Bert Okma
Lambert (Bert) Okma is currently principal of the International Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA. The IA is a public school of choice, operating across three campuses and with a current enrollment of 1,000 students. During his tenure, he has established the IA as an IB orientation workshop site, a local leader in IB education and frequent host of IB visitors.
Before joining the IA in 1996, Bert was a social studies teacher at Lahser High School, Bloomfield Hills, where he taught a range of courses, including humanities, economics, European history, and Japanese language and culture. In a previous post as district economics coordinator, he worked in cooperation with teachers in order to improve economics education throughout the district and state.
In 1972 Bert graduated from Calvin College with a bachelor’s degree in history, which was followed in 1974 by a master’s degree in history and teacher certification from Michigan State University. He completed additional coursework in economics at Wayne State University and the University of Detroit Mercy between 1975 and 1986. He was awarded a bachelor’s degree in English from Oakland University in 1986 and his education specialist degree from the University of Detroit Mercy in 2004.
He has received a number of honours and awards, notably the Diversity Champion Honor Roll, awarded by Birmingham/Bloomfield Task Force on Race Relations, in 2001 and Q2 Award from Oakland County in 2003. He is a director and founder of Partners in International Education, and is professor and oversight council member for Oakland University’s newly instituted IB teacher award certificate.
Bert’s commitment to international education and to the IB’s vision is reflected in his work for a number of committees and boards, including the IB North America board of directors, the Heads Council and the IB professional development committee.
