Gloria Arpasi - Head of School (hos@vimsia.org)
Originally from Colorado and Montana, Mrs. Gloria Arpasi spent 30 years making her home in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, working in environmental studies and independent school education. The most recent two years, Gloria has resided in Greenwich, Connecticut successfully performing the post of Head of Middle School at Whitby School, a Montessori & International Baccalaureate (IB) institution. Gloria holds a Bachelors of Science in Marine Biology and holds her Masters of Education in Advanced Teaching and Educational Leadership.

Prior to working in PK-12 education, she worked as a field researcher for the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI Class of 1998). Gloria joined the team at Virgin Islands Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy (VIMSIA) in 2005, and played an integral role in building their middle and high school from its infancy to its current level of excellence and success. She was also instrumental in attaining VIMSIA’s IB MYP and DP authorizations, helping to create a world class independent school built on inclusion and international-mindedness. She has two Montessori and IB educated children, Diego and Bella, who are proud VIMSIA graduates, having moved through La Casa, Montessori and the PGIA at VIMSIA. 

Mrs. Arpasi enjoys the continual challenge and reward of leading change-making education and feels it is her distinct privilege to be re-joining the VIMSIA school family as the new Head of School in August 2024. 

Christos Bardis, Finance Director (financedirector@vimsia.org)
Mr. Christos Bardis is originally from New Jersey, but has settled with his family on St. Thomas. He has a degree in Human Resource Management from Rutgers University, where he also spent many years in various progressive Business Office roles. Mr. Bardis also spent some time in smaller, private companies furthering his business management skills prior to joining VIMSIA.  As our Finance Director, he not only brings a wealth of finance and business office related experience to the table, but also as a parent to an enrolled student he has a passion to contribute to the great VIMSIA community.

Kara Ebe Cook, Business Director (businessdirector@vimsia.org)
Ms. Ebe Cook is from Fayetteville, Arkansas, and joined our staff in 2017. Through the 23/24 school year she served as VIMSIA’s Admissions Director and College Counselor.  She continues her career with VIMSIA as Business Director. She has a Master’s Degree in Teaching from Marian University and degrees in International Studies and Business Administration from the University of Missouri.  She has taught high school Math and worked as an Academic and Career Advisor at her alma mater. Before moving to St. Thomas, Ms. Ebe Cook worked in supply chain and retail management.  Her daughter MIlli is a current student.

Melissa Bump, Admissions Director/HR (admissions@vimsia.org)
Ms. Bump is a native Virgin Islander and alumna of VI Montessori School.  She received a Bachelor's in English from Drew University and a Master's of Science in Teaching from Fordham University.  She taught for over ten years at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School before joining our staff in 2013.  Her family has been very involved in building our school community for over forty years.  Her daughter, Kiyalyn (class of 2016), and her son, Andreas (class of 2021), have attended VIMSIA since the age of two.

Ms. Tiffany James, Finance Administrator (financeadmin@vimsia.org)
Ms. James joined VIMSIA in January 2024. Tiffany was born and raised here in St. Thomas, USVI. After graduating from Charlotte Amalie High School, she went to college in Florida, where she studied Hospitality Management at Bethune Cookman University and obtained her bachelor’s degree. She returned home in 2021 after living stateside for almost 10 years, because she missed her home, the people, and atmosphere of the Virgin Islands. She has held various positions, from entry level to management. Her experience and skills include: Catering Manager, Nutrition Supervisor, Underwriting Technician, Senior Insurance Underwriter, bookkeeping and some accounting. Tiffany will be serving VIMSIA as the new Finance Administrator

Kairah Moolenaar, Front Office and Admissions Assistant (kmoolenaar@vimsia.org)
Kairah was born in St. Thomas but was raised in the British Virgin Islands and joined our staff in 2023. She did most of her schooling from elementary to community college in the B.V.I. She has an associate’s degree in Elementary Education and recently graduated from the University of the Virgin Islands with a Bachelors in Psychology. She has taught at both Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary Levels in the British and wishes one day that she can merge her two degrees and get a Masters in Educational Psychology. Teaching was not her end goal however, she still wants to help students in a counselling atmosphere and hopefully open her own Educational Psychology firm on island one day. 

Joe Shansky, Communications Coordinator (jshansky@vimsia.org)
Joe has worked across the education, labor, and environmental spaces for more than a decade with a focus on advocacy through storytelling. Before coming to the island, he served as Program Director at Literature for All of Us, a nonprofit in Chicago that offers trauma-informed reading groups for youth and adults. He also worked with the Terra Foundation for American Art. Joe is originally from Milwaukee, WI and received his BA from the University of Minnesota. He is honored to join the VIMSIA community along with his wife Daniela (VIMSIA Montessori Director) and delighted to help tell the school’s story, which their two sons are now part of. Outside of working and parenting, Joe loves to talk music and film.