Our School's Leadership Team

Dr. Tara Simeonidis has been an educational leader for over 25 years in both independent and international schools. She served as Lower School Principal at Taipei American School from 2014 to 2025 and for the 2025-2026 school year she will serve as Interim Deputy Head of School.

Throughout her career, Dr. Simeonidis has led lower school programs, developed aligned and inclusive curriculum, and established systems of professional growth that support teacher development and student learning. Her doctoral work at the University of Southern California focused on leading systemic improvement and ensuring that professional growth translates into meaningful student outcomes.

Before becoming an administrator, she taught Grades Pre-K, grades 1, 2, and 4. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, a Master’s in Curriculum Development, and an Ed.D from USC.

Caroline joined Taipei American School in 2023, bringing broad experience in advancement, strategic communications, community engagement, and enrollment management at leading independent schools in the United States and Europe.

Prior to TAS, she served as Director of Enrollment Management, Communications, and Community Relations at the American School of Paris, where she led a unified advancement team and collaborated with the Board of Trustees on strategic initiatives. Her work focused on aligning communications, enrollment, and philanthropy with the school’s mission, and she spearheaded major community programs that strengthened school spirit and engagement.

She previously held advancement roles at an independent all-girls school in Dallas, Texas, where she focused on major and annual giving, campaign planning, and donor engagement. Throughout her career, Caroline has centered her work on building inclusive communities, supporting student-focused initiatives, and advancing institutional goals through thoughtful external relations.

The people and the community - it is truly a joyous place to go to every day.

 I feel that my job has the ability to have visible impact on the community, and that is deeply rewarding for me.

I feel at home in several places including Paris, France, where I have a beloved community of friends as well as Texas where I grew up and my family still resides, and now, Taipei!

I continue to practice the French language, am hoping to pick up Mandarin, and I am eager to learn piano!

Max joined TAS in 2024 after a career that has taken him all over the world. Originally from Switzerland, Max is an avid mountaineer with a love of ice hockey and ski racing. 

Professionally, Max has experience in corporate finance, as Assistant to the Treasurer at Hewlett-Packard in Geneva and Palo Alto, in investment banking, as co-Director at Rothschild in Geneva, and in entrepreneurship as CFO of California start-ups. He discovered his love of education when asked to give seminars to business students, prompting him to begin the next stage of his career in KA-12 schools.

Max has served as CFO and COO at The American School in Switzerland (TASIS), the American School of Dubai, and Hawaii Preparatory Academy. He also taught full courses of AP and IB Microeconomics, and continues to research and publish within emerging fields in economics related to the understanding and application of ethics, integrity, and wisdom in business decision-making.

The community at TAS is fantastic; I feel motivated every day to help the school be its best so that we can serve our students. I’m planning on teaching IB Economics in the coming years and I am already looking forward to working with our students every day.

I love to walk through the halls whenever I can. Our students' learning is amazing, and their love for whatever it is they're doing is palpable. The Tech Cube and the science labs in the Upper School are incredible, I could spend all day reading the students’ research and watching their projects come to life.

Although lived all over the world, I'd still call the Swiss mountains my home.

These days, I still do research in econometrics and econoethics (the ethics of economics) and enjoy it greatly!

Prior to joining the leadership team, Amanda Jacob served as the Lower School Literacy Coordinator at Taipei American School. She has been a teacher and literacy coach for over twenty years in the US, Haiti, The Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Poland, and Taiwan.

Amanda Jacob stepped into the role of Lower School Literacy Coordinator seven years ago after having taught in Grades one, two, and five at TAS. In her role as Literacy Coordinator, Amanda works to ensure articulation of the Lower School's reading and writing programs, provides coaching for teachers, and plans professional development. She has led the Lower School language arts committee through the adoption of new curriculum standards, teaching materials, and assessment tools.

In addition to her work with homeroom teachers, Amanda worked closely with the Mandarin team to make sure that children have a similar literacy experience in English and Chinese. As a result of this work, Amanda established the Chinese Literacy Symposium with the Mandarin team; the only conference for Mandarin teachers devoted to using balanced-literacy components to teach Chinese. She has helped organize and present at the symposium for the last four years, bringing together language teachers from international schools in Asia and the United States for a weekend of learning about best literacy practices. 

While Amanda has focused on literacy at TAS, she has a bachelor's degree in mathematics and led K-12 math curriculum committees at the International School of Manila and the American School of Warsaw. 

She has presented at the annual Teachers College Reading and Writing Project's coaching institutes at Teachers College, Columbia University and has consulted at schools throughout the Asia region. 

Amanda appreciates everything that her family, Paul a KA teacher and her son Theo a student in the Upper School, has gained by being a part of the TAS community for the last 15 years. She is excited and honored to serve our community in this new role.

TAS has been a remarkable place for me to grow as an educator. The school embraces learning for all - children, teachers, parents, and administrators. I love learning beside colleagues and trying new ways to better reach and support learners. 

I find joy in many places and experiences at TAS. Kneeling down next to a child to hear what they are working on, celebrating growth, and nudging them to take the next step brings me joy. I also love studying best practices with the different task forces and committees that I am working with. There is such a strong commitment from the members of the teams to improving our instruction. 

I call both Taiwan and Colorado home. I am lucky to have two beautiful places to call home. 

I am currently working on my doctorate in curriculum and instruction. I have been exploring how textbooks reinforce dominant culture by using Critical Discourse Analysis. I am also trying to learn Chinese through short, daily lessons. 

Larry Kraut joined TAS in 2017 with an MBA from Drexel University, an MA from Temple University and a BA from the University of Idaho.

