jo oliveira

I am Jovelina Oliveira Cruz, from Brazil.
With over 15 years of experience in international education—including classroom teaching, guidance counseling, and staff training—I am passionate about creating safe, student-centered learning environments rooted in academic excellence and emotional wellbeing.
In my role at Brightlyn International Kindergarten in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, as a director I have gathered experience in managing the daily routines, teachers and support staff. I also needed to train the staff, develop the curriculum, and create a good communication system with parents. As we were short of staff, I needed to be responsible for teaching the 4-5.5 year old group. In my former role at Silk Road Professionals (Tashkent, UZ), I have developed and led child protection policies, trained educators across five institutions, and supported international staff transitions in multicultural environments.
My previous experience as a guidance counselor and child safety officer at Hope Academy of Bishkek in the Kyrgyzstan Republic, deepened my expertise in trauma-informed care, student support programs, and safeguarding procedures. Additionally, I have spent over a decade working with teachers and students in Kyrgyz public schools, coordinating English language programs and community-based education initiatives.
I hold a Master’s degree in Member Care with a focus on biopsychosocial care integrated with education and an MBA in family therapy, as a postgraduate certification in systemic family counseling. I also have a Teaching Training Diploma. Fluent in English, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian, I bring strong communication skills and a heartfelt commitment to cross-cultural education and student development.