them toward becoming confident, compassionate individuals. Her classroom is a space where learning is dynamic, collaborative, and full of discovery.

Outside of teaching, she is deeply committed to environmental protection. She has volunteered with an NGO working to preserve the endangered marine life of the Black Sea, an experience that has enriched her perspective on sustainability. For her, education is like the sea—ever-changing, diverse, and full of endless opportunities to explore.

Ocha Dimos

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Ocha Dimos is originally from Indonesia and has dedicated her life to teaching. She embodies a commitment to bring the ideals of education to life, both in Indonesia and in the USA. She holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and a graduate certificate in Special Education from the University of Central Florida, USA.

Her passion for teaching is evident by the diverse roles she has had throughout her career, from teaching DP and IGCSE, to serving as an MYP Service As Action Coordinator, to supervising MYP personal projects, to being a primary homeroom teacher. She has also developed language programs for 1st graders integrating the Indonesian National Curriculum with the IPC.

In addition to education, Ocha has a passion for exploring new ideas and new experiences. From her home village in the mountains and rice fields of Indonesia, her big dreams of exploring and learning about the world around her became integrated into her passion for teaching through her entrance into international education. This became a gateway for pursuing her dreams of learning everything possible about the world while pouring her passion for life into her students, thus fulfilling the meaning of her name as ‘one who explains and helps others understand’.

Ocha empowers students to engage in self-initiated learning, believing in the integration of her personal and professional life to motivate and prepare her students as long life learners to be successful members of society who strive to make the world a better place to live. Her interest in the world and belief in the power of personal stories to shape history drive her transdisciplinary approach to teaching, integrating her classroom with the broader world and aligning with Verita International School’s mission and vision.

Irinel Constantin Manole

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Teaching young special need minds is a task that cannot be taken lightly. It is full of challenges, frustrations, and responsibilities. However, it is a task that is also full of excitement, wonder, and joy. Irinel strongly believes that all children are capable of learning, if they have the proper motivation and direction from their teachers. His philosophy of education is that all children are unique and must have a stimulating educational environment where they can grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially.

Irinel is certified by Oxford, Cambridge & Royal Society of Arts, United Kingdom in Information and Communication Technologies, English, Mathematics, Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults. In the UK Irinel worked for 12 years under the British Curriculum with students from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 with different backgrounds, including those with learning disabilities, such as Autism, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Emotional Behavioural Difficulties, Mild Learning Difficulty, Down’s Syndrome and Global Delay, preparing activities, lessons and helping the teacher to implement them.

Simona Boboc

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Simona has always been passionate about working with children and helping them reach their full potential. She holds a degree in Psychology and Educational Sciences from the University of Bucharest and has gained an extensive experience in early childhood and primary education. Over the years, she has worked in Romania and the United Kingdom in roles ranging from psychologist to lead teacher.

Simona values the power of small moments of guidance to create lasting impact in a child’s life. She believes that every child is unique and has strengths and abilities waiting to be discovered. Guided by this belief, Simona is dedicated to creating a positive environment where every child feels supported, valued, and confident to grow and succeed.

Tudor Vladescu

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Tudor has joined the Verita team after working with various age groups in the UK, Romania, Macau and Singapore. His teaching career started with primary school and moved along the path of knowledge across disciplines in humanities and social sciences, most of the time immersed in an English language environment. He enjoys working with students of all age groups who are willing to experiment with cross-cultural interaction and who understand creativity as a necessary skill that will add to their story by means of patience, understanding and curiosity.

Eliza Tudor

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Eliza graduated from Bucharest University with a degree in Journalism and Communication. She has built a career in finance before switching to what she truly loves, teaching. She lived abroad with her family in London and later on in Hyderabad. She worked with children for several years through a number of non-profit organisations, helping the disadvantaged communities.

She is passionate about young children’s social and emotional development and feels that Verita values are very much aligned to what she believes in. She feels very fortunate to be part of this amazing community.

She loves sports and pretty much every outdoor activity and she likes to be surrounded by friends. She loves animals and dreams of having a dog of her own.

Diana Mihalache

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Cristina Paunescu

Primary & Early Years Co-Teacher

Before joining the school, Cristina lived in Doha, Qatar, for nearly 13 years, a place that significantly shaped both her personal and professional journey. It was there that she discovered her passion for teaching and began her career as a Year 1 Homeroom Teacher. During that time, she also completed the Cambridge International Course for Teachers and Trainers.

