Meet the Team

Kris became President of CIS Abroad in 2016 after a decade as its Director of University Relations. As such, she is responsible for the strategic direction of the company and developing and maintaining the CISabroad brand at home and abroad. She comes to education abroad from the international public health field and holds an MPH from the University of Michigan. Kris is the author of a travel narrative, Monique and the Mango Rains, based on her experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa, and co-author of Shores Beyond Shores, the memoir of a Holocaust survivor. She deeply believes that international experiences transform individuals, who in turn create a more connected and compassionate world. She is the proud mom of two sons who have studied and volunteered abroad in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Nepal, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Thailand. She lives in Northampton, MA, with her husband and their giant black poodle.

Joe Debiec received a BA in anthropology from Vassar College and an MA in international education from the School for International Training. While growing up, Joe was always on the move, but stayed close to home in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate NY. His international adventures began in East Africa during his junior year of college, and since then he has spent the majority of his time abroad. Joe has studied, lived, and worked in Kenya, Japan, Oman, Senegal, Thailand, and Vietnam. These days, many of Joe’s adventures take place close to his home, in Northampton, MA. Among Joe’s favorite activities are eating sushi, drinking micro-roasted coffee, scuba diving, relaxing in hot spring bath houses, exploring places for the first time, bicycling, snowshoeing and snowboarding.

Dr. Engel earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy from the University of South Carolina with an emphasis in international higher education, and holds a Master’s degree in student affairs from Bowling Green State University. Prior to joining CIS Abroad, Jennifer served as the Executive Director of International Programs at Loyola University Chicago, responsible for partnership cultivation, program development, general administration and the functional areas of: study abroad; international student and scholar services; English as a second language; the International House; and recruitment and support for the University’s three Global Centers. She previously held administrative and teaching positions at the University of South Carolina and Marygrove College. Jennifer has been involved with NAFSA, The Forum and AIEA, holding leadership positions and presenting nationally and internationally.

Jess was born into the world of international education to school-teacher parents, in Mussoorie, India. She grew up attending American International Schools between India, Kuwait, Pakistan, Indonesia and The United Arab Emirates. Jess’ first time studying abroad was moving “home” to her passport country to attend college at The University of Southern Mississippi, where she majored in French and Comparative Religion. She became very involved on campus and in the community through Amnesty International, as a Peer Advisor and student worker in the study abroad office, and through The Luckyday Service Learning Scholarship Program.

Immediately following graduation, Jess served as the resident director for a first and second year semester program in the Loire Valley in France (the Abbey Program), the same program on which she studied abroad. Following France, Jess spent six months traveling around the U.S. as a Senior Leadership Consultant for Alpha Delta Pi sorority, where she focused on brand and member development, and marketing and recruitment at the collegiate level. Jess visited 20 university campuses before moving to Newark, DE, to start the Theta Delta chapter of the organization at The University of Delaware. After a year and a half with ADPi, Jess moved back to MS to work in the study abroad office at her alma mater. During her tenure at Southern Miss, Jess again experienced life between cultures as she traveled between France, London, and Hattiesburg to manage The Abbey Program in the spring, the British Studies Program in the summer, and and incoming exchange programs to Southern Miss in the fall.

Jess fell in love with CIS Abroad when she first met a few members of the team at a NAFSA conference in Vancouver, and was immediately drawn to the shared purpose of sparking growth and creating a more connected and compassionate world, one student at a time. Jess lives in Northampton, MA, where she enjoys having four “real” seasons (even in winter) with her husband, son, and cat.

Kailee joined her favorite high school Spanish teacher on a group trip to Spain and never looked back. She thought she was going to practice her Spanish but instead, she experienced the wonderful complexity of stepping far outside of her comfort zone and completely fell in love with the country (and of course practicing Spanish was an added bonus). A native of Denver, Colorado, she is an alumni of Colorado State University where she studied Business Administration, Marketing and Spanish. Kailee was determined to return to Spain which led her to attend a semester at Universidad Antonio de Nebrija in Madrid.

Kailee has been an integral part of every stage of the student journey; from advising, to admissions, to enrollment and program delivery, and her favorite, re-entry. Before joining CIS Abroad, she served as the Director of World Internships, where she developed industry immersion programming to provide students with short-term, meaningful work experience. This Micro-Internship model is now part of CIS Abroad’s program offering.

Kailee’s work and personal travels have carried her across five continents, and you can be certain she is already planning her next trip right now. She lives in Northampton, MA with her husband and her squishy cat.

Neal’s love of travel and experiencing new places and people started at an early age growing up in a Coast Guard family and moving all over the US; he’s lived in ten states and visited 49. He came to the international education field via a happy convergence of his professional experiences in digital marketing and user experience work, recently with Open Knowledge, an international advocacy group working to advance the use and usefulness of open government data. He’s traveled internationally extensively for work and fun. Neal holds an MA in English, and was an adjunct faculty member at the University of Oregon’s Applied Information Management graduate program for over 15 years.

