Leadership Team
David Carlson is excited to have returned to Venezuela and the CIPLC community. He was raised in the Panama Canal Zone and went to the US for college and grad school. He and his wife, fellow educator Michele Hussey, have two sons who both attended CIPLC. They then went on to study engineering at Northwestern University and Film & TV in the School of the Arts at New York University. David has taught 2nd and 6th Grade Spanish Immersion, traditional 3rd and 5th Grade, and middle school Math as well as high school Honors Biology, Speech, and American Government. He also served as vice principal of a large traditional junior high school and principal of a Spanish Immersion K-6 magnet school. David loves the international life and is very happy that his family has had the opportunity to live, study, and teach in the US, Thailand, Venezuela, China, and Qatar.
Email: superintendent@ciplc.org
Michele Hussey grew up in eight US states. She earned a BS in Biological Sciences and her Teaching Certification at UC Davis, married David Carlson, and became a bilingual teacher in California. During the ten years that followed, they had two sons, Michele earned her MA in Bilingual/Crosscultural education from CSU Sacramento, and taught ESL methods and Spanish courses for teachers through the San Joaquin County Office of Education. In 2001, Michele and her family set off for international schools in Thailand, Venezuela, Doha, and China. While overseas, Michele has taught ESL (Sheltered Immersion Model) for grades KG-4, and has been a classroom teacher for grades KG-4. Her hobbies include reading, writing, piano, yoga, snorkeling, and running. She is proud to have been a CIPLC Gecko for more than six years!
Email: michele.hussey@ciplc.org
Aymara Gil has been part of the CIPC family for over 20 years. She has taught all the ECE grades and Grade 1, which is her favorite. Ms. Gil has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a ECE endorsement from Eastern Michigan University, she also completed a Master’s of Education in 2014 from the SUNY Buffalo New York. Ms. Gil had the opportunity to travel and work in Shenzhen, China for three years, it was an amazing experience. She has a daughter, who went to CIPLC since she was 6 years old and graduated from this high school in 2009. Her daughter and her son in law Andrew currently live in Sapporo, Japan. Ms. Gil’s hobbies are watching movies, Facetiming with family and friends all over the globe, reading, baking and playing word games.
Email: aymara.gil@ciplc.org
I was born and raised in Newton, Kansas, right in the center of the contiguous United States. I went to junior college in Dodge City, Kansas and then earned my bachelors and 2 masters degrees at Wichita State University. I have been in education all my life and have worn many hats . . . in many different places. I have worked with students from 4th grade through 12th grade and always learn so much from each of them. I look forward to working in Venezuela and getting to know the parents and students from CIPLC. I know the start of the year will be very different and maybe even a bit of a struggle, but I also know deep down in my heart that we can do this!
Email: kelley.nelson@ciplc.org
Rafael Rincon has been the Business Manager at Colegio Internacional Puerto La Cruz since 2004. Before joining the school, Rafael spent 12 years working with International Oil Service Companies in the field of Finance and Administration. Rafael is a certified Public Accountant, graduated in 1991, and recently obtained a certification as a Professional Coach. His interests/hobbies include: music, biking, and reading.