WORLD LEARNING - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Global Development
- Senior Civic Engagement Specialist, Civic Engagement
Bringing a wealth of experience helping communities engage in meaningful ways to solve local challenges, Alex Levy provides technical assistance and oversight for World Learning's Civic Engagement, Action, and Leadership portfolio. Previously at FHI 360, Levy oversaw engagement and social accountability programs in Zambia, Cambodia, Nepal, Morocco, Iraq, and more. The programs served to improve the ability of community members and organizations to articulate their needs and work collaboratively towards making positive changes in their community. She has also developed capacity tools, such as the Youth Programming Assessment Tool, to help organizations reflect on and improve their youth programming. Levy was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Namibia and holds a master's degree in Middle East studies and conflict resolution.
Expertise: civic engagement; social accountability; community development; civil society stregthening; positive youth development
Job Titles:
- Senior Outreach Officer, Fulbright Specialist Program
Amirah Nelson joined World Learning in 2014, working on a portfolio of complex, long-term academic exchange programs for individuals from countries such as Kosovo, Malawi, and the West Bank and Gaza. She has managed all stages of the academic exchange program cycle, including outreach and recruitment of diverse host institutions, visa and logistical arrangements, stakeholder coordination, participant advising, and budgetary management. In addition, Nelson serves as Camp Director for the U.S. Department of State-funded Women in Science Girls STEAM Camp, a public-private partnership involving Intel, the United Nations' Girl Up Campaign, Google, and NASA that brings together teen girls from around the world to connect them with mentors and like-minded peers, inspire them to pursue careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Design, and/or Mathematics (STEAM), and enhance their leadership potential. Previously, Nelson worked in Indonesia, where she promoted citizen diplomacy and youth leadership as a Fulbright Scholar and assisted the Indonesian Directorate General of Higher Education in its efforts to address teacher shortages in remote and/or disadvantaged areas. She continues to maintain a connection to the country through her role on the Advisory Board of In Good Faith, a nonprofit organization working in Indonesia and the U.S. at the intersections of digital exchange, interfaith education, and countering violent extremism. Nelson holds a degree in economics and development studies from Smith College. She speaks English and Indonesian.
Expertise: people-to-people exchanges; cross-cultural exchanges; academic scholarship recruitment and programming; youth leadership; girls' education
Job Titles:
- Senior Program Officer
- Program Manager, International Visitor Leadership Program
Ann Driscoll is a Senior Program Officer on World Learning's Professional Exchanges team. She joined World Learning in February 2010 and has developed over 100 projects for the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), including in-person and virtual programs, multi-regional and regional projects, individual and small group programs, special initiatives on elections, journalism, and international security, the International Women of Courage project, and voluntary visitor programs. She designed and led one of the first virtual IVLP projects, a Regional Program for the Caribbean, in 2015. As a Senior Program Officer, Ms. Driscoll contributes to IVLP team management and provides programming and professional development support to her colleagues. She has tailored programs for visitors from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere on a variety of topics including elections, government transparency and accountability, e-government, women's political participation, civil and human rights, border security, policing, counter-extremism, disinformation, energy, education, journalism, filmmaking, entrepreneurship, international adoptions, environmental protection and climate change, and new media. Her work experience prior to joining World Learning includes 14 years as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Information Agency, during which time she served as a cultural affairs and press officer in Jordan, Algeria, Sri Lanka, and Mongolia. Ms. Driscoll holds a B.A. in international relations from the University of South Florida and an M.A. in public communication from American University.
Expertise: professional exchanges; international education; project management; virtual programming
Job Titles:
- Learning Algeria Field Director / SIT TESOL Trainer
Aziza El Kolei joined World Learning in 2014 and has since held various roles before being promoted to her current position as Field Director, overseeing a portfolio of projects and designing and implementing curricula for student and teacher development. A passion for engaging youth drives her work through training, civic engagement, and workforce development. Aziza El Kolei is an accomplished TESOL professional with a passion for education. She began her TESOL career in 2011, working with teachers of all ages and levels. Her expertise in this field led her to become a licensed TESOL trainer of trainers with SIT Graduate Institute, supporting educators in Algeria and abroad. Aziza is an entrepreneur at heart. She is the founder and Executive Director of Pathways Training Center. This state-accredited vocational training center offers personal and professional development courses, including blended TESOL courses for English language teachers across Algeria. Expertise: EFL/TESOL education and training, curriculum and training materials development, team management and leadership, stakeholder relations, project proposal development, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), donor development, project management, 21st-century skills education, academic objectives development, quality control, resource management, teacher training and professional development, English language instruction, training facilitation and assessment.
