Russ Alexander, Director - Programs and Development
Russ was involved with the first group of US study abroad students to come to Australia in the late 1980s. He studied abroad as a high school student for a year in Tyler, Texas and a semester at Georgetown University in Washington DC. Russ graduated from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, where he also became the Associate Director for Study Abroad. Russ joined the Study Australia team in 2000 and now directs the programs in Asia and is responsible for the educational design elements of our Australian/South Pacific programs. Russ is based in Chicago.
Favorite Destinations: Sydney, Australia; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Kelsey Anderson, Resident Director, Melbourne
Originally from Minneapolis, MN, Kelsey studied abroad at the University of Sydney in 2002. After traveling, working and volunteering in several countries, she returned to Australia to earn her masters at Bond University on the Gold Coast. She then worked in international admissions and managed Bond's study abroad and exchange program, working closely with the Education Abroad Network. She has most recently managed Monash University's international engagement with North America and Africa. Kelsey lives in Melbourne, and holds a B.A. in art and African-American studies and a Masters in Film & Television.
Favorite Destinations:Accra, Ghana; Yulara (Uluru), Australia; Christchurch; New Zealand
Helen Armitage, Resident Director, Queensland
Helen has been working in the International Education Field for over 11 years. During her undergraduate degree at Griffith University, she started working in their international office on a part time basis. This became full time after she graduated with a Bachelors in Communications in 1998. Following her role at Griffith she worked in the International and Study Abroad teams at Bond University and was responsible for marketing and developing the study abroad and full degree programs in North America and Europe. This role saw Helen travel extensively throughout these regions for many years. Helen is now the Resident Director in Queensland for Study Australia and is also completing her graduate studies in Education.
Solaro was born in Calgary, Canada and grew up on the west coast in multicultural Vancouver, speaking 4 different languages (English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and French). He completed his BA (Economics) at University of Victoria and attained a TEFL certification prior to moving to China in 2004. Since then, he has worked in the education and youth travel industry where he has managed over 1000 travelers from around the world to experience the Chinese culture. Solaro has worked as support staff for The Education Abroad Network since 2008.
Kieran Clarke, Resident Director, Melbourne
Kieran was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. He graduated from La Trobe University, Melbourne with a Business degree which included two exchanges to the US - Ithaca College, NY in 2003 and University of Washington, WA in 2005. Kieran worked for La Trobe University within their International Programs Office for four years which involved extensive travel to Europe and North America, before moving to Sweden to undertake a Master of International Marketing and Brand Management at Lund University. He's passionate about international education and thinks that everyone should study abroad!
Favorite Destinations: Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Berlin, Chicago, Seattle and New York
Megan Clavier, Resident Director, Cambodia
Megan finished college in 2006 and headed straight to the Burmese border to work with illegal migrant workers and refugees. In 2008 she returned to SE Asia to teach XO laptops to children in rural Cambodia. Megan has since moved to Phnom Penh, using her design skills to communicate the amazing work of small organizations to the outside world. Passionate about Cambodia, working with TEAN allows Megan to help students see the wonderful side of SE Asia that is often hidden from tourists.
Favorite Destinations: All of Burma; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Kampot, Cambodia; and Portland, Oregon.
Nancy Clarke, Campus Relations
Nancy has been a Regional Representative since 2006. She has lived abroad in Melbourne, Australia, and London, England. She has traveled in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa, South America and Europe. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire and a master's degree from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
Favorite Destinations: Victoria Falls, Whitsunday Islands, New Zealand's South Island, Italy, Machu Picchu
Robert Deng, Academic Director - China Programs
Robert holds a PhD in Communication Studies and is now Professor of Communications at Fudan University in Shanghai, China. A former journalist for the Shanghai Daily, he also served 4 years as the Assistant Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Global Online Magazine (Fudan Edition), and was involved with a number of World Bank projects as a technical interpreter and translator. Robert brings a balance of real world experience and academic life to the classroom and to our students. As the Academic Director for The Education Abroad Network, Robert delivers cross-cultural training with an emphasis on China for all TEAN China students each semester. His work focuses on increasing the academic and cultural integration of students and adds to the strong in-country support provided by our existing Resident Director network in Shanghai and Beijing.
