US Advisory Board
Advisory body for our US business
Dr. Geoffrey Foy
ASSOCIATE PROVOST FOR GRADUATE PROGRAMS PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY
Geoffrey is the Associate Provost for Graduate Programs and Continuing Education at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, USA. In his position, Geoffrey provides leadership and administrative support for existing graduate and continuing education programs as well as strategic planning for developing new programs in these areas.
Originating from Aberdeen, Washington and with familial French and German roots in Yakima, Washington, Geoffrey has a rich and varied background in higher education, including working for three public and five private universities in the U.S. and internationally. He has also had the privilege of traveling to many countries across the globe, learning from and appreciating a huge array of diverse cultures. As Geoffrey often says in relation to perspectives on life, “More is better.”
Dr. George F. Kacenga
VP, ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT
WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
George F. Kacenga, Ph.D., has been a champion for the value of higher education for over twenty years. He is currently the Vice President of Enrollment Management at William Paterson University of New Jersey. He recently worked as the AVP of University Partnerships with M Square Media. Kacenga has served as a Senior International Officer (SIO) working with intensive English programs, international recruitment, immigration, education abroad, and global partnerships throughout a career that includes positions with public, private, and highly-ranked academic institutions.
Also a Fulbright Administrator Award recipient, Kacenga holds a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in Social and Comparative Analysis in Education. His expertise and reputation have been further honed through engagement as a community member, including professional roles and participation in AIRC (Past-President), NAFSA, TAICEP, NACAC, AACRAO, AIEA, and FEA.
Dr. Sabine C. Klahr
ASSOCIATE VICE PROVOST ,
PENN STATE GLOBAL
Sabine C. Klahr has worked to foster internationalization of higher education for more than 20 years.
In 1998, Klahr obtained her doctorate degree in higher education leadership from Montana State University-Bozeman. Prior to her PhD works, she earned her bachelors and masters degree in botany from the University of Oklahoma, then went on to teach secondary science and outdoor education after completing a graduate program at the University of Colorado-Boulder.
After beginning her career in education abroad, she later worked as a senior international officer at numerous US schools before accepting her position at Penn State.
She also served as president of the Association for International Education Administrators (AIEA), the premier organization for leaders in this field, in 2013.
Dr. Pia Wood
VICE PROVOST & DEAN OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS & ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
Dr. Pia Wood oversees study-abroad and international student and scholar programs, international partnerships, an intensive English language program, and international recruitment at the University of North Texas.
She is also the former president of the Association for International Education Administrators (AIEA) and the American International Recruitment Council (AIRC).
Pia was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities grant, a Joseph T. Malone Faculty Fellowship, and a Fulbright-Hays Fellowship to Turkey. Moreover, she has written extensively about EU politics and French foreign policy.
She graduated from the College of William and Mary with a Bachelor’s in Economics and French, a Master’s in International Business from the University of South Carolina, a Master’s in Latin American Studies from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Geneva in Switzerland.
Dr. Laurie Nichols
PRESIDENT,
BLACK HILL STATE UNIVERSITY
Laurie Nichols is a renowned educator and academic administrator serving as the 11th president of Black Hills State University. She previously served as the 27th president of the University of Wyoming, the first woman to hold that post, from May 2016 until June 2019.
Prior positions include provost, vice president for academic affairs, interim president, and dean. She also served as a Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) Commissioner from May 2017 until June 2019. Laurie is known for her leadership strategies anchored on cost-effective solutions and all-inclusive student services.
Vanessa Andrade
DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS/DEPUTY SENIOR INTERNATIONAL OFFICER CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
Vanessa Andrade brings over 20 years of experience working in the international education industry in both the private and public sectors in the United States and overseas. She is an expert in the areas of student recruitment, program partnership development, agency screening and management, new program development, external relations expansion, program operations, and customer service support.
She is currently the director of International Partnerships and Program Development and Deputy Senior International Officer at California State University, Northridge.
May Arthur
PRINCIPAL
CONSULTANT, USA
May Arthur is an accomplished leader in higher education with almost 30 years of experience. Originally an international student, May holds a Bachelor of Science from Northeastern University and an MBA from Simmons University. She’s held leadership roles at numerous organizations, including Gateway International Group and IEG Consulting.
May has built an educational services center, designed university collaborations to recruit international students, and held a number of senior positions where she was responsible for commercial development and organizational growth. She was most recently the Vice President for Global Partnerships at MSM, and before that, she worked as a consultant assisting institutions in retaining and graduating international students. A committed member of various industry organizations like NAFSA and English USA, May has contributed to international education in the US through conference presentations and board service. With experience traveling to over 35 countries and recruiting students from more than 15, her understanding of international market needs is vast.
Dr. Deborah Freund
PRESIDENT EMERITA, CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
Deborah Freund, MA, MPH, PhD is a university professor and President Emerita at Claremont Graduate University. Prior to serving as a college president, she served as Provost of Syracuse University and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Indiana University in Bloomington.
In the past, she served as executive director of the American Society of Health Economists. She was very active while at Syracuse University in the Association of American Universities. She was the first Provost to serve on the board of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).
Other current and past board appointments include the board of Cedars-Sinai Health System, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, San Antonio Regional Hospital, The Los Angeles Fair Association, and the Inland Empire Academic Partnership.