Fully accredited by AEGIS, the Boarding School Association and British Council trained, we support parents to educate their children internationally. We are also certified Safer Recruiters so our team and hosts are all recruited in line with safeguarding guidelines.
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Lorna founded Academic Families in 2012 following her 13 year overseas career in Australia, South America and East Africa. With 30+ years’ experience in business and as a former expat mother, Lorna leads the Academic Families team to deliver our premier personal and professional service. Lorna’s knowledge and expertise ensures that our students receive the best possible advice and support leading to their educational success.
In addition to recognition by the British Council, AEGIS, Boarding Schools' Association, English UK and Youth Mental Health England, Lorna was awarded an MBE by King Charles for Services to Young People.
Louise is responsible for introducing our services to families around the world, ensuring we provide the support they need. Louise has spent most of her life living outside the UK in SE Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean. Working for international travel and relocation companies has developed Louise’s cultural intelligence ensuring her excellent international understanding and relationships.
Coming to the UK for her own boarding school education and selecting the best boarding schools for her own 3rd culture children has given Louise a wealth of personal and professional experience. She is a great support to our parents – understanding their dilemma of choosing the right education for each child.
Colin heads up our Finance team, supporting staff and the Board on both operational financials and strategic plans.
A graduate of Aberdeen University, Colin then trained with a Big 4 Accountancy firm working with clients in the Oil, Fisheries, Pharmaceuticals and Media sectors. He has over 30 years of experience in the Leisure, Power, Hospitality and Banking industries with spells in overseas offices in the US, Netherlands and Turkey. Colin has held voluntary Finance Director roles with the governing bodies for Skiing and Yachting in Scotland and is a former mentor for E-Spark and Tutor at Heriot-Watt University. Colin's main passion is his family and when he's not with them he loves sailing.
Michaela has been working in the Finance sector for 10 years. She enjoys working with numbers and creating systems that simplify them for others.
Michaela moved from South Africa to Scotland in 2024 with her daughter and husband. She understands first-hand the challenges of moving internationally and adapting to a new culture. Helping her daughter adjust to the UK has equipped her with a newfound knowledge and empathy for our international students who are moving away from home.
Pam is our Executive PA and has worked in Legal PA and EA roles for around 20 years. She has a broad range of work experience and skills across different industries and as a previous volunteer panel member for Children’s Hearings Scotland, she has safeguarding experience and is passionate about the welfare of children.
Pam is familiar with living and adjusting to a different culture, having worked in New Zealand for 14 months after university, and enjoys supporting Academic Families to give students the best possible experience
Roni heads our Admissions and Guardianship teams and is our designated Child Protection Officer.
She has taught overseas for 20+ years in British curriculum international schools, latterly as Deputy Head in Kenya. Her insight into the challenges moving cultures, curriculum and learning styles enables her team to ensure students are well prepared. Roni's British Council training, experience and expertise placing students in closely matched schools ensures their happiness and success and her child-centred focus ensures their safety and wellbeing.
Catriona works in the Admissions Team and her experiences living abroad and working with children allow her to relate to our community of international students. She is a British Council Certified Counsellor.
Catriona graduated with a degree in Spanish and Italian from Durham University and studied at the University of Salamanca, and in Florence, during her degree. After graduating, she returned to Italy and taught English at schools in Lombardy. Catriona also volunteers as a Youth Worker at charity-run summer camps in Scotland that welcome children from all over the world and she has received training in Child Protection.
Julia is part of the Admissions Team for Academic Families assisting with the registration process.
Julia worked for an international trading company based in London in the Administration Department. She relocated to Yorkshire with the group where she became Office Manager. After taking a fifteen-year break to raise her three children, she returned to work in junior and senior schools where she had several roles.
Sophie manages our Guardianship support and is responsible for our students’ UK arrangements and safety. Her UK-wide team of Area Managers provide local support. Sophie's British Council training ensures her comprehensive knowledge of the UK education system and visa regulations ensuring our families are professionally supported at all times.
Sophie has lived in Kenya, Australia and the UK. At school, she swam competitively at national level then taught and coached swimming for 7 years at top schools, clubs and Loughborough University. Her natural teaching skills and easy rapport with our students ensure their education goes beyond the classroom as they develop their independence safely and happily.
Lydia is part of the guardianship team, supporting our students in England. Having experienced education abroad, she has a first-hand understanding how to best support students on their exciting venture.
