Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the International School of Genoa (ISG) Search Committee, I am pleased to announce that Ms. Donnah Ciempka has been appointed as the new Director beginning in July 2026.
Ms. Ciempka has been serving as Head of School at Ascot International School Bangkok in Thailand since April 2021. Prior to moving to Bangkok, she served as the Head of Junior School at Mentone Girl’s Grammar in Melbourne from Sept 2019 to April 2021, Deputy Head of Junior School at Mentone Girl’s Grammar from January 2019 to September 2019, and Deputy Head of Campus at Geelong Grammar, Toorak Campus, in Melbourne from 2016 to 2017. Moreover, she worked as an Independent Educational Consultant with 4th Dimension Education from 2017 to 2019 and she has been working as a lecturer in the Master of Education (IB) program at the School of Education at Deakin University in Victoria, Australia from 2021 to present.
Ms. Ciempka’s professional engagements and roles encompass serving as President of the Board of Directors at the Australian Thailand Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok from March 2023 to present, Executive Board Member of the South East Asia IB Heads of Schools Association from 2024 to present, member of the Joint Foreign and Thai Chamber of Commerce Skills and Education Committee from 2022 to present, and Executive Member, Vice Chair, and Professional Learning Chair of the Victorian PYP Network from 2014 to 2021.
Ms. Ciempka holds a Master of Leadership from Deakin University in Melbourne, an Advanced Certification in Leadership from the Australian National Institute for Excellence in School Leadership in Melbourne, and a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) from Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane.
The ISG Search Committee selected Ms. Ciempka from a highly experienced and qualified group of candidates based on her considerable leadership experience. Ms. Annalisa Ferrari, ISG Board Chair and Chair of the ISG Search Committee, shared the following about Ms. Ciempka candidacy and appointment as the next ISG Director:
"On behalf of the entire ISG Board of Directors and the Search Committee, I am extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Donnah Ciempka as the new Director of the International School of Genoa, effective July 2026. The selection process was rigorous and involved a group of exceptionally qualified candidates. Ms. Ciempka's extensive leadership experience, her educational vision, and her proven ability to lead high-level institutions have convinced us that she is the ideal person to advance our school's mission and values. We are confident that, under her leadership, ISG will continue to prosper, upholding its tradition of educational excellence and innovation. I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to all members of the Search Committee for their commitment and dedication throughout this crucial process. We eagerly look forward to welcoming Ms. Ciempka to the ISG community and are excited about the future we will build together."
Ms. Ciempka is very happy that she will be joining ISG and looks forward to serving as the next Director. In response to her appointment, Ms. Ciempka shared “ I am honored to have been selected as the next Director of the International School of Genoa and to become part of this exceptional and dynamic learning community. I eagerly anticipate continuing the remarkable legacy of this outstanding institution while contributing to its ongoing tradition of educational excellence”.
Search Associates extends thanks to the ISG Search Committee members for their effective partnership and continued support during the search process for the Director. Moreover, Search Associates thanks all the candidates who applied for the Director position at ISG, and also everyone who played a part in the successful search process.
Search Associates wishes Ms. Ciempka all the best with her new position at ISG and her transition to Genoa.
Sincerely,
Lana