Elayna traveled to Montreal, Canada, in high school, and fell in love with traveling. It was a brief love affair, and her passion for travel continued in Costa Rica and Spain. She is responsible for day-to-day coordination of all HR, IT, and general office management. Elayna is an avid, albeit untidy, organic gardener. Her passions in life are the fabulous world of visual arts, all things French, and Scrabble. She spends her small amount of “spare time” with her husband watching in wonder as her young daughter grows, and planning their future fantasy life living in southern France. Elayna lives in South Deerfield with her husband, daughter, and their guard-cat, Phil.

Tyler is coming to the team after spending the last 15 years growing a local tech startup here in the Pioneer Valley. With a background in Computer Science and Finance – he has spent the last 15 years serving in all functions of a rapidly growing business, but has had a very specific focus on the Information Technology Management, Organizational Leadership and Finance (of course!). While Tyler has spent years developing and advancing his skills in all of these areas of business, he is a believer that developing some of the less tangible skill sets is equally important to success in business – cultivating a practical but creative approach to problem solving, maintaining a positive attitude towards your work, and truly caring about the work you are doing and the people you are doing it with. Beyond that, Tyler has always been an advocate for making sure that you’re having fun while you’re working – and has for years shared the mantra “If you’re not having fun – you’re not doing it right.”

Tyler has spent the last 30+ years living (and growing up) in various towns in the Pioneer Valley, and currently lives in Shutesbury, MA with his 3 rescue dogs (Fig, Reba and Dusty) and his beautiful wife Tania. He enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, camping in the White Mountains, and spending time outdoors. He is a Boston sports enthusiast, has a passion for live music, craft beers, and cooking, and enjoys traveling to new regions and exploring the local cuisine.

Kris became President of CIS Abroad in 2016 after a decade as its Director of University Relations. As such, she is responsible for the strategic direction of the company and developing and maintaining the CISabroad brand at home and abroad. She comes to education abroad from the international public health field and holds an MPH from the University of Michigan. Kris is the author of a travel narrative, Monique and the Mango Rains, based on her experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa, and co-author of Shores Beyond Shores, the memoir of a Holocaust survivor. She deeply believes that international experiences transform individuals, who in turn create a more connected and compassionate world. She is the proud mom of two sons who have studied and volunteered abroad in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Nepal, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Thailand. She lives in Northampton, MA, with her husband and their giant black poodle.

Jeff holds a BA in Biology from the College of Saint Scholastica (MN), an MA in Management from Hawaii Pacific University (HPU), and his international experiences include working and traveling in more than 35 countries both with CIS Abroad and in past US university administrative positions. Jeff founded CIS Abroad in 1999 with the idea that field needed a education abroad provider that was more in tune with the changing diversity of participants studying and interning abroad. Today CIS Abroad is a leader in meeting the needs of students who come from a variety of socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, who identify across the spectrums of gender and race, and who purse a myriad of academic opportunities. Outside of the office, Jeff keeps busy hustling around the basketball court, spending time in the woods and water, volunteering with impactful, local organizations, and spending quality time with his wife and two sons.

Nick has been a leader in the purposeful travel industry since 2000 when he co-founded a social enterprise that brought students to Peruvian communities for service learning and life-changing experiences. His positive impact at CIS Abroad is guided by his principle that everyone wins (student – community – company) when purposeful travel is done the right way. He deeply believes the CIS Abroad does purposeful travel the right way! Nick holds a Masters Degree in Engineering Management from the University of Colorado and a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is an active father of 3 pretty cool kids, rambunctious dog owner, surfer, traveler, and loves any sport invented, especially if you play outside.

Born in Lima, Peru, Richard also holds a B.A. in History from Vassar College and an MBA from Oxford’s Said Business School. Following his undergraduate studies, Richard enjoyed a brief career as a professional soccer player in Hong Kong, after which he began to pursue his interest in grassroots development work and education abroad.

Richard began his career in international education by founding ProWorld a social enterprise to finance and operate a network of NGO’s throughout Latin America, Asia and Africa. As a member of the executive board of CIS Abroad, Richard’s current focus is on supporting the CIS leadership teams as they continue to strive for excellence in programming, university partnerships and student experience.

Outside of CIS, Richard keeps busy with his four children, playing tennis; as a member of the Skoll Scholar network, as President of the board of Unison Arts, and as a founding board member of Global Educators educational consortium.

Scott is a twice graduate of Jacksonville University earning a BS in aeronautics and an MBA. During his undergraduate college career, Scott studied and volunteered abroad in Australia, Costa Rica, France, the Philippines, and Portugal. Scott received his pilot’s license at the age of seventeen, backpacked Europe at eighteen, and has since visited six continents—with the hopes of visiting Antarctica soon! Scott is a former NAFSA state representative, member of NAFSA’s Trainer Corps, and former co-chair for NAFSA Rainbow SIG. In addition to his duties at CISabroad, Scott is the founder and executive director of IEP—a CISabroad division offering campus-based education abroad services and consultancy projects. Scott currently resides and works from Ponte Vedra, Florida, where he enjoys weekend beach time with his husband, kids, and chocolate lab – Sam.

