Mr. Hooker was born and raised outside of Cleveland, Ohio (Go Guardians!), studying sociology and economics before passing through Chicago and New York to pursue further graduate work in the social sciences. After receiving a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship from the U.S. Department of State, he developed a passion for international education, eventually relocating to Korea to teach full-time in 2012. During his 16+ years of teaching in various contexts, he has focused on humanities and social studies while also gaining ESOL/EAL and leadership experience. Alongside ongoing efforts to align, revise, and update the various curricula delivered at APIS, Mr. Hooker hopes to encourage student leadership and motivate learners to apply the school's New Pacific Century Skills to their personal goals and career paths. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Hooker enjoys cooking, fermentation, and all things food science-related, as well as watching baseball, exploring independent music, and playing with his toy poodle.

Mrs. Gao earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Capital Normal University in Beijing, China, and a master’s degree in international studies from Seoul National University in Korea. Before coming to Korea, Mrs. Gao taught at the Beijing Huiwen Secondary School in China for 13 years. At the Beijing Huiwen Secondary School, Mrs. Gao taught English as a Second Language (ESL) to Chinese students and taught Chinese to foreign students. She also served as a director of the international division and assistant principal of Beijing Huiwen Language and Culture School. In 2001, Mrs. Gao spent a year in the United States as an exchange teacher, teaching Chinese to public school students of all levels in Tucson, Arizona. Mrs. Gao moved to Korea in 2004 and joined APIS in 2010. With twenty years of teaching and administrative experience, Mrs.Gao is very excited to help APIS students to learn the Chinese language and culture. Mrs. Gao is an excellent ping pong player, having been a three-time school district champion in China. She also enjoys Chinese calligraphy and received a number of national and local recognitions since she was a child.

Ms. Gao earned her bachelor’s degree in English education from Harbin Normal University. Ms. Gao has five years of education experience in both Harbin and Suzhou, China, before coming to Seoul. She moved to South Korea in 2014, working on Chinese culture courses, and in 2016, she taught Chinese language education. During those times, she has visited over 100 kindergartens for Chinese culture education and carried out Chinese language education and cultural festivals in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. Apart from teaching, Ms. Gao enjoys spending time with her husband and her children.

Mr. Gerzon began his career in Cebu, Philippines, teaching various science subjects and college-level chemistry. In 2017, he moved to the United States, where he taught high school science classes in South Carolina while completing a Master’s in Secondary Education with a focus on Educational Leadership. After his time in the U.S., he relocated with his family to Côte d’Ivoire, where he taught IB Chemistry and MYP Science. Now joining APIS in Seoul, Mr. Gerzon looks forward to contributing to a learning environment that emphasizes inquiry and student-centered approaches. He is also a father of two daughters and values the perspective he gains from being both a parent and an educator.

Ms. Han was raised in Hiroshima. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Yonsei University, and Master of Arts in Japanese Language and Literature from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS). She was a lecturer with the Graduate School of Area Studies at HUFS, Kyung Hee University, and Kookmin University for six years. She also served as a High School Japanese Teacher at the local international school for nine years. She pursued The American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) courses for 21st-century education. Ms. Han is interested in comparative expressions between languages. She believes that foreign language education not only improves communication skills but also benefits a deeper comprehension of one’s mother language and culture.

Mr. Michael Heredia is a digital arts educator from the great state of Texas, with eight years of experience teaching at international schools in Houston and Beijing, China. He specializes in working with English Language Learners and diverse student populations, cultivating holistic, creative environments where all students can thrive through exploration, skill-building, and discovering their unique artistic voices.
Mr. Heredia believes that art is both a visual and universal language—a powerful tool for communication, identity, and personal growth. His classroom fosters experimentation, self-expression, and meaningful dialogue while encouraging creative risk-taking and critical thinking. He has taught a range of courses including AP 2D Art and Design, Digital Art, Photography, and Graphic Design. He takes pride in guiding students to connect their work to personal experience, culture, and the wider world.
When he's not teaching, Mr. Heredia enjoys film nights with his cat Marty, music-filled walks, weightlifting, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training, and both writing and performing poetry as well as improv comedy. He looks forward to supporting and guiding students as they develop as both artists and individuals.