Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ

Raised in Florida, Christine received her B.A. in Psychology at Florida State University before moving to Chicago to obtain her M.A. in Counseling Psychology at Adler University (formerly The Adler School of Professional Psychology). During her master's program, Christine participated in the federal work-study program in the Student Finance Office, which helped introduce her to the world of student services. For the last decade, she has provided financial counseling to students and their families first in the Student Finance Office and now in the Office of Financial Aid.

Catrina DeBord has been in the field of international education for over 15 years and currently serves as the Senior Associate Director of Global Learning at Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ University overseeing programs and operations. She received her BA in International Relations, International Studies, and Italian from University of Wisconsin-Madison and her MS in Communication from Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ University. Catrina studied abroad in France and Italy and has worked and traveled abroad in various locations throughout Europe, Asia, and North and South America. Before joining Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, Catrina was the Associate Director of International Programs at Columbia College Chicago where she focused on centralizing and streamlining faculty-led programs and operations running across six continents.

 Catrina is a member of Diversity Abroad, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, The Forum on Education Abroad, the Global Leadership League, the Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Education Abroad Crisis Management Council, and the Association of Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Women. She also actively volunteers with professional organizations, serving as the NAFSA Region V Chair (2019-2021), NAFSA Region V Education Abroad Representative (2018-2019), and the International Educators of Illinois (IEI) Study Abroad Representative (2015-2017). When she isn’t busy exploring Chicago neighborhoods with her husband and dog, Catrina loves to travel, learn about different perspectives and cultures, and taste foods from around the world.

Jessica graduated with a MEd in Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago and a BS in International Business and Spanish from the University of Dayton. She has studied abroad twice, first as an undergraduate studying Spanish and business for a semester at the University of Deusto in San Sebastián, Spain and later as a graduate student studying International Education at Loyola’s campus in Rome. Before coming to Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, she was the Training Director of the Urban Chicago Chapter of Amigos de las Américas, training students to lead community development projects in Latin America and worked as an adviser at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Study Abroad Office.

Jessica is a member of NAFSA, Diversity Abroad, the Forum on Education Abroad, and the Executive Committee of IFSA’s National Advisory Board. She is currently serving as the Management Content Coordinator for NAFSA's Education Abroad Knowledge Community and was previously a Coach for the NAFSA Academy Region V Cohort for Academy Class 17. In her spare time she likes reading, cooking, and cheering loudly at her children's myriad sporting events. 

Miranda Goosby maneuvers the world through an intersectional feminist lens where the complexity of one’s identity is explored. Miranda aids in managing program development for GLO, focusing on global service learning. In the past, through visual and written documentation, she has centered the voices of People of Color, specifically Black and Brown marginalized folk within issues ranging from reproductive justice and children’s rights, community and global development, and educational equity. Miranda is a native of Maryland and has great love for the East Coast.  She previously attended Lake Forest College, focusing on International Relations and Women and Gender Studies. She has collaborated and contributed to the work of nonprofit and social justice organizations through strategy development, facilitation, training, campaign building, content creation, program coordination, community engagement, journalism, and research. Miranda has worked with organizations such as BYP 100, Sixty Inches From Center, Illinois Humanities and United Working Families.

Working within higher education, Miranda brings to the Global Learning Office (GLO) a passion for advising on a large portfolio of global engagement programs. She also brings experience facilitating spaces for critical movement and conversation that are equitable, inclusive and consider the lived experiences of all involved. Before joining the GLO staff, Miranda previously worked with Illinois Humanities as a Program Coordinator within their Sojourner Scholars program and Summer Institute. She aided in facilitating a curriculum for incoming high school seniors based around radical love, self- determination and educational equity in Chicago, IL. She held weekly classes based around collective conversations on mental health, physical well-being, and collective self-determination. In her personal time, Miranda loves to travel, swim, explore conversations, listen to podcasts and cook for her loved ones. 

Mexican-American and a first-generation college student, Carmen received her BFA and a minor in Spanish Literature from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Carmen joined the office after completion of her second master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University. She also holds a master’s degree in Linguistics. As an undergraduate student, she studied abroad twice, the first time in Rome, Italy where she studied Italian film and art history and the second time in Santiago, Chile where she studied photography and Spanish Literature at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Before coming to Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, Carmen worked as a Financial Aid Coordinator at Northeastern Illinois University, where she advised and promoted financial literacy. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, photography, cooking, wine-tastings, camping, and hiking.

