John Zahara

Director of Activities, United Nations International School of Hanoi (UNIS Hanoi)

An Internationally Certified Activities Director and International Baccalaureate trained teacher in PYP and MYP physical education with over 20 yrs experience who is passionate about educational based activities, inquiry based learning and student empowered programs through sports, arts and activities. During my career in international education and activities, leadership has always been a passion. My inclusive leadership approach is proactive and solution based when supporting my former international schools focus on steps in the improvement process. As an Activities Director, I view myself as a team leader who designs, implements and targets interventions to help schools address performance and opportunity gaps in order to collectively, strategically and intentionally improve organizational alignment. Being adaptive, inclusive and a leader who believes in transformational leadership, I have been able to promote and guide change to create an environment for my students and staff to be empowered on their educational and professional learning journeys. I hold an Undergraduate Degree in Kinesiology, a Post Graduate Degree in Education (major in Physical Education) as well as a Masters in Educational Leadership where I finished Top of my class with a 4.0 GPA and won the Award for Top Thesis in my graduating class. (My thesis was designed around a school improvement plan to support and enhance the Co-Curricular experience of students through the lens of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) with the underpinning of the United Nations SDGs. Upon completion of thesis I was awarded The title of Fellow of the School of Graduate Studies as voted upon by Senior Faculty and the Dean of Education and its awarded in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated performance of special merit throughout a graduate program. The Masters consisted of a wide range of courses such as Administration theory and practice, Comparative Global Studies, Legal Foundations in Education, Community Partnerships etc. I was fortunate to have finished the 3 yr Masters 6 months ahead of schedule. My passion other than activity administration and teaching is traveling the world, writing and photography and I have been very fortunate to have explored the beauty of over 100 countries. I am currently the Director of Activities at the United Nations International School in Vietnam