Working in several international schools in Doha provided her with the opportunity to teach Year 1, Year 2, and KG2 students. Living and teaching abroad broadened her perspective in meaningful ways, allowing her to work with children from diverse cultures and backgrounds. This experience enriched her understanding of how students learn, communicate, and grow in different environments, and strengthened her ability to create an inclusive and supportive classroom for every child.

Tania Menon

Primary & Early Years Co-Teacher

Tania was born and raised in a small town in central Sri Lanka. She has 22 years of experience engaging with people from all walks of life from all over the globe, as her previous career was with an international airline as a flight attendant. There, Tania discovered her love of engaging with children and she wants to be there for them whenever they need her, with all the love and support that she can offer.

She is very adaptable and patient, and she greatly values kindness. She is very happy to be a part of the wonderful team at Verita and looks forward to being a great support to everyone around her.

Saskia Brookman

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Alexandra Ionescu

Primary & Early Years Co-Teacher

Alexandra is a highly motivated person and determined to have a significant impact on the future through early years education. With the knowledge she acquired thus far, along with her passion for teaching, working with children, listening to them, coaching, being there for people and continuous personal development, she is dedicated to bringing and keeping the positive and fun element into the field of education. She finds pure joy in being around young minds that she finds fascinating and believes that by nurturing their potential, we can create a much better future for us all.

Her approach to education is centered around an entertaining and stimulating environment for children to strive in. She believes in fostering a love for learning and encouraging curiosity, as she considers these are very important pillars of the foundation for lifelong learning. By providing a safe and inclusive space, she aims to empower children to explore their interests, develop their skills and build their self-confidence.

Alin Nitu

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Victoria Dodita

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Victoria is a passionate and dedicated member of the Verita International School team, serving as a Teaching Assistant. After a fulfilling 10-year career in marketing and strategic communication, she made a purposeful career change to education, driven by her strong belief in the transformative power of learning and her profound connection with children.

Her personal philosophy is that education is a collective responsibility, and every child is a part of the brighter future we are all building together. She believes that the love, attention, and values invested in each child today will shape the world of tomorrow. Victoria is dedicated to bringing her life experience, professional skills, and unwavering commitment to the children she has the privilege of working with at Verita.

Valentin Usturoi

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Vali is the eldest of 4 children. He loves working with children and taking care of their needs. He is undertaking a pedagogical module in his university studies at the academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. Seven years ago he lost his younger brother to cancer.

He was undergoing treatment at Fundeni hospital and that is how he met Richard and Lila who were volunteering to play with the children in the oncology section. A beautiful friendship started and their common love for children brought him working together now in school. He is passionate about football, cooking and music and he wishes to be a good model for his siblings and the children he works with in school.

Roxanne Dela Cruz

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Roxanne was born and raised in Manila,the Philippines.Her great passion is interacting with children so her studies are in the Education field. She worked for 5 years in Singapore, taking care of children, playing with children and teaching children. Being an assistant teacher in Verita International School and working in the Early Years setting is a dream come true.

Simona Manole

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Teaching is her life’s passion. She has been working with children since she graduated and qualified with a BAGR (Bachelor of Agriculture, British Bachelor Degree Agricultural Engineer – Technology in Agriculture Specialization) degree from Ion Ionescu de la Brad University Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine Iasi, Romania in 1996. She started her teaching journey in a college in Romania. After a few years Simona was interested and challenged to start teaching on a different level and she left Romania for UK where she went on to study Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools at Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examination, United Kingdom.

This course and many others offered her more confidence and new knowledge in working with children. She has gained over eleven years (2007 – 2018) experience in the English education system, teaching throughout Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage One and Key Stage Two following British Curriculum.

She has worked with students from EYFS, KS1 and KS2 with different backgrounds, including those with learning disabilities, such as Autism, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Emotional Behavioural Difficulties, MLD (Mild Learning Disorder), Downs Syndrome and Global Delay, preparing activities and lessons.

She was also in charge of teaching small groups and teaching on a one-to-one basis which is aimed at individuals who needed additional support to develop their spoken and written English, numeracy and different skills for life. There were also several opportunities to share and discuss any individual matters with other teachers and produce accurate records of progress on the grades achieved by each student.

