School Management
Our management team is here to help you! If you have any questions or concerns or if you would be interested in scheduling a meeting or a campus tour, please feel free to contact us. We are happy to be of assistance!
Dr. Ina S. Nicosia founded Kids Camp in 2002. Her idea was to provide sports, music and cultural events for children during school holidays. These programs quickly grew to host between 300 and 400 campers per year in it’s prime.
In 2007, Nicosia-Schelker AG was founded and the first Kid’s Camp Pre-school class was opened. Two years later a Kindergarten was added and in 2011 KCI added their first baby group and Primary School. Finally in 2022, KCI was re-named "Baselland International School" or BLIS for short, and a multi level Secondary School was added.
Nicosia has a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Sports Science and a concentration in Elementary Education. She also has a master’s degree in Physical Education / Athletic Administration and an international certificate to teach English as a foreign language. Most recently, Nicosia completed her doctorate in Business Management specialising in Educational Systems Management.
Dr. Nicosia competed in Division 1 Track and Field and Basketball while at The University of Richmond and attended 3 Olympic trials before becoming a professional basketball player in 1995. The Vineland Hall of Fame Inductee, coached basketball at James Madison University, Central Michigan University and the American University before coming out of retirement to play basketball in Switzerland in 2001.
Dr. Nicosia has won 3 National Championships as a basketball coach here in Switzerland and also served as the Delegation Head of the Swiss National Team at the European Championships. As a player, she won two national championships playing first base for the co-ed softball team, Therwil Flyers. She has worked as the Head International Scout of the WNBA Combines and the NCAA Final Four hosted by Global 1 Sports.
She was previously employed at the International School of Basel and also served as head of the English Department at the Swiss International School. Additionally, Nicosia's first book "Finding My Way Home" reached great success and was named to the Amazon Best Seller List.
Since 2022, Nicosia has developed the BLIS Culture Project which hosts Art Shows, Musical Concerts, Book Signings, Political Discussions and Social Events.
Be sure to check out Nicosia's TED talk!
Adrian Orford first joined the BLIS team in 2009 as a camp coach. In 2014, he took over as the coordinator of the After School Care program. The following year, he joined the Primary team as a teacher. In 2021, he was named Assistant Principal of the entire school program. In 2022, Mr. Orford was promoted to Principal of BLIS.
As a native speaker in English, Italian and French, Adrian Orford has a bachelor’s degree in Modern Languages (with a speciality in German) and Linguistics and a teaching qualification from the world’s leading University in the field of Education, University College London. He also has a Business Master’s Degree in Human Resources and Management.
Adrian Orford is a semi-professional footballer since the age of 16, currently plying his trade in France. His most noticeable team was FC Mulhouse. He had the honour to represent his University in the United Kingdom and also played in Switzerland. Orford also coached at the French national U17 level and is continuing to work on his coaching badges.
He was previously employed as an English teaching assistant in the Kantonsschule Zug as part of his education and has also been employed as a language consultant at Castle’s Language Institute Basel from 2014 to 2020.
Adrian Orford is a very proud husband to his wife and father to his son and daughter.
Zoe Kessler brings 10 years of experience in bilingual early childhood education. She began her career in daycare centers with a German-English focus, where she was particularly committed to supporting the linguistic and social development of young children.
During this time, she guided numerous children through their early educational journeys and made a lasting impact on entire childcare teams through her empathetic, structured, and culturally sensitive approach.
In addition to her pedagogical work, Kessler took on responsibility early in her career for training apprentices and was passionately involved in mentoring the next generation of education professionals. Her ability to provide practical, individualized support made her a key point of contact within training organizations.
To further enhance her leadership skills, Zoe Kessler successfully completed a team leadership program at BKE Zurich. Today, she applies this expertise not only in early childhood settings but also in her extended role as Office Manager of an entire educational institution. In this capacity, she coordinates the school’s administrative processes, supports strategic development, and ensures smooth communication between educational teams, executive leadership, and external partners.
Anne Lutz started as a primary school teacher at BLIS in 2014. She accompanied our first primary school students until they graduated from BLIS in 2018. Since then, Mrs. Lutz has also taken on the responsibility of supporting students transitioning to secondary school.
Over time, she assumed additional tasks such as managing teaching materials, setting up a design & technology area with many supplies and tools, establishing a student library, and organizing extracurricular activities. In 2024, she was promoted to the head of the primary and secondary school departments at BLIS.
Anne Lutz completed her teacher training with a focus on primary education and a master's degree in European-oriented Bilingual Teaching at the University of Education in Freiburg (Germany).
She gained experience teaching at various primary schools in Germany and England. As part of a three-month block internship in 2012, she worked at the Zurich School in Barcelona.
Anne Lutz is a dedicated teacher who is respected and appreciated by students and parents alike. She advocates for meaningful and efficient learning and supports her students wherever she can. Parents value her expertise, commitment, and her always open ear.
At BLIS, she appreciates working in a motivated team as well as the many different cultures and languages that come together at BLIS, enriching everyday life.
Anne Lutz is married and has a son.
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BLIS Cross Country Event 2025: A Celebration of Sport, Spirit, and Community
Upcoming Events
BLIS Halloween Parade 2025
