Faculty

Louise O’Donnell-Weh

Bachelor of Primary Education (Hons), University of Glasgow, Scotland

Ms. Louise O’Donnell-Weh currently serves as the Whole School Inclusion Coordinator at TCIS. She brings over a decade of experience supporting students with English language needs and special educational needs across international schools in the UK, Qatar, and Thailand.
Ms. Louise has held leadership roles, including Head of Inclusion, SEN Coordinator, and School Counselor. She has coordinated ELL (English Language Learner) and SEN support in both IB and British curriculum schools, overseeing multidisciplinary teams and developing school-wide systems to track student progress and deliver targeted interventions. Her experience includes managing student support programs for over 600 students and training more than 50 staff members in inclusive practices.
She has worked extensively in Speech, Language, and Communication Centres integrated within mainstream schools, supporting children with a range of learning, emotional, and language development needs. Louise is certified in both Primary Teaching and Educational Leadership, and has completed specialized training in WIDA Standards, bilingual education, and inclusive classroom strategies.
Ms. Louise is deeply passionate about advocating for children who require additional support—regardless of the area of need—and believes in building strong partnerships with teachers and families to ensure every learner can access success.

Mansel Beaumont

Bachelor of Elementary Education, University of Alberta, Canada Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education, University of Alberta, Canada

Mr. Mansel has been an educator for many years, working in elementary and middle school classrooms within the international school network. He has taught in his home country of Canada as well as in Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Thailand. While the classes and subjects have changed over the years, one constant has been his joy and passion for teaching.
Mansel has returned to TCIS after spending four years away. This time, he will be teaching in middle school, having previously taught in elementary. When he’s not teaching, Mansel can be found walking in nature, staying active with sports, or relaxing with a good book, video game, or movie.

Matthew Cannon

Master’s of Business Administration (MBA), B.S. Health Education-Kinesiology From Georgia College & State University

Matthew Cannon is a second-year teacher at TCIS where he teaches Pre-Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra II. Matthew is an American teacher from the state of Georgia, where he was born and raised in the Metro Atlanta Area. He attended Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, Georgia, where he earned a B.S. in Health Education and a Master of Business Administration (MBA). In addition to Thailand, he has taught internationally in both Vietnam and China.

Matthew loves to make content approachable for all students. He continues to learn creative strategies to create an engaging learning experience for all students. Matthew enjoys spending time with his wife and exercising outside the classroom.

Michelle Viola Dilgee

Bachelor of Arts in Human Movement Studies and Higher Diploma of Education, University of the Western Cape

Ms. Michelle is from Cape Town, South Africa, and comes with 25 years of international experience in early childhood education. She is a passionate and seasoned educator whose journey began in her home country of South Africa.
Alongside her loyal travel companion, her dog Rada, she brings her warmth, creativity, and expertise to classrooms across Taiwan, China, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Outside the classroom, she enjoys scrapbooking, arts and crafts, reading, and swimming. A firm advocate for learning through play, Ms. Michelle has completed the Reggio Emilia course as well as gained experience using the IB PYP curriculum and integrating their principles into her practice. Her classroom environments are intentionally designed to reflect children’s interests and ideas, promoting collaboration, creativity, and purposeful exploration.

Mikia Strand

B.A Early Childhood Education, University of South Carolina Upstate

Ms. Mikia earned her BA in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina Upstate in the U.S.A. in 2010. She joined TCIS in September 2024 to teach ELL. She taught first grade for the last 10 years. She wants to bring her love of teaching to TCIS. Her goals are to educate the entire child by meeting their needs and helping them progress in all areas. Ms. Mikia is excited to teach PK4 for the 2025-2026 school year.

Nial Water Jones

Bachelor's in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Language Arts, Central Michigan University Master's in Reading Education, University of Kansas.

Nial Jones is from Lansing, Michigan, United States. His credentials include a Bachelor's in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Language Arts from Central Michigan University and a Master's in Reading Education from the University of Kansas. Nial is also a certified reading specialist. He is licensed to teach in the United States (Board of Education from the state of Michigan) and the United Kingdom (QTS). He possesses over a decade of teaching experience in the United States, China, and now Thailand! Throughout that time, Nial has focused on building a trusting, caring classroom environment in which all students feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes. Nial believes that it is his job to help students not only grow academically, but to help them develop as well-rounded human beings. Outside of the classroom, he loves to watch movies, read (especially history), travel, support Michigan State basketball, and learn from others. Nial is looking forward to a great year!

Nilar Win Buasuwan

Bachelor's Degree in Arts, Graduate Diploma in Teacher Education

Ms. Nilar has taught as an early childhood educator for pre kindergarten and kindergarten in TCIS since 2001. Before joining TCIS, she has also worked as an early childhood educator in other schools in Bangkok as well as other countries including Laos, the Philippines and Myanmar for more than six years. Ms.Nilar is a deeply passionate and devoted individual when it comes to educating young minds.She wholeheartedly believes that when early childhood education is nurtured successfully,it lays the groundwork needed for students to become well rounded lifelong learners. She has been living in Thailand for the past twenty five years and has two children that have graduated from TCIS.

Onuma (Ben) Malaisawan

BA Thai Language

Ms.Onuma (Kru Ben) has a Bachelor of Arts in Thai language. She has been teaching at TCIS since 2014. Kru Ben received the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Private Educational Association in 2018. She teaches Thai language and culture in secondary school to both Thai and Non-Thai students. She believes that all students are unique and the classroom is a free space for students to speak and meet their full potential. Kru Ben also works with the Thai Red Cross Youth Bureau (TRCY) and provides support for TCIS Red Cross Youth Volunteers.

Prapatsorn (Koong) Ketchan

Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, Sukhothai Thamathirat Open University Master’s Degree: Teaching Thai as a Foreign Language, Srinakharinwirot University

Ms. Prapatsorn Longjumnong, affectionately known by her students as “Kru Koong,” is a highly experienced educator who has been teaching at TCIS since 2006. This School year, she is teaching Thai Language and Cultures in PK3 and PK4 classes. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Teaching Thai as a Foreign Language. In addition to her teaching qualifications, she has received professional certification and has completed various training programs in cultural event planning and Thai language instruction for non-native speakers.

Over the years, Ms. Prapatsorn has worked with both Thai and international students, ranging from early childhood to upper elementary and middle school levels. Her teaching philosophy centers on empathy, creativity, and deep cultural understanding. She believes in cultivating a classroom environment built on mutual respect, where students feel empowered to express themselves confidently and grow into responsible, thoughtful members of society.

Rachel Lynn Kauffman

B.A. Teaching English and English as a Second Language from the University of Northern Iowa

Mrs. Rachel is a first year teacher at TCIS teaching 8th & 9th grade English. She was born and raised in Iowa, USA. During college she did her student teaching experiences in both China and India. Doing that she found a passion for working and teaching abroad. She has lived and taught English in Bangkok for the last five years at an international school. She loves inspiring kids to be creative scholars that are reflective and responsible. She is a football coach and loves to inspire kids both on and off the field to work hard and be team players. She is so excited to be working at TCIS and can’t wait to have an amazing year.