Our 2019 Signature Event in Washington DC was a sell-out success!  Guest enjoyed networking, food & drink, and our book raffle selected & donated by the event sponsors.  This year, The Global Leadership League brought a second copy of the books for twice the fun!   

Thanks to our sponsors:

CAPA The Global Education Network, ISA International Studies Abroad, Terra Dotta Software, CET Academic Programs, DIS- Study Abroad in Scandinavia, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, CIEE, ISEP Study Abroad,  CIS Abroad, Global Experiences, API Academic Programs International

Add to your summer reading list!

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown

Do you know Pippi Longstocking? by Astrid Lindgren

Feminist Fight Club by Jessica Bennett

In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney

On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from Mount Everest by Alison Levine

Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success by Sylvia Ann Hewlett

Radical Candor by Kim Scott

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire by Simon Sinek

The Happiness Advantage Shawn Anchor

The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates

The Power of Positive Leadership: How and Why Positive Leaders Transform Teams and Organizations and Change the World by Jon Gordon

Wolfpack by Abby Wambach

Mark Lenhart, 
CET's Executive Director shares:

Why did your organization want to be involved in the Global Leadership League? 

We support the mission. We recognize that women still face barriers in our field, and we want to help the League create a space where strategies and solutions can be discussed. We also think the League’s unique approach to mentorship will be great for CET’s staff—we want the women who work at CET to have the chance to engage with women from other organizations.

As a leader at CET, I want to support the League so that I can develop a deeper understanding of the barriers women face.  I’m in a position to create change and perhaps remove some of these barriers, at least at CET. So I want to engage in the discussion and learn ways I can be a part of the solution.  

What inspires you in your work? 

My standard answer has always been our students-- they are fearless in their approach to learning, and you can't help but be optimistic about the future when you spend time with them.

More recently, I have also been inspired by our staff. In my generation, most people sort of fell into study abroad because of parallel interests or career goals. I'm excited to see employees arrive at CET with a clear commitment to our mission. They figured out early that they want to pursue a career in study abroad, and they are now making it happen.

My own priorities have broadened so that I'm not just interested in creating quality study abroad programs, I'm also interested in creating great jobs and a supportive office culture. I know that these goals are linked: it's easier to do the first when you've accomplished the second.

Who has been a professional mentor for you and how did they influence you? 

My boss and business partner, Kate Simpson, has been my mentor since CET became a part of Academic Travel Abroad in 1995. Kate exemplifies the best leadership qualities: she is empathetic and caring, but direct and honest when it comes to making tough business decisions. She is also passionate about our mission, and she works tirelessly to help us achieve our goals. One of the qualities I love about Kate is that she always strives to do the right thing—she demonstrates real integrity. I think that’s so important today: we all want to look up to our leaders and know that they are putting the interests of our students, partners, or teams above their self-interests. I’d like to think I’ve internalized many of Kate’s leadership qualities, and after so many years of working together, we can practically complete each other’s sentences.

Which professional development experience/s have been most important to you in your career?

I am so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to travel internationally with partners and colleagues, usually on site visits or to attend international conferences. Traveling on my own is great, of course. But with a traveling companion, you tend to see things differently—through their eyes—and you learn more. There’s something special about sharing the experience, even if that experience includes getting stuck in airports or eating bad food together. In fact, these moments are when we really get to know one another, and talk. Traveling with colleagues gives me the chance to hear about the challenges they face in their jobs, and I always come home feeling more connected to them, and better prepared to face my own challenges.  

What excites you most about the future of this field?

Many things in our field are changing at once. There are new pressures to measure outcomes and make sure study abroad is a worthy investment. Traditional program models are giving way to more innovative models. Technology is making it easier for students to remain connected to their home campuses and faculty. Partnerships are becoming more innovative. And the study abroad population is changing, with more diverse students bringing a wider range of expectations to their programs. What excites me about all this change is that it forces us all to be more intentional and transparent about what we’re doing. In a way, we’re all held to a higher standard than ever before, and that’s good! I’m excited to think about how our programs will improve in the future.

Samantha Cameron,
Global Partnership Manager at The Intern Group shares:

Why did your organization want to be involved in the Global Leadership League?

It seemed like a natural fit based on the sheer fact that 75% of our staff are women. Upon further investigation, we realized that there were amazing initiatives that could help our staff grow as professionals while surrounded by a network of phenomenal women in our field. We are a young organization in that many of our staff are under the age of 35, so we loved that regardless of age or role, anyone can learn and also contribute their expertise.

