Santiago Asiain is working as Sales Manager for Education Market at the International Broker, AVI International. Santiago helps to AVI partners and customers to develop competitive and comprehensive insurance plans to protect students, au pairs and workers when they traveling abroad. Before starting to work in the Education Travel Business during 5 years ago, Santiago worked in the Insurance Industry more than 10 years, so he has a technical knowledge on Insurance and easy access to a wide number of Insurance Providers, Schools and Agencies. 

Rebecca Berman is a Program Officer at American Councils for International Education. She works on the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program. NSLI-Y is a program of the U.S. Department of State, which promotes critical language learning among American youth. She has previously worked for other exchange programs such as the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), as well as with organizations in the U.S. and overseas focusing on disability rights.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Smith College and a Master of Arts in International Training and Education from American University, focusing on disability in international development.

Nia Butler, is the Program Officer at CSIET and has worked at CSIET since 2017. At CSIET, Nia produces CSIET’s annual statistical reports, and is responsible for program evaluations material as well as day to day operations. 

Nia has a bachelor’s degree from Mount St Mary’s University in Political Science and International Studies with a minor in Cross-Cultural Studies, French and Conflict Peace & Social Justice. Nia is currently pursuing a masters degree at American University, School of International Service in International Affairs. Nia is an enthusiast in global affairs and currently lives in Maryland.  

Ted Cenatiempo joined Cultural Insurance Services International/CareMed Travel Insurance in 2007 as a Business Development Consultant and quickly transitioned into the role as an Account Executive. In 2016 he was promoted to Senior Account Executive and now maintains well over 100 international accounts and manages client needs on a daily bases.  Ted is also heavily involved with the marketing team and IT on helping promote new ideas and resources on how to better assist their clients and prospects. He is also on the Health and Safety Committee for Cultural Insurance Services International/CareMed Travel Insurance.

He is fluent in Italian and conversational in Spanish. Lived in Italy for two years where he received a Certificate of Linguistic Studies.  Ted graduated from Iona College with a BBA in International Business. Not many can say this, but Ted loves his job.  As Confucius once said, “Choose a Job You Love, and You Will Never Have To Work a Day In Your Life” 

Ms. Gia Crawford is a native of Charleston, SC.  She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science with minor in Sociology and concentration in Criminal Justice from Francis Marion University. Gia has worked with the U.S. Department of State for almost 15 years, spending most of her career in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport Services. She has served in several positions including a passport specialist, an oversight analyst, and a passport data-sharing analyst.  Gia joined the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs in 2018 and is currently the lead Program Analyst for the secondary school student category in the Office of Designation, Private Sector.

Gia is an Excellence in Government Senior Fellow and former Co-coach.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and two sons, which includes; traveling, cooking, and anything sports related.

Anna Damewood is Director of Membership and Conference Programming at CSIET, where she has worked since 2013. She is responsible for working with all of CSIET’s membership categories and handles prospective member relations. She also organizes CSIET events, including the Annual Conference. 

She graduated from the University of Mary Washington where she majored in International Affairs, with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. She lives in DC and loves running and biking along Rock Creek Park, trying out new restaurants/food festivals in the area, and traveling whenever possible.

Brenda Padilla Ericksen has spent nearly a decade as the family liaison and cross-cultural trainer at In Spain Studies. She has created a pre-departure training program for Spanish exchange students – and their parents. Brenda has a Spanish Degree from Western Washington University. She is from Seattle and has lived in Spain for over 25 years.

She is a former exchange student (Spain & Norway), host mother (Thailand, France, Austria & USA), and the “NM” for her daughters’ exchanges in France, Canada, Nepal and South Korea.

Delia Fornero, from Buenos Aires, is currently teaching 1st grade in the dual language Spanish immersion program at Poston Road Elementary School.  She has been a teacher of English in Argentina for more than ten years before becoming a visiting teacher last year. Delia is currently pursuing an additional degree from Tech University in Spain so she can advance her knowledge of pedagogy in bilingual education.

Molly Forrest is a volunteer programs manager at Youth For Understanding USA. She has worked in various positions within YFU USA for 15 years, which include volunteer programs coordinator, community engagement manager and support manager for inbound and outbound programs. In her current role, she manages volunteer programs to ensure the recruitment, onboarding and compliance of volunteers and works closely with the placement specialist and community development teams. In addition, she is assisting with the implementation of the virtual Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX), Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) and Youth Exchange and Study (YES) programs.

Molly obtained dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in psychology and public relations at Texas Tech University and previously worked at the Vietnam Center and Lubbock Lake Landmark Museum at the university. Originally from Laos, she grew up in Texas and currently lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with her husband and 4 kids. She enjoys photography, cooking/trying out new recipes and being outdoors with her family.

