Staff

Mr. Luigi Mondino

Classroom Teacher
Club Director

Mr. Mondino joined TIPS in 2017. He holds an MA in Philosophy from the University of Turin, Italy. He has been working in International education since 2010 when he moved to China. He has worked in International and Chinese schools and taught a variety of subjects to all grades with a focus on Middle School.

Prior to moving to China, he worked as a private tutor in Italy for 6 years.

His interests include Karate (third degree Black Belt in Shotokan Karate), long distance running, journalism, writing and filmmaking

Mr. Kurtis Tomlinson

Science Classroom Teacher

Mr. Kurtis Tomlinson is from Toronto, Canada and teaches science, PE and complementary courses at TIPS. He received his Honors Bachelors of Science in 2016 and his Bachelors of Education in 2017 from the University of Toronto. Since then, he has been living in Japan where he has been working as an educator. In his free time he enjoys playing sports and exploring new places in Japan.

Ms. Saki Koh

Classroom Teacher
Student Council Sponsor

Ms. Saki Koh is a Korean-Japanese who grew up in Australia. She received her BA in Anthropology and Peace Studies in 2015 and a Master’s of Education in 2018. She first joined TIPS as an intern in 2017 and has returned as a classroom teacher since 2020. Some of her favorite things include art, music, watching movies and traveling.

Mr. Nikolai Jessen-Petersen

Classroom Teacher

Mr. Jessen-Petersen (J-P) is a Danish-Japanese who was born in Geneva, Switzerland, and then lived most of his life on the east coast of the United States. He received his Bachelor of Psychology in 2014, his Master's of Education (International Education) in 2019, and second Master's of Education (Special Education) in 2022. He holds his Teacher's License from the District of Columbia in Special Education (K-12). He is currently in his fifth year at TIPS, where he started as a volunteer, then a tutor, then a support teacher, and now for four years as a classroom teacher. In his free time, he likes reading, learning, and playing sports.

Mr. Nabi Nazari

Classroom Teacher

Mr. Nabi Nazari is from Afghanistan and has lived in Japan for almost four years. He got his bachelor's in Business Administration in 2015 before joining the Afghan Ministry of Education as an education policy officer in 2016. His interest in Inclusive Education brought him to Japan to pursue his master's in International Education, focusing on Special Needs Education. He graduated from the University of Tsukuba in 2021. Before joining TIPS, he worked with an international school in Tsukuba for more than one year.

Mr. Shane Cook

Classroom Teacher

Mr. Shane Cook is an American who grew up on the East Coast of the United States. He has a degree in Special Education, with a focus in Elementary Education. He has a Master's of Education in Instructional Design. He holds his teaching certification from the Florida Department of Education in Elementary Education (K-6) and Special Education (K-12). He is endorsed in English for Speakers of Other Languages and Autism. Mr. Cook worked in America for over five years as a Special Needs Teacher, Intervention Specialist, and Autism Coach. He enjoys learning about the ocean and exploring new cultures.

Ms. Priya Pillai

Classroom Teacher

Ms. Priya Pillai is from Mumbai, India. She completed her Masters in Botany at Mumbai University along with a Bachelors of Education from ICFAI University. Ms. Pillai has an enriching 25 years of teaching experience from students from kindergarten to undergraduate students, using both local curriculum in India and the curriculum from Cambridge-Primary/Lower secondary/Upper secondary-IGCSE. Additionally, she has done her certification course in Child Psychology and completed a post-grad diploma in Educational Administration and Management from London School of Teachers. Ms. Pillai is currently pursuing an expert level in Special Education Needs Teachers training Course along with Counseling and Train the Trainer. She is interested in fine arts and gardening in her free time.

Ms. Xaida Zyvatkauskas

Classroom Teacher

Ms. Xaida Zyvatkauskas is from Canada and has lived in Japan for almost nine years. She got her first Bachelor's degree in English Literature, before getting her Bachelor of Education. She became an Ontario Certified Teacher in 2012, and has been in good standing with the college ever since. After working at another international school in Tokyo for the past 6 years she was drawn towards TIPS to be able to work in a student centered environment. She enjoys living and working in Tokyo. In her free time she loves baking, going for walks, and playing video and tabletop games.

Ms. Aki Takeuchi

Classroom Teacher

Ms. Aki Takeuchi is a Japanese who grew up in many different countries across the globe, such as Switzerland, Bangladesh, and the Philippines, to name a few. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and Family Studies from the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada), as well as an M.A. in International Education from the University of Tsukuba (Ibaraki, Japan). Ms. Takeuchi worked as a support teacher for a year and a half at TIPS from 2020, when she also completed her practice teaching in Middle School Social Studies. After working for two years in international schools, she returned to TIPS in 2023 as a classroom teacher. In her free time, she enjoys reading, trying out new cafes with friends, and taking care of her cats.