Job Titles:
- CEO of World Learning Inc
- Ex - Officio Trustee / President and CEO, World Learning Inc
Carol Jenkins is the CEO of World Learning Inc., which encompasses three distinct branches: The Experiment in International Living; School for International Training, which includes SIT Study Abroad and SIT Graduate Institute; and the nonprofit global development and exchange unit World Learning. Jenkins also serves as president of the global development and exchange division, where she oversees programs in more than 30 countries. Jenkins has served in multiple positions at World Learning over more than a decade. She first joined in June 2007 as senior director of international programs after a 16-year career in humanitarian aid and development. She spent seven years at the organization, including three years as head of its International Development and Exchange. In 2014, after nearly a year working on business and program development for World Vision in East Africa, Jenkins returned to World Learning. Under Jenkins's leadership, World Learning's development portfolio has seen revenue increase by 14 percent with continued anticipated growth. She oversaw the merger of World Learning's three development and exchange offices into one location, leveraging the assets of more than 100 staff members. She was named CEO in February 2018. Prior to joining World Learning, Jenkins was director of program development for International Medical Corps, where she managed a team of technical business development professionals to improve the quality of field programs and expand the coverage to project recipients. She also previously spent 12 years working for World Vision, including a period during which she was posted in Southern Africa. Jenkins holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Messiah College in Pennsylvania. She was a fellow at the Luskin School of Public Affairs at University of California, Los Angeles, in 2012 and a participant in the Leadership Program at the International Civil Society Center.
Expertise: program management; program development; business development; humanitarian aid; food security
Job Titles:
- Board President of the Federation EIL
- Divisional Vice President for Youth Exchanges
- Divisional Vice President, Youth Exchange
Christina Thomas is the Divisional Vice President for Youth Exchanges at World Learning. Christina oversees the World Learning's multimillion-dollar U.S. and international youth exchange portfolio consisting of World Learning's flagship program, the Experiment in International Living. The Exchange portfolio serves over 1,200 high school age U.S. and international students and adult educators and hires up to 150 program leaders annually. Programs focus on experiential learning, global issues, and youth leadership.
Christina also serves as the Board President of the Federation EIL providing member support in strategic planning, capacity building, and quality assurance. The Federation is a nonprofit association representing a global network of international educational program providers supporting 12 members around the globe who offer programs in volunteerism, group travel, language training, and study abroad.
Before joining World Learning in 2003, Christina taught English to junior and senior high school students and designed teacher training programs for Japanese English teachers on the Japan Teaching and Exchange Program (JET) for three years. Christina received her master's degree in international communications from the School of International Service with an emphasis on international education and management from American University in Washington, DC.
Expertise: youth exchange; youth development
Job Titles:
- Global Development
- Senior Director of Global Education
Craig Geddes is the senior director of global education for World Learning. Geddes is responsible for leading the Global Education technical team of Practice Area Technical Specialists and leaders in the design and technical delivery of World Learning's work in Basic Education, Civic Engagement, Youth Empowerment, and Workforce Development in the form of proposals, program models, tools, and strategies. Geddes also works across the organization on aligning strategy and representing World Learning in partnering, donor relations, and advocacy.
Geddes spent 16 years overseas working as chief of party, leading U.S. and UK government-funded national education, nutrition, and girls empowerment programs, and working in both stable and crisis and conflict zones, living in Zimbabwe, Angola, and Mozambique.
Geddes attended The College of William & Mary and the Spanish American Institute in Sevilla, Spain, focusing on international relations, government, and sociology. He has certifications in USAID Acquisition and Compliance, Gateway to Grants, Proposal Pro, and Situational Leadership. Additionally, Geddes is a trained Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children/Guardian Ad Litem and a Mandated Reporter.
Expertise: education, crisis and conflict programming, gender empowerment and inclusion, Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL), civic engagement and citizen advocacy, child protection, economic development, systems strengthening, program management, business development, marketing and fundraising, donor development
Job Titles:
- Divisional Vice President for Global Development
- Global Development
David Simpson is the Divisional Vice President for Global Development at World Learning. David is responsible for the oversight of the technical and program teams in the practice areas of basic education, civic engagement, youth workforce and entrepreneurship, TESOL, and STEAM.
Davidhas over twenty years of experience developing and managing international development programs worldwide in economic growth, governance, workforce development, education and agriculture. Prior to World Learning David served as the Director of USAID programs at the Institute of International Education. David also served as the Managing Director of Programs and Compliance at Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance where he worked closely with USAID and VEGA members managing competitions under a Leader with Associate Award. As the Director of the Graduate School USA's International Institute he managed training, exchange, and governance programs for public administrators. David spent two years in Armenia as a Country Director managing education and exchange programs funded by the Government of Armenia and USG. David lived three years in Uzbekistan as a Peace Corps and United Nations Development Program volunteer.
David holds a MA in European History from American University and a BA in secondary education from Springfield.