What inspires you in your work? 

I am inspired every day by students who want to step outside of their comfort zone and immerse themselves in new cultures. They will be our next generation of leaders which is what inspires me to get as many students abroad as possible. I am also inspired by my partners at universities across the world, it never ceases to amaze me the innovative initiatives that they come up with to make international education more accessible.

Which professional development experience/s have been most important to you in your career? 

Early in my career, I was catapulted into a position where I was without a supervisor for a few months and had to figure things out with little guidance. I had an amazing support system within my organization, however, we were all learning how to do things in my particular department and I naturally made mistakes. In my opinion, there is no course or degree you can take that can prepare you as well as simply rolling up your sleeves and leaving all your fears behind. Mistakes are inevitable and it's how you grow - just don't make the same mistakes again! 

What excites you most about the future of this field? 

What excites me is that despite anti-globalization rhetoric, there remains a huge community of passionate people pushing for the internationalization of education across the world. I think there is still a lot of work to be done to make international education accessible and inclusive, but I am confident that we are on the right path. I am excited to see recent graduates get involved in the field so we can use their perspectives and technological/marketing expertise to get more students abroad.

Martha Johnson,
Assistant Dean for Learning Abroad at the University of Minnesota shares:

Why did your organization want to be involved in the Global Leadership League? 

I viewed it as an opportunity to be a part of an important cultural shift and to support the empowerment of the future leaders in our field. 

What inspires you in your work? 

I am inspired by the change in students we are a part of and contribute to.  I am inspired by the amazing peer mentors, colleagues, and friends I get to work with around the world who are all working towards a common goal. 

Who has been a professional mentor for you and how did they influence you? 

I have been particularly lucky in my peer mentors. I joined the field at a time when there were few women, GLBT, or people of color in leadership positions, so I did not get much mentorship from leaders I  personally identified with.  My generation of peers, however, who started at the same time...as the field was becoming professionalized... are an inspiring cohort of mentors from whom I have learned so much.  There are too many to name, but I can think of so many ways they individually inspired, supported, and pushed me.

Which professional development experience/s have been most important to you in your career?

Volunteer and leadership positions on non-profit organizations and boards outside of my daily position have been particularly helpful in developing my skills. Contributing in contexts outside of your work can help you see the bigger picture, learn from other organizations, and engage with interests you are passionate about.  I have been on the board for the University YMCA, a girls school in Kenya, a professional theatre company, and the Fund for Education Abroad, and in all cases I have learned as much as I have contributed.

What excites you most about the future of this field?

When I see the talent and intentionality that the next generations are bringing to the field I am inspired.  The field is barely recognizable from when I started, and so it is up to all of us to make sure international education is what we want it to be. The ability to influence a profession is daunting and exciting, and the younger professionals are certainly up for the challenge and are innovating in ways I couldn't have imagined.

 

 John J. Christian 
CAPA's President/CEO shares:

Why did your organization want to be involved in the Global Leadership League? 

When we first learned of this important and new organization, we knew it would be important to not only applaud the initiative, but to financially support it.  The time has come to find the best leaders in all areas of work and life and this organization is cultivating future woman in a way that has not been done before in our field. IT is timely and the outcome will be critical to our future as international educators.

What inspires you in your work? 

The continued challenge to improve our work, find new ways to impact learning and outcomes and the immense passion and creativity that we find from our colleagues in support of this work. Never a dull moment is cliché, that’s because it is true with this work.

Who has been a professional mentor for you and how did they influence you? 

There are many. Historically this would be Dr. Jose Perez, the director of International Education at SUNY Oswego, my alma matter and where I first worked as a professional in the field. So much so that I have donated a full fee scholarship in his name for SUNY Oswego students to study and China and England where Dr. Perez helped me learn and work abroad.

Which professional development experience/s have been most important to you in your career?

Being a resident director in London and Beijing. My understanding of the core basics of programming, student care and teaching and learning were matured in this role and continue to influence my decisions and thoughts on quality learning abroad.  And that was from the wins and the mistakes in my work.

What excites you most about the future of this field? 

Innovation and the use of technology to achieve high impact globally thinking students. Using new resources to re-think how we build and manage our programs as well as prepare students to work in a globally inter-connected world.