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Wendy Baker, Interim Director of Education Abroad
Wendy Baker is responsible for leading global engagement for ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵWorld at the St. Petersburg campus. She is serves on the Education Abroad leadership team, oversees the Education Abroad Advisory Council, and co-leads the Virtual Global Exchange (VGE) initative with Mr. Sanchez. 

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Phone: 727-873-4851

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Rene Sanchez, Assistant Director of Education Abroad
Mr. Sanchez joined the Education Abroad Office in the fall of 2001. He is a ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵgraduate, with a Bachelor of the Arts in Psychology and a minor in International Studies. He completed his Master of Education with a focus on Instructional Technology and Curriculum Design. His passion for international education led him to complete study abroad programs in Greece, Italy, Turkey, Switzerland, Peru, and the United Kingdom; later leading programs to the United Kingdom and France. He currently serves the office as the Assistant Director for Operations where he acts as the primary contact for faculty development, contracting, virtual global exchange, and oversees the program development and exchanges team.

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Phone: (813) 974-3104

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Raheleh "Rahi" Dayerizadeh, Ph.D, Assistant Director of Education Abroad
Rahi has diverse experience in higher education as an academic advisor, instructor, coordinator, and leadership that she brings to her role as assistant director for student services in Education Abroad. As an academic advisor for Pre-law, Political Science, International Studies, Africana Studies, and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, and the Judy Genshaft Honors College, with over 17+ years of experience in public higher education, Dr. Dayerizadeh brings a unique interdisciplinary critical perspective to curriculum and global learning and program development. During COVID, through the Global Citizen Project, she directed a global virtual program called Operation: Global Action which connected over 1000 students together from ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵand UniNorte to collaborate on projects promoting the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  Over the years, she has taught 25+ courses in the areas of World Perspectives, Comparative Politics, Geo-perspectives, Conflicts in the World, Politics of Developing Areas, Women in the Middle East and North Africa, and Women in Development. Furthermore, she has studied abroad in Argentina and has helped direct education abroad programs in the UK and France. She is well traveled, and speaks fluent Farsi, and has proficiency in Arabic, and Spanish. She has served on multiple committees including co-chairing the UGS Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee and has been nominated for the ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵInclusive Excellence Award. Her passion for promoting global competency and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals drives her to inspire students for academic success at ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵand empowers them to study abroad.

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Phone: (813) 974-8450

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Neil MacNeil, Assistant Director - Global Travel Safety and Health

Neil MacNeil comes from an academic family as his father was a Professor at Penn State University.  Neil’s first significant overseas experience was as a Fulbright kid in Ankara Turkey.  He is a graduate of Penn State University with a degree in International Politics.  After a tour of duty in the US Navy, Neil spent 25 years with the US State Department as a Special Agent and security specialist with the Diplomatic Security Service.  He has lived overseas in Haiti, Jerusalem, Cameroon, Serbia, and Belgium and has travelled to and/or worked in over 75 countries.  His most recent job after retirement was as the interim Global Safety Manager at Penn State Global.   

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Phone: (813) 974-3274

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Earle Trott, Coordinator - Global Travel Safety and Health
Earle Trott is the Global Travel Safety and Health Coordinator at ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵWorld. He has worked at the ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵ since 2019.  He served 21 years in the US Army and attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During his military service, Earle served as a Field Artillery Officer and a Middle East and North Africa Foreign Area Officer. As a Foreign Area Officer, he traveled the region extensively, trained alongside US partners and served in U.S. Diplomatic Missions in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Egypt.  He earned his M.A. in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University. He holds a B.A in Elementary Education from Bowie State University and an A.A degree in Arabic Language from the Defense Language Institute. 

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Phone: (813) 974-7631

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Nancy Di Bella, Education Abroad Program Developer
Ms. Di Bella develops ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵfaculty-led programs in Latin America, the Caribbean, the Iberian Peninsula, Greece, Italy, Japan and Africa. Born and raised in Venezuela, she grew up bicultural and bilingual completing a Bachelor’s degree in Venezuela and a Master’s at USF. Beginning in 2005 she led many Education Abroad programs to Costa Rica and Ecuador as faculty before joining the Education Abroad Office in 2014. She has seen students’ experiences abroad from many angles yet she never ceases to be amazed by its transformative power.

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Phone: (813) 974-1969

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Elena Efremova, Education Abroad Program Developer
Elena Efremova is a Program Developer overseeing a portfolio of over 20 faculty-led programs, including ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵin London, one of university’s flagship study abroad programs.

Elena was born and raised in the Far East of Russia, where she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Foreign Languages and  International Economics. She also completed a State Department-sponsored exchange program at Dickinson College, Pennsylvania before starting her 20+ years career with the U.S. Diplomatic Mission back in Russia.  As part of the State Department’s Public Diplomacy office, Elena has managed an array of cultural and academic exchanges and professional partnership projects between Russia and the United States. She also served as a liaison between the Library of Congress and the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and facilitated visits of the Librarian of Congress to Russia. Elena moved to Tampa and joined the ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵEducation Abroad Office in 2018. She enjoys working with faculty and partners overseas to help create and implement amazing study abroad opportunities that empower and transform lives of ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵstudents. 

Email: Send A Message
Phone: (813) 974-6789

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Chloe King, Student Programs Coordinator
Chloe King is the Student Program Coordinator for select faculty-led study abroad programs at the ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵ. She is a Tampa native and alumna of USF, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Communication. Chloe began her study abroad experience in Italy with the Summer 2022 program with Florence University of the Arts. During her undergraduate years, she served as a student recruiter for Education Abroad where her passion for international education began. Chloe brings her experience as a ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵEducation Abroad alumna to her role, where she supports students throughout each step of their study abroad journeys. She is currently located in the Global Student Hub in FAO 011 and encourages anyone interested in studying abroad to stop by and start their journey.

