About Us

PAUL YANG - Founder

Paul Yang, graduate of Eaglebrook School ‘85, founded the Global Leadership Program in 2016 with Andy Chase, envisioning a program that exposed students to wider perspectives from around the world. Paul himself had left his home country, Japan, at age 12 to embark on an education full of unknowns at Eaglebrook School. Here he encountered students from all corners of the United States and the world, opening his eyes to the arrays of people, cultures and perspectives that existed beyond his local community in Japan. He continued his education at Phillips Exeter Academy, renowned for its Harkness classes, where students discuss the subject at hand with limited instructor involvement. Paul integrates this teaching style into the Global Leadership Program, facilitating the discussions, while encouraging students to speak up and obtain confidence in public speaking. He pursued his college education at Cornell University (BSc, MEng) and Boston College (MBA, MSc). Since then he has lived in Japan, Finland, Germany, Spain and has experienced the workplace in a global setting. Paul’s hopes are to share some of his anecdotes at the program in guiding the conversation and to establish close relationships with each and every student.

ANDY CHASE - founder

Andy Chase, current headmaster of Eaglebrook School, has been part of the Eaglebrook community his entire life. Both his grandfather and father were headmasters of the boarding school, and Mr. Chase grew up on campus. Andy spent five years as a student himself in the class of ‘73, and proceeded to the nearby Deerfield Academy and Williams College. He later returned to Eaglebrook as the Director of Development and became headmaster almost 20 years ago. Throughout his tenure, he has been passionate about providing a rich and diverse curriculum for students in their important middle school years as they begin their adolescent years. He founded the Global Leadership Program with Paul in hopes of giving students a short, but compact preview of the boarding school experience. Taking place in the summer for two weeks, the program would attract a more international array of participants, and students would be exposed to a more global environment. Andy resides on campus and has three kids, all who attended Eaglebrook. Having experienced the school as a student, parent, faculty and now headmaster, he has a great understanding for the students, and will foster a welcoming environment for Global Leadership Program attendees.

Toshio Yamamoto - Advisor

Tomio Yamamoto is an ESL/English teacher at Keio Senior High School whose passion is to invigorate his students to become his/her best self, inside or outside of the classroom. Tomio was born in Osaka, but moved to London and then to New York where he spent most of his upbringing up until he graduated Keio Academy of New York, a direct affiliate of Keio University, located in Purchase, New York.  After graduating high school, he returned to Japan and entered the Faculty of Letters at Keio, majoring in Ethics while obtaining teaching licenses as an ESL/English teacher for both junior high schools and high schools in Japan.  He has been a full-time teacher his whole professional career while holding positions in a variety of departments.  The most prominent responsibility he has held is as an International Affairs Officer spearheading multiple programs and partnerships with schools, mainly in the United States.　He lives near the ocean with his wife, three daughters, and a German Pinscher named Will.  He enjoys his free time reading books, engaging in conversations, and watching basketball games at all levels.

Shaun Iwasawa - advisor

Shaun Iwasawa grew up on Vancouver Island, Canada. He developed an interest in Japan after visiting his father’s home prefecture of Saitama when he was in elementary school. From a young age, he regularly attended summer camp, which is where he gained his passion for leading and teaching. While attaining a B.A. in psychology and a minor in history at Vancouver Island University, he also studied for one year in the Reconnaissance Japan Program at Oberlin University, Japan. In 2004, he returned to Japan through the Japan Exchange Teaching Program and taught at a public high school for four years. While working there, he also attained his M.A. in Asia Pacific Studies through the University of Leeds, England. Most of Shaun’s teaching career has been spent working at both public and private schools in Saitama Prefecture teaching grades 1-12. More recently he worked at universities in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture. He is currently a full-time teacher (専任教諭) at Kaisei Academy where he teaches both English conversation as well as regular English classes, advises students about summer school programs, as well as teaches a class on and assists students with their foreign university applications.

MICHAEL SINGER - Teaching Assistant 

Michael Singer, graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy ‘20 and incoming student of University of Pennsylvania ‘25, spent his childhood around the world in Japan, China, Australia and the United States. Attending Yokohama International School through his middle school years, he left for boarding school three years ago at age 15. Though transitioning from a lecture based class to discussion based class - where he was expected to speak up multiple times each class - felt daunting at first, it was the older kids in his dorm that helped him adjust. Michael hopes to be a similar figure at the Global Leadership Program, by mentoring students one on one in the discussions while assisting students on their writing and research projects. He hopes to bridge the gap between students and the teacher, and share the many lessons he learned when leaving his family for boarding school. 

Rina Kawagashi - Teaching Assistant 

Rina Kawagishi, a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy ‘19 and a sophomore at Keio University’s PEARL Programme ‘23, grew up in Japan, Thailand, and in the United States. Her experience at International School Bangkok widened her perspectives, prompting her to continue her education in an international environment. Thus, after entering Keio Girls High School in Japan, she applied for the study abroad program and was chosen as the sole Keio representative to attend Phillips Exeter Academy for a year as a senior. Attending Phillips Exeter Academy was a life-changing experience for her, as Harkness classes challenged her every day, and the people greatly inspired her. Rina hopes to help spread Harkness in Japan, and through the Global Leadership Program, she is looking forward to getting to know the students and share her experiences at Exeter.