Martin Hall grew up in Scotland and gained his first degree in Political Economy and Philosophy from the University of Glasgow. He taught Economics, Business Studies, and History at highly regarded state schools in England, and then at a Tanzanian school for two years with the VSO. Martin served as Secondary Principal at the Inter-Community School of Zurich, and most recently, as Director of the International School of Tanganyika in Tanzania. He is an experienced member and co-Chair of accreditation teams and was a Board member of the Association of International Schools in Africa. Martin has a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the Open University, and the National Professional Qualification for Headship.
As a school leader, Martin has continued teaching such classes as Economics and Theory of Knowledge, valuing the continued opportunity to develop his professional practice and interact directly with students. Martin is committed to the culture of excellence in schools, setting high aspirations for students, and encouraging critical thinking throughout the school community. He is passionate about supporting student achievement and wellbeing through effective pastoral systems and nurturing student engagement.
Joe Holroyd grew up in London, attending Highgate School and then King Edward’s School, Witley, as a scholarship student. Joe is very much a lifelong learner, aligned with the traditions of the IB (International Baccalaureate) programmes that he leads. His academic background includes postgraduate studies and publications in education, philosophy, the arts, and counselling psychology. He completed his Doctorate in Business Administration at Université Paris Dauphine (PSL), exploring international schools through the lens of Institutional Theory.
Beginning his career in the UK as a teacher of English Literature, Joe has since worked as a school leader in some of the larger and more progressive international schools in Asia, and most recently as Head of International at Swiss International Boarding School, Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz. A ‘teaching leader,’ Joe loves supporting students and teachers in feeling safe to take risks in their learning—championing ambitious inquiry in the classroom and beyond. Joe has worked extensively with progressive universities around the world. This, together with his various longstanding roles with the IB and his lifelong-learning instincts, ensures that Joe’s educational vision is informed by ongoing research.
Michelle was born in Minnesota and completed her undergraduate degree in education at the University of Oregon. After teaching in the Seattle area, she moved to the UK in 1991 with her Norwegian husband. She taught in the British system before joining ACS Hillingdon as a teacher in 1992. Her MA in Education from Oxford Brookes University focused on Policy, Planning and Management in international schools; her dissertation explored the outcomes of international education for Middle School students. Michelle has been the Lower School Principal at ACS Hillingdon since 1997.
She is committed to high expectations and the success of all students. Under her leadership, student achievement and parent survey results have been consistently high. Michelle has served on several accreditation teams, and she holds Principal Certification in New Jersey, International School Leadership Certification, and is qualified to serve as a Principal Mentor by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. Her two children attended ACS Hillingdon from Kindergarten through Grade 12.
Born in the UK, Sadie Lovell has navigated an international journey between Australia and England over the last 25 years before establishing roots in London. Educated at St Rita’s College in Brisbane, Australia, Sadie holds a dual degree in English and History from the University of Queensland (UQ). Demonstrating early leadership potential, Sadie was instrumental in founding the UQ Education Society, which continues to thrive today.
Commencing her teaching career in a large government school in the outer suburbs of Brisbane, Sadie quickly ascended to leadership roles, including Head of Year, even in the nascent stages of her career. Driven by a passion for global educational experiences, Sadie returned to London, where she initially engaged in supply teaching to facilitate travel. Since joining ACS Hillingdon in 2014, she has served with distinction as an English and Social Studies teacher, and in various leadership capacities such as Head of Year, Head of Department, IB Career-related (IBCP) Coordinator, and most recently, Interim Upper School Principal. In her role as IBCP Coordinator, Sadie helped establish the world’s first “Creative Arts” IB Career-related Programme, now in its fourth year at ACS, underscoring a belief in the importance of flexible education tailored to student needs.
As of August 2024, Sadie will assume the role of Assistant Head of Upper School. With a deep commitment to authentic learning, Sadie advocates for student and teacher leadership, fostering environments where both voices are paramount. A firm believer in the value of educators maintaining active classroom engagement, Sadie views this as essential to effective leadership and pedagogical excellence at ACS Hillingdon, continuing to teach IBDP Language and Literature to Senior students.
Jean was born in New York City and completed her undergraduate degree in Comparative Literature at Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts. After receiving her undergraduate degree, she worked as a securities accountant before attending graduate school. After receiving her Master’s degree in Education, she taught in the New York City Public School System for several years. She then relocated to the UK in 1997 and began teaching at ACS. Jean worked on curriculum development before accepting a senior leadership role as an assistant principal. She then took on the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead. She served on several NEASC accreditation teams and holds International School Leadership Certification.
Jean is passionate about providing students with opportunities to be successful and develop their confidence and resilience. Her oldest child graduated from ACS with an IB Diploma, attended a Russell Group University and is now embarking on a career in education. Her youngest child also graduated ACS with an IB Diploma and is attending university in the UK.
Suellen has now been at ACS Hillingdon for a year as the Dean of Admissions and Financial Assistance Manager, and together with her team, works hard to ensure families have the best experience when applying to and joining our school.
She mostly grew up in France, building a strong academic background with a bachelor’s degree in business administration at BBA EDHEC, a top 10 business school in Europe.
After over a decade working for luxury hotels in places including Paris, London, Singapore, and Hong Kong, she decided to extend her customer service expertise and personal experience to the most rewarding and inspiring community: children.
Prior to joining ACS Hillingdon, Suellen was Head of Admissions at the French International School of Hong Kong with nearly 3,000 students and has now been working with international families for several years, guiding them both locally and regionally. She maintains a high level of understanding of what the whole relocation process having relocated multiple times herself, both as a child within a military environment and now with her own family.
Defining herself as a citizen of the world with heritage from various parts of the world, she truly aims to guide parents within the ever-changing world of education with her knowledge of different curricular and learning methods. Under the leadership of Suellen, our Admissions team ensures our school is the right fit for prospective families. Behind each place admitted, she wishes to broaden student horizons, and develop family and community mindsets to prepare them for tomorrow’s world.