She has been part of the team for school accreditation by National Autistic Society, United Kingdom. In 2018 she returned to Romania and started to work at International School of Bucharest as a Teacher Assistant and she supported positive discipline approach at all times as directed by the class teacher, mutual respect as continually fostered. Simona supported pupils’ progress in all areas and prepared resources creatively and imaginatively, following the planning.

Started with 2020 she worked as a Learning Support Teacher for Counselling and Learning Support Department. As a Learning Support Teacher, she helped children to improve the academic achievement by one or more interventions: teach either individuals or small groups of pupils inside or outside of the classroom, prepare lessons and teaching resources, mark and evaluate work, adapt conventional teaching strategies and creating individual interventions to meet pupils needs. She can describe herself as friendly, enthusiastic and respectful.

Rafael Urbano

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Rafael is 31 years old and originally from Brazil. Coming from a family of educators, he has always valued the importance of learning and teaching. After moving to Romania with his wife, who is also an educator, Rafael decided to pursue a role in education himself and joined the school as a Teaching Assistant. He is excited to contribute to the school community and support students in their learning journey.

Vlad Coraci

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Vlad has dedicated his life to working with children, driven by a passion for nurturing young minds and fostering a love for learning. His journey began with earning a Bachelor of Education from NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands, where he developed a strong foundation in educational theories and practices. Throughout his career, Vlad has had the privilege of experiencing various curriculums, including the IB-PYP, British National Curriculum, and Cambridge, which has enriched his understanding of diverse educational frameworks and methodologies.

For the past three years, he has worked as a Grade 3 class teacher in the Cambridge Curriculum at an international school in Bucharest. This role has provided him with valuable insights into the academic and developmental needs of primary-age children within an international context. He has honed his skills in creating engaging and effective lesson plans that cater to the unique learning styles of each student. His approach emphasizes integrated methods that not only help students reach their learning objectives but also encourage them to take control of their own learning. By fostering a supportive and inclusive classroom environment, he aims to empower students to become confident, independent learners.

He is now looking forward to joining the Verita community, where he can bring his diverse experience and continue to grow as an educator. He is excited about the opportunity to contribute to Verita’s mission of providing high-quality education and to collaborate with a dedicated team of professionals. He believes that his background and teaching philosophy align well with the values of Verita, and he is eager to learn from the community while sharing my insights and expertise. Vlad believes that together, we can create a dynamic and nurturing environment that supports the holistic development of every student.

Note Peek

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Born in a small city in central Thailand, Ranu moved to Bangkok at the age of 18 to pursue studies in English and humanities. She soon took a position as a teaching assistant at an international school there, where she found her calling in working with young children.

Ranu spent over a decade supporting young learners across primary school before accepting an opportunity to return to university to pursue an advanced degree in management. She joined Verita shortly after moving to Bucharest with her family, and was excited to return to the classroom and to join a school that places kindness and compassion at the forefront of everything they do.

Luísa Lima

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Luísa Lima was born in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. She graduated in Pedagogy from the Federal University of Belo Horizonte, with the enriching experience of a semester of university exchange in Finland. She also holds a postgraduate degree in Psychology of Learning and Development. With six years of teaching experience in the primary years at an IB International School, she has become passionate about the inquiry-based learning model.

What Luísa loves most about teaching is seeing the world through the children’s lenses and learning from them every day. Outside the classroom, she enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures, as well as dancing, watching movies, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Sam Taylor

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Sam is from Kent, also known as ‘the garden of England’ and as might be expected, he has a lifelong fondness for nature and the great outdoors. He can often be found hiking, wild camping, kayaking, rock climbing, SCUBA diving & snorkelling. When not pursuing adventure, you will find Sam immersed in music, a DJ that makes his own music, plays the guitar and attempts to sing! He is also a self-professed film & football geek. He has experience working with children in a variety of roles from PE teacher, ESL teacher, teaching assistant, Occupational Therapy, football coach and climbing instructor. Now in his 4th year with Verita, Sam is excited to further develop his teaching skills at Verita International.

Amal Diab

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Vehm Reyes

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Vehm, originally from Quezon City, Philippines, grew up surrounded by culture, tradition, and a love for adventure. Fluent in Filipino and English, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, majoring in Industrial Design with a minor in Art Education. For over six years, she has inspired young minds in international schools, specializing in the IB-MYP framework and guided by multiple intelligence pedagogy.

