Primary Leadership Team

Roula Ismail, Head of Primary

Roula Haj-Ismail, an accomplished IB educator, holds a BA in Philosophy and Psychology from the University of Sydney and an MA in Philosophy from the American University of Beirut. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) with Bath University. With 30 years of experience across Lebanon, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, Roula has served as an IB PYP Coordinator, workshop leader, and evaluator for over 15 years.

She also develops IB curriculum, webinars, and documentation. Roula has presented at the IB Global Conference and NESA and has a background in visual and performance art, having showcased her work at festivals in Europe, the USA, and locally. Her interests include art, media literacy, music, and cross-country skiing.

 

Danielle Robertson, Assistant Head of Primary

Danielle Robertson, known affectionately across the campus as “Miss Dani,” holds two Bachelor’s degrees from Oregon State University in English (language & literature) and in Education. She is also currently pursuing her Master’s in Educational Leadership. In addition to her university studies, Dani also holds a TEFL certification (a specialised qualification for teaching English to non-native speakers). She has not only been teaching since 2007, but has also coached public speaking and competitive debate since 2002. She has put her speaking and debating skills to good use here in Qatar as a debate coach at ISL Qatar and a Qatar Debate tournament judge. As a teacher, Dani is a “jack of all trades” – she’s taught IB PYP homeroom (Grades 1, 2, 4 and 5), MYP language acquisition and language & literature, DP language acquisition and high school English Language Arts in the USA. 

Dani came to Qatar from Europe – Belgium, specifically – and she is a Belgian-American citizen. She and her husband have a passion for supporting animals here in Qatar, specifically stray animals, and regularly volunteer their time to help animals in need.  

Erika Vargas, PYP Coordinator

Erika holds a Bachelor's degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications from Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano in Colombia, as well as from the International Advertising Association in the USA. Furthermore, she specialized in Art, Culture, and Citizenship Education at Universidad de Valladolid, Spain. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in Globalization in Education, broadening her horizons in this field. Cooking and pastry have always been her passions, and she took it a step further by becoming a professional in this field.

Her dedication led her to obtain a postgraduate degree in Haute Cuisine and Gastronomic Management, further refining her skills. As an educator, she has had the privilege of teaching in both Colombia and Thailand. Beyond her professional pursuits, she enjoys a variety of hobbies and interests.

She absolutely loves cooking—it's one of her greatest passions. She also enjoys bouldering, capoeira, and music. Travelling fuels her desire to explore diverse cultures and cuisines, enriching her understanding of the world. On a personal note, she is happily married to Ricardo Zamora, and together, they have a wonderful son named Dali.