Learn about the Global Leadership League Meet our Team
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Meet our Leadership Team Executive Board |
Learn about the Global Leadership League Volunteer TEAM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORCynthia Banks is a seasoned entrepreneur and a passionate company leader raising her own global organization from the age of 24 and now helping others with strategy and business development. She built the company GlobaLinks Learning Abroad, which she sold in 2014, and now serves as Faculty Director for Global Initiatives at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder and teaches entrepreneurship. In addition she has her own private consulting practice, called New World Vistas. Her passions include developing women leaders and making education abroad accessible, and she is founder of the Global Leadership League and the Foundation for Global Scholars in support of those efforts. She has served in numerous roles with major industry groups such as NAFSA, Diversity Abroad, the Fund for Education Abroad, Greenhouse Scholars and Terra Dotta Software. She is a member of the International Women's Forum. A Colorado native, Cynthia earned degrees from both Colorado State University and University of Colorado. She’s been honored with numerous business awards in the state including top three minority owned business by the Metro Chamber of Commerce. DIRECTOR, developing global (AUSTRALASIA)Dawn Hewitt is based in Melbourne, Australia and is the Senior Advisor for Australia and New Zealand at ISEP Study Abroad. She is responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction of ISEP’s engagement in the region including relationships with institutions, government and peak industry bodies. Previous to this, Dawn held positions as Assistant Director International Relations at RMIT University, Manager Education Abroad at La Trobe University, and Manager Outbound Programs at Macquarie University. Dawn has a B.A. from The Pennsylvania State University and an M.A. in International Communications from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Dawn has been working in international education for 20 years. Throughout her career, she has made a contribution to the intellectual discourse on the internationalization of higher education through research, publications and presentations at major conferences and forums. Dawn was the national Chair and joint founder of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA)’s Student Mobility SIG from 2009 to 2013. DIRECTOR, PROGRAMS (WEBINARS)Kris Holloway serves as the President of CISabroad, a leading education abroad organization whose vision is to create a more compassionate and connected world, one student at a time. Kris is the author of the award-winning travel narrative, Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Midwife in Mali, based on her experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali, West Africa. She is a frequent lecturer on the topics of international human rights, and women’s studies in a West African context. She is the mom of two sons who have studied and volunteered abroad in Norway, Portugal, Nepal, Mexico, Ecuador, Spain, Thailand, and Costa Rica. Kris holds a MPH from the University of Michigan despite being a native Ohioan. Other stats: Confirmed Francophile. Slow, devoted runner and biker. Lover of camping, playing board games, and chocolate, preferably together. She lives in Northampton, MA with her husband and their giant black poodle. ADVISORMartha Johnson is the Assistant Dean for Learning Abroad at the University of Minnesota and oversees one of the largest education abroad offices in the US, currently sending over 4000 students abroad annually. She has worked in international education since 1991 for organizations and institutions in the US, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Her experience includes on-site program management, teaching of short-term programs, program development and marketing, and management of a large university education abroad office. Martha has presented on numerous sessions and workshops at national and international conferences, consults with universities internationally, served in a variety of leadership positions in NAFSA and the Forum on Education Abroad, and authored many articles and publication chapters on topics relating to international education. DIRECTOR, LINK NAFSA REGIONAL CONFERENCESKim McGrath is an international specialist with more than fifteen years of experience from a broad range of institutions, including ten years of progressive positions in international education. Her previous roles encompass elementary and higher education, journalism, bilingual and overseas work in teaching, training, student services, marketing and community outreach. Kim holds a B.A. in journalism from Truman State University, a M.A. in international relations from Webster University; and, is pursuing her education doctorate at Webster. In her current role as Director of the Webster International Network of Schools (WINS) program, Kim spearheads initiatives for WINS affiliate students and organizations worldwide, fostering relationships among participating institutions; and, she regularly presents on global learning and women’s leadership. She has served as adjunct faculty and was a Global Leadership Academy fellow at Webster in 2013-2014. ADVISORNatalie A. Mello is The Forum on Education Abroad’s Vice President for Member Services & Training. She oversees a range of initiatives to train members in the Standards of Good Practice through her development of The Forum’s Professional Certification Program, the Critical Incident Database, Standards Institutes, and other programs. Natalie joined The Forum in 2011 after serving 18 years as Director of Global Operations in the Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). While still at WPI, Natalie was honored to receive NAFSA’s Lily von Klemperer Award and Region XI’s Sally M. Heym Award in 2010. She has been a leader in the field and is widely recognized as developing a model for responsible risk management for off-campus experiences. Natalie has published and presented in the areas of engineering education, education abroad and educational outcomes assessment at the national level. DIRECTOR, GLOBAL STRATEGYSarah E. Spencer began her work in international education in 1993 and is currently Director, Office of Study Abroad at the University of St. Thomas. She holds a B.A. from St. Olaf College and an M.A. in English from St. Thomas and studied at Harris Manchester College, Oxford, UK. She is co-editor of the first and second editions of NAFSA's The Guide to Successful Short-term Programs Abroad. Sarah is active in the field’s professionalization efforts, including many workshops and conference sessions focused on human resources and women’s leadership. She served two terms and vice-chair of the Forum on Education Abroad Council, and is a member of CIEE’s Academic Consortium Board. advisorMalaika Marable Serrano, Associate Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, International Studies Abroad (ISA) Malaika joined ISA in 2017 and has been actively engaged in international education for nearly twenty years. Significant international experiences include studying abroad in Australia and Brazil, serving as a faculty program director for a service-learning course to the Dominican Republic, and teaching Global Leadership in Bogotá, Colombia. Previously, Malaika served as Executive Director for Academic and Field Programs with Semester at Sea, Associate Director for Global Communities at the University of Maryland, Outreach and Alumni Officer for the U.S. Department of State's Critical Language Program, Associate Director for Education Abroad and International Enrollment Management at NAFSA, and Study Abroad Coordinator at the University of Tennessee. She received a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Southern California and a M.A. in College Student Personnel from the University of Maryland. Malaika is passionate about increasing access to international education and believes inclusive leadership is mission-critical to achieving this goal. DIRECTOR, RESEARCH & OUTCOMES
Melissa Mace serves in the capacity of Assistant Vice President of Enrollment, International Admissions at Maryville University of St. Louis in Missouri. She brings nearly 25 years of combined experience in non-profit, academic service-learning and community based-research, and international student services and admissions. Melissa serves on several academic committees including the academic leadership team, graduate school council, and the disability services. She serves on the advisory group for Hotcourses, has co-presented at NAFSA regional conferences, a poster session at the national NAFSA conference, and online webinars. In addition to her work at Maryville University, she dabbles in consulting on international enrollment management and comprehensive internationalization. She has traveled extensively, holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational communications, a master’s in student affairs in higher education, and is a doctoral candidate in higher education and leadership. Her dissertation topic focuses on comprehensive internationalization leadership. Melissa has one daughter, Rachel, who is studying Social Work at the university level. And, Melissa home hosts Susana, an international student from Ghana. DIRECTOR , vibrant CONTENTDana Tottenham is Associate Director of Global Internships at Emory University. Her role entails connecting liberal arts majors with innovative online coursework and industry sector exploration. She also manages oversight of Terra Dotta and connected technology systems. Her professional areas of interest include intersections of applied anthropology, education, and study abroad. She studied abroad in England and Spain, traveled to Taiwan with her in-laws, and connected with the Tibetan community in India. She has worked as an international educator for over 18 years in capacities ranging from program development, project management, business analysis, technology implementation, administration, and advising. She earned an M.A. in Anthropology (Georgia State University) and a B.A. in English/Spanish (Emory University). She lives in Decatur, Georgia with her husband and two sons, is an engaged volunteer in her community, and loves to swim, run, and eat Tex-Mex (when she’s not dodging Nerf darts and stepping on Legos). director, dEVELOPING GLOBAL (EUROPE)Germaine Broadbent is a professional in international education specialising in account management, sales & international payments. She started her career in the 90s working overseas in various language schools. After returning to the UK to have her daughter (now 18!), Germaine spent several happy years working for a start up language agency in Brighton. Progressing through the company as it grew, her skills developed from an Academic Director through to Sales Director. The team quadrupled & many long term friendships were formed. Post her second child, a son, several years later, Germaine started her own company, providing career services for international students. Signing up a string of language school clients & meeting hundreds of international students in the process, was a time of great development. Since 2012, Germaine has worked within the international payments sector, focusing on education. Her current role is Relationship Manager for Flywire. She is lucky to work remotely from her home in Sussex & her clients are universities, boarding schools, language colleges & more.