Her creative career spans on various paths, from structural design for global brands to fashion merchandising in Seoul, South Korea and curating community art exhibitions. Teaching in the Philippines and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia deepened her belief that art is a powerful language for connection and growth.

Now calling Bucharest home, Vehm blends her work as a graphic designer with her passion for holistic, arts-integrated charity events and education. She treasures seeing students grow into empathetic, creative, and capable individuals. Beyond the classroom, she finds joy in painting, crafting and caring for stray cats.

Matthew James Dimos

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Before teaching, Matthew was a photographer and graphic designer, so he grew into teaching using art to understand the world around him. Now, he sees his students as a canvas in which they collaboratively create a life of teaching and learning how to experience, analyze, evaluate, and critically think about the world.

As a result, Matthew brings a passion for art, philosophy, social work, and a deep desire to partner with students to develop their agency and a future where they have an influence and an ability to make the world a better place.

Matthew’s passion for education is grounded in a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education & Social Policy alongside a Bachelor’s Degree in Art/Photography. Matthew has 21 years experience educating and mentoring students from diverse backgrounds with diverse needs while teaching in Chicago, USA; Jakarta, Indonesia; and in Miami, USA.

The Vision, Mission and belief statements of Verita International School matches Matthew’s ideals, dreams, and hopes for what teaching and learning can and should be. Matthew’s pedagogy and practice adheres to constructivism through continuum based, differentiated learning; recognizes the importance of balancing cognitive health alongside social and emotional health; and harnesses his students’ creativity, imagination, curiosity and cognitive abilities as the primary vehicles for agency and enquiry.

Anca Hultoana

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

Anca, born and grown-up in Romania was fascinated by books and libraries since childhood and later she decided to pursue her education in the same field. After studying at the University of Borås in Sweden, her librarian career began in Spain at an international B-school.

Anca’s passion for traveling, learning new cultures, and working with diverse nationalities took her to Dubai, where she continued her librarian career and worked with students and colleagues from more than 55 nationalities at a well-known British B-school for 3 years.

Anca enjoys being a lifelong learner through continuous reading and traveling, as well as working in a field that allows her to be active.

As a librarian, it is a privilege to be a part of the incredible journey that children experience as they grow, learn, and achieve. I am passionate about the opportunities available for children at Verita, but more specifically with its truly international outlook.

Andreea Cosma

Primary & Early Years Teacher

Andreea is originally from Bucharest and is happy to have returned home with her husband and two young children. She is excited to start her journey at Verita and be a part of The Verita Family.

Afrodita Ciobanu

Primary & Early Years Teaching Assistant

As per her second year of being part of the international school system, Afrodita started her journey at Verita about a couple of months ago. She is studying at a Clinical Psychology Masters’ programme, and also detains a Teaching Certificate from SNSPA in the field of social sciences. One of her main passions is training high school students into the arts of debate and critical thinking, doing this for almost 5 years now. Still at the beginning of her career, her goal is to become a psychotherapist in hopes of helping the ones in need, and contributing to new discoveries by being involved in scientific research.

Irina Dumitrascu

Cover Teacher

Irina is an experienced international teacher with over 11 years of teaching students from diverse cultural backgrounds and age groups around the world. After earning her bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Communication, she pursued further studies in Education with a focus on Early Years learners.

Irina also holds a qualification in Special Educational Needs (SEN) and is an accredited Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) facilitator through an internationally recognized program. She has also completed her International Postgraduate Certificate in Education (iPGCE), further enhancing her expertise in global education standards.

Her passion for teaching began during a life-changing volunteer program, inspiring her to explore innovative teaching strategies and techniques to keep her students motivated and engaged.

Primary Specialist Teachers

Bianca Oancea

EAL Support

Bianca is passionate about teaching and feels fortunate to spend her days working with children. She loves seeing each child grow, learn, and discover their potential. With kindness, patience, and encouragement, she creates a warm and supportive classroom where every student feels valued, confident, and excited to learn.

Marina Balabas

Art & Music Teacher Reception – Y3

Marina Balabas graduated Musical Interpretation from the Bucharest University of Music, having completed the teaching degree and with a ten year experience in teaching both violin and piano, as well as group music lessons . Between her collaborations with professional orchestras and playing in various chamber music groups and alternative formulas, she has always kept her focus on exploring accurate ways of explaining the learning process to both children and adults.