A proud alumna of Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, Sara studied abroad for a full year in Seville, Spain as an undergraduate and received her BA in Spanish. After completing her MA in Applied Linguistics at the University of Massachusetts Boston, she tutored Spanish and taught English as a second language (ESL) for several years before returning to Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, this time as a staff member. When not at work, she spends time with her husband and kids, playing games, listening to live music, watching sports and reading.

A Chicagoland native born in Chicago and raised in the south suburbs, Ryan joined the Global Learning Office in June 2022. Her interest in international education began in high school on a trip to Spain where she told a fellow classmate "You don't go to Spain to eat fries and ketchup."

Ryan received her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Spanish from the University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign. She realized that psychology, though interesting, was not her calling and went on to get her M.Ed. in International Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago. In both undergraduate and graduate school, Ryan had the opportunity to study abroad in long and short-term programs in Spain, Italy, and China. Prior to coming to Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, Ryan has worked in retail, non-profit administration, distance learning design and facilitation, taught English abroad, and was most recently a Study Abroad Specialist at Western Michigan University. She has a particular interest in diversifying study abroad student participation. When she is not working, Ryan loves watching true crime documentaries, traveling, ethnic food, following her favorite YouTube content creators, thrifting, and hanging out with her frenchie, Hugo.

A Chicago native, Kevin graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2014 with a BA in American Studies. During his time as an undergraduate student, Kevin studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland studying Irish literature and Irish history. Kevin then spent two years participating in the Alliance for Catholic Education Program teaching elementary and middle school while obtaining his master’s degree in Education from Notre Dame in 2016. After multiple years of teaching, Kevin obtained his second master’s degree in Higher Education Administration and Policy Program from Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ University 2020.

Before coming to the Global Learning Office, Kevin worked as an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor and Assistant Director of Graduate and International Admissions at North Park University. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys playing and watching sports, completing puzzles, cooking, and reading.

Aline has traveled to various locations throughout Europe and North America. In her personal time, she enjoys baking, playing board games, reading, and volunteering as a literacy tutor to assist non-native English speakers in her community.

Lauren, who grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago, developed her passion for international education while studying abroad at the National University of Singapore during her undergraduate studies. She earned a BS in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with minors in Anthropology and Linguistics, followed by an MEd in Higher Education Administration from Loyola University Chicago. 

Lauren has a deep connection to Asia, having traveled to Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, and she spent several years teaching English as a Second Language in Seoul, South Korea. Before her time abroad, she worked as a Study Abroad Advisor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and upon returning to the U.S., she served as an Academic Advisor at Loyola University for seven years. Now part of the Global Learning Office, Lauren is enthusiastic about helping students explore opportunities in global education. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering, traveling, hiking, learning new skills like playing the ukulele, and spending time with her husband and two adorable cats.

Laura joined the office in September 2016. She received a BA in English with a minor in Art History from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. During college Laura studied abroad at Oxford University. Before starting at ULA she worked at Barnes & Noble, the Evanston Public Library and Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ's Office of the Registrar. In her free time Laura enjoys reading, travel and trapeze class.

Responsibilities:

• Handling payment and financial records
• Managing student billing and registration
• Coordinating a variety of administrative processes including credit transfer, the office newsletter, and front desk scheduling and coverage

Raised in Florida, Christine received her B.A. in Psychology at Florida State University before moving to Chicago to obtain her M.A. in Counseling Psychology at Adler University (formerly The Adler School of Professional Psychology). During her master's program, Christine participated in the federal work-study program in the Student Finance Office, which helped introduce her to the world of student services. For the last decade, she has provided financial counseling to students and their families first in the Student Finance Office and now in the Office of Financial Aid.

Catrina DeBord has been in the field of international education for over 15 years and currently serves as the Senior Associate Director of Global Learning at Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ University overseeing programs and operations. She received her BA in International Relations, International Studies, and Italian from University of Wisconsin-Madison and her MS in Communication from Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ University. Catrina studied abroad in France and Italy and has worked and traveled abroad in various locations throughout Europe, Asia, and North and South America. Before joining Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, Catrina was the Associate Director of International Programs at Columbia College Chicago where she focused on centralizing and streamlining faculty-led programs and operations running across six continents.

