Malahat Vatankhan - Our Team

Monal is a seasoned teacher with experience teaching young children for more than 10 years, in local and international school settings. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with second class honor as well as PGDECE from the Mumbai University. Monal has also recently obtained her certification course in Kindergarten Principal from the Hong Kong Baptist University.

Monal was raised in Mumbai, India and has called Hong Kong home for more than 15 years. Growing up in India, she has developed a long lasting love for music, dance, Bollywood movies and a respect for culture, religion and diversity.

She is passionate about shaping young minds and leaving a positive impact on children to be lifelong learners, and has always enjoyed being around younger children. It is the educator's responsibility to recognise each student's strength and weakness to help them meet their full potential, and Monal is always trying to create a classroom environment conducive for all to grow physically, socially, mentally and emotionally.

Outside the classroom, she is passionate about cooking and is aspiring to be a vegetarian cooking blogger soon. Three years ago, Monal was introduced to meditation, and today, she lives by the strength of meditation and strong positive thinking.

Natasha hails from sunny Sydney, Australia, where she developed a dual passion for health and the pursuit of knowledge through books and life experiences. Many weekends were spent poring over non-fiction at the vast City Library above Town Hall Station. After graduating from Sydney Girls High School, she pursued her passion for health by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Sydney.

After university, the travel bug struck, leading her to spend seven years living and traveling across five continents. During this time, she worked as a cook in Canadian kitchens, ranging from fine dining to catering for large music festivals. She also taught English in South America before eventually settling in Hong Kong, where she taught in local and IB schools. Natasha earned her Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Sunderland while gaining hands-on experience in the IB Primary Years Program (Math, Reading, Writing, Systematic Phonics, and Social-Emotional Learning) at Malvern College Hong Kong. This experience, along with three years as a Native English Teacher in local Hong Kong schools, provided her with a broad perspective on various teaching philosophies and methods.

Natasha has been fortunate to live and work in beautiful locations known for their stunning mountain scenery, such as Whistler and Banff in Canada, Puerto Varas in Chilean Patagonia, and, of course, Hong Kong. She hopes to instill in her students the value of learning through experience and an appreciation for the human body we each inhabit.

Since 2017, Natasha has been teaching English in Chile and Hong Kong, gaining experience in tutorial centers, local schools, and the IB British curriculum. She reads extensively and values the importance of reading as a gateway to the wealth of human knowledge. In her free time, Natasha enjoys trail running, hiking, reading, practising Muay Thai, spending time with her baby, and enjoying hotpot with friends and family.

Nathan O'Brien is a passionate and versatile educator from Portland, Oregon, USA. After completing his undergraduate studies in Exercise Science, Nathan embarked on a rewarding career that took him around the world, working in sales, marketing, and business development. During this time, he also earned his MBA, further developing his business acumen. However, Nathan always felt a desire to make a more meaningful impact and give back to his community.

Being married to a teacher, Nathan has always been surrounded by education and has been continuously inspired by the joy and wonder he witnessed in her students. This experience helped Nathan discover a passion for working with children. Motivated by this, Nathan made the decision to pursue a career in elementary education. He obtained his teaching certification and embraced the opportunity to mold young minds and instill a lifelong love of learning.

In the classroom, Nathan brings a warm and nurturing presence, thoughtfully supporting students' instructional needs and fostering a positive learning environment. At his core, Nathan believes that cultivating a sense of wonder and curiosity is essential for helping students develop a love of learning. He encourages his students to approach their education with an open mindset, embracing learning both inside and outside the classroom.

Beyond the classroom, Nathan lives an active lifestyle and spends his free time running and exploring local hiking trails. He and his wife enjoy traveling, experiencing new cultures, and trying different cuisines around the world. Nathan is excited to join the Bloom Community and share his genuine enthusiasm for learning and his passion with students.