David Hazibar-Bauer is an experienced and passionate educator with over ten years of expertise in elementary school education, gained in Austria, Denmark, and the United States. His international background has provided him with a deep understanding of diverse learning environments and the ability to adapt teaching practices to support children from different cultural and linguistic contexts.

He holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Science from the University of Vienna and a second Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from the International University of Applied Sciences in Germany. His academic journey is complemented by experience as an lecturer at the Viennese teacher college, Pädagogische Hochschule Wien, as well as in early childhood education—giving him a holistic understanding of educational development across all age groups.

David’s educational philosophy centers on nurturing each child’s growth at their own pace while fostering curiosity, resilience, and intercultural competence. He is proud to be part of the German-American School Manhattan community, where he is committed to building an environment in which every student can flourish academically, socially, and personally.

Martina was born and raised in Rosenheim, Bavaria (Germany). She moved to NYC in 2020 after living in London and Edinburgh. She loves creating a positive, safe, and nurturing environment where students can flourish. In addition to a Degree in Business, Martina obtained a BA (Hons) in Childhood and Youth studies in the UK, a TEFL certificate, and is currently enrolled in an MS, Early Childhood Education at Brooklyn College. Being part of a multicultural and multilingual family, she appreciates all the gains and understands the challenges of raising bilingual children. Martina now resides with her husband, two kids (13 and 16), and two cats in lower Manhattan.

Hendrike Stark brings over nine years of experience in building high-performing teams and fostering positive workplace cultures. She holds degrees in Organizational Psychology from the University of Hagen and Business Administration from the Dr. Buhmann Schule & Akademie, Germany, combining strategic insight with a deep understanding of people and organizational dynamics.

Before her work in human resources, Hendrike gained valuable experience in the legal department at the German General Consulate in New York City, where she developed a strong foundation in employment law and cross-cultural communication.

Well-versed in employment law, performance management, payroll, and benefits administration, Hendrike is passionate about helping individuals grow and feel supported at every stage of their careers. Her people-first leadership style emphasizes collaboration, empathy, and care, creating environments where everyone can thrive and contribute their best work. Through her approachable and inclusive approach, Hendrike helps make GSM a great place to work.

Kathrin is the founder of the first two German bilingual schools in Brooklyn and Manhattan. In her role as partner, former principal, and executive director, she was responsible for real estate development, school and business implementation, fundraising, finances, operations, as well as strategic planning. Prior to her career in education, Kathrin worked for the German Mission to the UN and the German Consulate General in New York. Kathrin was born and raised in Munich, Germany and has lived in the US since 2006.

Dr. Engel, CO-Founder of GSM, resides in Germany and frequently travels to the U.S. He began his career in the field of education in 1992 when he took over the private Kombrecht-Engel-Schule, which was founded by a member of the Engel Family in 1945. He established the DR. ENGEL EDUCATION GROUP, headquartered in Ulm and open colleges, vocational schools, middle and high schools as well as daycare centers with the brand names miniGenius, POLIGENIUS and ProGenius. GSM is his first international project. Dr. Engel is a graduate from Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, and Virginia Tech, U.S.A., and holds a PhD from the University of Basel, Switzerland. He serves as a board member of the German Private School Association (VDP).