Teona Rusu

Y3-Y6 Music Teacher

Teona has experienced music from three different perspectives: performing, teaching and composing. Music University and Romanian-English Philology graduate, she studied classical piano for sixteen years and later pursued a songwriting career, in order to exploit the creativity she says could never be met through the study of classical repertoire.

She gradually shifted from concert halls to music studios, introduced technology in her creative process and collaborated with producers and artists from many different music genres – jazz, pop, electronic and traditional world music, to name a few. The stage was never absent in her journey. She is convinced it was the audience who helped her build the self confidence and experience she can now pass on to her students. Teaching has been a part of Teona’s life since university. Passionately sharing a part of each stage of her journey, her goal is to encourage creativity and artistic identity in young spirits, for she believes this would be her life’s work.

Georgiana Lapusneanu

Year 2 – Year 6 Art Teacher

Georgiana was born and raised in Bucharest, Romania, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Mural Art and a master’s degree in Graphic Arts from the National University of Arts. Her passion for working with children began while illustrating children’s stories and leading “lecture and art” workshops with young audiences. With prior experience in an international school and a deep love for artistic exploration, she brings enthusiasm and creativity into the classroom, fostering a safe and inspiring environment where imagination can flourish.

Irina Perca

Y4 – Y6 Romanian Teacher

Irina is a graduate of the University of Bucharest and has experience working with students of different ages. She has taught in a variety of educational settings, which has given her valuable insight into the diverse ways students approach learning. Over the years, she has developed the ability to adapt to individual needs while supporting students in building confidence and achieving their goals. Outside of her professional work, Irina has a strong interest in books, history, and sports, which continue to inspire her and inform her approach to education.

George Ciprian Dragan

EY – Year 3 PE Teacher

Ciprian is a graduate of Spiru Haret University with a degree in physical education and management in sport. He spent 8 years teaching physical education in the public sector before joining us here at Verita. In that time Ciprian was responsible for teaching PE, establishing partnerships with local authorities, and organizing competitions at school, sector and municipal levels. Ciprian leads physical wellness and education to students at Verita from Early Years all the way though to year 3.

Andrada Isac

Pyhsical Education Teacher

Andrada was born and raised in Bacau, Romania, and moved to Bucharest in her early twenties to study Sociology and Social Assistance, being interested in both communications and how people work, live and thrive in groups and the dynamics that appear in all kinds of social networks and communities. After more than 10 years working in the digital communications area for an environmental NGO, she decided to go to her first love and study sports.

Andrada graduated from the National University of Physical Education and Sports with a bachelor degree in Physical Education and Sport and master degree in Sports Performance, Volleyball Coaching and had the opportunity to teach Physical Education in a public school for a year and coach volleyball to a private club before joining the Verita team.

Oly Saldinger-Marinof

ICT Teacher

Originally from Suceava, in the northeastern part of Romania, Olivian (Oly, as he likes to be called) has discovered his passion for working with children soon after graduating from the Faculty of Sociology and Social Assistance with a B.A. in Sociology.

The first five years of his career saw him work with children of all ages as a computer lab assistant and theatre manager at the American International School of Bucharest, honing his craft and developing his skills as an educator in an international school environment. Over the following years, he would travel, work as a sound engineer in various contexts (the entertainment industry, corporate events, broadcast TV), grow as an individual and ultimately return to his first love – helping youngsters make sense of the ever-growing, all-encompassing world of technology. He sees technology as more of a partner in education than a tool, and is continuously striving to find new and exciting approaches to teaching ICT.

Student Support, SEL & Special Educational Needs

Marius Luca

Secondary School SEL Teacher & Coordinator

For more than 10 years he traveled far and wide in pursuit of climbing and human experiences through which he could get a glimpse of purpose and make meaning in life.

Marius explored various aspects of the mind by taking Consciousness Quotient Institute’s course on human consciousness and development.

He found inspiration, a renewed sense of purpose and drive in life by graduating servicespace.org’s 6 week Laddership program.

He is part of the Social-Emotional Learning team.

Evelina Catoi

Primary School SEL Coordinator

Tommy Sheldrick

Special Educational Needs Coordinator

Julie Dinca

Primary Student Support Team Lead

Irina Cazacu

Secondary Student Support Team Lead

Ilinca Vlaicu

Secondary School Counsellor

Ilinca has been at Verita for 7 years and has worked as whole-school counsellor before splitting the role and moving to the secondary division. She is one of the first members of the Verita Safeguarding Team, beginning first as deputy officer and then moving into her current position of Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Ilinca is a specialised clinical psychologist, counsellor and psychotherapist; she remains active in the scientific community through her academic publishing, her activity as supervisor for other clinicians, and her collaboration with the Romanian Institute of Experiential Psychotherapy.

