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OIA Staff
Ross Lewin, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for International Affairs
Dr. Lewin is responsible for the strategic planning and direction of the University of Maryland’s internationalization efforts. As the associate vice president for international affairs, he leads the office and its units in enhancing international programs and services for both the campus community and international visitors; promoting the internationalization of UMD undergraduate and graduate programs; and developing strategic partnerships with leading academic and research institutions, international corporations, and governmental and non-governmental organizations around the world. Dr. Lewin came to UMD in 2012 from the University of Connecticut, where he worked as the executive director of the Office of Global Programs and director of the Office of Study Abroad. He earned his B.A. in politics and literature from the University of California Santa Cruz and both his M.A. and his Ph.D. in German studies from Stanford University.
Lucie Covey
Executive Assistant
Lucie Covey handles appointments, travel, and other support work for the associate vice president for international affairs. She is also responsible for the university's international visitors program. She started with OIA in 1998, after working at the Supreme Court and as a financial consultant. She has a B.A. in business administration from the University of Maryland.
Leanne Johnson
Director, International Risk Management
Leanne Johnson has been a part of the University’s Education Abroad team since 2013, overseeing risk management, scholarships, registration, statistical reporting and several other operational functions. She is a member of the State Department’s Overseas Advisory Council and its Academic Working Group, The Forum on Education Abroad, and the University Risk Management and Insurance Association. Before coming to the University of Maryland, she served as the Assistant Director for the Global Perspective Program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), in Worcester, Massachusetts. She has also worked for the City of Riverside in California, California's 51st Assembly District, the Pacific Council on International Policy, the Peace Corps, and the Clinton Administration. Leanne completed her own study abroad experience in Yaounde, Cameroon and has since traveled professionally to countries in Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. She holds a master's degree in international communication from American University and a bachelor's degree in business administration from Washington Adventist University.
Raluca Nahorniac, Ph.D.
Associate Director
Dr. Nahorniac is primarily responsible for developing Global Classrooms: project-based virtual courses offered in collaboration with partner universities abroad. Prior to joining the University of Maryland, she served as the global partnerships coordinator in the Office of Global Affairs at the University of Connecticut. Previously, she was a lecturer and projects manager at the National School of Political Studies and Public Administration in Bucharest, Romania. She has an undergraduate degree in sociology from the University of Bucharest and a doctoral degree in anthropology from Università degli Studi di Perugia.
Franne Van der Keilen
Director of Communications
Amanda Quinn
Assistant Director of Communications
Amanda joined the OIA communications team in January 2020 and works to develop and execute dynamic communications and marketing strategies in support of OIA and its units. She previously managed digital content strategy for the National Museum of Health and Medicine. She holds B.A.s in Anthropology and Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture, with a Biology minor, from Syracuse University and an M.A. in Communications from Johns Hopkins University. Her experience growing up in Colombia, Australia, Japan, and the Netherlands, and studying abroad throughout Latin America as an undergrad has instilled a deep appreciation for the value of international education and cross-cultural exchange.
Carly Jimeson
Communications/Marketing Coordinator
Joseph B. Scholten, Ph.D.
Associate Director
Dr. Scholten manages UMD's international agreements, coordinates the Maryland Global Leaders speaker series with campus partners, and serves as director of the Maryland Study Centre at Kiplin Hall, U.K.. He is also the campus representative for Fulbright programs for faculty and staff, and is himself a two-time Fulbright awardee. Prior to joining UMD in 2001, he was associate professor of history at Michigan State University and assistant professor of history at Portland State University. He earned an A.B. in history and classical civilization from the University of Michigan, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in ancient mediterranean history and archaeology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Taylor Woodman, Ph.D.
Associate Director
Taylor Woodman supports the development of resources to support faculty as they infuse global learning components into their courses and programs. Taylor also holds an appointment of Assistant Clinical Professor of International Education Policy in the College of Education. Prior to joining OIA, Taylor served as the Manager of Advising Services in the Office for Study Abroad at the George Washington University. Taylor researches and teaches on academic mobility, academic diplomacy,technology and international exchange, issues in international higher education and Cuban education. Taylor holds a B.A. in Public and Urban Affairs from Virginia Tech and a M.A. & Ph.D. in International Education Policy from the University of Maryland.
Lei Bao
Program Coordinator
Lei currently supports the operations and administration of Global Classrooms courses. She works directly with instructors on scheduling, enrollment and course management concerns. Beyond her work with Global Classrooms, she also serves as program manager for the Office of China Affairs. Prior to joining the University of Maryland in 2011, Lei worked as a manager of executive education programs at a private firm in the DC area, and before that, executive assistant to the president at the International Judicial Academy. Lei obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from Zhejiang University, P. R. China, and Master of Laws degree from the George Washington University.
Catalina Moraga
Graduate Assistant
As Graduate Assistant for Global Learning Operations, Catalina Moraga supports the activities of the Global Learning office, including the Global Classrooms courses, within the Office of International Affairs. Catalina is from Chile and is currently a master's student in International Education Policy at the College of Education of the University of Maryland. Before joining the OIA, she worked as a research assistant at Millenium Nucleus: Student Experience in Higher Education in Chile. Catalina holds two bachelor's degrees in sociology and design from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
David Chike Udeagha
Undergraduate Assistant
David is a Computer Science and Information Science dual degree undergraduate student at UMD. He joined the Global Classrooms team through the Federal Work-Study program. He supports the operation of Global Classrooms as a program assistant. In his spare time, he enjoys playing basketball, competitive coding and developing apps to provide solutions to real life problems around the world.
Mary Fortier
Director of Administrative Services
Mary Fortier oversees administrative services for OIA and its business units. She started with OIA in 2016, after working 15 years for Financial Services at Towson University. She earned her B.S. in African-American Studies from Northeastern University and M.Ed. in Distance Education and e-Learning from the University of Maryland University College.
Wil Biddle
Associate Director, Administrative Services
As the associate director of administrative services, Wil works closely with Education Abroad's finances and program budgets. He began his career in mutual fund analysis in corporate America, but made the transition to international education, while maintaining a strong interest in budgeting and finance.Wil's previous professional experience includes working in study abroad outreach in the United States and five years working in Student Life at Hamad bin Khalifa University in Doha, Qatar. Wil earned his MBA from Bloomsburg University, PA.
Jordan Angeloro
Assistant Director, HR, Finance & Training
Jordan started with OIA in January 2019, previously working in the HR Department at UMBC. Before working in the University System of Maryland, she worked in HR in the accounting field as well as the transportation industry. Originally from West Virginia, she attended Shepherd University and holds a Bachelor's in Business Administration with a concentration in HR Management as well as a Master’s Degree in HR Management from University of Maryland Global Campus.
Folami Young
Business Manager
Folami became a member of the OIA team in October 2022. She has spent 16 years of her professional career working in the field of education. Prior to joining the UMD family, she was a part of the Undergraduate Admission team at Moravian University in Pennsylvania. Folami is originally from New York City and she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Marist College.
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