Faculty & Staff Directory

Began at CAIS 2024

Gao Laoshi was born and brought up in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, China, the hometown of the great man Sun Yat-sen. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts Management from the Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou. She shares that she is good at singing and playing guzheng, and music has always been an indispensable part of my life. Her journey in education began as a substitute teacher at Kai Ming Head Start in San Francisco. During this time, she completed 18 Early Childhood Education (ECE) credits at City College of San Francisco, earning my Child Development Associate Teacher Permit. She loves playing, learning, and growing with children. She believes that “three people always have their teacher,” and learn from each other in cooperative work with others. In her free time, she loves listening to jazz music, hiking, and watching movies—these hobbies help her find balance and joy after a busy day. 

Began at CAIS 2026

Danielle Garrison brings over 25 years of experience working with teachers and students as a mathematics teacher and instructional leader. Throughout her career, she has worked as both a Mathematics Specialist and math educator, teaching middle and high school math while also supporting teachers in developing strong K–8 math programs. In her current role as Assistant Principal of Middle School and K–8 math leader, she works closely with teachers on instruction and curriculum and partner with students and families to support growth.

Began at CAIS 2026

Ellie Han joins CAIS as a bilingual (Mandarin–English) music and movement educator with over two decades of experience in performing arts education, most recently serving as Lead Music and Movement Teacher at San Francisco Day School.

Grounded in Orff Schulwerk, Kodály, and Dalcroze approaches, her teaching invites children to experience music as a language through singing, movement, and creative expression. She designs performance-based curricula and leads school-wide concerts that cultivate artistry, collaboration, and a strong sense of community.

A trained children’s yoga instructor, Ellie thoughtfully integrates mindfulness and body awareness into her teaching, deepening students’ musical expression, embodied understanding, and holistic development.

Beyond the classroom, Ellie enjoys time by the ocean, practicing yoga, and engaging in the arts.

Began at CAIS 2024

K-4th Grade Counselor Ginger Harper holds an M.Ed. in International School Counseling from Lehigh University and comes to us from Shanghai American School – Puxi, where she was an Early Childhood Counselor.

Ms. Harper is thrilled to return to the US after 14 amazing years abroad, where she and her husband had the pleasure of living in vibrant cities like Seoul, Bangalore, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, and Beijing. China holds a special place in their hearts as it’s where their son was born and where their daughter fondly calls “home”. Her partner, Joshua Brinn, will be joining the middle school as a math and science teacher, while their son begins 3rd grade and their daughter embarks on her Kindergarten journey.

Began at CAIS in 2022

Jenny has a B.A. in Art History from San Francisco State University and most recently was the Membership Coordinator for the Asian American Women Artists Association. Jenny brings a positive personality and a strong administrative skill set to the position.

Began at CAIS 2026

Began at CAIS 2025

Began at CAIS in 2012

Hsu Laoshi has taught Chinese in K–8 immersion programs for 11 years in the US. and has been with CAIS since 2012. A member of the CAIS Curriculum Committee, she has made presentations at ACTFL, CLTA, NCLC, and STARTALK conferences for the past nine years, and also gave a one-week workshop on immersion school teaching at National Taiwan Normal University. She has served as a master teacher at the Virginia STARTALK Chinese Teacher Academy at the University of Virginia for four summers.

Began at CAIS in 2021

Hu Laoshi was born and raised in Mainland China. She graduated from San Francisco State University with both a B.A. and an M.A. degree in Chinese: Concentration in Chinese Literature &​ Linguistics. She has been an early childhood educator for over 5 years. Working with children has always been a passion and she loves seeing smiles on the children’s faces when they learn something new. Things she enjoys outside of work are spending time with family, traveling, clay molding, and trying different cultural cuisines.

Began at CAIS in 2014