Laurie Colyer-Charusorn – Meet our Staff

As Admissions and Marketing Manager, what exciting things do you have planned for this year?

When I first joined Bangkok Prep, I was quickly impressed by the achievements of Admissions and Marketing! A quick look at the amazing growth of the school and all the beautiful publications reaffirmed that I was stepping into a talented team.

Robert Hooke once said, “If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Any progress we make is a testament to the people who have been working in the past.

With this impressive growth seen across both campuses, despite the pesky interference of COVID-19, there is a need to re-look at some of the processes and work flows that are no longer sustainable as we grow into a larger medium-sized school. I will be looking at ways to modernise, digitise, and streamline workflows to avoid double-working, enhance efficiency, and increase the work-life balance for my teams.

Most importantly, I will be looking at ways to improve the experience for all our prospective families learning about our school and undergoing the application process. I also want to find creative ways to reach out to the often transient expat communities, who need to find the right school for their children, whether it’s for 2 years or 15 years.

What qualities will you bring to the Admissions and Marketing department and to your teams?

The qualities that are most important to me are honesty, transparency, and the determination to put students at the heart of all decisions that we make. I also believe that my team members need to be valued, appreciated, and believe in what they are doing.

What were your first impressions when you initially arrived at and started working at Bangkok Prep?

During my first interview, I was most impressed by the vision of the school and the values expressed by the interview panel. The reason we all get out of bed every morning is to be part of something that makes the lives of students’ better – directly or indirectly.

It is easy to forget about the people behind the scenes… but, the role of Marketing and Admissions is to spread the news about this great school in Bangkok, and to help make the induction process as smooth as possible for new families joining us. Choosing a school, whether it’s for the first time in Early Years, or transitioning from another school, can be a daunting task for parents. Our job is to make that process easy, seamless, and for parents to feel confident that they’ve made the right decision.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Lately, my life outside work is largely centred around activities for toddlers as I have a 2 ½ year old beautiful little girl who currently believes that she is (and may actually be) the head of our household. Saturday mornings are reserved for baby ballet, playgroups, and birthday parties at kid-friendly venues. I love, love to read, and look forward to my monthly book club. (Yes, I’m a self-proclaimed nerd and proud of it!) I also enjoy traveling, cooking (mostly baking), and a little bit of retail therapy from time to time.

Please can you give me a summary of your qualifications and previous work experience?

My career path to Bangkok Prep is a little bit unusual. I graduated with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree (aka physiotherapy in the UK) in the United States where I worked as a physical therapist for 2 years in elder care before moving to Thailand in 2008 with my Thai husband. Being that in order to become a physical therapist in Thailand meant passing their national board exams about physical therapy in Thai language, I took a career shift. I landed a job at Bumrungrad International Hospital where I worked in various roles for 9 ½ years including business process improvement, business development, and expat marketing.

My experience in expat marketing led me to my next role of International Admissions Manager at another international school in Bangkok where I was part of the admissions team and led their social media marketing for 2 years.

I think the biggest thing that I have learned throughout my professional life in Bangkok is that there is nothing lost and skills can transfer across industries. The skills that have helped me most are adaptability, resilience, and a willingness to learn new things. I believe that the values of those working in healthcare are not far off from those working in education- we are all in the business of improving lives and making the world a better place.