Jess was born into the world of international education to school-teacher parents, in Mussoorie, India. She grew up attending American International Schools between India, Kuwait, Pakistan, Indonesia and The United Arab Emirates. Jess’ first time studying abroad was moving “home” to her passport country to attend college at The University of Southern Mississippi, where she majored in French and Comparative Religion. She became very involved on campus and in the community through Amnesty International, as a Peer Advisor and student worker in the study abroad office, and through The Luckyday Service Learning Scholarship Program.

Immediately following graduation, Jess served as the resident director for a first and second year semester program in the Loire Valley in France (the Abbey Program), the same program on which she studied abroad. Following France, Jess spent six months traveling around the U.S. as a Senior Leadership Consultant for Alpha Delta Pi sorority, where she focused on brand and member development, and marketing and recruitment at the collegiate level. Jess visited 20 university campuses before moving to Newark, DE, to start the Theta Delta chapter of the organization at The University of Delaware. After a year and a half with ADPi, Jess moved back to MS to work in the study abroad office at her alma mater. During her tenure at Southern Miss, Jess again experienced life between cultures as she traveled between France, London, and Hattiesburg to manage The Abbey Program in the spring, the British Studies Program in the summer, and and incoming exchange programs to Southern Miss in the fall.

Jess fell in love with CIS Abroad when she first met a few members of the team at a NAFSA conference in Vancouver, and was immediately drawn to the shared purpose of sparking growth and creating a more connected and compassionate world, one student at a time. Jess lives in Northampton, MA, where she enjoys having four “real” seasons (even in winter) with her husband, son, and cat.

Emily received a BS in business administration with a concentration in marketing and minor in international studies from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s degree in international education from SIT Graduate Institute. Her journey towards a career in international education began when she traveled to China in high school and later studied abroad in Seville, Spain. She later returned to work as a language and culture assistant in Malaga, Spain. These experiences helped her to gain an understanding of and appreciation for different cultures and a desire to help other students have similar experiences. In her free time, Emily loves to explore New England and beyond with her husband and two kiddos and do arts and crafts projects.

Kent’s winding path to a career in international education began as an undergraduate at the University of South Carolina, where he earned a BS in International Business and Accounting. After education abroad experiences in Thailand, Spain, and India, and a year as an undergraduate peer advisor, he was thoroughly convinced that studying abroad is one of the best steps a person can take, both for themselves and for the world. After college and with this credo in mind, Kent created a website that serves as an orientation resource for education abroad participants. Before joining CISabroad, he was living and studying in the Netherlands, where he earned his MA in International Relations from Leiden University. Kent has traveled widely in Europe and Southeast Asia, but can usually be found in the Triangle of North Carolina, playing soccer, cooking and baking, hiking with friends, or making large piles of sawdust.

For as long as Veelie can remember, she always knew she wanted to work in an international setting that values cultural learning and engagement. She graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a BA in International Management and completed a MA in International Education from SIT Graduate Institute. She studied abroad in semester programs in Beijing, China and Barcelona, Spain. She speaks Spanish and Hmong, and has dabbled with Chinese, Portuguese and Japanese. Veelie’s professional journey includes diverse experiences in talent acquisition, sales, retail management, youth programming, teaching, and higher education. Prior to joining CISabroad, Veelie directed the study abroad office at a small university in the Twin Cities. Her favorite travel destination has been to Tibet. When she is not exploring the world, she enjoys being with her dogs (Chato and Apollo), dancing, hanging out with family and friends, painting, gardening, hiking, biking, kayaking, and reading fiction.

Beth graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BA in international studies and a minor in Spanish (GO CATS!). The summer after her junior year, she studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain. She knew she wanted to spend more time abroad. After graduation, she returned to Spain to teach English in Madrid for one year. In addition to an amazing time in Madrid, Beth traveled throughout much of Europe. Some destinations included Greece, Hungary, Iceland, and Scotland. A random search for a warm place in Europe in March turned into an adventure in Malta, which has become one of her favorite places. Beth enjoys hanging out with friends, playing volleyball, hiking, and exploring new places!

After spending a year abroad in Sydney, Australia, Brianna was hooked on traveling the world and has pursued a personal and professional mission to connect people with life-changing experiences around the world. She joined the world of Education Abroad in 2019 after spending 4 years as a professional travel blogger at archivesofadventure.com. When not fully submerged in the world of travel, Brianna enjoys reading, hiking, baking, photography, and trying not to kill her houseplants. She has a degree from Grand Valley State University in Hospitality & Tourism Management, a Career Diploma from Penn Foster College in Travel & Tourism, and will complete an MBA from Viterbo University next spring.

Dr. Engel earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy from the University of South Carolina with an emphasis in international higher education, and holds a Master’s degree in student affairs from Bowling Green State University. Prior to joining CIS Abroad, Jennifer served as the Executive Director of International Programs at Loyola University Chicago, responsible for partnership cultivation, program development, general administration and the functional areas of: study abroad; international student and scholar services; English as a second language; the International House; and recruitment and support for the University’s three Global Centers. She previously held administrative and teaching positions at the University of South Carolina and Marygrove College. Jennifer has been involved with NAFSA, The Forum and AIEA, holding leadership positions and presenting nationally and internationally.

