Gretchen Drobnyk has been part of the ISB community since 2012, with two of her children in the graduating classes of ’21 and ’23. Before joining the Board in 2017, she was active in the Parents Association, serving as the Events Chair, Vice President, and President, and has been a Class Parent for seven years. Gretchen’s professional experience focused on federal legislation, grassroots advocacy, and political fundraising. She holds a BS in Elementary Education with a concentration in Early Childhood from Montana State University. As President of ISB’s Board of Trustees, Gretchen sits on all Board Committees.

Michael León-Rivera is a creative strategist who has worked across the advertising, media, and entertainment industries. He attended University of California San Diego, where he received a B.A. in Communications.  Throughout his career, he has led campaigns at Warner Music Group, Universal McCann, Meredith Corp, and was most recently VP of Strategy at a boutique creative agency. Maintaining his personal mission of advocating for representation, Michael has also begun mentoring students and young professionals interested in careers in advertising through an organization named 100 Roses from Concrete, a non-profit dedicated to advocating for people of color in the advertising industry. Michael joined the Board in 2021. He has two children on the Spanish track in ISB’s Class of ’25 and ’28.

Teresa Santamaria is an ISB founding parent (2003-04) and the first-ever Chair of International School of Brooklyn’s Board of Trustees (2005), with a son in the Spanish track in the Class of ‘16. She holds an undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from New York University. Teresa’s professional work is in the areas of product and project leadership, consulting for world companies and recently focusing on banking technology initiatives. In her current business technology position, she also holds a volunteer leadership role for Women in Technology and Employee Impact Teams. Teresa is a member of the Board of Trustees for Open Source Gallery in South Slope, and a member of their Funds Development Committee. Teresa rejoined the Board in 2018, currently serving as Treasurer, Chair of the Finance Committee, and a member of the Space Task Force

Sebastien Grouard was born in Paris, France, and spent parts of his childhood living abroad, including 10 years in the Persian Gulf, before moving to Quebec and eventually the United States. Always passionate about the arts, he began his career as a theatrical Scenic Designer working in New York City and regionally, and over the years has extended his credits to include television and film. More recently, he shifted his focus to events, having designed installations for festivals such as San Diego Comic Con and South by Southwest. Sebastien is an ISB parent, with two daughters on the French track in the classes of  ‘22 and ‘27. He has served as a Parents Association Chair and frequently volunteers as an Admissions Parent Ambassador for several years. Sebastian joined the Board in 2020. He serves on the Executive Committee as Secretary and on the Governance Committee.

Yousuf is a corporate sustainability lawyer and the parent of an ISB 1st Grader on the French track. Now a New York acolyte, Yousuf was raised in Bahrain—where he completed the IB—before spending time in Canada, Japan, and France. He has a Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University. Yousuf currently leads a boutique law firm and a consultancy that advise Fortune 100 companies on how to navigate complex, global human rights issues. He previously specialized in international disputes at leading firms in New York and Toronto. Yousuf is on the board of the RETI Center, a Brooklyn non-profit focused on enhancing climate resilience and green jobs for underprivileged communities; he previously served on the board of Broken Box Mime Theater. He is a devotee of tennis, snowboarding, and magical realism.

Addae Cox, a Brooklynite originally from Trinidad and Tobago, holds two Master’s degrees in Education, including a recent one in Educational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University. With a strong passion for STEAM and an entrepreneurial drive, Addae co-founded EnjoyTech USA, an educational technology startup, in 2017. His visionary leadership was crucial in developing a smart bracelet that revolutionizes student engagement and provides real-time data for educators. In addition to his technological achievements, Addae is an equity-centered change strategist and co-founder of the Ella Baker Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to community responsiveness. Through the institute, he offers after-school programs, fosters community development, and delivers impactful professional learning experiences for educators. Addae also serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at Hunter College, sharing his knowledge and expertise with graduate students who are current teachers.

Jennifer Downing was born in Berkeley, California and raised in Paris, France. Jennifer is an attorney specialized in litigation, regulatory, and criminal investigations. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to legal pro bono work. She is a member of the board’s Governance committee. She is admitted to the bar in New York and in Paris and holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Sciences Po Paris, a J.D. from Paris I Pantheon La Sorbonne, and a LL.M. from Columbia Law School. Jennifer joined the Board of Trustees in 2022. Her two sons are on the French track in ISB’s Class of ‘26.