Larry served as the Finance and Operations Director at the American School of Warsaw for seven years. Prior work experiences include three years as the Business Manager at Cairo American College in Cairo, Egypt, four years working as the Assistant Director of Finance and eight years as a classroom teacher in Grades 4 and 8 at Germantown Academy located near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He is also an active volunteer who led the Business Manager Interest Group for the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) and supported the Council of International Schools (CIS), Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA), and New York State Association on Independent Schools (NYSAIS) with various school accreditation visits.

Supporting the operational teams with their work which enables the school program to run smoothly and effectively. 

I enjoy the people with whom I work, and value and appreciate those relationships the most. 

Konstancin-Jerziona, Poland.

Improving my golf game, VERY slowly, and learning about Taiwan people, geography, and culture. 

Originally a Midwesterner, Joe grew up in Illinois just outside of Chicago and went to college in Wisconsin. He’s spent 20 years overseas, starting with study abroad in Japan and Canada, and conducting research in Sri Lanka. After working in New York City as a teaching fellow, Joe started his international career at Copenhagen International School in Denmark, then Canadian Academy in Kobe, Japan, then GEMS American Academy in Dubai, and is currently at the Anglo-American School of Sofia, in Bulgaria.

Joe is excited to join TAS in SY25–26, and is looking forward to working with its amazing teachers and students. Joe was incredibly impressed by the employee community during his time on campus, and is eager to help the school on its journey to become a more inclusive school.

In his spare time, Joe enjoys reading, hiking, video games, and long car trips. He recently started playing Mahjong and is eager to learn Taiwanese-style rules. Joe is joined by his two sons, Kenshin and Kosuke, and his wife Azusa. Together, they enjoy playing family games, swimming pools, and watching silly videos.

Although I've just started working at TAS, I've been very impressed by the community. Everyone is incredibly welcoming and kind!

I mostly think of home as two places: American and Japan. Specifically, I grew up in and around Chicago, and love the Windy City and the Midwest. The other side of my family is from Japan, and I've spent over a decade living in the Kansai area of Japan. I miss and love both places very much whenever I travel.

I've recently been learning the differences between Japanese style Majong and Taiwanese rules. I'm also resuming my study of kanji, hopefully to the benefit of both my Mandarin and Japanese.

Raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Rachel’s passion for international education began early, shaped by her heritage, her curiosity about the world, and a transformative study abroad experience in Madrid. After moving to Spain to complete her undergraduate degree, she stayed on to work in the early days of social media and online community management with Red Karaoke, helping the startup connect with audiences around the globe.

What began as a love for language and digital communities grew into a career dedicated to education, engagement, and mission-driven communication. Rachel has spent over 15 years in international education across the U.S., U.K., and Europe, developing innovative approaches to improving student experiences and growing niche markets. Most recently, she served as Senior Director of Student Services at EF International Language Campuses in Oxford. There, she led communications, community engagement, and crisis response for thousands of global students, launched UK-wide sustainability campaigns, and developed a trauma-informed support policy for school staff—all while driving student satisfaction and operational improvement.

Rachel is thrilled to join TAS in SY25–26. She is passionate about strategic storytelling, building inclusive communities, and creating systems that help students, families, and alumni feel seen, heard, and connected. She looks forward to bringing TAS’s mission to life through thoughtful, people-centred communication. Outside of work, Rachel is excited to eat and hike her way through Taiwan with her husband and young son.

It's still early days, but from what I've seen and heard so far, the support and kindness people show one another truly stands out. Based on this warm welcome, I feel confident that I'll love working closely with what seems to be a caring and hard-working team.

So far, I've found my joy in meeting and learning about the many different members of the TAS community. Whether it's students, parents, long-time staff, or fellow newcomers, everyone has such an interesting story to share - and so much I feel I can learn from them."

I'm very proud to call Atlanta, Georgia home.

I've started learning Mandarin, and I've been working on surfing over the last couple of years whenever I can get to the sea. I look forward to continuing that in Taiwan. My son has also been teaching me everything there is to know about Minecraft - whether I want to learn it or not!

With over 30 years of experience in independent schools—including Tabor Academy and St. Mark’s School in Massachusetts—Rick brings a thoughtful, student-centered approach to his work as an educator, leader, and community builder.

His career has spanned roles as a history teacher (specializing in East Asian and global studies), residential dean, multi-sport coach, director of international programs, and, most recently, director of community and equity. A global-minded DEIB practitioner, Rick leads with empathy, integrity, and a deep commitment to fostering inclusive communities. He is especially excited to support TAS’s efforts to cultivate a sense of belonging across the community and to advance the school’s evolving service-learning program.

Rick’s professional journey is shaped by his lived experiences across East Asia, the Caribbean, and Europe, including time in Cape Verde—his extended family’s homeland—and in Denmark, which he describes as one of the most joyful places he’s known. He is also a proud father whose daughter recently graduated from Belmont University and will soon begin graduate studies there. Outside of school, Rick finds joy in golf, being near the water, and spending time outdoors.

I'm impressed by TAS’s clarity of vision, warmth, and deep sense of purpose. Every interaction so far has reflected a thoughtful and caring community, and I’m excited to be part of a school that values inclusion, learning, and global connection.

I expect to find joy in the same places I always have: in relationships, in collaborative work, and in the everyday moments when students and adults alike feel seen and heard. I’m also eager to experience joy through exploring Taiwan—and eventually getting in my first round of golf on this side of the world!

Massachusetts is home—it’s where I’ve spent most of my life and where my family and closest community are. At the same time, I’ve always found a sense of home in places where people are committed to justice, connection, and purpose. I look forward to building that kind of home in Taipei.

Lately, I’ve been immersing myself in learning more about Taiwan—its history, culture, language, and rhythms of daily life. I’m also thinking a lot about belonging, and how we foster it across cultures and school communities. And when I can find the time, I love getting out on the golf course—still a very amateur, but always enthusiastic, golfer.