Meet the team

Mr. Nelson brings more than eleven years of educational and leadership experience, with over six years within the Middle East. He maintains a Master of Arts qualification in Educational Leadership, accompanied with a plethora of pedagogical expertise, blended across pastoral and curriculum leadership positions. Furthermore, he has taught and led curriculums across the US, GCSE, BTEC, and IB frameworks throughout his career to date.

Initially trained and qualified as a teacher in the United Kingdom, Mr. Nelson taught Physical Education in various educational settings. After relocating to Dubai in 2015, he was appointed Head of Boys; Physical Education at a large multi-cultural international school. During this time, his career progressed to becoming a Head of House, leading pastoral initiatives to heighten students support and wellbeing within the school.

In 2019, Mr. Nelson joined Yas American Academy as the Dean of Students, leading change in student wellbeing and behavior for learning reforms. He is passionate about developing students holistically, equipping them with the skills required for students to flourish within an ever changing global society. As Head of Secondary, he is passionate about driving improvements at Yas American Academy, with the relentless energy to work in partnership with parents, staff, and the school community to ensure a high-quality education is made available to every child at Yas American Academy.

Mrs. Melissa Patrick brings over 18 years of educational experience living and working in Abu Dhabi, UAE, including 11 years in leadership positions. She is a PYP qualified Educator and has experience in the US, IB, Australian and International Curriculums. She holds a Bachelor of Primary Education and a Master of Education Studies from Universities in Australia. Melissa has been married for 19 years and has 2 sons in secondary school.

This is Melissa’s 5th year at Yas American Academy. Since joining the Academy in 2018, Melissa has held multiple roles including Head of Pastoral, Head of Department and Child Protection and Safeguarding Lead. As Head of Elementary, Melissa has been integral in developing the WYA house system and believes it provides a sense of family across the school and develops a sense of pride and belonging amongst the students. She advocates the Yas Way which holds Respect Yourself, Respect Others and Respect the Environment as guiding principles for staff and students in and out of school. Melissa was involved in the schools NEASC accreditation process and recently completed a MIT Course, 'Launching Innovation into Schools', completing a cycle of study and experimentation as a change leader in instructional improvement.