Throughout her 20-year career in the financial services industry, Alison Maschmeyer has focused on providing highly customized solutions to assist entrepreneurs in starting and growing their businesses.She has worked with hundreds of start-ups across the financial services, craft alcohol, and technology sectors across the globe, taking a very hands-on approach to crafting creative marketing and capital raising campaigns surrounding the launch of a new business, product or initiative. Alison is currently the Managing Director of the Americas for Pinnacle Investment Management Group, a global multi-affiliate. Prior to Pinnacle, she was the Managing Principal of Global Capital Advisors Group LLC, a founding member of hedge fund start-up Roc Capital, and also worked for BNP Paribas, Bank of America and Deutsche Bank in New York and London. She has also lent her expertise in fundraising and creative marketing to an array of international and local non-profit organizations. Alison holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Fordham University and her Master’s in Business Administration from Columbia Business School. Alison joined the Board of Trustees in 2023.

Jon is a leader in academic and school systems, with experience in both charter and traditional public school sectors. At Equitable Facilities Fund (EFF). he develops and implements evaluation methodologies to assess the academic performance and growth plans of prospective borrowers for low-cost Facilities Financing. His role includes conducting evaluations, providing loan recommendations, and supporting portfolio members’ academic performance. Before EFF, Jon was Chief Academic and Schools Officer at Prospect Schools, where he managed the K-12 International Baccalaureate program for six schools. He was also the founding School Director at Brooklyn Laboratory Charter Schools and held leadership roles at KIPP NYC. Earlier, Jon advised the US Department of Education under Secretary Arne Duncan on national education policy. He has a background in policy debate and enjoys engaging in substantive arguments. Jon studied at Drury University (B.A., MBA), Columbia University (Ed.S), Bank Street College of Education (Ed.M), and Johns Hopkins University (Ed. D). He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife Jessica and their two daughters.

Mathilde grew up and studied in Paris, immersed in the art and fashion world of her parents. She then moved to the United States in 2008 to pursue her professional career. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management from Vatel Institute and has extensive experience working in luxury hotels and high-end restaurants across Paris, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Hospitality has always been a passion of hers, driven by the desire to ensure customer satisfaction. Now, being a mother of three children on the French track at ISB, she is excited to contribute to the school mission bringing her same artistic flair and dedication for excellence to the institution.

Joe manages daily operations at the school including admissions, fundraising and strategic development. He received a BSc in Zoology from the University of Reading, a P.G.C.E from Christchurch College, Canterbury and an M.A. in Educational Management from the University of Bath. Prior to joining ISB in 2013, Joe. Santos worked in schools in Gibraltar, the UK, Mexico, China, Brazil, and Spain. Joe Santos joined the Board in 2017. He has two children on the Spanish track in ISB’s Class of ’22 and ’25.

Chinyere Vann is a Brooklyn native who grew up in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. She is the daughter of a Yiddish-speaking African-American father from Bensonhurst and a Chinese-American mother from Sheepshead Bay. Chinyere attended The Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn Friends School, and graduated from Poly Prep Country Day School. She is the mother of three ISB students: two of her children are currently on the French track and one is an alumna of the Class of 2021. She is a multiple Emmy award winner for her work in television sports broadcasting. Chinyere takes extreme pride in community involvement especially here at ISB and believes community involvement can enrich the lives of all people. Currently, she works with the Admissions Office as a Parent Ambassador and serves on the school Equity Team. Chinyere joined the Board of Trustees in 2020.

Kate Walker is the CEO of The Princeton Review, a leading tutoring, test prep and college admission services company. Prior to joining The Princeton Review, Kate spent five years at Kaplan, where she handled over 40 acquisitions and managed venture investments. She also spent five years as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. Kate is very active in mentoring and supporting early stage edtech companies through investments and advisory roles with education-focused startups. In addition, she supports non-profit education initiatives through her Board positions with The Morgan Moses Foundation and Brooklyn Prospect. Ms. Walker holds a BA from Georgetown University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Kate joined the Board in 2017. She has two children on the French track in ISB’s Class of ’22 and ’25.

Antonette Whitehead was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology from the University of Michigan. From a young age, she aspired to help people, and her dream of caring for people became a reality when she began her medical schooling at Wayne State University in Detroit. After graduating, Dr. Whitehead commenced her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University’s Prentice Women’s Hospital. Twelve years later, she continues to enjoy delivering patient-centered care to the people of New York City. She is a partner at Downtown Women OB-GYN practice, which is affiliated with NYU Langone Hospital. Dr. Whitehead joined the Board in 2022. She has one child on the Spanish track in ISB’s Class of ’30.