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Teresa Flaitz, Student Programs Coordinator
Teresa Flaitz is the Student Programs Coordinator for affiliate study abroad and international internship programs at the ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵ. A proud ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵalumna, Teresa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics with a minor in Computer Science and a certificate in Visualization & Design.

Teresa's journey into international education began with her own transformative study abroad experience at Florence University of the Arts in Summer 2019. After graduating, she taught English for two years at Yeocheon Elementary School in Yeosu, South Korea, followed by three months of backpacking across Asia and Oceania. Additionally, Teresa has worked with ESOL students in the U.S., providing targeted support to help them enhance their English skills.

Passionate about helping students grow through travel and cultural appreciation, Teresa is dedicated to inspiring others to explore the world through study abroad opportunities.

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Victoria Keitel, Student Programs Coordinator
Victoria coordinates the Global Exchange Program at ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵWorld Education Abroad. Her passion for international travel and education began in high school, when she participated in two separate Student Ambassador programs, which took her to Italy, Greece, France, the Netherlands, England, Belgium, Wales, and Ireland. She further deepened her global experience by studying abroad in Florence, Italy, during her college years. She is excited to help students embark on their own global education experiences.

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Dana Almasri, Education Abroad Marketing and Communication Specialist
Dana Almasri serves as the marketing and communications specialist for Education Abroad at the ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵ, where she combines creativity and strategy to inspire students to explore global opportunities. A proud ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵalumna, Dana earned her bachelor's degree before advancing her expertise with a master’s degree from Georgetown University, specializing in public relations and corporate communications with a focus on strategic marketing. Her professional experience is rooted in graphic design, social media content creation, and storytelling, crafting compelling campaigns that engage and captivate diverse audiences. Passionate about the transformative power of international education, Dana leverages her skills to connect students with enriching study abroad experiences, fostering cultural exchange and global awareness.

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Carolina Ferreyros, Global Learning Advisor
Carolina Ferreyros serves as the Global Citizens Award and Peace Corps Prep Program Coordinator, providing recruitment, advising, and mentorship to guide students through these transformative opportunities. Her efforts aim to expand and enhance these programs, fostering global engagement among students.

Carolina brings extensive experience as a K-12 educator, where she guided students through complex global education opportunities and developed impactful curricula. She earned dual BAs in International and Global Studies and Spanish, with a minor in Latin American Studies, from Elon University. Carolina was heavily involved in El Centro de Español supporting international students and planning events, fostering the institution's international mission. Carolina brings a great deal of international experience to our team, having grown up in Lima, Peru and studying abroad in Argentina and Greece during her time at Elon, which allowed her to develop her passion for global education and cultural exploration.

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Hong Wu , Fiscal Business Specialist

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William Terrell (Terrell), Fiscal Business Specialist

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Trang Ly, Enrollment Specialist

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Gary Bellamy, Technology and Systems Analyst
Gary has over 25 years experience in Data Analysis, Telecommunications and IT in the private sector. A U.S. Patent holder and experience with Lean/Six Sigma methodologies. 

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Phone: (813) 974-3933

Wendy Baker, Campus Director
Wendy Baker is responsible for leading global engagement for ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵWorld at the St. Petersburg campus. She is serves on the Education Abroad leadership team, oversees the Education Abroad Advisory Council, and co-leads the Virtual Global Exchange (VGE) initative with Mr. Sanchez. 

Email: Send A Message
Phone: 727-873-4851

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Joseph Kenny, Student Programs Coordinator
Mr. Kenny is responsible for promoting and marketing education abroad programming across USF, the registration of student-related travel, and providing supporting services for outgoing and incoming exchange students at the St. Petersburg campus.

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Phone: 727-873-4270

Brandon McLeod, Ph.D., Campus Director
Brandon is responsible for leading internationalization and global engagement activities for ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵWorld at the Sarasota-Manatee campus. Additionally, he oversees Education Abroad Scholarships and Visiting Scholar Programming for all three campuses. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi in Higher Education with a graduate minor in Applied Statistics. His dissertation is titled "". He also co-authored the chapter "" with Dr. George S. McClellan, which appears in Shephard and Perry's "". Brandon also holds a Master of Arts in Teaching Languages (TESOL) from the University of Southern Mississippi, a Master of Arts in English and Writing from the University of South Alabama, and a Bachelor of Arts in English, with minors in French and Philosophy from Spring Hill College.  Prior to joining USF, he served as the Assistant Director for International Programs at the University of Mississippi and, prior to that, taught English to speakers of other languages in both the US and Japan. His research interests include international and comparative higher education, instructional technology and online learning, belonging, and widening participation. 

Email: Send A Message
Phone: (941)359-4314

Phal Patel, Fiscal Business Analyst
Phal is a Fiscal & Business Analyst for ¹ú²ú¶ÌÊÓƵEducation Abroad programs. Born and raised in India, she is bilingual and graduated with a Bachelors and Masters in Clinical Psychology from India and MBA in Management from Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut. 

Though she never had an opportunity to participate in a study abroad experience, she has a passion for traveling and has traveled extensively within the United States and internationally. She believes that traveling enhances one’s outlook and appreciation of different cultures. 

Email: Send A Message
Phone: 941-359-4266