Our People
Every member of our team has studied, traveled, volunteered, interned, and/or taught abroad, and we understand how life-changing an experiential program can be. We’re here to advise you, work with you throughout the application process, prepare you before your program begins, and support you while you’re abroad.
Our resident staff provides support from the moment you arrive, helps orient you to your new country and host organization, and ensures that you are successful throughout your time abroad.
U.S.-Based Team
Director
Hailing from San Jose, CA and eager to explore the world, Kristine studied abroad in Durham, England and Lund, Sweden before graduating from Santa Clara University in 2006 with a B.A. in Communication. Prior to joining ISA in 2011, Kristine lived and worked in Australia and South Korea. In 2014, she earned her M.B.A. at St. Edward's University with an emphasis in Global Entrepreneurship.
As a veteran of the service-learning department, Kristine is excited by the growth of experiential program offerings and models. Observing student progress and development from connections made with host communities abroad is what keeps her ticking. Kristine has traveled to over 35 countries and hopes to travel to at least 35 more.
Program Manager
Rachel is the Program Manager for Experiential Programs in Spain and Ireland. She graduated from Indiana University Bloomington with degrees in Spanish and sociology and is currently pursuing her master's degree in international education from SIT Graduate Institute. Rachel is passionate about experiential education and has been lucky enough to participate in a number of experiential education programs herself, including teaching in Spain, serving as a Team Leader in AmeriCorps NCCC, and working as a field instructor in East Africa for gap year students. She now strives to bring experiential education opportunities to future students. In her free time, Rachel can be found playing volleyball and trying to memorize the lyrics to new songs.
Program Manager
Veronika is originally from the north of the Czech Republic. As a European located in the heart of Europe, she always had easy access to international travel and has visited most of Europe. Last year she graduated from The University in Sunderland in the UK with a degree in Business and Human Resource Management. Thanks to studying abroad, she undertook a year-long Business and Hospitality Internship in Austin, TX. It was a life-changing milestone that completely influenced her life direction and helped her to permanently relocate across the world to Austin, TX. Outside of Europe, she has traveled to Egypt, the Asian side of Turkey, the USA, and Mexico and would love to explore more places in the United States and nearby countries. Veronika joined WorldStrides in April 2022 as an Executive Administrative Assistant and worked her way up to her current role of Program Manager for International Internships.
Program Manager
Brianna is a Missouri native who holds an undergraduate degree in Global Studies and a minor in Spanish from Missouri State University. During her time at MSU, Brianna had the opportunity to study abroad twice: first a semester in Madrid, Spain, then a short-term program that traveled around Ireland for two weeks. After returning from her semester abroad, Brianna began working as a Global Ambassador in Missouri State’s Education Abroad office, where she discovered her passion for international education and desire to launch a career in this field. After graduating from college, Brianna worked in Admissions at Missouri State before joining the ISA & TEAN team. When she’s not working or traveling, you can find Brianna reading the latest mystery novel, on her favorite local hiking trail, or spoiling her cat, Mildred!
Academic Team
Associate Vice President, Curriculum & Academics
Hailing from Northern California, Elizabeth graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a BA in English and French and then received her MA and PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Texas at Austin. Elizabeth first traveled to Switzerland as a high school exchange student, then studied abroad for a year in Lyon, France, where she enrolled in literature courses with local students and traveled throughout most of Western Europe during long vacations. After graduating from UCLA, she joined the Peace Corps and taught English in Madagascar. Before joining ISA, she taught French language and literature courses at Northern Illinois University and UT-Austin. She loves reading books in their original language (or translations), traveling, camping and going on adventures with her husband and daughter.
Assistant Director, Curriculum & Academics
Born and raised in Central Ohio, Michelle received an Individualized B.A. in Environmental Sociology from Otterbein University and an M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of South Carolina. Despite being an avid solo traveler, she didn't collect most of her passport stamps until her late 20s. Now a self-proclaimed expert in optimizing 48-72 hours at a destination, she is always planning the next adventure. As an international educator who "tripped and fell" into the field, she is passionate about designing experiences that align with students' long-term personal and professional goals. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time outdoors (in moderation), supporting local businesses, and conspiring to take over the world with her cat.
Support Specialist
My name is Andrés, and I was born and raised in Merida—a small city in southeast Mexico. I recently graduated from Law School, and one of my professional goals is to combine my legal background with my passion for travel. I’m also a soccer fan and history buff, which are big reasons I enjoy traveling and learning through travel. Being born in Mexico, in one of Latin America’s top destinations for tourism, culture, and tradition, I’ve made it a personal challenge to see all 32 states before I’m 32. The top international destinations on my bucket list are Norway, Scotland, Austria, and Portugal. I’m eager to follow these passions and have more lifechanging experiences of my own as well as assist you through your next big adventure, wherever your journey may take you!