Scott is a twice graduate of Jacksonville University earning a BS in aeronautics and an MBA. During his undergraduate college career, Scott studied and volunteered abroad in Australia, Costa Rica, France, the Philippines, and Portugal. Scott received his pilot’s license at the age of seventeen, backpacked Europe at eighteen, and has since visited six continents—with the hopes of visiting Antarctica soon! Scott is a former NAFSA state representative, member of NAFSA’s Trainer Corps, and former co-chair for NAFSA Rainbow SIG. In addition to his duties at CISabroad, Scott is the founder and executive director of IEP—a CISabroad division offering campus-based education abroad services and consultancy projects. Scott currently resides and works from Ponte Vedra, Florida, where he enjoys weekend beach time with his husband, kids, and chocolate lab – Sam.

Just a small town girl, Ginny grew up in rural Nebraska and has always been a people person. After falling in love with education abroad, Ginny joined IEP in 2006 upon graduating from Augustana University. In her current role for CIS Abroad, she focuses on client communication and supporting consultant projects. Building strong relationships with colleagues and clients and empowering them to achieve their goals totally floats her boat. Outside of work she enjoys family time, reading, and being the official taste tester of her husband’s fine cuisine.

An alum of Wesleyan University and the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, among other things Aurora directs the Office of International Education at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. In addition to her delicious baked goods, Aurora brings an array of international experience and skills to clients and colleagues. Her previous roles within Institutional Relations and Student Services allow her to understand the unique needs that both universities and students have within international education. In her free time, Aurora loves to garden, spin yarn (insert Sleeping Beauty joke here), and entertain at her family-run B&B on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Ian received a BA in environmental science from Allegheny College and an MA in international education from Loyola University Chicago. Ian is originally from Akron, Ohio, but has lived in five different states since graduating from Allegheny, and is now located in New Hampshire. He enjoys hiking, photography, craft beer, and is learning Spanish. Ian also spends time as a parent to two desk plants, Phillis the philodendron and Marty the cactus. Ian found his love for international education while studying abroad in Lancaster, England. He has now traveled to 15+ countries, with a highlight travel experience of living and working in a youth hostel in New Zealand.

Alex studied abroad in the French Alpes when earning her BA at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.  Following graduation she taught English abroad in China, France, and South Korea.  After returning to the states she earned her MA in International Education at SIT Graduate Institute.  Alex enjoys exploring culture through food, art, and conversation and has been known to plan travel around best recommendations for street food and immersive museum experiences. In her spare time, Alex participates in community activism through art, repairs vintage typewriters, and gently annoys her cats.

Ian received a BA in environmental science from Allegheny College and an MA in international education from Loyola University Chicago. Ian is originally from Akron, Ohio, but has lived in five different states since graduating from Allegheny, and is now located in New Hampshire. He enjoys hiking, photography, craft beer, and is learning Spanish. Ian also spends time as a parent to two desk plants, Phillis the philodendron and Marty the cactus. Ian found his love for international education while studying abroad in Lancaster, England. He has now traveled to 15+ countries, with a highlight travel experience of living and working in a youth hostel in New Zealand.

Syd received a BA in Geography and in Anthropology from Miami University. Wanting to get out there in the world when she entered college, Syd went off on a January term program to Costa Rica studying Spanish. A year later, she studied abroad for a full semester in Pune, India, only a few hours from the Bollywood capital of Mumbai. The travel bug has taken them to 7 other countries as well, with many places planned for the future. After working as an Education Abroad Ambassador for their university, they realized that the world of study abroad was where they wanted to be! In addition to traveling, they love a variety of hobbies, including indoor gardening, video games, and fiction writing.

As a child, Aimée had two goals in mind – to travel and learn as many languages as possible. These two goals went hand and hand and eventually lead her to International Education. She received a BA in French, Italian, and Spanish; an MA in Italian Linguistics; an MA in International Education Management and Language Program Administration; and she is now working on her doctoral degree in Human Resource Development and International Education. The studying never ends for her! Aimée currently has four languages under her belt and is working on two more! She has spent most of her life outside of the US and now calls the world her home. When Aimée is not traveling, learning languages, and studying, she appreciates a nice bowl of warm Cocoa Pebbles and a good movie! To keep her sugar highs low, she runs, playing soccer and tennis, hikes, and rollerblades.

Carrie is a graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University earning a BA in Spanish with a Secondary Education endorsement and a graduate of the University of Nebraska Medical Center earning a BS in Dental Hygiene. During her undergraduate college career, Carrie studied at the University of Alicante in Alicante, Spain, which jump started her love for travel and life abroad. Carrie has spent the last four years living in Madrid, Spain teaching English in a variety of mediums and assisting with relocation services for new expats arriving to Madrid. Carrie has had the opportunity to visit 5 continents and has the goal to travel to all European countries in the next 5 years. She spends her free time with her husband and their dog Lucy and enjoys playing tennis, reading, and baking.