Rachel Dorsey, Senior Enrollment Coordinator
Through Valparaiso University, Rachel spent a semester abroad in Cambridge, England, which led to her passion for international education and cross-cultural exchange. Since graduating with a BA in History and Secondary Education, Rachel has taught geography in a high school setting and has traveled extensively throughout Asia and Oceania. Prior to joining us an Enrollment Coordinator, Rachel spent a year teaching English in Okinawa, Japan and was a luxury travel consultant in Chicago.
Favorite Destinations: Varanasi, India; Mui Ne, Vietnam; Lhasa, Tibet; Ring of Kerry, Ireland
Rachel Fenton, Resident Director, New Zealand
Rachel has an extensive background in international education student services, marketing and university relations. She spent several years living and working abroad first in Japan on the JET program, then in London, England and Guangzhou, China. On return to New Zealand, Rachel managed the study abroad and student exchange programs at Massey University; her alma mater where she was awarded degrees in Business Administration and Marketing. She is now working at the University of Auckland, as well as representing TEAN as the New Zealand Resident Director.
Favorite Destinations: Coromandel, New Zealand; Tokyo, Japan; Hanoi, Vietnam; San Francisco, USA
Ryan Friesen, Enrollment Coordinator
Ryan graduated from Goshen College with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies (History/Communication/Philosophy). He has lived in Bielefeld, Germany, Washington, D.C., Chengdu, China, and Las Palmas, Spain.
Before coming to TEAN Ryan interned with the Federal Aviation Administration - Asia Pacific Division, was a newspaper reporter and worked in the aviation industry. He loves traveling to new places both at home and abroad, and feels that travel is a great equalizer of human experience.
Favorite destinations: Cologne, Germany; Emei Shan, China; Eli, Minnesota, USA
Lauren Gabell, Marketing Manager
Lauren's passion for international education was ignited after studying abroad at Boston College in 1997. Since graduating from Monash University in Melbourne, she has worked for the study abroad offices at both Monash and Deakin University. At Deakin University she was responsible for developing the study abroad program, and marketing the university in Europe, North America and Thailand. A position which required extensive travel throughout these regions. Lauren joined The Education Abroad Network in 2004 as the Resident Director in Melbourne. Lauren is now based out of Chiang Mai, Thailand, and addition to marketing responsibilities is also involved with TEAN's in-country programs.
Favorite Destinations: Melbourne, Australia; Northern Thailand; Chicago, USA; South Island, New Zealand
Helen Han, Manager - China Programs
Helen obtained her MBA in Australia and has since worked in the youth study and travel industry for almost two decades in China and abroad. During the last decade, she has helped hundreds of international students to study as full-time or part-time students in China’s universities. In addition to her work with The Education Abroad Network, Helen also works in an international education company, utilizing her experiences in international education and cultural exchange to develop programs and strengthen the cooperation of the company with its partners around the globe.
Matt Hankins, Resident Director, Sydney
Matt moved from Iowa to Sydney in 2002 and he is now an Australian resident. He graduated from Macquarie University in Sydney with a degree in Primary Education. Matt studied abroad for a semester in Chile and has travelled extensively throughout Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia.
Peter has been working for us since 1998 and has lived abroad in Australia. He is responsible for development, implementation and operation of our information systems and technology solutions. Peter is based in Sweden.
Favorite Destinations: Western Australia, Greece
Tommy Kysor, Resident Advisor, New Zealand
Originally from Nashua, New Hampshire, Tommy was once a study abroad student himself at the University of Auckland. Since studying abroad he has made New Zealand his home after graduating from the University of Auckland. Tommy now lives and works in Auckland, and has been working with international students since early 2009.
