Shedding "Light" on What Keeps Heads Up at Night - A Second Conversation With Laura Light (Ep 48)

Have you ever wondered what keeps international school heads awake at night? What are those all-important areas of decision-making that currently occupy their thoughts? What trends in international education are they focused on these days? To find out, we again reached out to the very well-connected Laura Light, Executive Director of the Association for the Advancement of International Education. 

Laura joined AAIE in September 2021. She brings to AAIE many years of experience working alongside school heads and senior leadership, supporting the most critical task of recruiting teachers and administrative talent.  

Before joining AAIE, Laura was known in the international school world for her leadership and dedication as the Director of Global Recruitment at International Schools Services (ISS). Before joining ISS in 2007, Laura was an international educator for many years, with posts that included Kuwait, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Singapore, and London, as well as Oregon, California, and New York. Her knowledge of international schools is deeply rooted in her upbringing as she is also a Third Culture Kid.

Laura has served on the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) Educational Board and is a member of the Diversity Collaborative. She understands the challenges faced, has an enviable network of longstanding relationships, and, already knowing so many in the international community, is a natural community builder and an assertive advocate for quality leadership in our international schools worldwide. 

Laura greatly enjoys her work supporting international school leaders and values the interactions and experiences she encounters while traveling, which is her biggest joy. When not on the road, she resides in New Jersey with her partner, where they enjoy the outdoors (walking, biking, hiking) or just spending time together.

The guiding question for the episode was, “What are international school leaders and directors of regional organizations currently talking about?”

We covered several topics including:

  • Wellness around collective care and action

  • Adaptive change

  • Generative AI

  • Professional Learning

  • Regional Organizations

  • DEIJ

  • Local and global concerns of school leaders

  • Schools helping other schools during crisis situations

This episode was recorded on September 25, 2023. 

Laura’s Contact Information: LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

AAIE and Podcast and the New School Project

Global Online Academy

Avenues Online School 

Several regional organizations were mentioned, so go to our Resource Library for their links. 

Categories: Recruiting | School Life | Leadership | Wellness | PD

More Podcast Episodes

podcast episode

Foundational Series, Part 1 - The Nature of the Beast: What are International Schools? (Ep #1)

by David Carpenter and Audrey Forgeron - 11/17/2022

This episode is part of our Foundational Series. This is the first of two shows answering the guiding question of “The Nature of the Beast: What are international schools?”. We discuss the history of and different types of international schools...

podcast episode

On Followership and the Complexities of International Teaching (Ep 82)

7/11/2025

What does the term "followership" mean to you? Our guest, Claire Gaul, joined us to delve into what it means to be a follower in international schools. She wrote a blog post for our learning hub that really got Audrey and me thinking about how being a follower connects to leadership in international schools—a theme that runs through many of our shows...

podcast episode

Fostering Lasting Change in Schools: Four Factors to Consider, With Jim Reese (Episode 81)

6/27/2025

Change. It can be exciting. It can also be tough. And it happens a lot in international schools. At first, new ideas and the buzz around implementing them can feel electrifying. But here’s the catch: often, the people involved, the processes, and the long-term sustainability of these ideas—whether they’re initiatives or programs—don’t quite make it past the starting line. How do we successfully navigate the twists and turns of the change process? Jim Reese unpacks the factors that can foster lasting change...