A big welcome to our new BSM PTA!
![A big welcome to our new BSM PTA!]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1726210299/britishschoolmanilaorg/un5zal8hnwfeiyrhpzpf/PTANews_1.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1726210299/britishschoolmanilaorg/un5zal8hnwfeiyrhpzpf/PTANews_1.png","width":400}])
A huge welcome to our new PTA committee for SY 2024-2025. These new members bring a wealth of experience and skills that will be invaluable as they continue to work hard to bring our community together.
This year your SY 2024-2025 PTA Team will be:
Kristel Da Silva Curran - President
Kristel has been a BSM Mum for four years, with a daughter in Year 5, and a son in Year 2. In that time, her role as Parent Rep through most of the Primary years and as PTA secretary last year has really allowed her to get to know the school community as a whole. She loves the many ways BSM has allowed and encouraged her kids to flourish, and she is constantly amazed by the wonderful spirit and sense of belonging that the school offers. She thinks of the school almost as family now and loves playing an active role in creating moments of joy for the community on a daily basis.
With a background in Advertising, Marketing, and PR, Kristel is excited to continue her involvement with the PTA this year and is particularly keen to keep bringing families, teachers and staff together in new, innovative ways while celebrating BSM's rich cultural diversity.
In her spare time, you can find Kristel hanging out on the beach with her family, playing the flute, or trying to find ways to stop her dog from chewing everything!
Krithika Asokan - Vice President
Associated with the school as a parent since 2021, Krithika holds an Engineering degree with specialisations in Human Resources and General Law. With two children in Year 8 and Year 5, Krithika brings a parental perspective. Professionally, she boasts nearly a decade of experience in the HR Department of an IT organization, managing international operations.
In her eight years in the Philippines, she coordinated the Professional Support wing for the non-profit organization - Indian Women in Enterprise. Krithika’s personal interests encompass gardening, reading, responsible pet parenting, and networking. Her strengths in interpersonal, communication, and social skills equip her well to serve the BSM community as a PTA Committee member for another year.
Ainaz Homiyar Garda - Treasurer
After living in two African countries, Ainaz moved to Manila in 2015. Their son joined BSM in 2020 and is now advancing to Year 3. Ainaz holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Advertising and Public Relations and a Master of Commerce in Management. Her professional journey began in college with an event management company, where she honed her organisational and leadership skills. After four years, she transitioned to a global asset management firm, specializing in equity investments, where she developed a keen eye for financial analysis and strategic planning. With over a decade of cumulative experience in both event management and finance, Ainaz brings a unique blend of skills to the table.
She is passionate about leveraging her expertise to contribute significantly to the BSM community through various PTA events and projects. Her background equips her to handle the complexities of planning and executing events while maintaining a strategic focus on achieving our goals. She is eager to collaborate with the BSM community and make a meaningful impact on our initiatives.
Elizabeth O’Sullivan - Secretary
Elizabeth O'Sullivan, originally from London, is new to Manila and new to BSM, but she is not new to Asia! Arriving in Hong Kong in 2006, Elizabeth has remained in Asia ever since, living in Jakarta, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. She has a daughter at University in Toronto and one son at BSM, Jack, who has just started in Year 12. Previously, her children attended international schools in Hong Kong, Jakarta, and Bangkok. Elizabeth has a great knowledge of international schooling and what can be achieved and enjoyed by students and their families with a great PTA to organise things. She has worked as a teacher in international schools, and is keen to get involved as a parent at BSM.
Elizabeth would be interested in all fundraising activities, especially working with charities and students and families to implement the 'service' aspect of international schooling. She is interested in Theatre and The Arts and appreciates the hard work of all international teachers! Elizabeth has great communication skills and a positive attitude to life. She is delighted to have arrived in Manila and would love to get more involved in helping other families enjoy BSM and Manila, via the work of the PTA.
Kaylee Cook - Operations (Logistics)
Kaylee’s journey to Manila began in 2017. In the last six years, she has had the privilege of being a very active and committed member of the BSM community. Professionally, she trained as a beauty therapist, but since becoming a mother to three children, who are currently in Primary School, her focus shifted towards nurturing and supporting them and the occasional stray kitten that crossed her path. What sets Kaylee apart is her ability to bridge the gap between parents and teachers, embodying the belief that the true strength of BSM lies in its sense of community. Through her role on the PTA for the last couple of years, she has been able to bring parents and teachers together, fostering an environment that nurtures growth, support, and shared aspirations.
Kaylee possesses an undeniable passion for creating memorable moments that will enrich our children’s educational journey. Her vision goes beyond academics; it encompasses creating a sense of belonging for all members of our community. Kaylee looks forward to the possibility of her continued contribution to the PTA, as she strives to infuse more joy into the lives of our children through enhanced educational experiences.
