Where are they now? Discover what your alumni peers are up to, reconnect with long-lost classmates, find out who has been back on campus, and who has celebrated life-changing milestones! 

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Dragon Weddings!

Sumin Cho & Taehoon (Isaac) Choe (Class of 2014)

Sumin and Isaac first met as 5-year-olds in kindergarten and reconnected at JIS in Grade 6, where they remained classmates through graduation — and even dated briefly in Middle School.

After going their separate ways in college (Isaac at Boston University studying Economics, and Sumin at Seoul National University majoring in Business Administration), the two reunited years later at a mini JIS reunion in Korea.

Now married and living in Indonesia, Isaac works in corporate venture capital at Krafton while Sumin is a consultant with McKinsey. The couple tied the knot in March in Seoul.

 

 

 

 

Jacquelyn Snodgrass (1984) & Luis Gopez (1983)

Luis and Jacqui first crossed paths as High School students at Jakarta International School in 1980. Though they moved in different social circles, their lives brushed shoulders in those formative years. Luis even briefly dated one of Jacqui’s friends, and while they were friendly, there was no hint of what the future would one day hold.

Their connection deepened slightly when they both found themselves involved in the Joint Sound. Jacqui lent her voice to the group as a singer, while Luis played guitar in the backup band.

It was then, in a moment of youthful clarity, that Luis saw Jacqui in a new light. She had a spark, confidence, warmth, and charisma that made an impression. So much so, he confided to a fellow bandmate his interest in Jacqui. The bandmate's response? A blunt and unforgettable, “Dude, she’s out of your league!” And just like that, the spark was shelved, filed away in the realm of what-ifs.

After graduation, life swept them in separate directions. Luis headed to university in England, while Jacqui went to college in the United States the following year. The next three decades unfolded with the full tapestry of adult life: college, careers, marriages, children, and eventually, the heartaches of divorce. They saw each other briefly at the Anaheim Reunion in 1995, but their paths never crossed again — until fate intervened in the most unexpected way.

In 2013, the stars aligned at Luis’s 30th high school reunion in Orlando, Florida. Jacqui decided to attend, not knowing that the weekend would change her life. Amid the laughter, nostalgia, and reconnections, Jacqui and Luis found themselves deep in conversation. They spent time reminiscing about their days at JIS, shared values, house parties, dances in the covered area, and their shared love of Indonesia.

It seems they had spent more time together than they had ever realized. What started as casual catching-up quickly transformed into hours of heartfelt sharing about family, love, growth, and everything life had taught them all, with JIS and their Dragon family at the center of it. Yet, something was different now. The timing, it seemed, was finally right.

After the reunion, they returned to their lives on opposite sides of the country, Luis in California, Jacqui in Massachusetts. But the flame had been lit, and it refused to fade. They kept talking, texting, and calling. Before long, Jacqui invited Luis to visit Boston. One trip turned into many, and soon they were navigating a long-distance relationship that spanned the continent.

Eighteen months later, love demanded a leap of faith. Luis packed up and moved to Boston, joining Jacqui and her family. They built a life together grounded in humor, patience, and a shared love of music, community, connection, and above all, their love of JIS and Indonesia.

They continued their connection with the JIS community by co-hosting several alumni reunions in Boston and traveling to the 2018 Bali Reunion together. Those who attended may remember Luis rocking the stage with the JIS Reunion Band while Jacqui cheered like a true groupie — proof that some things never fade.

As their 10th anniversary as a couple approached, Luis decided it was time to fulfill a promise he had jokingly made many times before: “You know you’re going to have to marry me someday!” In 2023, he made it official by asking Jacqui to be his wife. They were married in Las Vegas on December 14, 2024, with no Elvis in sight, but plenty of love in the air.

Today, Luis and Jacqui continue to cherish their journey, past, present, and future with their blended family. Their time at JIS was the time of their lives, and they remain close to their JIS roots. They look forward to attending the 75th Reunion in Bali in August 2026. Theirs is a story of second chances, perfect timing, and a love that waited patiently for the right moment to bloom.

 

 

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Do you have a life update you'd like to share with fellow Dragon Alumni? Or do you want to let your former classmates know what you've been up to?

Share your story with us: alumni@jisedu.or.id

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Class Notes by Decade

1980s

Stan Meyer (1980)

After JIS, I returned to the US, where I attended the University of Oregon, getting my undergraduate degree in finance and then an MS in Finance. I'm now based in the San Francisco Bay Area. My professional career is in the financial services industry, with a strong focus internationally, engaging with clients in over 20 global markets.

In addition to working with US banking clients, I spend a significant time in multiple Asian markets annually, which includes providing advisory services to the top 10 Indonesian and Indian banks, private equity, and leading consulting firms, along with the world's largest payment firm, Visa Inc.  f

I return to Jakarta multiple times each year to meet with our banking clients, which allows my Bahasa to stay semi-decent and occasionally visit the beautiful JIS campus!  

