Madeleine Maceda Heide is a Senior Consultant in Carney, Sandoe & Associates’ International Schools Practice.

An accomplished international executive leader with four decades of experience across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, Madeleine most recently served as Superintendent of Asociación Escuelas Lincoln in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she led strategic and operational priorities for a large, well-established international school community. She previously served as Head of School at Academia Cotopaxi American International School (Ecuador) and Assistant Superintendent at the American School of Bombay (India). A trusted partner to boards and leadership teams, she has guided schools through complex transitions, strategic planning, accreditation processes, and leadership development while advancing high-quality teaching and learning and strengthening organizational coherence. Her career spans a wide range of global contexts—from legacy institutions to high-growth schools—giving her deep expertise in governance, organizational effectiveness, and change leadership across diverse cultural contexts.

Earlier roles include Lower Primary Principal at Hong Kong International School and Founding Principal of the Early Childhood Centre at the International School of Brussels, where she led the design and implementation of innovative, research-informed learning programs grounded in early childhood development.

Madeleine has held significant governance roles, including President of the AMISA Board, Trustee of AAIE, and member of the NESA Professional Development Council. Through her work with Carney Sandoe, she has partnered with Yokohama International School, International School of Beijing, Frankfurt International School, Taipei American School, American United School (Kuwait), Luanda International School, and Tashkent International School, supporting leadership search, board advising, and organizational strategy.

Madeleine currently serves on the boards of the Multilingual Learning Research Center and the Association for the Advancement of Instructional Coaching in International Schools, contributing to innovation and capacity-building across the international school sector. She was a past Lead Facilitator for AMISA’s Women in Leadership program, and today she continues to mentor and coach senior and aspiring leaders, building leadership capacity and fostering cultures of trust, reflection, and impact.

Madeleine holds an Ed.S. in Language and Literacy and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education, both from Indiana University.

After a lifetime as a global educator and leader, Madeleine is now based in Canada, where she continues her work as a mentor and trusted advisor to leaders and boards building strong, healthy, future-focused learning organizations.