Karen has been Branksome Hall’s Principal for 23 years and is the CEO of Branksome Hall Global. In 2012, Karen founded Branksome Hall Asia, an international school on Jeju Island, South Korea. Karen also introduced the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program to Branksome in 2001, making it Toronto’s only all-girls, all-years IB World School. She has represented Branksome Hall Global by speaking around the world on topics ranging from International Education and Canada’s Foreign Policy to Employee Wellness Programs. Karen is a graduate of the Executive Program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She also holds a Master of Education from the University of British Columbia and both a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts from Western University. Prior to leading Branksome Hall, Karen was a Principal in the Toronto District School Board and previously taught at Havergal College.
Karrie is Branksome’s Deputy Principal and has been with the school for nearly 40 years. In her time at Branksome Hall, Karrie has been the Head of the Senior and Middle School, Vice-Principal, Director of Admissions, and an English teacher. Karrie is on various Branksome Hall Strategic Planning Committees, led Branksome’s Transgender Working Group, and has been on the Leacock Foundation Board of Governors since 2005. Karrie holds a Master of Education in Administration Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University and has a Certificate of Education in English from Homerton College in Cambridge, England. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Amanda is the Head of the Junior School at Branksome. She was previously the Head of the Senior and Middle School for two years and the Head of the Middle School for four years before that. While at Branksome, Amanda has served on various committees, including the Alumnae Awards Committee, Transgender Working Group, and Strategic Planning Committee. Amanda was also the Director of Arts at Appleby College for 11 years and a Drama teacher at The Bishop Strachan School. She holds a Master of International Education in School Leadership from Charles Sturt University, a Bachelor of Education from York University and a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from Queen's University.
Head, Curriculum Innovation and Professional Learning
Heather has been devoted to education at Branksome since 2000, and is currently Head of Curriculum Innovation and Professional Learning and Science teacher. Heather started at Branksome as an MYP and DP Science teacher in the Senior and Middle School for seven years and has since filled various positions, including Head of the Middle School and Head of Academics. She was also the IB Middle Years Program Coordinator for eight years and has attended and led IB Curriculum and Leadership Workshops since 2001. She previously worked at TVOntario for four years and was a Science teacher and Department Head at St. George's School of Montreal. She holds both a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Education from McGill University. Heather’s daughter Saffi’19 is a graduate of Branksome.
Dr. Mira Gambhir completed an award-winning doctoral dissertation on diversity education and has reviewed curriculum and consulted on equity and inclusion issues for non-profit and government organizations such as the Ontario Ministry of Education. She is a scholar and published author in the fields of inclusion, teacher education and global education. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto, with a specialization in comparative international and development education. Over the course of her career, she has taught across the spectrum of schooling from Kindergarten to the graduate level.
Patricia is the Head of Talent Management and Strategy at Branksome Hall. Prior to that, Patricia was a Principal and Senior Consultant at DiNi Associates. She has also worked as a Senior Human Resources Consultant at the Royal Ontario Museum and held the same title at Kinark Child & Family Services for nine years. Patricia is on the Board of Directors at both the Aphasia Institute and Access for Parents and Children of Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto. Patricia also attended York University for Human Resources Management and is a Certified Human Resources Leader.
Michael is the Director of Technology and Innovation at Branksome Hall. Michael was most recently the President of Insegni Centre Inc. for four years and during that time was also a consultant for Branksome’s Information Technology strategy. He was previously the Director of Systems and Technology for IT Consulting at Ernst & Young and was the Vice President of Consulting at Project X Ltd. Michael holds a Master of Science in Strategic Planning from Heriot-Watt University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Toronto. He also has a Certificate in Data Analytics, Big Data and Predictive Analytics from Ryerson University. Michael’s daughter Siena’20 attends Branksome.
Elliott Brodkin has held senior roles as Chief Financial Officer at the Toronto French School, Leo Baeck Day School and Associated Hebrew School. In these roles, he has overseen a broad range of administrative and business office functions, including financial management, information technology, facilities, auxiliary programs, human resources and risk management. He has also held senior financial roles within the private sector, specifically in manufacturing and service sectors. An active volunteer, Elliott has served as a Director on various Boards, including Congregation Darchei Noam synagogue, and most recently, the Montessori Jewish Day School.
Executive Director, Advancement and Community Engagement
Cristina is Branksome’s Executive Director of Advancement and Community Engagement. Cristina comes to us from Upper Canada College where she was the Director of Marketing and Communications for seven years. Before that, Cristina was the Acting Assistant Dean of External Relations in the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto and also held the position of Associate Director of Advancement Communications and Marketing for 11 years. Over the course of Cristina’s career in the Communications and Marketing industry, she and her teams have garnered over 30 awards for best branding, websites, advertising, publications, advancement materials and videos. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communications from Concordia University.