Expertise: education, association development, civic engagement, economic growth, workforce development, governance, local capacity building, gender equality and women's empowerment, inclusive development, leadership, systems strengthening, program management, business development, and partnership cultivation
Job Titles:
- Senior Literacy Technical Director, Quality Instruction towards Access and Basic Education Improvement ( QITABI ) 2 Project
Dr. Eva Kozma is the Senior Literacy Technical Director of USAID- funded Lebanon Quality Instruction Towards Access & Basic Education Improvement (QITABI2) project, implemented by World Learning with a consortium of local and international partners. Dr. Kozma is responsible for overall management, implementation, and oversight of the Grades 1- 6 literacy reading and writing programs in English, Arabic, and French languages. She also oversees the development and dissemination of literacy intervention materials, EGRA, CBA and Universal screening tools and reading benchmarks, teacher training, and coaching modules. Her experience includes leading technical dialogue on Literacy best practices and pedagogy with key stakeholders such as MEHE/ DOPS (Department of Orientation and Guidance) and Centre for Educational Research and Development (CERD), providing technical insight on national literacy policies, and implementing interventions in the primary grades classroom. Eva also has extensive expertise in developing and advising on teaching methodologies, including experience mentoring and coaching classrooms to implement successful research-based literacy initiatives. Dr. Kozma contributed and supervised authoring literacy e-content for self-paced and Teachers material with SEL integration and formative assessment to support student learning continuity during COVID 19 school disruption. Dr. Kozma worked as a Component 1 Lead under QITABI (2015- 2019) lead by World Learning in Lebanon and contributed in designing and implementing the Early warning System (EWS) for struggling readers and also supervised all literacy material development and literacy activities implementation. She also contributed in analysing and reporting research findings and lessons learned from field studies in collaboration with M&E. Eva is a presenter of research findings from QITABI and QITABI 2 projects from field studies in the CIES prominent yearly conferences. Dr. Kozma earned her master's degree from the American University of Beirut and her PhD in reading attitudes in primary grades from Saint Joseph University in Beirut. She is an award-winning children's books author and loves to read to children and work with them in creative writing workshops.
Expertise: Arabic and English literacy; Arabic as a Second Language (ASL); teacher supervision and coaching; standard-based curriculum; differentiated instruction; formative assessment; understanding by backward design (UbD); educational resources; project- based learning; Reggio Emilia approach; special education; character education; anger management in schools
Job Titles:
- Social and Emotional Learning Specialist
- Specialist for World Learning 's QITABI 2
Dr. Garene Kaloustian is the social and emotional learning (SEL) specialist for World Learning's QITABI 2 program. Based in Beirut, she holds a PhD in child development from Purdue University. Among the various SEL activities under QITABI 2, Kaloustian is currently developing Lebanon's national SEL framework in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education as well QITABI 2 research partner New York University Global TIES. Her work also involves integrating SEL into the literacy and numeracy curricula for grades 1-6. Kaloustian has more than 10 years of experience in SEL in early childhood education, working as a researcher and consultant in both the public and private sectors in Lebanon and the broader region. Before joining World Learning, Kaloustian was a professor of early childhood education at Lebanese American University, where she taught both undergraduate and graduate courses for eight years; during this time, she revived the Early Childhood Education Lab School under the Department of Education with its original mission to serve as both an early childcare and research center for students, faculty, and parents. She served as director for two years, working primarily on establishing the school as an early childhood research center. Her research interests center around teacher quality of care, classroom environment, and children's social and emotional development. Within these topics, her work also focuses on exploring the diverse, unique, and fragile conflict-laden context to better understand the cultural nuances that prevail in schools and how those impact children's social environment and their development. Expertise: social and emotional learning, child development, early childhood education
Job Titles:
- Expert
- Global Development
- Senior Education Specialist, Global Education and TESOL
Dr. Kara McBride is an expert in teacher training, curriculum design, and online and distance learning. Since joining World Learning in 2016, Dr. McBride has worked on a variety of education projects in both face-to-face and distance learning settings. The online teacher training courses and MOOCs that she designed for the U.S. Department of State OPEN program have been completed by more than 25,000 participants from over 100 countries. In her capacity as the headquarters English specialist for QITABI 2, a USAID-funded project in Lebanon that targets literacy, math, and social and emotional learning (SEL), Dr. McBride and her team are working with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to create structured teaching and learning materials for both in-person and distance learning, grades 1-6. Other projects have included curriculum design and training of trainers for Syrian Refugee Kids Can Code in Iraq, developing a Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Prishtina in Kosovo, and training teachers in Costa Rica on using technology to teach indigenous languages and cultures. Dr. McBride serves as co-chair for the Education for Development workgroup for the Society for International Development Washington, D.C. chapter (SID-W). Before coming to World Learning, Dr. McBride was a tenured professor in the Department of Languages, Literature, and Cultures at Saint Louis University, where she served as director of both the basic Spanish program and, later, the Spanish MA program. Dr. McBride holds a doctorate degree in second language acquisition and teaching from the University of Arizona, a master's degree in applied linguistics - TESOL from Indiana University, a master's degree in Spanish and Latin American studies from Purdue University, and a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of Oregon. Her publications include journal articles and book chapters on online task design, interculturality, and language learning, including her 2018 co-edited book on preparing foreign language teachers, written in Spanish, A enseñar: Una guía práctica para los maestros de idiomas (Let's Teach! A Practical Guide for Language Teachers). She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.
Expertise: TESOL; education technology; literacy education; teacher professional development; mixed methods research design
Job Titles:
- Director, STEAM Discovery Center Saudi Arabia
- STEAM Discovery Center Director
Dr. Mohamed Abdelaziz is World Learning's STEAM Discovery Center director in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Abdelaziz brings thirteen years of experience in teaching, teacher education and international development as he currently leads World Learning Saudi Arabia's STEAM program in Riyadh. Since joining World Learning Algeria in 2012, Dr. Abdelaziz has been developing education and development programs under multiple U.S. Department of State projects in partnership with the Algerian ministries of youth and sports, national education, and higher education and academic research, engaging at-risk youth and building the capacity of local institutions that provide English, career planning, and civic engagement programming to disadvantaged youth.