Lydia completed her European Studies degree in the Netherlands, before returning to her family home in Spain to teach English as a Foreign Language. She has lots of experience working with students of all ages. She came to the UK to continue her studies in Inclusive Education, and is passionate about supporting accessible, high-quality education for all. Drawing on her own experiences of moving countries, she provides empathetic support for students, encouraging them to thrive during their time here.
Bethany supports our students in Scotland. With a degree in psychology, Bethany brings empathy to her role, ensuring that each student under her guardianship receives the care they need.
Her background as a teaching assistant at an independent school has equipped her with the skills to provide guidance and connect with students to address their unique challenges. Outside of work, Bethany has a passion for exploring new cities, learning about other cultures and discovering unique cuisines.
Becki supports our students in the North of England.
She has had a career in education for ~20 years and has a vast amount of experience working with children of all ages. She has supported her own children throughout their education giving her a profound and personal understanding of the challenges that can be faced by school children. With a love for the pastoral aspect of education, Becki is always on hand to support and solve problems. She draws on her experience and expertise to ensure that our students are safe, happy and achieving their best.
Helen supports our Spanish students.
As a former Primary School teacher and tutor, Helen has worked with students of all ages and understands both the Scottish and English education systems well. She also has experience welcoming international students at an English Language School in Edinburgh.
These experiences combined with her organisational skills developed in past administration roles benefit her when she coordinates with school staff and our Spanish partners to ensure a smooth experience for students.
Sara supports our students in the Midlands and Hosts throughout England & Wales.
Having hosted international students for 20+ years, Sara fully understands the hosting experience and requirements, making her ideally placed to recruit, support and match our hosts with students. She is also a grandmother with a daughter living in Germany.
Sara has worked in sales and customer-facing roles across different sectors and is approachable and pragmatic. She is enthusiastic about helping students overcome any challenges and make the most of their British education.
After a business career in China, Lisa came from Beijing to the UK in 2001. Now married with a school age son, Lisa teaches secondary Chinese. Her first-hand knowledge of both education systems enables her to support our Chinese families to understand everything you need to know about UK education and culture.
Lisa also ensures our schools understand some of the cultural backgrounds our students come from so everyone learns together!
Danielle has worked as a PA for 15 years in the finance industry so is extremely diligent, organised and approachable. Danielle enjoys helping students who are coming to UK schools to have the best experience possible and ensure things are as smooth as they can be upon embarking on their new adventure.
Danielle has taught English in Asia, is well travelled and enjoys learning about new cultures and countries.
Rebecca is part of our Guardianship Team supporting our students in England.
From being a Primary School Teacher for almost a decade, Rebecca has had extensive experience working closely with students and parents from a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and cultures. She understands the importance of the individual needs of each child and their families and meets these with high levels of care, compassion, and professionalism.
Outside teaching, Rebecca has held several positions in both administrative and customer-facing roles where her focus was always on developing strong relationships and delivering excellent customer service.
Originally from The Netherlands, Janneke spent over 20 years living in Asia before settling in the UK with her family. Raising her son in Sri Lanka has given her a lot of first-hand experience in the international school system and the British curriculum.
With almost 30 years of working in the travel industry, Janneke is dedicated to creating memorable travel experiences for our students, ensuring they return to school with unforgettable memories and fresh perspectives.
Libby works as our Digital Marketing Manager, responsible for overseeing all marketing projects and campaigns and implementing strategies to meet our marketing objectives.
Libby graduated with a degree in Entrepreneurship and Marketing from the University of Strathclyde and joined the Academic Families team shortly after. In 2022, she spent a year living and working in New York City, so is familiar with the rewards and challenges that come from living abroad. Libby also spent four summers working at a summer camp in New York, which garnished valuable experience in working with children and fostering leadership, adaptability and empowerment. In her spare time, Libby does pro-bono marketing consultancy for charities and third-sector organisations.
Maddy is our Marketing and Design Executive and is responsible for our blogs, design work and social media.
Maddy studied Digital Media and Interaction Design at Edinburgh Napier University, after moving from a remote village in the Western Isles. During university, she spent a few months working abroad in New York City so is familiar with the culture shock of a contrasting new environment. Maddy also volunteers with summer youth camps and designs the social media for a number of charities she’s involved with.
Sam works as our Head of Marketing for Latin America. After graduating with a Graphic Design degree and working for 7+ years in the industry, he decided to move to the world of Digital Marketing. This has allowed him to have remote work opportunities where he learns more about different countries, cultures and people.
Sam is originally from Mexico and is fluent in both English and Portuguese, giving him the ability to create content and develop strategies that will appeal to the Latin American market.
Get in touch and we will contact you to discuss your child's needs and explain how we can help you year-round.
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