Our Team

Mrs Emma Shanahan has worked in education for almost 25 years, starting as a primary school teacher in London. A graduate of the University of Durham, Emma considers herself a 'lifelong learner', being awarded NPQH (National Professional Headship Qualification) in 2013, and receiving a MA (ed)(distinction) from Liverpool Hope University in 2016.

She has held strategic leadership roles in high performing schools both in the UK and internationally, with significant Middle-East regional experience. The impact of Emma’s leadership is regional, and externally validated with her school being graded ‘outstanding’ in every category in the unified inspection framework in 2015-16.

Passionate, focussed and ambitious, Emma has exceptionally high expectations of herself and others. She is experienced in establishing and facilitating processes for personal and organisational continuous evaluation and improvement, exemplified by the organisational attainment of the International Investors in People award.

Emma's philosophy of education is centred around building positive relationships, and

Miss Laura Stevens is a dedicated and enthusiastic educational practitioner with over 14 years of teaching and leadership experience in both the UK and the UAE.

Miss Stevens has been living in Abu Dhabi for the last nine years working in outstanding primary schools and more recently, supporting the transition and set-up of Aspen Heights British School, which is now in its second year.

Miss Stevens really enjoys the experiences that she has encountered living here in Abu Dhabi and the relationships that she has developed within this vibrant and multicultural community.

Miss Stevens believes that in order for a school to be successful in Abu Dhabi, strong community links and positive relationships are vital. She is committed to leading and supporting staff in creating an enjoyable, inspiring and personalised curriculum, as she wants all children to reach their potential and develop a real love for learning.

Mrs Helene Francis is a graduate of University College, Dublin, Ireland, and has been in education for nearly 40 years. She spent the first half of her career teaching Mathematics and Geography to students in KS3 and KS4 in Dublin, Ireland and St Alban’s, UK. With the challenge of state examinations every year, Helene combined a deep knowledge of her subjects with a passion for teaching and learning, and had high expectations of her students. However, she also promoted a holistic education, organising various field trips, outdoor activities and charitable work.

Over time, Helene developed a passion for working with children who have additional educational needs and so she returned to University College, Dublin to qualify in Special Education. Since then she has held SENCO (Special Education Needs Coordinator) roles in a number of schools. She brings patience and humour to her work, always encouraging children to ‘have a go’, promoting

I am very enthusiastic to be the first Finance Manager for Aspen Heights.

I have 11 years’ experience within the finance departments of international educational institutions. All my knowledge gained will be used to make Aspen Heights an exceptional school.

Nature and the protection of our environment is close to my heart, thus it excites me to work at a school that will incorporate these values into the education of the children.

Angela has 17 years marketing experience, since graduating in BA (Hons) Business Studies in Aberdeen, UK in 2001.

Working as a global Marketing Manager for an oil supply company in Aberdeen, Scotland for 11 years, Angela has experience across the sales and marketing mix.  In Abu Dhabi, Angela has enjoyed marketing and customer service roles in business, relocation and a long-established British school, before joining Aspen Heights in summer 2018.

Ange is delighted to join the team at Aspen and looks forward to meeting and welcoming our current and prospective families.

After achieving a BA (Hons) in Professional Childhood Studies and GTP, Shabnam taught for 10 years in schools across Birmingham, UK. Her experience in these schools enabled her to develop skills to cater for various individual needs, as she believes that all children have the right to personalised and high-quality education.

Miss Ranny held a senior leadership role in the UK, supporting teachers' professional development and monitoring children's progress. As Global Learning leader at her school, Ms Ranny organised whole school events and charity events, and adapted lessons to look at global issues.

For many years Shabnam wanted to work in an international organisation so she was thrilled at the opportunity to work in Abu Dhabi. At Aspen Heights, she is now working within the leadership team to drive the school forward. She has her own Year 6 class and she is responsible for Key Stage Two.

Miss Leanne Faulkner has been a primary teacher for 7 years after graduating from Worcester University with a PGCE. Before this she studied English at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland for three years. She taught across all primary ages in schools in the UK before moving to Abu Dhabi in August 2017.

Leanne has a particular passion for engaging children in phonics, reading and writing and has had some fantastic opportunities to work with Pie Corbett, who created the Talk 4 Writing approach to learning. She has been able to implement this in schools in England and is now very much enjoying doing the same at Aspen Heights British School.

Driven and passionate about the progress of children, Leanne works hard to ensure her colleagues are supported and that the children’s learning in all subject areas is a top priority.

Over the last 13 years, Martine has continually strived to gain experience and knowledge in order to help her to have a stronger understanding of the teaching profession. She has held various roles in early years settings and primary schools, these being; Teaching Assistant, Learning Support Assistant, Setting Based SENCO, Behaviour Co-ordinator and now Teacher. During her employment in these roles, she also studied to obtain a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and a Master's Degree in Education.

Although classroom learning and development is at the forefront of a child’s education, Martine is a firm believer in providing pupils with the skills to communicate in the wider world. Her experience in the UK has given her the opportunity to instill understanding and cohesion of different cultures in her teaching. An inclusive curriculum that gives all children an opportunity to learn is vital.

Miss Ouassila Knani has been a primary teacher for 15 years. After graduating from university in Tunisia in 2000, she completed a Bachelor's degree in Education from Al Hosn University in Abu Dhabi. She has taught across all primary ages in schools in Abu Dhabi.

Ouassila has a passion for engaging children in reading, writing and speaking in Arabic; she has some fantastic teaching strategies to use in the classroom. She has implemented these strategies in an outstanding school in Abu Dhabi, and is now very much enjoying doing the same at Aspen Heights British School.

Ouasilla is committed to collaborating with families to ensure home and school work together to raise standards in all Arabic subjects.

Krishna Doherty has over 15 years’ of human resources experience including: recruitment and retention, change management, salary administration, performance management, benefits and employee relations across a number of industries.

Krishna holds a Higher National Diploma in Business Studies with Human Resource from Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College in Buckshire. She is also certified as a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in Human Resources (CIPD).

She is very passionate and enjoys helping employees reach their goals, building relationships and ensuring best HR practices. Krishna also enjoys mentoring up-and-coming HR professionals where she shares her knowledge and passion for HR.