Dr. Daniel Mullen
Head of SchoolDr. Mullen is an international educator from the United States with 30 years of experience in business, team management, and education, including 15 years in international settings. He is dedicated to creating inclusive and inquiry-driven learning environments. His commitment to education is shaped by his role as a parent of three children who completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme and went on to earn degrees from respected U.S. institutions, including UC Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara.
As an advocate for students, Dan promotes cultural understanding and encourages values of empathy and service among students and staff. He emphasizes high-quality, student-centered learning through the IB Continuum and recognizes the importance of mother-tongue learning and language acquisition in an international context. Dan focuses on building collaborative relationships within school communities. His previous roles include positions at The American School of Kinshasa, Casablanca American School, Hangzhou International School, Harare International School, and Peninsula School District. He also serves on the Board of The Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA), supporting schools globally.
Jill Wen
Head of Utahloy Nursery Center (UNC)Ms. Jill holds a bachelor’s degree, a kindergarten teacher qualification, a kindergarten principal qualification, and an AMI 0-3 teacher qualification. She is a veteran who loves early childhood education and has more than 24 years of experience in early childhood education, as well as more than 14 years of experience in kindergarten management and Montessori education management. Ms. Jill has two years of IB PYP early childhood education experience.
Ben Hacking
Head of PrimaryBen Hacking is originally from Toronto, Ontario, Canada and joined UISG in August 2026 as the Primary School Principal. He holds an Honors Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Education in Primary-Junior Education from Queen’s University, and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Special Education from Queen’s University.
Before joining UISG, he spent 17 years at an international school in Vienna, Austria, where he served as a Grade 5 PYP Class Teacher, K-12 Digital Learning Leader, and Primary Deputy Principal and Child Protection Officer. He has extensive experience in IB PYP education, student support, safeguarding, inclusion, digital learning, and school leadership.
Mr. Hacking is joined in Guangzhou by his wife, Kim, and their two children, Charlotte and Marshall, and his family is excited to become part of the UISG community. In his spare time, he enjoys running, playing ice hockey, reading, cooking, traveling, and experimenting with fermentation, including making homemade kimchi and hot sauces. He feels privileged to join UISG and looks forward to contributing to its inclusive, internationally-minded IB learning community.
Matt Groves
Head of Secondary (HoSS-IB)Matt Groves attended the University of Michigan and concentrated in Political Science. He earned a MA in Education from George Mason and completed his leadership training with The Principals Training Center and the College of New Jersey. His first role as an educator was when he was a Park Ranger in New York during university.
Later, he began working as a K-12 classroom teacher in Thailand before moving to Moscow. While in Moscow, he transitioned into teacher leadership and then into several divisional leadership roles. His most recent position was as the HS Principal in Tangier, Morocco. This coming school year marks his tenth year as a divisional leader. Outside of school, Matt enjoys running, cooking, reading and adventures with his family.
Austin Zhang
Head of Secondary (HoSS-DSE)Austin Zhang graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a B.E. degree and later earned a Master’s in Finance from Marquette University. He is a senior teacher of DSE, AP, A‑Level, and IB Mathematics and Economics, and was named “National Outstanding Educator” in 2024.
As one of the earliest educators to develop the DSE system in Mainland China, he has gained extensive experience in teaching and curriculum leadership. In his spare time, Mr. Zhang enjoys educational research and exploring new teaching methods.
Mostafa Rihan
Head of BoardingMostafa Rihan is an international educator from Egypt with over a decade of experience in international schools. He holds a Master’s degree in Education, UK Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), and a Qualified Egyptian Teaching Certificate from Ain Shams University.
Mostafa joined the Utahloy family in 2025 at the Zengcheng Campus. Following the transition to the Guangzhou Campus, he was a team member for the development of UISG’s boarding program and welcomed the school’s first boarding students in the 2026–27 academic year.
He believes that boarding is a powerful extension of learning, where students develop independence, resilience, and empathy through shared responsibility and meaningful relationships. His educational philosophy is rooted in the belief that students thrive when they are trusted with responsibility, supported by caring adults, and encouraged to contribute positively to their community.
Mostafa is committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and student-centered environment where every boarder feels valued, supported, and truly at home. He works closely with students, families, and colleagues to build a strong boarding community and help students make the most of their experience at UISG.
Ryan Tawanda Matopodzi
Athletics & Activities DirectorMr. Matopodzi leads Wolves Athletics and our Extracurricular Activities program. From Grade 2 to Grade 12, Wolves teams train after school and compete in ACAMIS, SDRC, GISSA and GISES events, and students can choose from more than 160 activities each year.
Dr. Betsy K. Lee Verb
Director of Technology and InnovationBetsy joined the UIS community at the beginning of the 2021-22 academic year. She has 26 years of experience teaching technology and design thinking, focusing on digital and product design from (STEAM-based) Pre-K to the college level. In addition to her classroom experience, she has served in various leadership positions globally for the past ten years.
Betsy has a Doctorate in International Education and Leadership focusing on the Cultural Influences in Design Thinking. She also has a Master of Science in Educational Media Design and Technology and an Ed.S. in Curriculum Design and Instruction, emphasizing Distance Learning. Betsy has designed and implemented numerous Innovation & Design Labs worldwide, focusing on maximizing the use of space. Her philosophy on education is to create spaces and provide training to educators where students can learn innovative methods of design and technology through experiential learning to increase their knowledge, develop skills, and learn various ways to contribute to society.
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