About Us
Mission & Staff
USF Education Abroad Mission Statement
The Education Abroad Office promotes global competency by supporting and creating high-impact, innovative, and accessible international experiences for students.
Tampa campus
Wendy Baker, Interim Director of Education Abroad
Wendy Baker is responsible for leading global engagement for USF World 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
Rene Sanchez, Assistant Director of Education Abroad
Mr. Sanchez joined the Education Abroad Office in the fall of 2001. He is a USF graduate,
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.
Email: Send A Message
Phone: (813) 974-3104
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鈥檚 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 USF and 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 USF Inclusive Excellence Award.
Her passion for promoting global competency and the United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals drives her to inspire students for academic success at USF and empowers them
to study abroad.
Email: Send A Message
Phone: (813) 974-8450
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鈥檚 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.
Email: Send A Message
Phone: (813) 974-3274
Earle Trott, Coordinator - Global Travel Safety and Health
Earle Trott is the Global Travel Safety and Health Coordinator at USF World. He has
worked at the 91社区 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.
Email: Send A Message
Phone: (813) 974-7631
Nancy Di Bella, Education Abroad Program Developer
Ms. Di Bella develops USF faculty-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鈥檚 degree in Venezuela and
a Master鈥檚 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鈥� experiences abroad from many angles yet she never ceases to be
amazed by its transformative power.
Email: Send A Message
Phone: (813) 974-1969
Elena Efremova, Education Abroad Program Developer
Elena Efremova is a Program Developer overseeing a portfolio of over 20 faculty-led
programs, including USF in London, one of university鈥檚 flagship study abroad programs.
Elena was born and raised in the Far East of Russia, where she received her Bachelor鈥檚 and Master鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 USF Education 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 USF students.
Email: Send A Message
Phone: (813) 974-6789
Chloe King, Student Programs Coordinator
Chloe King is the Student Program Coordinator for select faculty-led study abroad
programs at the 91社区. 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 USF Education 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.
Email: Send A Message
Teresa Flaitz, Student Programs Coordinator
Teresa Flaitz is the Student Programs Coordinator for affiliate study abroad and international
internship programs at the 91社区. A proud USF alumna, 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.
Email: Send A Message
Victoria Keitel, Student Programs Coordinator
Victoria coordinates the Global Exchange Program at USF World 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.
Email: Send A Message
Dana Almasri, Education Abroad Marketing and Communication Specialist
Dana Almasri serves as the marketing and communications specialist for Education Abroad
at the 91社区, where she combines creativity and strategy to
inspire students to explore global opportunities. A proud USF alumna, Dana earned
her bachelor's degree before advancing her expertise with a master鈥檚 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.
Email: Send A Message
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 Espa帽ol 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.
Email: Send A Message
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.
Email: Send A Message
Phone: (813) 974-3933
St.Petersburg campus
Wendy Baker, Campus Director
Wendy Baker is responsible for leading global engagement for USF World 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
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.
Email: Send A Message
Phone: 727-873-4270
Sarasota-Manatee campus
Brandon McLeod, Ph.D., Campus Director
Brandon is responsible for leading internationalization and global engagement activities
for USF World 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 USF Education 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鈥檚 outlook and appreciation of different cultures.
Email: Send A Message
Phone: 941-359-4266