We hope you’ve been following along as we’ve gradually introduced our new CEO & Head of School, Elizabeth Elango Bintliff. (In case you missed it, read our Press Release and her message to the community here.) As she continues to get to know the GVP community, here are “7 things about your new Head of School,” straight from Elizabeth herself!
I am multilingual: I speak English, French, Swahili, pidgin/west African Krio, a little Portuguese and a passable amount of Spanish. Give me two weeks in any new place and I’ll likely learn the language. I’ve discovered that the secret to learning a new language – or anything new for that matter – is that you have to be unafraid of making mistakes.
I am a mother of two girls. Being a mother of girls is a central part of identity. Everything else revolves around it. My daughters are the funniest people I know. Being with them gives me pure joy and fills me with laughter.
I’m an avid collector of African art. I’ve been collecting contemporary African art for over 20 years and have a 70+ piece collection. Nothing clears my head better than looking at a piece of art or engaging in a creative process. I use my personal Instagram handle to curate a community of African artists from all over the continent. I want to show my collection at a museum/gallery one day, selfishly because I’d like to see it as a complete collection myself since I don’t have the wall space at my house to display all the pieces.
I’ve been to over 50 countries of the world! I’m a Million Miler on Delta Airlines. This means I’ve had the privilege of seeing a lot of the world, but it also means I require frequent chiropractic care. Unfortunately, much of this travel was between airports and boardrooms but I did manage to sneak in some fond memories like milking goats in Rwanda, climbing Table Mountain in South Africa, riding camels in Dubai and eating dim sum in Hong Kong. That said, a big appeal of the HoS role for me is that travel won’t be a constant requirement.
I’m a girl’s girl. I have an army of girlfriends as formidable as the Dora Milaje on Black Panther. My friends are fierce! They can do anything. They are the people who buoy me when I face challenges in my life. I thrive in sisterhoods.
I love camels. Camels are one of my spirit animals. I’ve ridden camels in Egypt, Senegal, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. I love their clumsiness, their quirkiness and their oddness. They are weird and beautiful.
I love mindless TV to unwind. I find the Housewives to be endlessly entertaining. The TV at my house is usually turned on to HGTV or the Food Network. I love to cook and I love to eat. In my mind, The Pioneer Woman is one of my best friends.