Favorite Destinations: South Island, New Zealand; Cairns, Austrailia; Fijian Islands; Cliffs of Moher, Ireland; London, England; White Mountains, New Hampshire.
Sean Lennon, Director
Sean is a Director and co-founder of The Education Abroad Network. Since 1993 unil recently Sean was a resident of Perth, Western Australia. Sean has worked with international students attending the University of Notre Dame Australia and his other previous experience includes senior roles within the human resources consulting industry in both Australia and the USA. He earned a BA and MSA from the University of Notre Dame (Indiana), and is member of NAFSA and The Forum on Education Abroad. Sean is currently based in Chicago, USA.
Favorite Destinations: Sydney, Australia; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Singapore; Dublin, Ireland
Kai was born in northern Thailand in 1958 and attended school in Chiang Mai before joining the Thai military in 1974. His military career was a highly decorated one and lasted almost 20 years. After leaving the military he returned to Chiang Mai University where he completed his BA majoring in Marketing. Kai had a strong desire to meet people from all over the world so he also undertook Thai Tourism training and became a licensed tourist guide.
He started his own company in 1999 and has focused on small highly educational experiences for visitors to Northern Thailand since then. Kai has designed and led many cultural and academic excursions for students from Australian and US universities over the past 15 years and brings an incredible knowledge of his region and Thai customs and a true cross-cultural understanding to his role as Resident Director for Thailand. He lives in Chiang Mai with his family, and his daughter just became the youngest concert violinist for the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra.
Ramona Liu, Resident Director, Shanghai
Ramona is a native Chinese, and has extensive international and cultural experience through her studies and professional career. Fluent in English, Ramona obtained her Bachelor of Economics in 1992 from Shenyang University in China, before moving to Australia. She then lived in Australia for 5 years, during which time she obtained her Masters of International Business from the University of Wollongong. In her professional career, Ramona has worked extensively with multinational companies focusing on sales and marketing, business development, and training and consultation. Her academic background and professional experience allows her to effectively advise overseas students, as she understands their needs while studying in China.
Amanda Lord, Campus Relations
Amanda has been working in the field of International Education since 2002. She is originally from Rhode Island, and now resides in Hermosa Beach California where she is the West Coast Campus Relations Coordinator for The Education Abroad Network/Study Australia. Her experiences living in Australia in high school, as well as undergraduate and graduate school, led to her desire to make International Education her career. She completed her master's degree at the University of Rhode Island in the College Student Personnel program and enjoys working with and advising students about the many exciting options for studying abroad.
Melissa is serving as The Education Abroad Network's new Outreach Coordinator. Melissa attended Saint Mary's College where she studied History, Anthropology, and Business. Her love of learning led her to pursue a master's degree in Anthropology at Ball State University, which she received in 2009. For her graduate work Melissa traveled throughout Europe, participating in several archeological, cultural, and historical research programs. While in graduate school Melissa gained experience in international education through her work as a Graduate Assistant at Ball State University's Center for International Programs.
Melissa is an avid traveler – having lived, studied, and worked abroad many times in her life. From her work as an archaeologist in Romania to her summer as a lecturer for pre-collegiate program in Western Europe, Melissa is always up for an adventure. Along with her work at The Education Abroad Network Melissa also teaches in the Anthropology Department at Saint Mary's College.
Favorite Destinations: Rome, Italy; Assisi, Italy; Fiesole, Italy; Pompeii, Italy; London, England; Transylvania, Romania; Budapest, Hungry; and Athens, Greece.
Nooy has worked in Thailand’s tourism industry for over 30 years. Originally based in Bangkok, Nooy moved to Chiang Mai almost 20 years ago. A graduate of Chiang Mai University’s Master of Arts in Tourism Industry Management, Nooy enjoys getting to know the students and providing an insight into Thai life and culture. Nooy loves the markets of Chiang Mai and considers herself an expert shopper. You definitely want to go shopping with Nooy when you’re in Chiang Mai.