Joe Debiec received a BA in anthropology from Vassar College and an MA in international education from the School for International Training. While growing up, Joe was always on the move, but stayed close to home in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate NY. His international adventures began in East Africa during his junior year of college, and since then he has spent the majority of his time abroad. Joe has studied, lived, and worked in Kenya, Japan, Oman, Senegal, Thailand, and Vietnam. These days, many of Joe’s adventures take place close to his home, in Northampton, MA. Among Joe’s favorite activities are eating sushi, drinking micro-roasted coffee, scuba diving, relaxing in hot spring bath houses, exploring places for the first time, bicycling, snowshoeing and snowboarding.

Alex studied abroad in the French Alpes when earning her BA at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.  Following graduation she taught English abroad in China, France, and South Korea.  After returning to the states she earned her MA in International Education at SIT Graduate Institute.  Alex enjoys exploring culture through food, art, and conversation and has been known to plan travel around best recommendations for street food and immersive museum experiences. In her spare time, Alex participates in community activism through art, repairs vintage typewriters, and gently annoys her cats.

I’m a first-generation Asian-American with mixed ethnicity from China, Cambodia and Vietnam. I feel incredibly lucky to have the higher education my parents were unable to have, of which my favorite part is when I studied abroad as an undergrad. To date, I’ve worked ten years in the field of international higher education, five of those years living and working in Qatar. Besides travel, I love to dance (ballet, tap, jazz, salsa and tango) and am currently fixing up my recently purchased condo in my home city of Chicago!

Marina was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina.​ She is passionate for traveling, animal and specially dogs lover and defines herself as an aspirational veggie. Over the last ​ten years she has been working on a small business of her own, dedicated to build travel programs for groups that want to experience Buenos Aires in an alternative way. ​She ​studied Social Communications ​a​t the University of Buenos Aires​ and specialized in Digital Strategies and Content. She is very happy to be part of the growing CIS Abroad, offering her expertise​ as a traveler and as a pure “Porteña” ​ to excited students. In her free time she practices yoga, ​paints, cooks healthy food​ and enjoys meeting with friends. She is married and has a dog named Dar​k – but she calls him Pepino (cucumber).

Jackie has a passion for international education and travel having lived, travelled worked and studied overseas. Jackie was born on the Central Coast, NSW (on the coast half-way between Newcastle and Sydney) and now lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland. Jackie holds a Masters in Communication (Corporate Communication) from Bond University, QLD and a Bachelor of Social Science (Recreation and Tourism) from Newcastle University, NSW.

During the second year of her undergraduate degree Jackie received a student exchange scholarship to participate in a study abroad semester at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Upon her return from the US Jackie was employed by the International Office at University of Newcastle involved in Student Support and later International Admissions. Since this time Jackie’s 16 year career has been predominantly based in international education, including a two year position in Denver, Colorado working for a leading study abroad provider then continuing as their national Australian on-site resident director for another three years. Jackie has since worked in various marketing and management roles focused primarily on project management, large scale event management, sponsorship, new business launches and strategic planning.

The love of travel has always remained and has seen Jackie visit more than 21 countries including favourites Finland, Vietnam, Japan, Nepal and New Zealand. Jackie enjoys hiking, yoga, stand up paddle boarding, beach time, family adventures with her two amazing sons and did we mention travel!

Lisa was born in Costa Rica and has lived in the United States on several occasions. She is an alumni of Veritas University, where she majored in photography, and is currently pursuing her bachelors degree in Tourism and Hotel Management. She is passionate about travel, and has had 10 years of experience leading study abroad groups all throughout Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. In her free time Lisa enjoys going to art exhibits, watching movies, dancing and learning new languages. She speaks Spanish, English and Portuguese, and is currently learning French.

Leah Takata was born in Toronto, Canada and graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in Arts Management with a major in Art History. She worked for seven years at the University of Toronto as Cultural Affairs Coordinator organizing arts and cultural events for the students, faculty, staff and surrounding community. During her time at the university she produced and organized four international theatre exchanges with Ypsilonka Theatre and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (DAMU) in Prague. This unique project brought together theatre students from Canada, Czech Republic and professional actors from First Nations theatre group “De-ba-jeh-mu-jig Theatre Group” (Manitoulin Island). Leah is excited to once again work with university students and impart the beauty and spirit of, “The city of a hundred spires.” Leah has lived in Prague since 2007 and spends her free time with her two children, partner, as well as her growing photography and graphic design business.

Diana Balarezo is a trilingual (Spanish, English and French) Ecuadorian that has worked in the tourism industry for many years. An active volunteer of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Development and Hospitality and a Master’s degree in Social and Environmental studies. Diana was the Ecuador national coordinator of a volunteers’ non-profit organization with more than eighty member countries, as well as the US market leader of the biggest tourism company in Ecuador. She lived in the US as a student and after, as a restaurant manager at a Ski Resort in Idaho, where she learned to snowboard and still misses it. She has traveled extensively around Ecuador, backpacked in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Guatemala and Mexico. She has camped in some National Reserves in the US and Canada and has visited Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, Austria, among others. Diane’s hobbies include sports such as trail running and mountain biking, as well as watching movies and reading a nice book.

