Our team is made up of faculty, staff, and students primarily but not exclusively affiliated with William & Mary’s School of Education. While most everyone on our team is involved in a research project or two, some members of our team also play key organizational and leadership roles in advancing the CCIERI’s work.
Alena Chaplygina
Alena is a Ph.D. student in the Educational Planning, Policy, and Leadership program, with a Higher Education concentration, at William and Mary. Prior coming to the U.S., Alena worked as a head for the center for Languages and Cultures at a public university at her home country, and was responsible for a wide variety of study abroad programs. This role sparked her interest in the internationalization of higher education. Her passion for the subject deepened after receiving a Fulbright grant, which allowed her to teach Russian in the U.S. In the future, Alena hopes to use her experiences to enhance internationalization efforts. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alena-chaplygina/
Shaimaa Ibrahim
Shaimaa Ibrahim is an interdisciplinary researcher, educator, and advocate for inclusive, equity-driven change in higher education. Currently pursuing her Ph.D. in HE Administration at W&M, her research focuses on internationalization, First Amendment rights on campus, and diversity and inclusion policies. Her academic work is deeply shaped by her lived experiences as a Middle Eastern woman navigating multiple cultural and linguistic identities across global education systems. A Fulbright alumna and lifelong educator, Shaimaa has taught and mentored multilingual and international students in the U.S. and abroad. As a teacher, instructional designer, and academic coach, Shaimaa seeks to bridge divides and foster environments where every student feels seen and valued. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaimaa-al-sawan-7a3a5540/
Jacqueline Kassteen
Jackie is the Founder and Managing Director of Jackfruit Marketing, a boutique consultancy that helps institutions increase international student enrollments and gain a competitive advantage through brand differentiation, innovative marketing techniques, highly targeted creative content, and active alumni ambassadors. Having lived in 8 countries, Jackie is known as a top industry analyst with extensive breadth and depth of knowledge in international education and student recruitment. With 20+ years of international marketing experience, she is also a member of the London Speaker Bureau and regularly gives plenaries around the world as well as runs her own training sessions and masterclasses. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinekassteen/
Lindsey Kline
Lindsey currently works in the Office of International Programs at the Alamo Colleges District in San Antonio, Texas. She has over a decade of experience working with students and faculty in international higher education and her current professional efforts are dedicated to Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) and incorporating virtual exchange as an internationalization strategy. Lindsey received her undergraduate degree in Global Studies from the College of William and Mary, her master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Virginia and has a dual title Ph.D. in Higher Education and Comparative and International Education from Penn State University. Her research interests include critical internationalization, global health education, and virtual exchanges. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseyjkline/
Suzanne LaVenture
Suzanne LaVenture is the retired Director of International Education at Davidson-Davie Community College. Suzanne participated on a 2016 Fulbright Seminar in Russia and served as a Fulbright alumni ambassador. She has decades of experience working with international students and Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants and Scholars-in-Residence. Suzanne led and managed dozens of short-term study abroad programs on six continents. She was instrumental in the creation of the NC Scholars of Global Distinction program. Suzanne is the author of Prone to Wander, published in 2025 by Sibylline Press, a memoir detailing her life and career in community college international education. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-laventure-19980866/
Christian Botwe Nyarko
Christian is a second-year Ph.D. student in Higher Education Administration (Educational Policy Planning and Leadership) at the College of William and Mary, in Williamsburg, Virginia. His research interest lies in the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) tools in university administration and digital internationalization in higher education. Specifically, he is interested in how digital tools and technologies are reshaping the global landscape of higher education. He holds a Bachelor of Education in Business Management and Economics and a Master of Business Administration (Human Resource Management) from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-botwe-nyarko-013a0775/
Kylie Parks
Kylie is a doctoral candidate in the EdD program in Global Education at SIT Graduate Institute. Her research explores the identity development and repatriation experiences of Third Culture Kids, with a particular focus on how educational institutions support or hinder their transitions “home.” Kylie brings a global perspective to her work, having grown up across multiple countries as a Third Culture Kid herself. She currently teaches undergraduate leadership courses at Chapman University, including topics such as emotional intelligence and DEI in leadership. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylieparks/
Rosalind Latiner Raby
Rosalind Latiner Raby, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer at California State University, Northridge in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Department. She is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education,is Deputy Editor of the Journal of Further and Higher Education, and is Director of California Colleges for International Education, a non-profit consortium of California community colleges. Since 1984, Dr. Raby has worked with and studied community college internationalization. Dr. Raby is highly published in over 55 academic journals and has published 15 books. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosalind-raby-a3048a24/
Yi-Yun (Minnie) Tsai
Minnie is a PhD student in the Counselor Education and Supervision Program at William and Mary. Minnie has previously served as a school counselor, college counselor, elementary school teacher, high school teacher, and residence hall director. Her research interests include youth mental health, international student support, play therapy, school counselor advocacy, and creative interventions. Minnie received her first master’s degree in education from University of Pennsylvania, and her second master’s degree in counseling from Villanova University. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yi-yun-minnie-tsai-5ba47a275/
Melissa Whatley
Melissa is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education in William and Mary’s School of Education. Dr. Whatley’s research applies mixed methods and advanced quantitative approaches to explore policies and practices that diversify both who accesses international education and the outcomes of these opportunities, especially within the context of U.S. community colleges. Whatley is author of An Introduction to Quantitative Analysis for International Educators (Springer, 2022) and co-editor of Digital Internationalization in Higher Education: Moving Beyond Virtual Exchange (Routledge, 2023). LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-whatley-482053266/ Faculty webpage with contact information: https://education.wm.edu/ourfacultystaff/faculty/whatley-m.php
Bingqing (Bianca) Wu
Bianca is a Ph.D. student in the Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership program with a concentration in Higher Education Administration at William & Mary. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Southern California and a B.A. in International Relations and Economics from Syracuse University. Her early experiences in international policy and nonprofit work led her to focus on education, where she became passionate about equity-driven reform. Bianca’s research interests lie at the intersection of internationalization, inclusive learning environments, and higher education policy. She is particularly interested in how institutions can support diverse student populations through data-informed and culturally responsive strategies. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bingqingwu0826/
Supporters
William & Mary School of Education
The William & Mary School of Education prepares transformative leaders for a rapidly-changing world and educational landscape. Our faculty, students, alumni and partners are constantly working to create new knowledge in the fields of educational theory, practice and policy — then taking that research and developing meaningful ways to put it to work in classrooms and clinics.
We partner with schools and other educational institutions to improve and empower communities locally, throughout Virginia and beyond. Our centers and projects identify emerging needs, provide ongoing professional development for practitioners, address issues of access and equity, and develop innovative solutions to local and global challenges in education.
Jackfruit Marketing
From top-line strategy to execution and training, Jackfruit Marketing specializes in branding, recruitment and retention strategies through online and offline marketing techniques. They work with clients around the world and across each level of international education, from K-12 up to postgraduate, language schools, associations, and service providers (e.g. accommodation, insurance, tech companies).