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COORDINATOR - PARTNERSHIPS
Krista Northup is Director of Education, North America for Sannam S4. Krista is responsible for developing and supporting partnerships with North American institutions, associations, and organizations. Krista began her career in the international education field in 2001. She has worked for a range of private providers, government bodies and universities all of which have contributed to a deep and diverse understanding of the international education sector. Krista holds a BA in Sociology from Washington College (Chestertown, MD) and an MBA from Charles Sturt University (Australia).
coordinator - partnerships
Tian Song holds an M.S.Ed. in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in English from Vanderbilt University. Tian joined CIEE in August 2011 as Manager of Student Services in Shanghai, China and relocated to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in May 2014. She held progressively responsible positions before becoming the Center Director in Santiago de los Caballeros, DR in February 2017. She teaches courses in Development Internship and Intercultural Communication and Leadership and is particularly interested in facilitating students’ cultural adaptation and intercultural engagement. She is fluent in Mandarin and Sichuan, English, and Spanish. Before CIEE, Tian worked in the Global Education Office at Vanderbilt University as a Study Abroad Advisor and oversaw the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Exchange Student Program.
COORDINATOR - PARTNERSHIPS
Margaret Kowalsky is the Director of Study Abroad at King's College in Wilkes Barre, PA, where she works with faculty, staff, and students to create global learning opportunities on and off campus. Margaret brings 20+ years of experience in higher education to her position. Prior to King’s, she worked for both Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and its flagship partner Villanova University to build CRS's partnerships with US higher education. She spent six years at the Harvard Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research advancing dialogue and policy. Awareness of the most vulnerable, activism, and education on transnational themes like migration, climate change, hunger and trafficking have long been themes in Margaret's work. She holds degrees from Wellesley College and Harvard Divinity School.
coordinator - In the vault
Randeep Kullar is currently at UC Berkeley Extension in the role of Career Services Manager. She spent the first 8 years of her professional career at UC Berkeley’s Summer Sessions, Study Abroad, & Lifelong Learning office developing and growing domestic and international internships. After this she transitioned to the Academic Internship Council/CIEE where she worked with universities around the world to create and implement internship programs. She received a M.S. in Counseling with a focus in College and Career Counseling from San Francisco State University and a B.A. in History with a minor in Education from the University of California, Davis.
coordinator - coaching hub
Anna Hayes currently serves as Associate Director of Global Programs in the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC Chapel Hill. Anna previously worked for 11 years in the Study Abroad Office at NC State. Anna received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master's in International Studies from NC State. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development focused on Higher Education at NC State. She studied abroad in the Czech Republic and Spain, and her experiences abroad led to a passion for international education. In her spare time, Anna enjoys reading, seeing movies, or snuggling with her cats.
COORDINATOR - MENTORING OUTCOMES
Lisa Brancheau: Lisa has over a decade of experience in education abroad, international service-learning, and international student services through positions at various universities and in the private sector. She holds a Master’s Degree in International Education from The George Washington University and is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, serving for two years in Costa Rica. Fluent in English and Spanish, Lisa currently resides in San Diego, California. This is Lisa’s first year with the Global Leadership League and she is looking forward to contributing to such a strong community.
COORDINATOR - MENTORING CONTENT
Lorna Avile's academic interests include Latin American history and economic development with a focus on the Andean region. A committed and passionate educator, she specializes in teaching and coordinating intermediate and advanced levels of Spanish. Throughout her career she has developed an array of language and cultural courses for both face-to-face and online formats which incorporate new and innovative technologies and seek to engage students with the language beyond the classroom.
Professor Avilés has been developing and leading study abroad and community service programs since 2009 to countries such as Perú, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Ireland. A social anthropologist by training, her educational background lends an added layer of benefit to her students on campus and abroad. She has also worked with the Study Abroad office to develop a new global-immersion curriculum for both faculty and students going abroad that seeks to prepare them for the challenges they may encounter while making the most of their experience and contributing in-depth to the organizations they serve abroad. In 2019, she joined the League as a content collaborator to help facilitate discussion and development in an organization that she admires.
COORDINATOR - PARTNERSHIPS
Samantha Cameron studied and interned abroad in Bogota, Colombia for a year before finding out she could combine her passion of travel and learning into a career in the international education field. She took a leap of faith and moved to Chile to begin her career working for The Intern Group, an organization that helps students to engage in meaningful professional experience abroad and helps institutions achieve their internationalization goals. Samantha started in Admissions, and eventually joined and scaled up the Global Partnerships team. She has experience in marketing, enrollments, partnerships and customized program delivery and is passionate about ensuring accessibility within international education. Samantha originally joined the League to create a network in the field but stayed and became a volunteer because of the incredible content and engagement opportunities, as well as the opportunity to share best practices with and learn from the impressive members from all walks of life.
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
Our members come from different backgrounds, abilities, levels of experience, and parts of the world. Our goal is to embrace this diversity and encourage relationships across generations and experience levels for the benefit of all involved. The Global Leadership League was started by a group of women in the field of international education for the purposes of advancing women’s leadership skills, knowledge, and connections. |
HELP US HELP YOU REACH YOUR LEADERSHIP GOALS! |