Since 2016, Dr. Abdelaziz has been more involved in innovative STEAM education and has piloted and refined a model for STEAM learning centers in Algeria and co-founded the Algiers STEAM Center, Ouargla STEAM Center, and seven STEM Corners in Algeria. Combining his science acumen with his passion for teacher education, Dr. Abdelaziz has designed and implemented face-to-face and online STEAM teacher training programs based on Universal Design for Learning as an inclusive approach to teaching all students that continue to be delivered in Algeria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Prior to joining World Learning, Dr. Abdelaziz worked as a teacher and teacher educator with Hopeland Education Group in Algiers and led many training programs with the U.S. Embassy in Algiers and the British Council. Dr. Abdelaziz is an SIT TESOL certified trainer and PCELT licensed trainer. He holds an MD from the University of Algiers and BA in English literature from the University of Batna. Dr. Abdelaziz's current area of research is in the field of cognitive neuroscience.
Expertise: Teacher education, training of trainers, curriculum development, STEM education, Universal Design for Learning, international education development, youth engagement, English Language Teaching.
Job Titles:
- Divisional Vice President of Professional Exchanges
As Divisional Vice President of Professional Exchanges at World Learning, Dr. Patricia Harrison has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, intercultural programming, and adult education. She oversees nine grants and programs valued at $55M, including the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), Alumni TIES, the U.S. Speaker Program, the Professional Fellows Program, and World Learning's privately funded Professional Exchanges. Dr. Harrison came to World Learning with extensive experience collaborating with donor agencies, local and international organizations, and private-sector partners. Before moving to Washington, DC, she was the first executive director of Upstate International, a nonprofit devoted to intercultural understanding and immigrant integration in Greenville, South Carolina. In this role she worked together with multinational companies, local nonprofits, and a diverse group of community leaders to promote international and cultural diversity. With proven administrative, personnel, and project management skills, Dr. Harrison has designed effective programs grounded in experiential learning and adult learning styles, led program implementation with a focus on systems improvement, and incorporated new technologies to enhance the impact of exchange programs. Previous experience has included university-level teaching and freelance writing and academic editing. Dr. Harrison has a B.A. degree from Stanford University, M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in English from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an Executive Certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown University. Dr. Harrison currently serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors of Global Ties U.S.
Expertise: professional exchanges; international education; event management; grants management; virtual programming; project management
Job Titles:
- Global Development
- Senior Advisor for MERL
- Senior Advisor, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning ( MERL )
Dr. Peter Weinberger is Senior Advisor for MERL at World Learning. He brings more than 15 years of professional expertise in research, monitoring and evaluation, curriculum development, training, project management, as well as technical expertise in conflict resolution, education interventions, preventing/countering violence extremism (P/CVE), trauma-informed care, and youth development. At World Learning, Dr. Weinberger is leading organization-wide efforts to document improved education outcomes and program learnings from various settings while drawing upon neuroscience-based approaches to design new evaluation interventions. Previously, as consultant and staff, he has developed multiple training programs for USAID, the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and civil society organizations, including novel methods incorporating trauma-informed interventions. Dr. Weinberger has a Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics.
Expertise: Monitoring and evaluation; conflict resolution; trauma-informed care; preventing/countering violent extremism
Job Titles:
- Country Representative, World Learning Lebanon / Chief of Party, Quality Instruction towards Access to Basic Education Improvement ( QITABI ) 2 Project
Dr. Wafa Kotob has been working in the field of education since 1987. She started as a school teacher, then worked as a school counselor, a teacher trainer, and a researcher in the field of education. In 2007, she was granted a PhD from the University of Manchester in the UK for her research on Theories of Change and Education Reform. In 2009, Dr. Kotob joined the field of development as the policy and planning specialist in the World Bank unit in the Ministry of Education in Lebanon, and later moved to UNICEF Lebanon as their senior education specialist. Between 2013 and 2016, Dr. Kotob was the chief of party for World Learning's Developing Rehabilitation Assistance to Schools and Teacher Improvement program II (D-RASATI-2), which was a USAID-funded, nationally focused project with an overarching goal to support the Ministry of Education as it improved the performance of the Lebanese public school system. Currently, Dr. Kotob is Chief of Party for the USAID funded Quality Instruction towards Access to Basic Education Improvement 2 (QITABI 2) project which is five-year program seeking to improve learning outcomes for all students in primary schools in Lebanon.
Expertise: education quality; education policy; teacher professional development; program management; system strengthening
Job Titles:
- Program Manager, Fulbright Specialist Program
Emily Ralic-Moore has nearly 10 years of experience in the field of international exchange operations, and she currently serves as the Program Manager for the Fulbright Specialist Program for World Learning. In this capacity, Emily oversees the daily operations of the program and provides overall strategic direction of its implementation, serving as the program's main point of contact for the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Emily previously worked as a Director of International Operations at WorldStrides, a provider of global educational student travel. At WorldStrides, Emily managed operations teams in multiple locations to implement programs in 52 countries. Her work focused on process improvement, external relations, and contract management.
Emily's professional background also includes experience in higher education administration and teaching at NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Emily completed her master's in public administration at NYU Wagner with a specialization in international development and an undergraduate degree in Linguistics from Boston College. She is fluent in Croatian and Spanish, in addition to English.
