Governance &
Leadership
We have more than 170 teachers and support staff working at the school, dedicated to delivering the highest standard of education in the best facilities.
Dr. Tim Fries
AAS Director
Dr. Tim Fries (pronounced “Freeze”) is the Director of the Anglo-American School of Sofia . Tim was previously the Elementary School Principal at AAS-Sofia. Prior to joining AAS-Sofia, Tim gained experience in many different roles in education, including: school principal (10 years), classroom teacher, teaching assistant, teacher of English as an additional language, and environmental/outdoor education. Tim earned his Master’s degree in teaching (2001) and his Doctorate in education leadership/policy (2012) from the University of Washington in Seattle.
On his first day as a student at the University of Washington, Tim met Tricia Quinn, who is also in education. Tim and Tricia have been together ever since, and have three children: Kincaid (age 18), Liam (age 15), and Sammie (age 13). Tim and Tricia also have two dogs, Rosa and Luna. Tim cherishes time with family. Together they enjoy being outdoors, traveling, cooking, reading, and playing all manner of games.
Eric Burnett
Middle and High School Principal
Eric Burnett joins our leadership team after twenty-four years in three well-respected, diverse and dynamic international schools. He was drawn to our AAS Sofia community for its dedication to protecting environments where educators can flourish; students can be “happy, confident and successful;” and parents are vibrant, active contributors to the school culture.
Across his career as a teacher, divisional and school-wide leader, he was able to teach a range of AP and survey humanities courses in the middle and high schools, while also supporting schools in becoming better versions of themselves, being careful to honor the tireless work forged by those who came before. He has always been drawn to teams that work hard, laugh and reflect. Outside the school halls, he likes to learn, play softball, listen to music and meander along the many waterways of his hometown in Bend, Oregon.
Julie Villers
Elementary School Principal
Julie Villers has been working in education since 1999, first as an Early Years educator, teaching students from Preschool to Kindergarten, then as an Elementary School leader.
Originally from France, she moved abroad in 2000 to work at a French school in California, USA, where she met her husband James, a California native, who was an English teacher and is now a school counselor. In 2003,they decided to go work in International Schools overseas to expand their horizons, learn from different cultures and perspectives, meet teachers from different countries, and give their children unique, enriching opportunities. This adventure has taken them to Shanghai, China; Singapore; Dubai, UAE; Sumatra Island, Indonesia; Moscow, Russia; Skopje, North Macedonia; and Sofia, Bulgaria.
After obtaining a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and then the certificate for International School Leadership from the Principals’ Training Center, Julie moved first into a position as an Associate Principal, and then became a Principal.
Angela Assed
Director of Learning and Curriculum
Angela Assed joined AAS in 2016 as a Math and Science Specialist. Angela is from Texas, USA. She attended the University of Texas in Austin and holds a Masters in Education. Angela currently serves as Director of Learning and Curriculum. Prior to joining AAS she was Director of Planning and Administration at a post secondary school in Texas. Her teaching experience ranges from teaching elementary school to high school. Angela has a true passion for the field of education and for supporting students. She has four children of her own. Her oldest daughter is graduating from MIT; her second daughter is starting her second year at the University of Texas; her third daughter is going into grade 10 at AAS; and her son is going into grade 8 at AAS. In her free time she likes to spend time with her family, go skiing in the beautiful Bulgarian mountain resorts, and to read.
Joe Gorski
Director of Student Services
Joe Gorski is joining AAS as the new Director of Student Support Services. Originally from Chicagoland, Joe attended university at many different institutions, including Northland College of Environmental Sciences in WI, the City College of New York, Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, the University of Northern British Columbia in Canada, and Concordia University in Mequon, WI. As a result, Joe has three Master Degrees. (Special Education, Counseling, and Teaching English as a Second Language.) He is also a licensed counselor and holds three teaching certifications.
He began his career as a New York City Teaching Fellow, working in the Bronx and Manhattan. Joe also taught in Canada at the University of Northern British Columbia’s Dept. of Continuing Studies, in Denmark at Copenhagen International School, the Canadian Academy in Japan, and the American Academy in Dubai. Joe is joined by his wife, Azusa, and their two sons. In his free time, Joe enjoys playing video games with his sons, reading, and generally making a mess at home.
Asya Alexandrova
Marketing and
Communications Manager
Asya Alexandrova joined AAS in 2020 after over 17 years in different roles in higher education. A graduate of the American University in Bulgaria with BA in Business Administration, an MBA and an MA in Education, she has experience in different roles ranging from admissions, to general school management, to alumni relations. Prior to joining AAS as the Marketing and Communications Manager, Asya was the Director of the English Language Institute at the American University in Bulgaria. The mother of three girls, Asya has a true passion for interacting with children, for languages, and education. In her free time she enjoys most riding her motorcycle, going to theater performances, listening to live jazz, leathercrafting, and finding out information about topics either useful or purely entertaining.
Daniel Kilback
ICT Manager
Daniel Kilback joins AAS-Sofia as the ICT Manager after serving Korea International School (KIS) for seven years as the Principal of Technology. Before joining the faculty in Korea, he served as the Director of Technology and High School Assistant Principal at the American School of Kuwait (ASK). He has worked in Canada, Taiwan, and Kuwait as a teacher at all school levels after graduating with a B.Ed from the University of Saskatchewan. In 2014, Daniel earned his Master’s in EdTech from Boise State University. He is an admitted Apple fanboy, enjoys a diverse selection of podcasts, and is eager to see schools use technology to make small changes that yield big results.
Daniel grew up in Lloydminster, “Canada’s only Border City,” and still misses the prairies and poutine. He met his wife, Erin Kinnen, while in Kuwait. They have two sons, Theo (8) and Lewis (5). At home, Daniel enjoys building LEGO with the boys and listening to 80s hits on his record player.
The AAS
Board
The Anglo-American School is a not for profit organisation that is governed by a Board of Directors that are all volunteers. The Board develops policies, financial guidelines, and long-term strategic plans.