 Catrina is a member of Diversity Abroad, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, The Forum on Education Abroad, the Global Leadership League, the Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Education Abroad Crisis Management Council, and the Association of Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Women. She also actively volunteers with professional organizations, serving as the NAFSA Region V Chair (2019-2021), NAFSA Region V Education Abroad Representative (2018-2019), and the International Educators of Illinois (IEI) Study Abroad Representative (2015-2017). When she isn’t busy exploring Chicago neighborhoods with her husband and dog, Catrina loves to travel, learn about different perspectives and cultures, and taste foods from around the world.

Jessica graduated with a MEd in Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago and a BS in International Business and Spanish from the University of Dayton. She has studied abroad twice, first as an undergraduate studying Spanish and business for a semester at the University of Deusto in San Sebastián, Spain and later as a graduate student studying International Education at Loyola’s campus in Rome. Before coming to Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, she was the Training Director of the Urban Chicago Chapter of Amigos de las Américas, training students to lead community development projects in Latin America and worked as an adviser at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Study Abroad Office.

Jessica is a member of NAFSA, Diversity Abroad, the Forum on Education Abroad, and the Executive Committee of IFSA’s National Advisory Board. She is currently serving as the Management Content Coordinator for NAFSA's Education Abroad Knowledge Community and was previously a Coach for the NAFSA Academy Region V Cohort for Academy Class 17. In her spare time she likes reading, cooking, and cheering loudly at her children's myriad sporting events. 

Miranda Goosby maneuvers the world through an intersectional feminist lens where the complexity of one’s identity is explored. Miranda aids in managing program development for GLO, focusing on global service learning. In the past, through visual and written documentation, she has centered the voices of People of Color, specifically Black and Brown marginalized folk within issues ranging from reproductive justice and children’s rights, community and global development, and educational equity. Miranda is a native of Maryland and has great love for the East Coast.  She previously attended Lake Forest College, focusing on International Relations and Women and Gender Studies. She has collaborated and contributed to the work of nonprofit and social justice organizations through strategy development, facilitation, training, campaign building, content creation, program coordination, community engagement, journalism, and research. Miranda has worked with organizations such as BYP 100, Sixty Inches From Center, Illinois Humanities and United Working Families.

Working within higher education, Miranda brings to the Global Learning Office (GLO) a passion for advising on a large portfolio of global engagement programs. She also brings experience facilitating spaces for critical movement and conversation that are equitable, inclusive and consider the lived experiences of all involved. Before joining the GLO staff, Miranda previously worked with Illinois Humanities as a Program Coordinator within their Sojourner Scholars program and Summer Institute. She aided in facilitating a curriculum for incoming high school seniors based around radical love, self- determination and educational equity in Chicago, IL. She held weekly classes based around collective conversations on mental health, physical well-being, and collective self-determination. In her personal time, Miranda loves to travel, swim, explore conversations, listen to podcasts and cook for her loved ones. 

Mexican-American and a first-generation college student, Carmen received her BFA and a minor in Spanish Literature from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Carmen joined the office after completion of her second master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University. She also holds a master’s degree in Linguistics. As an undergraduate student, she studied abroad twice, the first time in Rome, Italy where she studied Italian film and art history and the second time in Santiago, Chile where she studied photography and Spanish Literature at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Before coming to Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, Carmen worked as a Financial Aid Coordinator at Northeastern Illinois University, where she advised and promoted financial literacy. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, photography, cooking, wine-tastings, camping, and hiking.

Laura is a Michigan native who joined GLO in July 2023. With a background in higher education, Laura earned her undergraduate degree from Davenport University. She is a strong advocate for international education, having pursued a Master of Science (MSc) Marketing at the University of Edinburgh’s Business School while studying in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Prior to her current position, Laura worked as a Marketing Assistant at Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Michigan College, where she contributed to event planning and marketing efforts. Later, she served as a Marketing Specialist at TBA Credit Union, successfully enhancing financial literacy and brand awareness through events, communications, and marketing initiatives.

In her spare time, Laura enjoys baking, exploring new destinations, watching period dramas, reading, and enjoying hikes along the shores of Lake Michigan.

A proud alumna of Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, Sara studied abroad for a full year in Seville, Spain as an undergraduate and received her BA in Spanish. After completing her MA in Applied Linguistics at the University of Massachusetts Boston, she tutored Spanish and taught English as a second language (ESL) for several years before returning to Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, this time as a staff member. When not at work, she spends time with her husband and kids, playing games, listening to live music, watching sports and reading.

