James Onderdonk, Ph.D., serves as the Executive Director of the Wesley Education Research Center. He brings extensive experience working with the global consortium of Wesley Colleges and Schools and played a pivotal role in bringing this consortium to life by fostering interschool innovation and facilitating the exchange of best practices across Wesley‑affiliated institutions. Dr. Onderdonk’s vision—centered on personalized learning, preparing students for an AI‑driven era, and integrating AI technologies into curriculum design and classroom practice—has shaped the foundation of what Wesley Education is today and what it aspires to become.

With 40 years of experience in developing and delivering innovative educational programs, Dr. Onderdonk has a distinguished record of leadership in technology‑enhanced learning. Prior to joining Wesley Education, he served as the Director of the Institute for Computing in Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (I‑CHASS) and as Division Chief of the Institutes of Innovative Learning Solutions at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. His expertise lies in applying empowering technologies to accelerate research and education, and he has published widely in this field.

Frank Wang serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Wesley Education Research Center. In this capacity, Mr. Wang leads the assessment team in designing and implementing a web‑based, standards‑compliant, data‑driven learning assessment system. Leveraging advanced AI technologies, the system documents student progress, evaluates teacher performance, and supports differentiated instruction. By grouping students with similar learning profiles and providing developmentally appropriate materials, the AI‑enabled platform delivers truly personalized learning experiences.

With deep expertise in curriculum–technology integration, Mr. Wang brings 30 years of experience applying innovative technologies to enhance classroom practice and improve academic outcomes. Prior to joining Wesley Education, he served as a senior manager at Dulwich College Management, overseeing preschool and senior school academic programs across China. He also led a national research initiative commissioned by the Ministry of Education on curriculum–technology integration and played a pivotal role in establishing China’s first national standards in this field.

Marry Timmins is the Program Director of the Read Aloud Phonics Program at the Wesley Education Research Center. She leads the curriculum development team in designing and developing an app‑based, AI‑enabled media library that hosts hundreds of books built around authentic, classic English literature for young children. The program promotes learning‑by‑doing through a storytelling approach, guiding students to solve problems within the narrative while simultaneously cultivating social and emotional competencies. It also facilitates the exchange of best reading practices among schools affiliated with Wesley Education.

Marry brings 35 years of experience in teaching English as a Second Language. Before joining Wesley Education, she served as the Dean of the English Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and was the committee director for the Consortium of ESL Learning Centers across high school districts in Illinois. Her expertise in innovative ESL instructional techniques—such as Total Physical Response (TPR), Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS), and the 5W1H Story Retelling Method—has significantly benefited our students and proven highly effective for young ESL learners.

Rainy Chen is the Program Director of the Wesley STEAM Program at the Wesley Education Research Center. A graduate of New York University with dual degrees in Early Childhood Education and Bilingual Education, and a certified IB PYP teacher, Ms. Chen specializes in pre‑K and primary education. She draws on a wide range of pedagogical approaches informed by international curricula, emphasizing project‑based learning and design thinking through STEAM‑focused experiences.

Ms. Chen is also a certified Design Thinking Coach through Stanford University, a Project Zero Team Leader trained by Harvard University, and a Champion of the Teach to Lead Program under the European Consortium of International Schools. As an experienced teacher trainer, she supports educators in building upon the strengths of their existing curricula, rethinking instructional design, and adopting inquiry‑based learning to enhance creativity and foster innovation. Through a structured sequence of open‑ended questions, Ms. Chen trains teachers to guide students in constructing their own inquiry units, enabling them to acquire new knowledge and experience the joy of solving real‑world problems in imaginative and meaningful ways.