Lisa (she/her/hers) is a youth development professional, with fourteen years of experience in international exchange programs and training. As a Youth Programs Manager at World Learning, she plays a vital role in the oversight, acquisition, management and design of international programs for youth and adult participants funded by the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Embassies worldwide. Her responsibilities include grant oversight and program management of the World Learning Youth Team Portfolio; development of program and team standardizations, procedures, and policies; leading an international team based in the United States, Iraq and Latin America; and staff supervision, coaching and management. 

A 2017 Alliance for International Exchange McCarry Leadership Award Recipient, she holds a M.A. in International Education, with focuses on service learning and youth programs.

Justin (he/him/his) is a Program Coordinator with the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, working to increase the participation of people with disabilities in international exchange by providing information and resources to both individuals with disabilities and international professionals.  Previously, Justin worked for two years in disability community organizing and policy in the foothills of Northern California.

He received his Bachelor of Arts in Latin American History and Spanish Literature from University of California, Berkeley. He studied abroad at the Pontifical Catholic University in Santiago Chile, where he researched and wrote a thesis on the history of the blind in Chilean society. In 2008, he spent 10 weeks immersing himself in the culture and language of Michoacan, Mexico.

As a Director of Sales for Asia and South America, Sean works to provide support to ICES’s international partners. He has primarily worked with students that are joining the ICES F1 program and will expand his role to support students and partner agents that join the ICES Virtual High School Program as well as their Ireland Program. Sean has been with ICES for approximately 5 years and looks forward to many more.

Madeline Keating is a Program Specialist at AFS-USA. She works primarily on the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program, a program of the U.S. Department of State for high school students from Europe and Eurasia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Madeline has helped develop the AFS-implemented virtual program for FLEX and YES participants, as well as facilitate synchronous learning for the AFS Global Competence Certificate.

Madeline earned her BA in European and Mediterranean Studies from New York University, focusing on European Political History. She has studied abroad in Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic.

For nineteen years Ms. Lale Kuyumcu has worked in a variety of positions at the U.S. Department of State.  She currently is a branch chief in the Office of Private Sector Exchange Program Administration focused on the Secondary School Student, Teacher, and Physician categories of the Exchange Visitor Program.  She spent most of her career with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs developing and managing international exchange programs between the United States and foreign countries. She also held positions several other bureaus including Consular Affairs, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, and South and Central Asian Affairs.   

A former Foreign Service Officer, Ms. Kuyumcu headed the Immigrant Visa Section at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv in 2003. Before joining the State Department, Ms. Kuyumcu taught English in Japan and worked in the information technology field as a technical writer and trainer.  Originally from San Diego, Ms. Kuyumcu graduated from the University of California at Davis. 

Ed is the VP Sales for Global Secutive in Princeton, NJ.  He has over 25 years of health insurance experience, focusing primarily on medical, pharmacy, international and supplemental insurance programs. Ed joined Global Secutive in 2017 because of his insurance experience and he shares the same passion and enthusiasm for the international cultural exchange world as the rest of the community. In this role Ed works with clients to provide affordable comprehensive insurance programs for participants of cultural exchange programs that are compliant with J, F, M, Q, OPT and H2B visa needs and requirements, as well as U.S. citizens on outbound programs. 

Prior to joining Global Secutive, Ed served as a consultant and regional practice leader for several major HR consulting firms. He began his career conducting employer client financial analyses for a major health care insurer. Some of his many clients have included JP Morgan Chase, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Liberty Mutual, FedEx Corporation, IBM, Amerada Hess, Becton Dickinson, Michelin and Energizer. Ed earned a Master’s degree in Health Care Management and Policy from The George Washington University and holds a BA from Rutgers University.

Randy LeGrant is the President of iTEP-Academic Language Solutions.  He began his career in education, travel and exchange in 1975. Randy’s 46 year career includes participant recruitment, programming abroad and management. He has led student groups abroad and has lived in the UK and the USA and currently resides in Connecticut.

Dr. Sari Luoma is Vice President of Assessment Materials at Ballard & Tighe, Publishers. She joined the Ballard & Tighe assessment division in 2003. Prior to that, she held in positions related to test design, research and development at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey and the University of Jyväskylä in Finland.

Sari is responsible for the design and direction of Ballard & Tighe’s standardized testing initiatives and she also contributes to the design and development of the company’s instructional products.  In addition to test development, she has designed in-service training programs and taught courses on computer-assisted language assessment, test development, and the use of assessment in support of learning.  Her research interests in language testing include test development and validation, the assessment of speaking, and computer-assisted assessment.