Expertise: professional exchanges; international education; exchange program management; cross-cultural exchanges; event management; program management
Job Titles:
- Program Manager
- Technical Advisor
- Technical Specialist
- Senior Program Specialist, Global Exchange
Eric Corens is technical advisor, technical specialist, and program manager at World Learning focused on participant training, organizational development, and exchanges. Corens has worked for World Learning for 13 years designing and managing training, education, capacity building, civic engagement, and exchanges for programs in the MENA region, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. He has served as key personnel and program manager for programs such as the U.S. Department of State-funded Leaders for Democracy Fellowship, the USAID-funded Community Connections Belarus, and others. Corens also brings 16 years of experience in project management, engagement with public, private, and nonprofit sectors, and NGO management. He's certified in the Participatory Institutional Analysis Instrument and USAID's Introduction to Human and Institutional Capacity Development tool. Corens has a bachelor's degree in political science from Emory University and a master's degree in international political economy from Seton Hall University.
Job Titles:
- Director of TESOL and STEAM Education
- Global Development Director, TESOL and STEAM Education
German Gomez is director of TESOL and STEAM education at World Learning. In this position, Gomez conducts outreach efforts to increase partnerships for and brand recognition of World Learning and School of International Training's (SIT) TESOL work and he also oversees the organization's TESOL and STEAM program portfolio around the world. Gomez brings 23 years of experience in teacher education, curriculum and assessment development, online education program implementation, and teacher training program management. Prior to joining World Learning, Gomez served as academic director for Instituto Guatemalteco Americano-IGA in Guatemala City and the Uniting Cultures and Communication Center in South Korea. Gomez has also been a presenter and guest speaker at various conferences around the world, and has consulted in TESOL and management for various organizations in Asia and Latin America. Gomez holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Tulane University in New Orleans and an executive master's degree in project management from Formato Educativo in Spain. Gomez is also an SIT TESOL Certificate Licensed Trainer and TESOL Trainer of Trainers. He is fluent in Spanish and French.
Expertise: TESOL; teacher education; Training Centers
Job Titles:
- Program Specialist
- Program Specialist, Global Development
Gillian McClelland is a program specialist with a decade of progressive experience managing large, complex programs focused on education quality improvement, innovative STEAM education, teacher professional development, and school-community partnerships. At present, she oversees several STEM education programs across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region including in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq that emphasize open-ended problem solving and encourage interdisciplinary learning and critical inquiry. A skilled problem solver in cross-cultural contexts, she leads results-oriented teams and brings together internal and external stakeholders to ensure programs are well-resourced and meeting client expectations. She has proven expertise in program design and management, financial management, team mentoring, partnership development, performance monitoring and evaluation, resource mobilization, and donor relations. Prior to joining World Learning in 2009, she managed a volunteer teaching program in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. She holds an EdM in international education policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education as well as a BA from Pomona College.
Expertise: program management; education development; community development
Job Titles:
- Global Development
- Program Manager, Algeria & Youth Workforce Programs
Hannah Zuzek has extensive experience leading programs in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, as well as providing technical assistance in youth workforce development and entrepreneurship projects. Zuzek has worked extensively in the Middle East and North Africa region with more than ten years of experience, including serving as a Youth Development Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco (2010-2012). She holds expertise in inclusive youth workforce development, entrepreneurship, private sector engagement, positive youth development, and economic growth.
Expertise: program management; positive youth development; youth employement
Job Titles:
- Director, Academic Exchange Programs
Jessica Ellerbach has over 10 years of experience in the field of international education, and she currently serves as Academic Exchange Program Specialist for World Learning. In this capacity, Ellerbach provides critical technical and business development support to World Learning USG-sponsored exchanges. Prior to her current role, Ellerbach managed several academic exchange programs for Pakistan, West Bank and Gaza, and Kosovo sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development as well as administered professional exchange programs funded by the U.S. Department of State. Ellerbach's professional focus on administering U.S. government academic and professional exchange programs is complemented by her master's degree in international affairs from The George Washington University.
Expertise: professional exchanges; academic exchanges; international education; exchange program management
Job Titles:
- Program Manager
- Program Manager, Professional Exchanges
Jessica Mead is a Program Manager on the Professional Exchanges team at World Learning. She has 20 years of experience in project management, public affairs, international education, and international exchange. Since 2015, she has managed the Alumni Thematic International Exchange Seminars (Alumni TIES) program funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. In this role, she plans and implements thematic seminars around the world for alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs and manages the Alumni TIES Small Grants program. From 2008 to 2015, she worked on the Global Undergraduate Exchange program, also funded by the U.S. Department of State, advising undergraduate students from countries in East Asia and the Pacific during their semester or year abroad and securing placements for them at U.S. universities and colleges. She also developed two small grant programs for World Learning alumni: the 2014 Alumni Engagement Initiative funded by Newman's Own Foundation and the 2015 Advancing Leaders Fellowship program; in addition to creating an online course in community project design, management, and evaluation for prospective grantees.