Mirela Lefter

Primary Learning Support

Mirela graduated from the Academy of Economics Studies in 1997, in Bucharest, Romania. Driven by a passion for education, she furthered her professional development by enrolling in specialized courses at the College of Allied Educators in Singapore. She completed training in Phonics and Phonetics and Learning Disorders Management and Speech Language Development.

Mirela worked as a Teacher support and Teacher Assistant in both local and international schools in Singapore. Her dedication to empowering students, fostering inclusivity, and promoting holistic growth sets her apart as an educator who can positively impact the lives of students in a diverse and multicultural setting.

Ada Cojan

Secondary Learning Support

Ada Cojan is a psychotherapist and a clinical psychologist and has joined Verita as teaching support. She studied for a bachelor’s degree in pscyhology, graduating in 2012. Following graduation, she was keen to gain more specialised knowledge, so she completed a two year course in Adlerian psychotherapy, which is known as the most advanced course in the field of pscyhology.

After those two years, she was able to work for a year as a psychotherapist under supervision in various clinical settings, with children as well as adults.

Special needs
With her qualification as a clinical pscyhologist she is able to apply tests and evaluate children and adults according to a range of pscyhological metrics. As a result, she can identify individuals who are suffering from developmental challenges such as autism and ADHD. In connection with this, she attended a course organised by the ICDL Foundation from the USA where she learned the specialist skills that are required for working with children with special needs.

General experience in therapy
Over the years, she has worked in a private capacity with parents and children, including teenagers, in both individual and group therapy sessions. Overall, her goal is to use her knowledge and experience to build positive and supportive relationships with children and help them to reach their potential.

Andreea Neagu

Counselling & Special Educational Needs Collaborator

Andreea Neagu is the former School Counsellor from Verita, but remained as a collaborator for our Counselling and Special Educational Needs Department. Currently she works in her private practice as a clinical psychologist, integrative psychotherapist and play and drama-therapist. She has extensive expertise in child, adolescent, adult and family clinical evaluation and psychotherapy interventions.

She is also a psychotherapy trainer and supervisor at the Romanian Association for Integrative Psychotherapy.

She graduated from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Bucharest. She holds a Masters Degree in Evaluation, Counselling and Therapy of Children, Families and Couples but also has numerous post-graduate trainings in Integrative Psychotherapy of Adults, with a specialization of Integrative Psychotherapy for children and young people (graduated in a Romanian-British Training School), Systemic Family Therapy, Play Therapy and Drama-therapy (one training graduated in a Romanian-British PlayTherapy school and one training graduated in Canada) and other numerous short-therm trainings in parenting and child, adolescents and family mental health.

Because she is passionate about Social Emotional Learning and Mindfulness, she holds a Certificate in SEL and Character Development, at Rutgers University in USA and different trainings in Mindfulness in Education.

Ana Maria Abatacesei

EYFS & Primary School Counsellor

Ana-Maria graduated from the Faculty of Psychology in 2018. She has been working with children ever since, part of her work experience involved working with children with special needs. She can gladly affirm that being a teacher is the job that fits her like a glove. She loves working with children because it gives her a deeper sense of responsibility in helping grow and develop the younger generation.

She strongly believes that the teaching process should be approached in a holistic manner and involve a lot of kindness. She sees kindness as “doing what you can, where you are, with what you have.” She also has a lot of interests and hobbies besides Psychology like sewing, gliding, dancing, sports, reading and painting.

Ximena Reyes

Ambassador for Intercultural Global Citizenship

Business Office

Luiza Joita

Head of School Operations

Olivia Musat

Admissions and Parents’ Relationship Coordinator

Olivia graduated from the University of International Relations and has a masters degree in European Policies. Throughout the years she has worked for many important companies in the Sales and Marketing field as well as in Customer Care.

Cornelia Cacu

Head of Finance

Alexandra Sare-Alba

Financial Officer

Alexandra was born in Breaza and she came to Bucharest for studies. She graduated Finance and Banking at the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest and she also took her second degree in Marketing. She has 15 years of experience in working with clients, loans and also with numbers, mostly in financial banking institutions. As a hobby, she likes to take long walks in nature, travel and enjoy new experiences with her loved ones.