Sari is a frequent speaker at conferences and author of several articles and chapters in edited volumes, as well as the book Assessing Speaking, published by Cambridge University Press (2004). She holds a Ph.D. in applied linguistics, and a M.A. and B.A. in language arts and education from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. She lives in Aptos, CA with her husband Bill and two daughters, Ronja and Eila.

Kendra is the Manager of Participant Support at AFS-USA; her tenure extends five years as staff and several more as volunteer, participant, and host family. She focused her undergraduate studies combining Secondary Education, French, Psychology, and Global Studies yielding significant exchanges in Senegal and France.

Additionally, Kendra was a Fulbright Grantee to Thailand serving as an English Teaching Assistant and Temporary Program Coordinator. She’s taken a special interest in promoting strong emotional health as a tool to better support participants through the natural challenges of exchange.

Kevin Morgan is the Chairman of iTEP-Academic Language Solutions.  He has been involved in education, travel and exchange since the mid-1970’s.  With a Masters Degree in Corporate and Political Communications from Fairfield University, he has managed, marketed and created programs around the world for students, adult travelers, educators and host families.  He currently resides in New Hampshire, and has lived in Hong Kong, Australia and Thailand.

Kari is the National Training Director for International Cultural Exchange Services (ICES). She’s passionate about youth exchange and has experienced it from every angle. In high school, she spent an academic year in Rancagua, Chile as an exchange student, and has also lived in Mexico and Austria.  She and her family have hosted more than a dozen exchange students, and also supported both of their daughters during their exchange years to Germany and Ecuador. Currently, Kari spends her days providing training to ICES field staff to equip them to provide outstanding support to students and host families throughout the U.S.

Christopher Page is Executive Director for the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel. After 21 years as a Spanish teacher and a six-year tenure with the CSIET Board of Directors (2003-2009) Chris began his professional journey with CSIET in 2011.  Facing new J-1 high school regulations, a rise in use of the F-1 visa, and an increasingly complex industry landscape, Chris has positioned CSIET and its Standards to serve the needs of a diverse membership of J-1, F-1 and Outbound practitioners from the field of international student exchange.  He has spearheaded a variety of new initiatives, including the evaluation of F-1 programs and schools, leading to a 52% growth in program membership and a markedly increased awareness of the value of the CSIET seal of approval. 

Outside his professional life, Chris is an author of a Spanish textbook, a writer of occasional poems, and an aspiring guitarist.  He lives in Alexandria, Va. with his wife, two children and pug/chihuahua mix.

Lorin Pritikin has been teaching French and Global Studies to high school students for more than 30 years at Francis W. Parker School, a JK-12 independent school with over a century of history in Chicago. As teacher and Department Chair (2008-2018), the connection between cultural competence and second language instruction has been foundational to all aspects of her curriculum. She helped facilitate the change in the name of her department from Foreign Language Department to Languages and Cultural Studies Department several years ago to underscore her department’s mission to promote global citizenzry through students’ second language proficiency and cultural competence. Lorin views cultural competence as a peace initiative and is convinced that people-to-people diplomacy, between people of diverse cultures, will lead to a more peaceful coexistence of people around the globe.

Doug Ronson has been involved in homestay for more than 25 years, as a host, homestay coordinator and presenter. He has organized and delivered workshops for homestay staff in Seattle, Vancouver and Toronto. Doug has presented about homestay at a range of conferences, including the Canadian Association of Public Schools – International, TESL Ontario and Languages Canada.

Doug’s company, ESQ Educational Services, provides professional development workshops for homestay staff. It also publishes The Essential Guide for Homestay Students and The Essential Guide for Homestay Hosts. More than 50,000 copies of these guides have been distributed to students and hosts across the United States and Canada, helping to ensure that they have a wonderful experience.

Jill Woerner, former classroom teacher and Global Learning Specialist at the Indiana Department of Education, joined AFS-USA in August 2019 to support educators and volunteers throughout the U.S. to increase global readiness and intercultural competence in schools as the Director of Education and External Outreach to Schools.

She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for a variety of state, regional and national organizations focused on building global competence and biliteracy among students and educators. Her undergraduate and graduate degrees are in secondary Spanish education and educational leadership and administration.

Ilir Zherka is the Executive Director of the Alliance for International Exchange. The Alliance serves as the collective public policy voice for the exchange community. In addition to congressional advocacy, the Alliance organizes program impact reports, conducts media outreach, develops best practice workshops, and hosts an annual public policy conference. Ilir has served as the head of three other organizations. He gained policy and political experience working on Capitol Hill, on presidential campaigns, and as a political appointee.

He is the author of Winning the Inside Game: The Handbook of Advocacy Strategies. Ilir is a graduate of Cornell University and the University of Virginia School of Law.