Romina is a native Roman with degrees in International Communications (2005) and International Relations (2007) at the University for Foreigners of Perugia. Shortly after graduating, she moved back to Rome and began her study abroad career working for IES. In Rome, she began pursing her M.A. in International Affairs at the SIOI. After completing an internship at the Italian Development Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome, her career took a turn as Romina was offered a position to work as a Communication and Public Information Officer within the civilian component of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Herat for the NATO mission in Afghanistan. Between 2008-09, Romina completed two missions in Afghanistan. In 2009, she began working for the Italian Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, which then led her to cover the same position at the Italian Embassy in Sana’a, Yemen. In Spring 2011, the Italian government ordered embassy staff to return home due to the uncertain situation of the Arab Spring. Ever since, Romina has enjoyed her return to the eternal city, and to her career in study abroad through CIS Abroad.

Originally from New Jersey, Jeff attended Rider University where he studied Business Administration. After graduation, he started working for a small college in northern New Jersey where he started the Office of International Programs, study abroad programs, language programs, and established international exchange programs. He was sent to tour Asia to establish international educational exchanges and continued expanding exchanges over the course of the next decade. He then moved to Tokyo, where he continues to develop programs and support systems for students studying in Japan.

Jeanna was born overlooking Loch Ness and grew up in the Highlands of Scotland. She studied in Edinburgh, and after majoring in science went on to work in local and central government. She believes in lifelong learning and remains a student of life! Jeanna has eight years of experience with CIS Abroad (seven as Site Director) and strongly believes in equity and accessible education for all.

“Learning and education has been a strong influence in my family over generations. Education goes beyond the school. Studying abroad is a life changing experience. It allows you to see the world from a new different perspective and to be better prepared for your future in the increasingly globalised world we live in. My job to help you make the most of the many opportunities studying and living in Scotland affords you, and to ensure you have a successful, fun and memorable experience. I have strong Scottish heritage. My Celtic roots give my family our language, music, fun, compassion and culture which continues to this day. Like many Scots, I enjoy the unspoilt nature and landscape here, from great sailing, (and yes surfing) in the West, off-road motorcycle, hiking and skiing in the Highlands to the diverse cultural and multi cultural activities flourishing in many aspects of daily life here.”

On completion and graduating with a National Diploma in Travel and Tourism, Sonya decided to travel the world. Participating in a cultural exchange program led her to Vail, Colorado, where a 4-month working visa allowed her to experience what being away from home was all about. Upon returning home, Sonya worked for many years in both the airline industry and tourism in Cape Town, and has now ventured into self-employment by being appointed as an Accredited Assessor for the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa. Excited to be able to tap into her own experience in working abroad, Sonya enjoys offering support and guidance to those embarking on new journeys, forming new relationships, and showing off her beautiful home country – as well as spending time with her husband and two fur babies.

I believe that education – and particularly international education and cultural exchange – empowers people and advances society. Through my experiences as an educator, I have planned and executed many kinds of degree/non-degree programs across a wide range of fields, including HR, program design, international student recruitment, international cooperation, international student admissions, business incubating management, and government funding. I like to meet people and communicate with them in global settings. I am also very happy when I am working with other people in a new and challenging environment.

Sara Hazzard moved to Madrid from her hometown of Philadelphia, PA. She received her M.A. in International Education/Bilingualism from the Universidad Camilo José Cela and worked in the field as an English language teacher. Passionate about exploring and cross cultural exchange, the move to Spain was a natural fit. Sara’s first encounter with international travel was during her undergraduate studies when she decided to study abroad in Granada, Spain. Falling in love with the Spanish language, she continued on to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to extend her awareness of different accents and linguistics. Finally settling in Madrid, Sara applies her own experiences as motivation to support students while studying and living abroad. As Site Director in Madrid, her goal is to welcome students to Spain’s vibrant capital, engage them with the locals through different activities, and deepen their understanding, along with their appreciation, of Spanish culture. In her free time, Sara tours different villages and cities in Spain. She also enjoys cooking, running, and a good book written in Spanish.

David was born in the UK and moved to the US when he was 16 and completed high school and University in Colorado. As an avid traveler, his first thought on graduation was to travel to Asia. He volunteered and lived with a family in Kathmandu for 2 months before traveling to Thailand. He quickly fell in love with the country and for the last 12 years has worked as a teacher, as a development officer in NGOs, and has worked with volunteers and study abroad programs for the last seven years. He has an MA in Asia Pacific Studies and is fluent in Thai. He loves his work because it allows him to share his love of Thailand and its people with participants and at the same time support the great things that people all over Thailand are doing every day.

Chutinan Klinmalai is  the Bangkok Site director for CISabroad and  has been working with the program for more than 2 years covering all field visits and leisure activities. Chutinan graduated his bachelor’s degree in Political Science (International Relations) and currently doing master graduate program in Disaster Management at Asian Institute of Technology. Apart from CIS work, he is a professional career diplomat with Department of American and South Pacific Affairs, Thailand. He always participates in social activities and volunteer works especially environmental or local community service programs. Comedy is his favorite movies genres. Exploring nature  is one of his favourite activities

Dr Loretta Chen is an award-winning director, professor, TEDx speaker and best-selling author. Her latest, Inspiring Women of Hawaii was launched last Fall with all proceeds going towards the Women of Waianae Scholarship fund.

