Category: Senior Leadership Team (SLT)

Ms. Rachel MacKinnon holds a Master of Arts in Education Management: International Schools from Oxford Brookes University and a Bachelor of Education with Honors and Qualified Teacher Status from the University of Plymouth. She has experience with three of the four International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes – Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP). Ms. MacKinnon has served as a workshop leader, school visitor, consultant and curriculum connections provider for the IB Educator Network since 2005.

Ms. MacKinnon also has experience with the Cambridge International, British National, and Australian National Curriculums. Officially trained as a CIS/WASC/NCCT accreditation team member, she has served as an Accreditation Officer in schools. She is familiar with Cognia (formerly AdvancED) and is a member of the Academy for International School Heads (AISH) and the Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE). She is currently the President of the Kosovo International Schools’ Association (KISA) and also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for an International School in Cairo, Egypt.

Ms. MacKinnon is fortunate enough to have lived in Albania, Australia, China, England, Germany, Greece,
Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, The Bahamas, USA, Wales, Zambia and now, Kosovo!

Besiana Pllana holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Informatics and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Financial Markets and Banks at Riinvest College, Prishtinë.

Ms. Pllana has been an integral part of ILG School since August 2017, serving in various roles, including Administrative and Finance Assistant and Administrative Coordinator. In February 2021, she became a key member of the Senior Leadership Team as Head of Finance and Operations, where she oversees Finance, Operations, Human Resources, Administration, IT, and School Security.

In addition to her core responsibilities, Ms. Pllana has also served as Acting Treasurer during the 2022/2023 school year. She plays a vital role as a liaison between ILG School, the Kosovar Government, and international organizations, ensuring seamless collaboration and compliance with regulations.

Ms. Pllana is committed to continuous professional development and has attended numerous international conferences and trainings, including:
✔ CEESA Conference in Malta (2024) and Split (2025)
✔ IB Leadership Training
✔ Site Security, Operations & Risk Management with International Schools Services
✔ CEESA Level 1 & 2 Child Protection Response Team Training

✔ HR and Compliance Training

Beyond her professional achievements, Ms. Pllana is passionate about reading, traveling, social media management (she oversees the ILG School Instagram account), beekeeping, and cooking.

What she loves most about ILG School is its diversity; for her, ILG truly feels like home!