Resident Staff
Resident Director, Valparaíso, Chile
Lizette Arredondo was born in Valparaíso. She studied English Teaching at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, and later specialized to teach Spanish as a Second Language. She taught Spanish to foreign students for 10 years. She has been ISA' s Resident Director in Valparaíso since August 1996 and enjoys working with foreign students, helping them adapt to the new culture and enjoy their whole experience.
Resident Director, San José, Costa Rica
Adriana studied Bilingual Preschool Education at the Universidad Central. She has worked as a coordinator of camps and recreational activities with youth groups from Costa Rica, the United States and Canada. This experience helped her share ties of friendship, communal work, and cultural exchange. Adriana is an active person who loves to meet new people from different cultures. She also enjoys teaching Spanish and English and has been involved as a tutor of children, youth and adults for 10 years. Thanks to her experience working with students and languages, she is very excited to be able to share and help students to adapt and learn from Costa Rican language and culture.
Student Services Coordinator, San José, Costa Rica
My name is Nicole, and I hold a degree in Social Work from Universidad Libre de Costa Rica. I had the privilege of working with Veritas University as a volunteer, where I assisted international students with their projects, welcomed them to the country, and helped them feel part of the Veritas family. This experience not only enhanced my English proficiency and interpersonal skills but also provided me with a valuable cultural exchange that opened new opportunities for growth in my professional journey. Through my work with study abroad programs, I developed a deep appreciation for cross-cultural understanding and the positive impact that international education has on both students and host communities. Engaging with students from diverse backgrounds allowed me to strengthen my communication skills, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities, all while fostering an environment of inclusion and support. I am passionate about meeting new people and learning about their cultures and traditions. Since my teenage years, I have been driven by a desire to help others, which has inspired my lifelong goal of contributing positively to society, One of my greatest aspirations is to leave a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of those I encounter, whether they are part of my journey or simply passing through.
Student Services & Service-Learning Coordinator, Czech Republic
Lucie joined the ISA family during the summer of 2009. In spring 2010, Lucie graduated from the Faculty of Education at Charles University with a Master's degree in English Language and Literature and German Language and Literature. Lucie provides Czech language tutorials for ISA students wanting to improve their language skills, and is dedicated to making the student experience in Prague an excellent one. She loves traveling and has been to almost every country in Western Europe. In an effort to improve her language and teaching skills, Lucie spent one year in Germany attending the University of Bonn specializing in German, American, and English literature. She also spent time in Florida where her interactions with American and international students showed her the unique opportunity to help students join two worlds together and while sharing the beauties of the Czech Republic.
Resident Director, Galway, Ireland
Born and raised in Puerto Varas, Chile, Karen Appel Stefoni studied at the Duoc UC Professional Institute in Viña del Mar, where she graduated as a Public Relations professional with a minor in Marketing. Karen's dream has always been to improve her skills and learn other languages abroad. This is why she carried out her professional practice in Madrid, Spain. She has worked as Promotion Coordinator at the Duoc UC in Viña del Mar, she served as Alumni Coordinator at the Federico Santa María Technical University and, held the position of Public Engagement National Coordinator at the Santo Tomás University in Santiago. While her professional career was taking shape, Karen never gave up on her dream of going abroad. Therefore, she carried out all the procedures to obtain Italian citizenship and fulfil her greatest desire to emigrate from Chile, in search of better horizons. Once citizenship was obtained, in 2020 Karen travelled to Sweden where she spent two years learning Swedish and teaching English and Spanish at a school in Skellefteå in northern Sweden. However, fate would provide her with a much better opportunity in Ireland, where she currently lives and works at ISA by Worldstrides, in an area she is passionate about and motivates her daily. In her spare time Karen loves to cycle, work out, and do most activities that involve movement. Coming from warmer climates, when she gets the chance, she “runs away” to sunnier cities to worship the sun. She is an avid reader and a fan of Disney and Harry Potter. Her friends and family deem her as a very cheerful, loyal, responsible, hard-working person and a faithful friend.