Mariya Meraj Hassan - Operations (Entertainment and Attractions)
Mariya, with a Master’s in Human Resource Management, embodies cultural richness from her Indian roots. As an expat for over 9 years across Sri Lanka and the Philippines, she brings a wealth of experience. Her son attends Year 8 at BSM, while her husband serves as a Country Head for a skincare company. Despite relocating in 2022, she quickly integrated into the BSM family, volunteering as a Parent Rep for Year 7 and now for Year 8.
She adeptly navigates post-pandemic challenges, fostering connections within the community. Mariya’s active involvement extends beyond representation; she enthusiastically volunteers for various events like International Evening, Christmas Shop and Activities week showcasing her love for engagement. With a background in teaching, her passion for education fuels her desire to contribute further, evident in her excitement to join the BSM PTA. Her dedication and vibrant spirit serve to enrich the school community, embodying the essence of cultural diversity and camaraderie.
Carly Norman - Operations (Bar and Catering)
Carly is a mother to Isla who joined BSM in 2023 having made the move from Madrid, Spain. She is passionate about school life and strives to make family experiences the best they can be for both students and parents. Carly enjoys giving back to the community and has involved herself in charitable activities since moving to Manila. Before relocating from the UK, she worked for Kent Police as a Management Secretary. Carly has extensive experience in all administrative tasks, having supported the area commander for a number of years.
Carly enjoys spending time with her family, eating out, planning events and holidays and training in the gym. Her greatest passion outside of family is live music and she especially enjoys taking her daughter to see music artists around the world.
Jessica Man - Decor and Theme
Jessica has lived in the Philippines since 2009. She has a son who is in Year 1. She used to be a Chinese teacher and a bid manager at IBM, she also used to run her own business. But now Jessica is fully committed to accompanying her child to grow happily and supporting him. Beyond school, she likes making friends, joining parties, travelling, and challenging herself to new things. She also likes sports (fitness, tennis, Pilates...)
Since coming to BSM, Jessica has been a PTA committee member for one year. She always likes to join school activities and she is looking forward to helping the BSM PTA community in the coming year.
Rashni Weerasekera - Sponsorship
Rashni Weerasekera joined the BSM family in April 2023 when her family transitioned to the Philippines. She was previously living in the United Arab Emirates. She has managed her family's interests during the years which include a boutique beach resort and commercial/residential real estate in Sri Lanka.
She has corporate experience across multiple industries such as telecommunications, apparel production and export, and as well as latex rubber manufacturing in the capacity of business/market analyst. In addition, she was an instructional designer for an e-learning startup in the USA. Rashni holds a BBA in performance improvement technologies with a special emphasis in Finance from Baylor University Texas in the USA.
She is a strong team advocate having represented her high school in basketball. Currently her interests include spinning, tennis, cycling, general fitness, and nutrition. Her family absolutely loves to hike & camp and looking forward to their trail adventures while in the Philippines.
Sylvia Alonso - Marketing
Sylvia Alonso is a veterinarian and an epidemiologist, and she works as a scientist for an institute doing research on agriculture in the global south. She has two children in a multilingual family. She arrived in Manila in August 2024 having lived in 5 different countries across 3 continents over the past 13 years.
Sylvia likes being with people, travelling, and spending time by the sea.
Sophie Maclang - Primary School Teacher Representative
Sophie Maclang is a dedicated Year 2 teacher with a strong passion for community events, having been actively involved with the PTA for the past year. Living as an expat for most of her life, Sophie is deeply interested in the culture and challenges faced by highly mobile people. A loving wife and mother of two, Vivienne and George, she is highly family-oriented.
Outside of her teaching career, Sophie enjoys performing in a band and embracing her love for acting and performing.
Sergio Martinez - Senior School Teacher Representative
Sergio Martinez is a dedicated parent and educator with a passion for fostering growth and community. Having taught for 28 years, including 19 overseas, Sergio brings a wealth of experience ranging from early childhood to secondary education. As a parent of both Primary and Senior School students, he is deeply invested in the success of our BSM PTA community. Sergio is excited to contribute his expertise and enthusiasm to help our school continue to thrive.
This year, there will also be plenty more opportunities to get involved with the events led by our PTA. So if you’re itching to help out behind the scenes, or would like to get in touch with us about something, please do not hesitate to reach out to us by emailing pta@britishschoolmanila.org
As always, we’ll be giving regular updates here, about all the exciting events we have coming up. So stay tuned for an exciting year ahead!
Best wishes,
Your NEW BSM PTA Committee
RELATED LINKS