Oana Mihai

Financial Controller

Oana graduated Finance and Banking at the Academy of Economic Studies from Bucharest, began her career as accountant, continued with tax advisory and audit before starting the role of Controller over the last 20 years. As Controller she had the opportunity to be involved in reporting, internal control, project management, KPIs, business analysis. Besides “number things”, to bring balance to her life Oana enjoys spending time with the family and friends, gardening, trekking, observing nature, philosophy, art. Also, periodically she is involved in volunteering activities with children or senior people.

Roxana Marchidanu

Accountant

Roxana was born in Braila, Romania, and she has been living in Bucharest for more than 15 years.

She graduated from the Law and Public Administration Faculty at the University of Spiru Haret. Before joining Verita, she worked as a substitute teacher and also held various administrative positions.

Roxana has a great 10 years old son, and she believes that parents can learn to be children with their children, and every day she gets a lot of joy out of learning new things as a mom.

Laura Salcianu

Junior Accountant

Laura was born in Bucharest and graduated from Dimitrie Cantemir University with a degree in Finance, Banking, and Accounting.

However, after completing her studies, she took a different path and chose to pursue her passion in the fashion industry, working in a creative workshop for four years in Marketing. And now, for almost two years, she decided to return to what she chose at 19 years old, namely accounting.

Cristina Lazăr

Project Coordinator

Cristina graduated from University of Bucharest, Faculty of History. After graduation, she worked for 7 years in the IT and digitization industry where she was responsible to deliver on time, scope and budget for the projects she managed. History is still one of her great passions, but she discovered that she also loves the work that project management entails.

Among her passions there are reading and traveling, especially she loves to discover the mountainous area of Romania and spend time in nature.

Verita_International_School_Portraits_0700

Alexandra Ivan

HR Specialist & DPO

Alexandra is a Human Resources professional and graduate of the Law University in Bucharest with a clear mission: to connect professionalism with humanity. She brings an analytical mindset to HR while prioritizing empathy and inclusion as core drivers of workplace culture.

Driven by continuous learning and best practices in people management, Alexandra focuses on fostering environments where individuals feel respected, supported, and inspired to grow. She champions kindness, equity, and psychological safety as essential components of sustainable organizational success and meaningful human-centric work.

Ana Buzatu

HR Consultant

Ana has worked for 16 years in the legal field, specializing in corporate law, authorizations, and immigration. She is a graduate of two faculties – the Faculty of International Financial Banking Relations and the Faculty of Law.

Her professional activity has been focused on the legal field, with a special emphasis in the last three years on expat management and the hiring process for expats within organizations.

The decision to transition to HR was driven by her desire to deepen and expand the knowledge she acquired in the field of law and legal procedures. Currently, at Verita, she is responsible for the expat hiring process (excluding recruitment), including immigration procedures and their integration within the organization.

Her role involves ensuring a smooth transition that complies with the applicable legislation while also providing necessary support tailored to each individual’s needs.

Ana is a dedicated person, always looking for new challenges. Within the HR department, she aims to fully leverage my legal expertise, contributing to the development of a diverse and efficient team, while offering strategic and tailored solutions for both expats and local staff.

Erika Orzață

Librarian

Erika is a dedicated and highly organized graduate of the Faculty of Letters, completing her degree with a final grade of 10. Her academic background reflects a strong work ethic and a deep passion for language, literature, and learning. She has always loved reading fiction, believing that stories inspire creativity, empathy, and curiosity. Alongside her interest in books, she enjoys starting different craft projects, bringing fresh ideas and creativity into everything she does.

This year, she joined Verita and has truly appreciated the diversity, kindness, and welcoming spirit of the community. In her role as a librarian, she does more than manage books, she actively helps students find the information and resources they need while encouraging them to discover the joy of reading.

She is passionate about creating new opportunities for students to connect with books, whether through special activities, events, or creative initiatives that make the library an engaging and inspiring space. Friendly, dependable, and motivated, she strives to contribute positively to the school environment and support those around her.

Dan Boboc

Tech Coordinator

Dan is our Tech Coordinator with more than 15 years of experience in international schools. A university graduate born and based in Bucharest, he has always been passionate about computers and is, in his own words, “more than happy” to support the entire Verita school community in their day-to-day interaction with the digital world. He enjoys traveling, outdoor activities and dancing.

