Our Team

Nina Zhan

Founder & President

USA

In 2023, Nina founded GLAD Academy Cooperation to advance equity for underrepresented communities, uniting STEM and culture to foster opportunity and instill hope. Her mission is to ensure that every individual feels both worthy of opportunity and empowered to pursue it.
Nina brings a unique background that bridges the arts, culture, and humanitarian service. As a bestselling audiobook narrator with over 70 million streams across global platforms, she became the youngest U.S.-based individual ever invited to China’s most prestigious literary broadcasting platform, The Poem for You—a stage that has hosted presidents, monarchs, and Nobel Laureates. Alongside her cultural work, Nina has led multiple humanitarian initiatives that have impacted millions of people across more than 80 countries.
Through this diverse experience, she has earned national and international recognition and has spoken at major United Nations conferences. Her work continues to connect disciplines and cultures, inspiring a new generation to pursue equity, knowledge, and compassion.

Albert Peyton

Vice President

USA

Albert joined GLAD Academy in 2024 and has been an active and dedicated leader ever since. He teaches 2–3 lessons each week and plays a key role in coordinating communication between students and tutors, ensuring classes run smoothly and schedules are well organized. Albert is highly responsible, proactive, and always willing to step in to solve problems, making him a trusted support for both the academic and administrative sides of GLAD. As Vice President, he brings reliability, strong organization skills, and a collaborative spirit to the team.

Vicky Zhao

Vice President

Canada

Vicky joined GLAD Academy in 2023. She tutors through GLAD’s Culture and STEM programs. As a native English and French speaker, she launched French and storytelling classes that broaden students’ perspectives and foster cross-cultural appreciation.
She also contributes to GLAD’s social media, helping share the Academy’s mission with a wider audience. What Vicky values most about GLAD is its supportive, open environment—where ideas are freely exchanged, voices are heard, and learning is shared.
Her dedication and leadership were recognized when she was promoted to Vice President, where she continues to bridge STEM education and cultural enrichment to empower students.

Declan Valentine

Senior Director

USA

Declan leads with dedication and professionalism, showing great responsibility in his tutoring work. Always well-prepared and patient, he creates engaging lessons that support students’ growth in both cultural and STEM subjects. His commitment to teaching excellence and leadership makes him a valued and trusted member of the team.

Meet Our Core Members Below!