Leadership Team

Robin Appleby joined GEMS Dubai American Academy in 2008. Prior to joining DAA, Mrs. Appleby served as principal at The American School of The Hague. A native of Rhode Island in the United States, Robin began her career as a teacher of English and subsequently held senior administrative positions in independent stateside and international schools offering Advanced Placement and IB diploma programs. She is a specialist in single-sex education for girls and has served as a consultant in organizational analysis to a number of education-based and corporate clients. Mrs. Appleby holds degrees from Dartmouth College, SUNY at Buffalo, and Case Western Reserve University, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Council of International Schools.

Robin Appleby
Superintendent

Jim Hardin joined GEMS Dubai American Academy in 2010 as the school’s curriculum coordinator. Prior to joining DAA, Mr. Hardin served as assistant principal and IB History and English teacher at the International School of Aberdeen (Scotland) from 2004 through 2010. In addition to his other international teaching experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in Poland from 1990 to 1992, Mr. Hardin also taught and coached in public middle and high schools in Colorado and Nebraska for thirteen years. Mr. Hardin holds a BS from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, MAs from The University of Chicago and George Washington University, and a PhD from Capella University. Mr. Hardin and his family continue to make their home in Colorado.

Jim Hardin
Dep. Superintendent

This is Scott's first year at DAA. He joins us from the American School of Warsaw where he taught IB history in addition to holding various leadership positions. Scott is originally from New York City and began his career in education at the High School of Economics and Finance (HSEF) in lower Manhattan. At HSEF, Scott acted as Head Dean, taught Advanced Placement History, was the school’s Athletic Director and coached basketball and baseball. Prior to becoming a teacher, Scott was an attorney and practiced law in Florida and New York. He is joined in Dubai by his wife Aga, son Adam and baby daughter Rozalia.

Scott Schaffner
High School Principal

Carrie Brummer joined GEMS Dubai American Academy in 2007. Prior to joining DAA, Ms. Brummer worked at Sturgis Charter Public School, a nationally ranked International Baccalaureate school in Massachusetts, USA. Carrie is an IB Visual Arts Examiner and holds degrees from Colgate University in Hamilton, NY and George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Carrie Brummer
High School Asst. Principal

Paul McMahon has worked at Dubai American Academy since 2010 and teaches IB History and Theory of Knowledge. He is passionate about the educational opportunities presented by the IB Diploma curriculum. He has been a teacher for seven years in the international school setting having previously, taught for four years at an international IB school in Rome, Italy and in Dublin, and in Ireland where he taught history, media and political studies at both secondary and tertiary institutions.
A self-described life-long learner, Paul holds a Diploma in Economics, a Higher Diploma in Education, and MA in Journalism, an MA in International Relations, a BA in History and Politics, and a Certificate in Comparative Politics. He is currently completing an MSc in Educational Management and Leadership.

Paul McMahon
IB Coordinator

Andrew Ball joined the DAA administrative team in August, 2006. Prior to DAA, Andrew served as Middle School Principal at Colegio Interamericano in Guatemala City, Guatemala. He holds Bachelors degrees in Science and Education from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada and Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Canada. Andrew obtained his Masters degree in Educational Administration from Michigan State University. He began his career teaching ESL in Japan before moving on to teaching Geography and Biology at the high school level in Egypt and in Guatemala.

Andrew Ball
Middle School Principal

Joan Wiens joined GEMS Dubai American Academy in 2007 as a Middle School Mathematics teacher. After two years in this role, she moved into the position of Middle School Assistant Principal. Joan is from Saskatchewan, Canada, where she received her Bachelors of Education from the University of Saskatchewan. She taught in Manitoba, Canada for six years before moving to Kuwait for seven years working at the American International School. It was during this time that she started her Masters of Educational Leadership through Walden University and completed it while living in Dubai.

Joan Wiens
Middle School Asst. Principal

Steve joined GEMS Dubai American Academy in 2011. Steve Charbonneau has 17 years experience in education. Previously to joining DAA, Steve served as Founding Head of a K-8 Two-Way Immersion School in Patterson, California. Prior to his 6 years at Patterson, Steve served for 10 years as a high school teacher in Merced, California. Steve was placed on special assignment in Merced as Instructional Technology Leader for 3 years. In this role, Steve worked with administration to develop instructional technology related professional development opportunities for staff. Steve also served as Merced’s first and only AT&T Virtual Classroom Teacher. Steve earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Stanislaus State in California in 2011.

Steve Charbonneau
Elementary School Principal

Before joining GEMS Dubai American Academy in 2007, Donna Bennett was a Principal in Ontario Canada. Her educational experience includes being a teacher in Ontario and Egypt and a Teacher Trainer and Educational Consultant in Eastern Canada. Ms Bennett holds Specialist certification in Visual Arts and Special Education, a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto Canada, Advanced Principal Qualifications from Ontario, Certification of International School Leadership from the Principal Training Center in the United States and a Master's degree from the University of Buffalo, USA

Donna Bennett
Elementary School Asst. Principal

Andrew Hughes joined GEMS Dubai American Academy in 2008. Mr. Hughes was an Administrator in Prince Edward Island, Canada, before joining DAA. Prior to becoming an administrator, Mr. Hughes was a teacher in both Hong Kong and in Canada. He has specialized in language instruction having taught English as a Second Language, French Immersion, and French as a Second language at both the Elementary and High School levels. Mr. Hughes holds an advanced certification in TESL, a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Prince Edward Island, Canada, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Maine, USA, and a Master of Education in Leadership and Learning from the University of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Andrew Hughes
Elementary School Asst. Principal

Roberta Wiens joined GEMS Dubai American Academy in 2002. During her time at DAA Ms. Wiens has served as a classroom teacher, ELS teacher and Early Years Coordinator. Since August, 2010, Ms. Wiens has held the position of Assistant Principal. Prior to working at DAA, Ms. Wiens taught in international schools in Italy and Kuwait and in public schools in Canada. Ms. Wiens holds degrees from Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada), University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada) and Walden University Minneapolis, USA).

Roberta Wiens
Elementary School Asst. Principal

Scott Wilcox joined the GEMS Dubai American Academy in August, 2012. Before joining the leadership team at DAA, Mr. Wilcox lived and worked near Rochester, NY in the United States, serving as the K-12 Director of Social Studies and Libraries for Webster Central School District. Earlier in his career Mr. Wilcox worked as a building administrator, taught overseas in Taiwan at the American School of Taichung, and had the opportunity to teach social studies, English, math, and P.E. Mr. Wilcox graduated from Harvard College and holds degrees from the University of Missouri, Columbia and SUNY at Brockport.

Scott Wilcox
Curriculum Coordinator

Anthony DePrato joined GEMS Dubai American Academy in August, 2005. Before joining the leadership team at DAA, Mr. DePrato lived and worked in Japan for three years doing technology integration work before coming to Dubai. He earned a Masters Degree in Educational Technology from Pepperdine University in 2002. Before working in Education he was a multimedia developer and independent video and documentary producer. He is originally from Kentucky in the USA.

Anthony Deprato
IT Coordinator