Superintendent
American International School of Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)

Dear Search Associates Colleagues,

On behalf of the American International School of Jeddah (AISJ) Search Committee, we are pleased to announce that Mr. Robert Rinaldo has been appointed as the new Superintendent beginning in August 2025. 

Mr. Rinaldo is currently serving in his fifth year as the Head of School at GEMS American Academy, Abu Dhabi, UAE.  In his past leadership roles, Mr. Rinaldo served as the General Director at the Lincoln School in Costa Rica from 2013 to 2020 during which time he served as a Board Member for the Association of American Schools of Central America. Prior to this, Mr. Rinaldo held the position of Head of School at the International School of Tegucigalpa, Honduras from 2011 to 2013, and the Middle School Principal at the American School of Tegucigalpa, Honduras from 2000 to 2009.

Mr. Rinaldo holds a B.A. in Secondary Social Studies Education from The State University of New York (SUNY), Cortland, New York, an M.A. in History from SUNY, Cortland, New York, and an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He was also a participant in the Klingenstein Fellowship program at Columbia University, Teachers College, New York.

The AISJ Search Committee selected Mr. Rinaldo from a highly experienced and qualified group of candidates based on his considerable past leadership experience in International Education.  Mr. Nausherwan Hafeez, AISJ Board Chair, shared the following about Mr. Rinaldo’s candidacy and appointment: The Board of Trustees is delighted about the appointment of Mr. Rinaldo to become the next Superintendent at AISJ. The Board Search Committee, led by our Vice Chair Sherene El-Soufi, conducted dozens of interviews over the past few months and identified three strong candidates who were brough to AISJ and introduced to the community. Based on the feedback from the community and an extensive vetting process inclusive of all stakeholders, the Board of Trustees is convinced Mr. Rinaldo is the right person to lead AISJ in the years ahead. Mr. Rinaldo is a strong and empathic leader with over 30+ years in education, including the last 15 years as a Head of School in Honduras, Costa Rica, and currently in the UAE. We’re excited to be welcoming him to lead our school next year.

Mr. Rinaldo is eager to join AISJ and looks forward to serving as the next Superintendent. In response to his appointment, Mr. Rinaldo shared the following: I am honored to join the AISJ community and grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Board of Directors and other stakeholders to advance our mission of, “inspiring all scholars through and authentic American international education”. During my recent visit, I was inspired by the dedication and positive energy of the community. I look forward to fostering a student-centered approach to learning and building strong, collaborative relationships that celebrate achievements and support growth together.

Search Associates extends thanks to the AISJ Search Committee members for their effective partnership and continued support during the search process for the Superintendent. Moreover, Search Associates thanks all the candidates who applied for the Superintendent position at AISJ, and also everyone who played a part in the successful search process.

We wish Mr. Rinaldo all the best with his new position at AISJ and his transition to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Sincerely,

Ms. Barbara Powers, Senior Search Consultant

Dr. Eric Sands, Senior Search Consultant

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