MANAGEMENT TEAM
PHANNAROJ CHALITAPORN (MAI)
Director
Mai is the driving force and beating heart behind Raintree International School. Her pioneering work in Thailand's educational landscape is fueled by her deep dedication to nurturing young minds and a foundational belief in continuous learning.
Together, these became essential ingredients in Raintree International School's philosophy. In person and professionally, Mai champions lifelong learning and a global mindset. Her studies in the United Kingdom, her dynamic childhood in Thailand's international school community and her work in Hong Kong, China, are key parts of her identity.
Committed to learning and growing, Mai pivoted from a degree in engineering to the fast-paced world of investment banking in Hong Kong and London. Afterwards, Mai began seven transformative years in cross-border investment advisory, bridging Thailand and China.
Mai speaks Thai, English and Mandarin. Her cultural understanding spans the globe. Her Master's in Finance is from the esteemed University of Cambridge, earned with a Cambridge Thai Foundation scholarship. Mai's academic achievements also include a First-Class Honours Bachelor's in Engineering from Thammasat-University of Nottingham.
Now, as Founder and CEO of Raintree International School, Mai continues to impart the global insights gleaned from her journey and the deep passion she has for education to young learners. A dedicated educator, Mai took up leadership roles in the Cambridge Alumni Society, Thailand (2013-2017) and still serves as a NIST Board Member (2018-present).
Within her personal realm, Mai's partner Casey Au, a fellow Cambridge alumnus, is similarly cross-cultural. Their family, including daughters Lyla and Anya, embodies diverse roots and global values. Mai is currently continuing her pursuit of lifelong learning with a Master's in Educational Administration.
SIOBHAN O'BRIEN
Raintree Group Educational Advisor
Siobhan has over 15 years' experience working in Early Years and Primary education in both the United Kingdom and Thailand. She graduated from the University of Leeds with a BA in Early Childhood Education before qualifying as a primary teacher through Manchester University.
In the UK, Siobhan worked across the Early Years and Primary phases. She is passionate about early reading and, as a consultant, worked with schools to develop their teaching of reading and writing. Siobhan has also supported educational charities, from developing teaching in a local preschool in Uganda to providing training for local teachers in Sierra Leone.
Before joining Raintree, Siobhan worked as an Assistant Principal (Pre Prep) and Acting Vice Principal (Head of Junior) at Shrewsbury International School, Riverside.
Siobhan believes that all children are capable individuals who have an innate curiosity about the world around them. It is the educator's role to harness this curiosity and build strong foundations for lifelong learning. She also has a passion for learning outdoors and sees this as an integral part of any early years philosophy.
Outside of work and education, Siobhan enjoys spending quality time with her husband and two children as well as running, reading and visiting new places.
VORACHAN CHIRATHIVAT (TIP)
Co-Founder
Vorachan "Tip" has long nurtured a passion for psychology and education, culminating in founding Raintree International School.
At the start of her educational journey, as Tip studied Economics at the University of Sydney, she also dove into psychology courses alongside the required economics curriculum. Her studies in psychology deeply impressed upon her the importance of early years education and its impact on well-being. She then earned a Master's degree with distinction in Integrated Marketing Communications (Data Analytics) from Northwestern University.
In 2011, Tip realised a long time goal of supporting early childhood learning. She founded Tiny Tree, an independent publishing house dedicated to children's educational books in Thailand.
Her commitment to education only grew from there, leading Tip to co-found Raintree International School in 2017 as a world-class creative and educational space for children. Raintree has since become a leading kindergarten in Thailand and internationally.
Married to Dr. Ton "Boat" Chirathivat, Tip also seeks out learning and expression in her private life. Balancing her roles in education, entrepreneurship, and at home, Tip is an avid artist who often paints with her daughters Ririn and Reina in her spare time.