Resident Director, Meknes, Morocco
Born and raised in Meknes, Iman has a Bachelor's degree in Applied Linguistics and a Master's degree in Communication in Contexts from Mly Ismail University. Iman joined the ISA family in 2008, and working within the field of international education has been a dream come true. She is fluent in classical Arabic, Darija, French and English, and speaks some Italian and German. Iman is a very dedicated and devoted person to her work and enjoy introducing her students to their host culture in Morocco.This remarkable experience with ISA helped her realize how much she likes traveling, which led her to travel extensively to many countries like the USA, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, the UK, the Czech Republic, Germany and Austria. Iman is a passionate reader and an adventerous soul, and she believes that learning is her life mission.
Resident Director, Cusco, Peru
Born in Arequipa and raised in Cusco, Andy studied business administration at the Universidad Inca Garcilaso de la Vega in Lima. Since 2009, he has been part of the ISA Peru team. Andy is passionate about helping ISA students have a wonderful experience abroad. In his free time, he likes to play basketball, soccer, watch TV, and go to the movies.
Service-Learning Coordinator, Cusco, Peru
Roxana grew up in Cusco, Peru and graduated from Universidad San Antonio Abad del Cusco with a bachelor's degree in Tourism and a master's degree in Public Administration. She furthered her studies with a master's degree in Spain focused on Human Rights. In 2008, she had the opportunity to work abroad in the United States through an exchange program in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and joined the ISA Cusco team in 2011. She coordinates a variety of student services, including the ISA service learning programs. She loves to share the Peruvian culture with all ISA participants and support them as they adjust to life in Cusco. Roxana spends her free time preparing baked goods, such as cakes and pies for friends and family, and loves to hike the mountains in her beautiful hometown.
Resident Director, Lima, Peru
Michelle graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a focus on International Management. She studied International Business in Caen, France and Spanish and International Management in Monterrey, Mexico. Michelle joined the ISA team in 1998. Michelle has led programs in Guanajuato, Mexico; Salamanca, Spain; Granada, Spain; Santander, Spain; Sydney, Australia; and Santiago, Dominican Republic. She also accompanied several ISA site visits in Chile and Argentina, and conducted new program research and staff training in Mexico and Brazil. In 2006, Michelle moved to Lima, Peru, where she set-up ISA's first program in Peru, which expanded to include Cusco. Michelle is excited about sharing the Peruvian culture and cuisine with all ISA participants and helping to adjust to life in Lima.
Resident Director, Granada, Spain
Marisa was born and raised in Granada, and returned home to join ISA after many years of international experiences. She lived and worked in Colorado for ten years where she taught Spanish at the University of Denver. Later, she worked as a foreign language teacher in Belgium (University of Louvain La Neuve) for seven years. She holds a bachelor's degree in English/Spanish language and literature, a master degree in anthropology, a Master in Second Language Acquisition and a doctorate in Pedagogy and Didactics (University of Granada). She has also lived and worked in England and Norway. Outside of work, she loves scuba diving, skiing, and spending time outdoors.
Resident Director, Cape Town, South Africa
Ouma Mogale-Mpela has over 20 years’ experience in international higher education in Southern Africa. She was born in the northwest part of South Africa in a small village town called Itsoseng. She moved to Cape Town in the late ‘90s to further her studies in Human Resources Management but later joined the International Office at the University of Cape Town as their Semester Studies Abroad Program Coordinator. Ouma has been a Resident Director in South Africa since 2004. She enjoys and excels at building solid and lasting relationships. She considers herself a student of life, loves traveling to new places, and is the mother of four beautiful children.
Resident Director, Salamanca, Spain
Originally from Cuenca, Spain, Carmen attended the University of Salamanca. There she obtained degrees in Art History and Pedagogy. Before ISA, Carmen got involved with study abroad arranging cultural activities and guiding tours for international students. Carmen joined ISA Salamanca in 2001 and worked there for almost six years before becoming the Santander and Bilbao Resident Director until 2009. She then returned to ISA Salamanca to lead the office there. Her great knowledge of Spanish history and culture makes her an important part of the ISA program in Salamanca. Carmen's cheerfulness helps to create an easy-going environment with ISA students. She is dedicated to making ISA students' experiences in Salamanca rewarding. Carmen enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.
Student Services & Service-Learning Coordinator, Salamanca, Spain
Beatriz was born and raised in Salamanca, where she studied Psychology. After finishing her degree, she worked for two years in Mérida (Extremadura) with people with intellectual disabilities, developing projects focused on facilitating their entrance into the workforce. In 2011, she returned to Salamanca and joined the ISA Salamanca team. What she likes most about her job is the direct contact with students, getting to know them and helping them as much as possible so that they fall in love with her hometown, Salamanca! Bea loves to read, travel, and spend time with her family and friends.