Prior to joining World Learning, Ms. Mead was an English language instructor at DuocUC in Santiago, Chile, coordinated international public affairs campaigns at Powell Tate|Weber Shandwick, assisted with marketing strategies for Outward Bound USA, and organized large events and major gift solicitations for the New England Regional Anti-Defamation League. Ms. Mead has a M.Sc. degree in the history of international relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a B.A. degree from Sarah Lawrence College.
Expertise: professional exchanges; academic exchanges; international education; event management; grants management; virtual programming; project management.
Job Titles:
- Global Development
- Senior Youth Workforce Specialist
Karla Yoder is the Senior Youth Workforce Specialist at World Learning, providing technical leadership to the Youth Workforce & Entrepreneurship program portfolio. She has over 20 years of experience designing, supporting, and researching workforce and economic development programs in both developing economies and the United States. Her areas of expertise include demand-driven training and education, youth employment, school-to-work transition, small and medium enterprise development, and access to finance. Ms. Yoder served as a FUSE Executive Fellow at the District of Columbia's Workforce Investment Council, developing strategy and designing programs in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and has overseen workforce and economic development programs in Egypt, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malawi, Rwanda, the United States, Yemen, and Zambia. Her publications include "Women and microcredit: A critical introduction" in The Women, Gender & Development Reader, The 21st Century Community College: A Strategic Guide to Maximizing Labor Market Responsiveness, and Strengthening Education to Drive Economic Development: A Manual for Replicating The CEC Experience in Your Community. She holds a master's degree in Sociology from the George Washington University and a bachelor's degree in International Studies from the School for International Training.
Expertise: youth employment; workforce development; economic development; private sector engagement; positive youth development
Job Titles:
- Algeria Country Representative & Program Director
Leah Myers Bitat is deeply committed to exploring the applications of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) across learning and working environments to reduce barriers for participants of all abilities, backgrounds and identities. A native of Alaska currently practicing in Algeria, her areas of expertise include employment and vocational programs, teacher training, inclusive education, special education, and risk prevention. Following 15 years in serving the U.S. educational system as a teacher, teacher trainer, and special education administrator, she currently serves as both the country representative for World Learning in Algeria as well as the director of pedagogy and professional development at the Aures School in Algiers. In 10 years of work in Algeria Leah has led the expansion of World Learning's programs to nearly two-thirds of the country's provinces. Workforce development, English language, and STEM Education programs benefit nearly 1,000 participants across Algeria each year. Leah holds a master's of education degree in prevention science and practice from Harvard University, a master's in educational leadership from Cumberland College, and a certificate of special education teaching and administration from Boston University.
Expertise: Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Job Titles:
- Education Advisor for Curriculum and Training
- Global Development
As an Education Advisor in Curriculum and Training for World Learning's Global Development and Exchange programs, Lois leads the design and delivery of teacher development programs across the globe on a range of topics including English language teaching, intercultural communication, civic engagement, classroom psychosocial support, and conflict resolution. She designs and implements English language, teacher development, and training-of-trainers curricula. She works with in-service and pre-service teachers, face-to-face and online, to improve teacher knowledge and pedagogical practices, especially in relation to learner-centered methodologies and reflective practice. For the past seven years, Lois has led the design and delivery of the Madrassa English Language Teacher Training Program in India and recently in Indonesia which aims to strengthen madrassa teachers' use of English as the medium of instruction, increase the use of learner-centered methods, and strengthen professional networks and communities of practice in the madrassa schools.
Expertise: TESOL, Intercultural communication, civic engagement, conflict resolution
Job Titles:
- Director, Global Programs
Matt Brown has worked for World Learning for 24 years and is currently based in the Washington, DC area. He designs and manages diverse programs that build the technical and leadership capacities of individuals, universities, and other types of organizations to achieve their goals, using tools such as professional training, international exchanges, study tours, grants, and university linkages. Matt has focused recently on programs that support countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Eastern Europe, Pakistan, and Malawi. For 12 years, he served as World Learning's resident director in several Balkan countries. Matt began his career as an ESL teacher and teacher trainer. He was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Pakistan and Bulgaria. He has substantial experience serving on nonprofit boards, and facilitates occasional anti-racism workshops. Matt holds a master's degree in international and intercultural management and administration from World Learning' SIT Graduate School, and an executive certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown. He speaks fluent Bulgarian and some Spanish.
Expertise: professional training design; nonprofit management and strategic planning; international university linkages; anti-racism training and consulting; language training
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President, Global Programs
Melissa Oppenheimer is the vice president for Global Programs. In that capacity she manages global development and exchange programs, as well as program monitoring, evaluation, and learning. Oppenheimer further provides oversight of the technical quality of international development business acquisition. Through a career of 15 years at World Learning, she has served in various program implementation and management roles for projects funded by the U.S. Department of State and USAID. Oppenheimer has also served as an assistant education advisor at the Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange between the U.S., Belgium, and Luxembourg. Earlier in her career, she was a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) at the U.S. Department of Education overseeing grants and acting as a liaison with state education officials. Following the completion of the PMF Program, she remained at the Department of Education, holding various analytical positions in budget policymaking and planning and evaluation in the Office of the Under Secretary. Oppenheimer holds a bachelor's degree in diplomacy and world affairs from Occidental College and a master's degree in Latin American studies from Georgetown University.
