Arabella Abad
Fifth Grade Bilingual Teaching Associate
Began at CAIS 2025
Bilingual Teaching Associate Arabella Abad (蔡卓鑫) is from the SF Bay Area and graduated from San Francisco State University with degrees in Mandarin Chinese, International Relations, and German. She’s excited to help CAIS students explore their passions on their individual educational journeys. Outside of the classroom, she likes reading, visiting museums, and biking.
Robert Atkinson
Facilities Technician
Began at CAIS 2024
Stephen Bajc
Director of Finance and Operations
s_bajc@cais.org
Began at CAIS in 2017
Ally Beard
Third Grade English Lead Teacher
Began at CAIS 2024
Ally Beard is a lover of live music, movement, travel, food, nature, and drumming. Currently, she is diving into martial arts and continuously practicing her boxing skills. She recently graduated with a Master’s degree and California teaching credential from the BATTI program. She is passionate about evolving in pedagogy and educational leadership. Fostering a love for learning, nurturing creativity, and instilling a growth mindset in her students is her passion!
Amelia Bell
Second/Third Grade Lead English Teacher
- ME through the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute
- BA in Spanish Literature, Carleton College
Began at CAIS in 2018
Ms. Bell brings experience with differentiation to support students’ learning styles, and her ability to implement our Responsive Classroom and Social Thinking frameworks in the classroom supports students’ social-emotional learning. Ms. Bell holds a Bachelor’s in Spanish Literature from Carleton College and received her Master’s in Education through the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute (BATTI). A linguist herself, Ms. Bell has near-native fluency in Spanish.
Jeffrey Bissell
Head of School
headofschool@cais.org
- Ph.D. in Chinese Language and Literature, University of Wisconsin
- MA in Chinese Language and Literature, University of Wisconsin
- BA in History, Lawrence University
Began at CAIS in 2010
Head of School Jeff Bissell came to CAIS after 11 years as Director of School Year Abroad in Beijing, China. Prior to that he served as Adjunct Professor of Chinese Language at Marquette University and teacher at Shenyang University of Technology in Liaonin Province, China; Nicolet High School in Milwaukee, WI; and Waupun High School in Waupun, WI. Dr. Bissell currently serves on the boards of the California Teacher Development Collaborative; Keystone Academy in Beijing, China; Chinese Early Language Immersion Network at Asia Society (CELIN); and the 1990 Institute. Past board service includes The Mandarin Institute, Western Academy of Beijing and the JUMP! Foundation.
He was named to the task force for the 1 Million Strong initiative spearheaded by Presidents Barack Obama and Xi Jinping to expand to 1 million the number of US K-12 students studying Mandarin by 2020.
HONORS AND AWARDS
THE ASIANWEEK FOUNDATION, ASIAN HERITAGE STREET CELEBRATION SCHOOL AWARD, 2012 For dedication, excellence and achievement in promoting cross cultural diversity
US DEPARTMENT OF STATE, BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS, FULBRIGHT FELLOWSHIP, 1994-1995 For doctoral research in Taipei, Taiwan
US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND AREA STUDIES (FLAS) FELLOWSHIP, 1993-1994 For doctoral research
US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, FLAS FELLOWSHIP, 1993 For graduate studies
US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FLAS FELLOWSHIP, 1993 For intensive summer session Japanese study
COMMITTEE ON INTERCOLLEGIATE COOPERATION FELLOWSHIP 1992 For intensive summer session Japanese study
US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, FLAS FELLOWSHIP, 1991-1992 For graduate studies
ADDITIONAL EDUCATION
TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY 清华大学, Beijing China
Senior Scholar Program at Inter-University Program (IUP) for Chinese Language Studies, Summer 2014
LIAONING NORMAL UNIVERSITY 辽宁师范大学, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China Advanced Chinese language studies, 1989
Joshua Brinn
Sixth Grade Math and Science Teacher
Began at CAIS 2024
After 15 years abroad, including 8 years in China, Sixth Grade Math and Science Teacher Joshua Brinn and his family are thrilled to repatriate to the USA. Professionally, he specializes in inquiry-based learning and individualized learning paths, aiming to inspire curiosity and a love for learning in my students.
His family will also be part of the CAIS community—his two children join as students, and his partner, Ginger Harper, will be the new K-4 counselor.
In his free time, he enjoys hiking, golf, and squash.
Cristina Calcagno
Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development (English)
- M.A. and Teaching Certificate, Wayne State University
- B.A.in Psychology and English/Creative Writing, Kalamazoo College
- Cross-cultural Language and Academic Development Certificate, Stanford University
Emanuel Campos
Security Lead
Began at CAIS 2025
Michelle Cernuto
Middle School Design Technology Teacher
Began at CAIS 2025
Middle School Design Technology Teacher Michelle Cernuto is particularly excited about the opportunity to help shape CAIS’s “purpose-built” Design Lab into a vibrant hub for interdisciplinary inquiry and making.
With a resume that includes San Francisco Friends School, Silicon Valley Educational Foundation, Computer Science Project Director for SFUSD, and AP Computer Science Teacher at Lowell High School, Michelle brings a wealth of experience to her new role at CAIS. At SF Friends, she demonstrated the ability to collaborate with colleagues across the sciences, humanities, and arts to co-create integrated STEAM experiences—everything from laser-cut peace signs informed by Quaker testimonies to Arduino-powered environmental monitoring devices in partnership with science faculty. Michelle shares, “What draws me to CAIS is your bold vision: to be the world’s most innovative, inspiring, and influential Chinese-English dual language immersion school.”