I'm a huge sports fan (anything) and love playing basketball with my two boys, golf, and pickleball. My favorite place to unwind/relax is on my favorite Hawaiian island of Maui, where I'll be spending considerable time (not retiring but dialing back a little!) when my youngest son enters college in 2026!   

I feel extremely blessed to be very close to many of my JIS buddies. Every September since 2012, we've spent one week in Bali hanging out and enjoying Indonesia! Our Biasa Gila group is comprised of 20+ guys, of whom 10-15 each year from all over the world can be found on mopeds, beaches, golf courses, and bars/pubs tossing down a few Bintangs in Seminyak, Ubud, or Amed. Our time together is invaluable, and it has spanned a few decades, starting in the 1970s on that incredibly beautiful JIS Cilandak campus! 

When people ask me what Jakarta is like today, I simply say, "It's awesome!" It's a very different city, but the special people, fantastic food, sounds and smells, and warm weather bring me back to my youth every time I return.

(Pictured with our Alumni Coordinator, Susanna Heilijgers (Class of 1988) and Chief Advancement Officer, Emma Silva (right) during a recent campus visit.)

 

Meily & Tugba (1988)

Longtime friends and Dragons Meily Meyers and Tugba Birgin met up at the JIS Amsterdam reunion in April and decided to take a trip together to Turkey, where Tugba has a country house.

It was as if no time had passed as they reconnected and reflected on their fast friendship through the decades.

 

 

 

 

1990s

Riz (1993) & Kailani Brugger (1990)

Sisters Riz and Kailani Brugger returned to JIS for an emotional visit following the recent passing of their beloved mother, Halimah Brugger. Halimah was a much-loved Music and Drama teacher at JIS from 1968/69 until 1993 and was instrumental in establishing the school’s music program.

The sisters visited the Fine Arts Theatre and Halimah’s former classroom, taking time to walk the campus and reflect on the many memories tied to the school their mother loved so deeply.

Their return brought a wave of nostalgia and appreciation for the lasting legacy Halimah left behind

 

 

 

 

Katrina Szabo (1999)

We were delighted to welcome Katrina, a proud alumna of the Class of 1999, back to the halls of JIS. Accompanied by her husband and two children, Katrina returned for the first time since her graduation — an emotional and nostalgic visit to the school that helped shape her journey.

After graduating from JIS, Katrina went on to study architecture at Cornell University in the United States. She is currently enjoying a sabbatical with her family in Bali, taking time to reflect, explore, and reconnect.

“It’s been over two decades since I walked these hallways,” she shared. “So much has changed, but the core spirit of JIS remains. It’s still the warm, inspiring community I remember.”

Katrina described her visit as deeply meaningful: “Being back here brought back a flood of memories. I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of such a special school,” she said.

2000s

 

Taleb Shkoukani (2006)

In Taleb Shkoukani's first time back at JIS since graduation, he marveled at how much the school had changed but was still comfortingly familiar — "It was a very surreal feeling."

He was in Jakarta visiting his mother and was proud to show his wife and both the city and the school he grew up in.

After attending Ohio Wesleyan University in the United States, he lived in New York for about seven years before moving to Denver, Colorado, where he currently works as a Principal Customer Solutions Manager for Snapdocs.

 

 

 

2010s

Esther Lee (2010)

A recent business trip to Jakarta turned into a welcome trip down memory lane for Esther Lee. She revisited her formative years at Pondok Indah Elementary (PIE), finding memories of cherished Grade 1 and 2 “fun learning experiences” in every corner of the campus.

 

Chae Yun Ahn (2014)

"JIS really helped shape that passion [for color and culture] through both the community and the amazing faculty. I didn't fully realize how lucky I was back then, but now I truly understand where my creative roots come from."

We were delighted to welcome back Chae Yun Ahn, who expressed how much she has missed the JIS campus. The visit brought back a flood of memories, including how she made a poster for the 2014 Cultural Convention.

She now lives in South Korea but is gearing up to join a master's program at École cantonale d'art de Lausanne (ECAL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, in September.
 

Ritika Ramesh and Amina Ahmed (2014)

From Grade 11 orientation to a reunion 13 years later — here’s proof that Dragon connections are built to last! Ritika Ramesh and Amina Ahmed first met as High School Juniors at JIS and recently reunited in the US, catching up on memories of their Dragon Days in Jakarta.

Ritika is now based in Chicago, while Amina lives and works in Washington, DC.
 

 

 

 

 

Vicente Mac Hensen and Stacey Japhta (2014)

Neither time nor distance can keep these two Dragons apart! After 11 years, Vicente Mac Hensen and Stacey Japhta were spotted in Cape Town, South Africa, reconnecting and reminiscing about all things JIS and Jakarta.

Stacey is now based in Cape Town, while Vicente was there for a client project that had him traveling all the way from Copenhagen, Denmark, where he runs a creative agency.