Faculty & Staff Directory

Began at CAIS 2024

Preschool Teaching Associate Xiaowen Zhang was born and raised in China and is a dedicated preschool assistant teacher. She earned her Bachelor’s in Visual Communication Design from San Francisco State University and later obtained a Site Supervisor Permit in Early Childhood Education from City College of San Francisco. 

Xiaowen’s passion lies in creatively integrating art into her teaching style through painting, storytelling, and daily activities. With over two years of experience working in preschool, she believes every child is unique and customizes learning methods based on individual needs. Xiaowen strives to create an inclusive and nurturing classroom environment where children can thrive emotionally, socially, and cognitively.

Began at CAIS 2024

BEGAN AT CAIS 2018

Zheng Laoshi began at CAIS as a long-term substitute and quickly impressed the community. She deftly managed the pivot to Distance Learning and is now an integral part of the Middle School Chinese language faculty! She came to us as a recent graduate of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in Chinese teaching, and had most recently taught at the Santa Catalina School in Monterey; she also has much expertise in curriculum development.

Began at CAIS 2025

Mandy Zhu was born in China, and immigrated to San Francisco when she was 9 years old. She is a detail-oriented and collaborative educator, and has experience supporting students through project-based learning and technology-driven classroom activities. With a background in web development, data analysis, and communication, she enjoys helping students explore new ideas, think critically, and develop practical skills. Outside of school, she enjoys listening to music, watching TV shows, and working out.

Began at CAIS 2021

Zhuang laoshi served as a Chinese teacher and Art teacher  at St. Mary’s Chinese Language School and Sky Kids SF. In 2018, she made the decision to study early childhood education courses at City College and have since completed all the required courses and obtained the California Early Childhood Teacher Permit. She joined CAIS in 2021. Zhuang Laoshi graduated from the Department of Art and Design of Tsing Hua University and has been engaged in interior environment design for 18 years. These experiences have given her design thinking and often bring it to her teaching. She loves Chinese art, and enjoys integrating these artistic elements into Chinese and art courses, which is helpful for children to understand Chinese culture in the process of playing. In free time, she likes to travel, especially visiting art galleries in various cities.

Began at CAIS 2023

Teacher Brittany was born and raised in a rural river town in Connecticut, which fostered her deep connection to nature from a young age. She moved to San Francisco in 2022 after having previously lived in a few cities on the east coast and in China as well.  In addition to wandering the outdoors, she also loves attending live music events and trying new restaurants.