Iulian Dragne

Facilities and Resources Administrator

Iulian is the Facilities and Resources Administrator at Verita International School, bringing over 20 years of professional experience across various fields. A graduate of the Faculty of Food Product Control and Expertise at Bioterra University, Iulian has also gained significant experience in the construction industry, previously serving as a Technical Director at a company specializing in construction solutions.

In his current role, Iulian is responsible for the efficient management of facilities and resources, ensuring a well-maintained and functional educational environment. His practical approach and dedication contribute to addressing operational challenges and implementing innovative solutions.

Outside of his professional commitments, Iulian is passionate about travel and finds relaxation in nature, which helps him stay focused and energetic in his daily work. His commitment to operational excellence and proactive approach are key to fulfilling his role at Verita International School.

Mari Matei

Front of the House Officer

With 18 years of experience in the workforce, including 11 years in the field of hospitality, and the remaining years in customer care service, she has honed a diverse set of administrative, communication, and relationship skills. She wanted to join the Verita team to share the skills acquired throughout these years and to cultivate new ones.

As the mother of an 8-year-old boy, she has always aspired to work in an educational environment, alongside children and highly trained and professional colleagues, who value the workplace and make it an enjoyable place to be each morning. She loves long walks in nature, reading, and traveling.

Tamara Eftene

Front of the House Officer

Tamara has always wanted to work in a place where she likes what she does, something that motivates her to become a better person, somewhere she can feel at ease, surrounded by well-bred people, and not feel pressure on her shoulders when she comes to work.

Her first contact with Verita School was like “A love at first sight”, she felt from the begging that is the place where she wants to carry out her daily activity. “Why? Because I found an optimistic environment, with beautiful people and a relaxed atmosphere that made me feel like at home.”

She believes that all the staff are very communicative and helpful, “when you face a problem that you don’t know exactly how to solve, you always find answers. All children, whether they are very young or big, are very well raised and the teachers every day make sure that they are also very well educated.”

During the break, she likes to listen to some of the children playing the piano. “I am still impressed when you see that a child sings so well at the piano at such a young age and that they all speak English at an advanced level.” She hopes that her journey at Verita International School to be a long-term one.

Viorel Cervis

Site Supervisor

Viorel is a longer serving member of the Verita family as he has been working with our Foundation for the last 3 years. During this time he was also supporting our Verita Organic brand handling both the customers and suppliers.

Administrative staff

Ionela Obreja

School Nurse

One of Ionela’s passions is to help people in need. That was the reason that made her study Sanitary School and become a nurse. Since she had her daughter, Ionela wanted to focus more on children and she joined Verita’s team. She just loves to see children with a big smile on their face every day.

Tanta Dragoi

School Nurse

Tănțica is not just a very experienceed nurse (she worked more than 20 years in a public hospital) but she is also very passionate about her work and her personal development which made her leave the country and work for 3 years in Germany. After returning back to Romania she decided to provide her experience exclusivelly to children because she loves to be around them and see their joyfull faces.

Lucian Tanasa

Driver & Security

Lucian is our guardian and driver, being trained as a gendarme. He enjoys serving and supporting, being a proactive and well organised person who enjoys being around children and fulfilling rigorously the tasks that he is offered.

Magdalena Cosma

Cleaning Staff

Before joining Verita, Mady worked in a joinery factory. She believes that work enables people. This belief makes her happy to be part of the Verita team cleaning department who work hard to enable us all. She has no children of her own, but loves them and hopes that one day she will have some. She loves to make sweets and cakes and she is very good at it.

Alexandrina Pena

Cleaning staff

Dana Iascenco

Cleaning staff

Ionela Sandu

Cleaning staff

Elena Stan

Cleaning staff

Nicu Stan

Security & Maintenance

Ion Oprea

Security & Maintenance

Dorinel Toader

Security & Maintenance

Marius Pantea

Security & Maintenance

Florin Huivan

Security & Maintenance

Ready to send your child on
the learning adventure of a lifetime?

We develop your child’s talents, build meaningful relationships in a safe environment, and make learning enjoyable. If you’re seeking an international, English-speaking school that encourages independence, creativity, and prepares children to thrive in a global world, Verita School is the perfect choice for your family.

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