Daniela Papi, Advisor, Cambodia
Daniela is the director and founder of PEPY, an educational development organization working in rural Cambodia. PEPY focuses on building the capacity of teachers and communities to increase access to quality education. Daniela is active in the "Voluntourism" sector speaking regularly on the potential negative effects of this growing trend, while encouraging industry players to be self-reflective and proactive in measuring their impact. PEPY was the winner of the Notre Dame Social Venture Business Plan Competition and a 2009 National Geographic Geotourism Challenge Winner. Daniela, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, has lived and worked in Asia for the past eight years and is based in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Favorite Destinations: Cambodia (of course!) and Papua New Guinea
Chris Shepherd, Director
Chris has been the Director for the U.S. operations since 1995 and co-founded The Education Abroad Network and Study Australia, LLC. He has twice lived abroad in Australia and has traveled extensively throughout Australia and Africa and has visited New Zealand, China, Greece and numerous countries within Southeast Asia. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a member of NAFSA and The Forum on Education Abroad.
Favorite Destinations: Capetown, South Africa; Santorini, Greece; Fremantle, Western Australia
Simon Shi, Staff Assistant, Beijing
Simon was born in Zhejiang Province in 1978 and moved to Beijing in 1987 to attend Yongdingmen School. Following his graduation from school, Simon joined Integrated Education Services Global Limited upon the opening of their Beijing office in 2004. Since that time, he has gained international exposure and developed the skills necessary for working with students in the education industry. He is also currently researching the viability of home stays in China, as he has strong aspirations of developing this particular industry in China. Simon joined the Education Abroad Network as a Staff Assistant in the Fall of 2008, putting to use the skills he has gained over the last several years working in the education industry.
Ashley Smith, Resident Advisor, New Zealand
Originally from New Hampshire, USA, Ashley studied abroad in Auckland with The Education Abroad Network in 2009. Ashley graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of New Hampshire in 2010 and since then has relocated to New Zealand. Ashley resides in Auckland.
Favorite Destinations: Auckland, New Zealand; Chaing Mai, Thailand; Paris, France
Rita Veron, Enrollment Coordinator
Rita brings more than five years of experience working in higher education to The Education Abroad Network. She has studied abroad twice, living in Rome, Italy and San Jose, Costa Rica. She also has served as a volunteer tutor for adult ESL students. A Chicago native, Rita has been fortunate to travel to parts of Asia, Africa, Central America, Europe, and North America. She holds a B.A. in Romance Languages and Literatures (focus in Spanish and Italian) from the University of Notre Dame and an M.S. in Journalism from Roosevelt University.
Favorite Destinations: Rome, Italy; Cinque Terre, Italy; and Seville, Spain
Joanne Wong, Director - China Programs
Joanne has been involved in international education for over 15 years. For the last 10 of those years, she has been very active in developing networks within China. In addition to being the China Programs Manager for The Education Abroad Network, Joanne is the Director of an international education company which fosters cultural awareness through teaching and internship exchange and has responsibility for the operations in China. She has established a network of quality education providers in China, as well a strong links to government which are now an integral part of the program. Her experience and knowledge of international education in China has been a great asset to The Education Abroad Network.
Matthew Wong, Student Liaison, Beijing
Matt has been with the Education Abroad Network since the Fall of 2008. He was born in Sydney, Australia and has been living in Beijing, China since April 2008. He completed his Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting/Marketing) at Macquarie University, and has worked in the accounting field for over 4 years whilst maintaining an interest in marketing and business development. He has travelled extensively throughout the world visiting such locations as England, Canada, USA, Pacific Islands and many Asian countries. Matt is currently based in China as he fulfills his aspirations to work in business development and marketing. He sees China as the ideal location for this line of work as it has as much to offer him as it does to the rest of the world.
Favorite Destinations: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Canada; USA
In addition, The Education Abroad Network utilizes several Program Representatives and support staff in the United States and overseas to help administer and market the programs. All of the support personnel have previously studied, lived, or worked abroad and can provide unique insight into the study abroad experience.