Hailing from Singapore, Loretta was the Executive Creative Director for brands like Samsung, Louis Vuitton, Adidas and BNP Paribas featuring Serena Williams. She was also active in the theater scene. Some of her credits include Victor Victoria starring jazz diva Laura Fygi and The F Word which won an an Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award.

Other career highlights include community endorsement as a Nominated Member of Parliament, hosting the World Cities Summit, serving as International Consultant to the Government of Bhutan and being voted one of Asia’s Most Inspiring Women.

Now living her dream in Hawaii, she teaches at University of Hawaii – Leeward Community College where she was awarded Outstanding Lecturer of the Year (2020). She was selected to be part of the Patsy T Mink Center for Business Leadership Alliance in 2020.

When not mentoring or advocating for women, youth and LGBTQIA, she is a devoted cat mom to ten fur babies. Her short film, Secrets to Happiness has picked up several awards and is currently touring the international film festival circuit.

Aryn is a recent graduate from Bay Path University where she majored in Liberal Studies. During her time at Bay Path she was part of the Communications Club and a writer for the on-campus student Newsletter. After studying abroad in London (with CIS) during the Spring 2019, she became an Alumni Ambassador and then the IOM assistant. She also became the IOM/Marcom intern during one of her undergraduate semesters. In the Fall of 2021, she will be starting a graduate program at the University of Westminster in London, England. At Westminster, she will be studying Public Relations. She loves traveling and seeing the world. Some cities that she has already been to include: Milan, Rome, Athens, Vienna, Paris, Zurich, Tokyo, Edinburgh, and more!

Karina was born in Ireland where she lived until she was 16, when her family relocated to New York. She finished high school in New York and continued on to college where she completed her undergraduate degree. She subsequently returned to Ireland to pursue a master’s degree.

Having experienced education in different countries herself, a career in study abroad really appealed to her, and prior to joining CIS Abroad, she spent several years working for the Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University. In her previous role, Karina was in charge of student orientations, cultural programming, general onsite logistics and student support services.

She is excited to once again have the opportunity to introduce students and interns to Ireland, its culture and history, and its beauty. Having been a visiting student herself, she knows she can relate to many of the experiences and difficulties students have as they settle in to life abroad, and she is looking forward to helping our participants have a wonderful time in Ireland!

Laura grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but now calls Barcelona home. She is half Dutch and half Icelandic, she’s always loved being exposed to a mix of cultures. While completing her undergrad in International Business, Laura studied abroad in Barcelona for a year, completing one semester at the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB) and one at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF). She immediately fell in love with the city and knew she had to make it her home! In her free time, Laura loves to play fútbol, go to the beach, and explore local coffee shops.

I’ve always embraced my family’s multicultural background. Born from a Peruvian family with Italian, and Chinese descendants, and being raised in Florida, it came natural to me to have an international work profile. I have always been a curious learner, leading me to study the natural sciences, and human ecology. I currently know Swedish, Spanish, Italian, and German. Thanks to my university grants and NGO’s, I worked on community-led conservation research projects blending social-ecological management relations in Easter Island, Aeolian Islands, Mauritius, Florida Keys, and Belize’s Glover Reef. My passion is to teach students stewardship for a sustainable world and my motivation in international education came from these memorable trips I did as a student that changed my life. Outside work, if I’m not traveling visiting friends and family, I enjoy dancing at home with my daughter, having picnics, horseback riding, and taking ballet lessons.

Raised in a family that encouraged participation in every activity from baseball to marching band to martial arts (too many for healthy stress levels, in hindsight), I was enrolled in every school trip my parents could afford. That early exposure to overseas travel grew into a passion for new and different environments. After high school I followed a path of studies that took me from Los Angeles, where I was raised, through Switzerland to learn French, and finally landed me in Australia, where I now reside with a degree in business and political science. My journey has taught me that besides creating lifetime friendships and unforgettable memories, travel to new cultures brings out our deepest empathy as we see the world from others’ point of view. When more people can have that experience, it’s a step towards making the world a better place.

Kailee joined her favorite high school Spanish teacher on a group trip to Spain and never looked back. She thought she was going to practice her Spanish but instead, she experienced the wonderful complexity of stepping far outside of her comfort zone and completely fell in love with the country (and of course practicing Spanish was an added bonus). A native of Denver, Colorado, she is an alumni of Colorado State University where she studied Business Administration, Marketing and Spanish. Kailee was determined to return to Spain which led her to attend a semester at Universidad Antonio de Nebrija in Madrid.

Kailee has been an integral part of every stage of the student journey; from advising, to admissions, to enrollment and program delivery, and her favorite, re-entry. Before joining CIS Abroad, she served as the Director of World Internships, where she developed industry immersion programming to provide students with short-term, meaningful work experience. This Micro-Internship model is now part of CIS Abroad’s program offering.