Expertise: academic exchanges; program management; business development; grants management
Job Titles:
- Program Manager for the Global UGRAD Program
- Program Manager, Global UGRAD Program
Michelle Bolourchi is the Program Manager for the Global UGRAD Program, sponsored by the Department of State's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. In this role, she manages the implementation of a one-semester undergraduate scholarship program in the United States for talented students from countries typically underrepresented in international exchange. For eight years prior to this, she served as an Outreach and Recruitment Specialist at the Institute of International Education (IIE), most recently for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. She liaised with Fulbright Commissions and U.S. embassies in more than 40 countries to strategize recruitment to U.S. faculty and researchers, and represented the program in webinars, conferences, and to university leadership. During this time, she also managed the Fulbright U.S. Alumni Ambassador Program, training Alumni Ambassadors to serve as official representatives of the program. Michelle also led outreach efforts in the U.S. for the Cargill Global Scholars Program for students studying agriculture-related fields. Before moving to Washington, DC, Michelle was based at IIE's office in New Delhi, India, where she conducted outreach across South Asia for New York University Abu Dhabi. During her six-year stay in India, Michelle also researched the Indian education system and gained expertise in higher education trends and the public and private school systems across the country. She has spoken at events for Indian students interested in studying in the United States and Germany.
Michelle has more than 10 years of experience in the field of education and international exchange. After completing her first MA, she served as an adjunct faculty for two years, teaching social sciences courses to undergraduates. Early in her career, Michelle taught elementary school before serving as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at Max-Planck-Gymnasium in Trier, Germany. She has studied for extended periods in Germany, South Africa, and India, and holds undergraduate degrees in International Studies, German, and master's degrees in Global Studies (Germany) and the Sociology of Education (India). She has served as a consultant for the German development agency, GIZ, and provided academic editing services for various sociology articles. She remains an active member of associations of North American alumni of German universities and volunteers at events for the Indian diaspora community in the greater Washington, DC area.
Michelle speaks German, Spanish, and is conversant in Farsi and Hindi.
Expertise: international education, program management, outreach and institutional relations, alumni engagement, event management
Job Titles:
- Senior Program Officer, International Visitor Leadership Program
Mr. Anthony Zaun is an education professional with over 20 years of experience managing international education and development programs in the areas of exchange, training, and capacity-building. Currently a Senior Program Officer on the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) team at World Learning, Mr. Zaun researches, designs, and overseas the implementation of IVLP projects, and contributes to the professional development of his colleagues. Since joining World Learning, Mr. Zaun has developed and implemented over 100 IVLP programs on a wide range of topics for professionals from all over the world. He has also collaborated with colleagues at other agencies on special projects and initiatives on diversity, women's entrepreneurship, national security, and US electoral processes. In addition to his experience with the IVLP program, Mr. Zaun's professional background includes over ten years of experience managing USAID-funded election administration and workforce development programs and collaborating with government and private-sector partners to achieve project goals and objectives. Mr. Zaun has a B.A. degree in political science and Latin American studies from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis and an M.A. degree in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Expertise: professional exchanges; international education; event management; virtual programming; project management
Job Titles:
- Senior Program Officer
- Senior Program Officer, International Visitor Leadership Program
Ms. Meghan Simpson is a senior program officer on World Learning's International Visitor Leadership Program team, where she has worked since 2014. Her background includes over two decades of international experience as an educator, researcher, and programmer. In her current role, she leads efforts to develop and incorporate innovative learning and design elements into international exchange programming. She has conducted sessions for national and international audiences on experiential learning, understanding different learning styles, and creative programming elements in exchange programs. Prior to joining World Learning, Ms. Simpson served on the faculty of the Asian University of Women in Bangladesh, where she taught courses in writing, Gender Studies, and Asian Studies. Before that, she worked on local governance reform with the Open Society Institute in Budapest, pioneering a series of short-term, immersive exchanges for leaders in multiethnic communities in Southeast Europe and Central Asia. Ms. Simpson's passion for international exchange is borne of out of her experiences as an exchange participant, which include a Fulbright scholarship for research on the complex relationship between women's non-governmental organizations and international aid in Kyrgyzstan. She holds graduate degrees from Central European University and the School for International Training Graduate Institute in Brattleboro, Vermont.
Expertise: professional exchanges; international education; event management; virtual programming; project management
Job Titles:
- Program Manager
- Program Manager, Global Exchange
Rachel Rice is a Program Manager at World Learning. She manages the implementation of the Capacity Building Program for U.S. Study Abroad, also known as IDEAS (Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students), a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government. Prior to joining World Learning, Rachel served as a College Relations Manager at IES Abroad. In this role, she worked with institutions in the Northeast region of the U.S. promoting study and internships abroad to students, faculty, and staff. Rachel also served as the Program Director for International Programs at Barnard College, advising inbound and outbound students, managing international partnerships, supporting faculty-led programs, and managing on-campus international programming. Rachel received her MA in Educational Psychology from NYU Steinhardt, and her BA in European Studies from Barnard College. She has frequently presented at national conferences on assessment of study abroad programs.
