Matt Gibbs - Our Team

Teresa Lee is a professionally trained counselor who focuses on children and young adolescent development.

Teresa is responsible for the social-emotional development and psychological wellbeing of students. She works closely with the learning support team at Bloom to help students acquire the skills needed to cope with stress and embrace adversity as opportunity for growth, and develop true grit and resilience when navigating an increasingly complex world.

A Singaporean Shanghainese American by birth, Teresa moved to Hong Kong at a young age when her father took up a teaching position as one of the first professors at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Having lived and studied in multiple countries and under different education systems, including American local and Hong Kong international schools, Teresa has a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by third culture kids, and appreciates the importance of being able to adapt to and thrive in changes.

Teresa holds two Masters degrees in Counseling and Psychology from Monash University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) respectively. She has experience in working with children with and without special education needs from pre-nursery to primary levels. She graduated from the University of California – Los Angeles with a BA in History, and went on to obtain a Juris Doctor degree from CUHK. Prior to becoming a counselor, she worked in one of the leading matrimonial and family law firms in Hong Kong for seven years.

In her spare time, Teresa enjoys reading, going on trail rides and receiving private therapy from her mini Shiba Inu (dog) named Norii.

Peilin Lee has been in the field of language education in Taiwan, Canada, and Hong Kong for more than 25 years. She has a MA in Applied Linguistics from Birmingham University, and a PGCE in Chinese Education from Sunderland University, UK. In 2007 to 2017, Peilin was the managing director of Jumpstart Mandarin Learning Centre, one of the established Mandarin language centres teaching non-Chinese background children in Hong Kong.

Being a strong believer of Tasked-Based Learning, Peilin always strives to create a hands-on and learner-centred environment based on the students’ needs analysis. She works together with the students in setting the learning outcomes, and facilitates every step on their journey towards the pre-set goals. Peilin has many years of experience in teacher development and curriculum design. Her strengths lie in the ability of combining both the traditional and innovative methods in language teaching and learning.

Prior to joining Bloom KKCA Academy, Peilin worked as the Secondary Chinese Teacher at Victoria Shanghai Academy. She taught IB Chinese Language and Literature to Middle Year students (age 11-15). Peilin is a published and award-winning poet in from Taiwan. She founded the Modern Chinese Poetry Society at Victoria Shanghai Academy, and contributes continuously to various literature journals in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Heather Gibbs, originally from Long Island, New York has called Asia home for the last 14 years.  After graduating with honors from City University of New York, Brooklyn College, she spent 4 years in Thailand teaching primary students before settling in Hong Kong which she has called home for the last decade.  When she is not teaching, Heather can be found disappearing into a good book, eating Thai food, doing yoga or playing at the beach with her husband, her 4 year old daughter and her dog.

Heather believes strongly in being a life-long learner and continues to remain a dedicated student of education in addition to being a teacher. Heather has completed her Post Graduate Certificate in Education from University of Nottingham, a Post Graduate Certificate in Early Years Education and a Master’s Degree in International Education from the University of Sunderland.

Over the course of her career, she has developed a holistic approach to education which is no doubt a reflection of her experience in the leading curriculums present in Hong Kong and international education.  She has worked and trained as a certified IB teacher within The Carmel School of Hong Kong and the Victoria Educational Organisation, a Common Core teacher within the American Common Core system and trained as a Project Based Learning Leader at the American International School of Hong Kong where she worked as the Early Years and Elementary School Literacy Chair.  Heather believes strongly in a student-centered approach to education which focuses on empowerment, agency and nurturing what intrinsically motivates students so a life-long love of learning can be created.

Heather is thrilled to be joining Bloom Academy as the Literacy Coordinator and cannot wait to share her passion and love of stories, reading and writing with Bloom KKCA Academy.