Kailee’s work and personal travels have carried her across five continents, and you can be certain she is already planning her next trip right now. She lives in Northampton, MA with her husband and her squishy cat.

Neal’s love of travel and experiencing new places and people started at an early age growing up in a Coast Guard family and moving all over the US; he’s lived in ten states and visited 49. He came to the international education field via a happy convergence of his professional experiences in digital marketing and user experience work, recently with Open Knowledge, an international advocacy group working to advance the use and usefulness of open government data. He’s traveled internationally extensively for work and fun. Neal holds an MA in English, and was an adjunct faculty member at the University of Oregon’s Applied Information Management graduate program for over 15 years.

After two amazing years with IEP (CISabroad’s on-campus division) as the Campus Coordinator of The University of South Alabama, Jess is staying within the family and transitioning to CISabroad! Born and raised in Mobile, she graduated from South with a degree in Foreign Languages and International Studies. During her time there, she studied abroad in Spain where her passion for international education began. She enjoys spending time with her partner and their pets, cooking, and running to a good K-Pop playlist.

Received a Bachelor of Science in Communications with a minor in Business Administration from Ohio University. It was there where I discovered CIS Abroad and got the opportunity to study abroad twice; in Paris, France and Stirling Scotland as well as become an Alumni Ambassador. It was during my time in the Scottish Highlands where I discovered my passion for travel. On top of studying in Paris and Stirling, I’ve been blessed to have traveled to Australia, Canada, Ireland, England and Italy as well! I have a passion for hiking and visiting all of the National Parks in the United States. Also enjoy spending time with my cat, Mumford.

I am an Actress, a Health Coach, a Yoga & Ayurveda teacher, almost an Astrology and a Bachelor of Communication Sciences. All these learning paths and work experiences shaped me as a professional.
I created a company that built Agendas to visit Buenos Aires with volunteering purposes when I was 22 years old and at the same time I was hired at Hillel, an International NGO for Jewish students, to create their Communications department. When I needed to learn from colleagues I started working at an Advertising Agency specialized on Social Media contents. I worked as a copywriter, account executive, account’s director (and actress for my clients). At the same time, I was launching the CIS Abroad Study Program in Buenos Aires, where I served as a Site Director for 12 years. I also supervised the region as a Site Director’s Manager for LATAM and had the opportunity of traveling to Ecuador, Perú and Costa Rica to work with my colleagues. During that time I was also working for different agencies and some independent clients. I’m pleased to jump into our Marketing & Communications department to create a bridge between my 2 jobs and connect the office needs with our Programs around the world. I can say now that wellness is my flag, empathy is my core value, communication is my tool, traveling is my passion and leadership the way to empower others.

Keith received a BA in Spanish and International Studies from University of Wisconsin-Madison. He spent a life-changing semester studying abroad in Seville, Spain. Keith initially started working with CIS Abroad in 2010 as a University Relations Representative in the Midwest, after a couple years in a similar role with partner organization IEP. Once it became apparent that he could have a greater impact with his marketing and technology savvy than he could as a road warrior, he made the move to Fort Collins, Colorado and a transition into marketing. A couple career breaks (including stints as hiking guide in Guatemala and a study abroad field rep in Australia) and a pandemic later, Keith found his way back to CIS Abroad. In his Product Manager role, Keith enjoys steering technologies while supporting his passion for international education and cross-cultural exchange. In the warmer months you can find him enjoying all things essentially Colorado and in winter soaking up the vibrant culture of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Elayna traveled to Montreal, Canada, in high school, and fell in love with traveling. It was a brief love affair, and her passion for travel continued in Costa Rica and Spain. She is responsible for day-to-day coordination of all HR, IT, and general office management. Elayna is an avid, albeit untidy, organic gardener. Her passions in life are the fabulous world of visual arts, all things French, and Scrabble. She spends her small amount of “spare time” with her husband watching in wonder as her young daughter grows, and planning their future fantasy life living in southern France. Elayna lives in South Deerfield with her husband, daughter, and their guard-cat, Phil.

Tyler is coming to the team after spending the last 15 years growing a local tech startup here in the Pioneer Valley. With a background in Computer Science and Finance – he has spent the last 15 years serving in all functions of a rapidly growing business, but has had a very specific focus on the Information Technology Management, Organizational Leadership and Finance (of course!). While Tyler has spent years developing and advancing his skills in all of these areas of business, he is a believer that developing some of the less tangible skill sets is equally important to success in business – cultivating a practical but creative approach to problem solving, maintaining a positive attitude towards your work, and truly caring about the work you are doing and the people you are doing it with. Beyond that, Tyler has always been an advocate for making sure that you’re having fun while you’re working – and has for years shared the mantra “If you’re not having fun – you’re not doing it right.”

Tyler has spent the last 30+ years living (and growing up) in various towns in the Pioneer Valley, and currently lives in Shutesbury, MA with his 3 rescue dogs (Fig, Reba and Dusty) and his beautiful wife Tania. He enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, camping in the White Mountains, and spending time outdoors. He is a Boston sports enthusiast, has a passion for live music, craft beers, and cooking, and enjoys traveling to new regions and exploring the local cuisine.