Expertise: program management; program development; grants management; assessment and evaluation; institutional relations
Job Titles:
- Math Specialist, Quality Instruction towards Access and Basic Education Improvement ( QITABI ) 2 Project
Rola Bayram holds an MA in education with an emphasis in mathematics from the Lebanese American University. She is the math specialist under QITABI 2 for World Learning, based in Beirut. She is multilingual, with fluency in Arabic, English, and French and has worked on developing and translating math content and material in three languages for ages ranging early years to secondary level math.
Bayram has more than 30 years of experience teaching in both private and public schools, at both university and school level, intermediate all the way to secondary school. She has also held the position of coordinator for grades kindergarten-secondary school for both English and French sections. Bayram has extensive experience working on the national math curriculum as well as developing and aligning math curricula in private schools. Along with her long years of teaching experience and coordinator position, she has trained and mentored over 300 teachers and administrators, all the while working with the holistic approach to math teaching and learning. Within the holistic approach to teaching and learning of math, under QITABI 2, Bayram has more recently been working on the integration of social and emotional learning into the math curriculum, highlighting the importance of students' social and emotional development as an integral part of learning as a whole, and learning math more specifically.
Along with her teaching, training, and mentorship work, Bayram acts as a consultant both locally and regionally with special emphasis on dyscalculia, among other topics that deal primarily with teaching strategies and intervention for students with mathematical difficulties. In her spare time, Bayram attends workshops globally to fulfill her continued passion for learning as well as transferring this passion to mentor teachers and students to learn math meaningfully and with joy.
Expertise: math education; curriculum development; teacher education and coaching
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Business Development
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor for Innovation and Strategy
Tim Rivera is senior advisor for innovation and strategy at World Learning where he leads the coordination of organizational strategy and the development, incubation, and implementation of innovative programming. He previously served as interim diversity, equity, and inclusion advisor to the CEO. Before joining World Learning, he worked at the European Union's Delegation to the United States for five years, overseeing a portfolio of public-facing initiatives spanning the transatlantic agenda, including trade, security, climate change, the digital economy, gender equality, and educational exchange. Over three years at the British Council, he contributed to programs on religion and international affairs, intercultural dialogue, and common European cultural relations initiatives.
In addition to his work at World Learning, Tim is concurrently an affiliate of the Transatlantic Policy Center at American University, a security fellow at the Truman National Security Project, and a member of the Foreign Policy for America's NextGen Initiative. He received his master's degree in international relations from King's College London and a bachelor's degree in political science from Yale University.
Expertise: organizational strategy; diversity, equity, inclusion, and access; public and cultural diplomacy; transatlantic relations; refugee resettlement
Job Titles:
- Program Manager
- Program Manager, Professional Exchanges
Vlad Spencer is a Program Manager at World Learning with more than 20 years of experience administering U.S. Department of State professional exchange programs. In his role, Mr. Spencer also manages relationships and communication with in-country partners to ensure successful program delivery. As the current Program Manager for the On-Demand Leaders Lead and Digital Communication Network exchanges, the U.S. Speaker Program, the Professional Fellows Program, and the International Sports Programming Initiative, Mr. Spencer brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in creating impactful public diplomacy programming. Previous experience includes journalism and TV production. Mr. Spencer has a M.A. degree in economics from Bucharest University in Romania and has studied TV production at American University in Washington, DC.
Expertise: professional exchanges; international education; event management; network creation; grants management; virtual programming; project management.
Job Titles:
- Chief
- Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ( DEI ) Officer
Wagaye Johannes is the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer for World Learning. She is responsible for driving the implementation of World Learning's DEI priorities across the organization's operations and programs. She works to foster a more diverse, inclusive, equitable, and accessible workplace, learning environment, and culture, in addition to supporting the entire World Learning team's contributions to lasting, cultural change.
Wagaye has extensive experience at the intersection of DEI and international education. She was the former director of operations and organizational development at Diversity Abroad, where she led efforts to strengthen the organizational infrastructure and visibility and led DEI consulting projects, including an assessment of World Learning and the School for International Training in 2020-21. Before this, she worked for the Institute of International Education (IIE) where she launched Generation Study Abroad, a campaign involving a network of more than 700 institutions to increase and diversify participation in study abroad. She also led the organization's first diversity and inclusion task force and headed internal global communications. She has experience designing programs with a global, inclusive lens and facilitating DEI trainings, and brings with her a global perspective, having worked in Japan, Germany, Hungary, and the Netherlands.
Expertise: Global scholarship & fellowship management; Diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI); Organizational development; Communications
Job Titles:
- Project Director
- Global Development
Wendi Carman is an education champion with two decades of international development and education experience, including leadership for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and research of basic education, youth development and community participation programs. Wendi has developed curricula and teaching and learning materials for formal and non-formal learning experiences, and has taught middle school, English as a Second Language, family literacy, and high school equivalency for youth. Her areas of focus include positive youth development and youth engagement, violence prevention and mitigation, school dropout prevention, and gender considerations in education programming.
At World Learning, Wendi is project director for a large-scale USAID-funded education project in Lebanon, QITABI 2. She has held long-term field positions in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Ecuador, and Mauritania. She has also managed and conducted short term technical support for education and youth projects in Algeria, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Zambia, Nigeria, and Panama. Wendi holds an M.Ed. in International Education and Development from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a BA in Spanish from the University of Oregon. She also earned a Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate from the Project Management Institute.
Expertise: program management, positive youth development, educator professional development, and community development