A Chicagoland native born in Chicago and raised in the south suburbs, Ryan joined the Global Learning Office in June 2022. Her interest in international education began in high school on a trip to Spain where she told a fellow classmate "You don't go to Spain to eat fries and ketchup."

Ryan received her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Spanish from the University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign. She realized that psychology, though interesting, was not her calling and went on to get her M.Ed. in International Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago. In both undergraduate and graduate school, Ryan had the opportunity to study abroad in long and short-term programs in Spain, Italy, and China. Prior to coming to Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, Ryan has worked in retail, non-profit administration, distance learning design and facilitation, taught English abroad, and was most recently a Study Abroad Specialist at Western Michigan University. She has a particular interest in diversifying study abroad student participation. When she is not working, Ryan loves watching true crime documentaries, traveling, ethnic food, following her favorite YouTube content creators, thrifting, and hanging out with her frenchie, Hugo.

A Chicago native, Kevin graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2014 with a BA in American Studies. During his time as an undergraduate student, Kevin studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland studying Irish literature and Irish history. Kevin then spent two years participating in the Alliance for Catholic Education Program teaching elementary and middle school while obtaining his master’s degree in Education from Notre Dame in 2016. After multiple years of teaching, Kevin obtained his second master’s degree in Higher Education Administration and Policy Program from Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ University 2020.

Before coming to the Global Learning Office, Kevin worked as an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor and Assistant Director of Graduate and International Admissions at North Park University. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys playing and watching sports, completing puzzles, cooking, and reading.

Sara received her BS (Foreign Service) in History and Diplomacy and her MA in German and European Studies from Georgetown University. During this time, she spent two years studying at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich and the Rheinische-Friedrich-Wilhelms University in Bonn and completed a year-long internship with the German parliament. Sara joined Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ in August 2017 after 18 years as Executive Director of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Center for International Education and an early career as Program Officer for the US Department of Education’s Title VI grant programs. Sara is a member of AIEA, NAFSA, the Forum on Education Abroad, and the Global Leadership League, and has served as a consultant for US colleges, universities and government agencies seeking to strengthen international education programs.

Responsibilities:

• Overseeing the development and management of Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ’s overseas undergraduate curriculum and its alignment with Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ’s global strategy
• Expanding access to degree-relevant study abroad reflective of students’ needs and interests
• Strengthening learning abroad as an integral part of the undergraduate experience
• Engaging Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ faculty as partners, participants and advocates

Gabriela is a first-generation college student and Mexican American. She studied Public Accounting and Spanish in undergrad at Hope College, before going on to completing her MBA at North Park University where she recently worked as the Director of Student Activities. She studied abroad in Granada, Spain and then returned to Spain to do a gap year as a Cultural Language Assistant in Madrid.

She has also worked in Public Accounting and at a Study Abroad Non-profit, and has a passion for making educational experiences more accessible for underrepresented and traditionally underserved communities.

In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, watching action/crime series, and creating detailed travel itineraries.

Aline has traveled to various locations throughout Europe and North America. In her personal time, she enjoys baking, playing board games, reading, and volunteering as a literacy tutor to assist non-native English speakers in her community.

Lauren, who grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago, developed her passion for international education while studying abroad at the National University of Singapore during her undergraduate studies. She earned a BS in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with minors in Anthropology and Linguistics, followed by an MEd in Higher Education Administration from Loyola University Chicago. 

Lauren has a deep connection to Asia, having traveled to Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, and she spent several years teaching English as a Second Language in Seoul, South Korea. Before her time abroad, she worked as a Study Abroad Advisor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and upon returning to the U.S., she served as an Academic Advisor at Loyola University for seven years. Now part of the Global Learning Office, Lauren is enthusiastic about helping students explore opportunities in global education. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering, traveling, hiking, learning new skills like playing the ukulele, and spending time with her husband and two adorable cats.

A proud Kentucky native, Katie is in her fourth year studying Communication Studies, Business, and Spanish, with a Trienens certificate in Sustainability and Energy. She first studied abroad the summer of 2023, completing GLO’s Spanish Language and Culture program at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain. On the heels of that experience, she declared a minor in Spanish and applied to spend the next summer as a part of GLO’s Global Engagement Studies Institute. She spent June and July of 2024 in Salta, Argentina, living with a host family and working for a socioecological NGO. In September, she circled back to South America for two weeks, this time to learn about Chile’s critical mineral mining industry during a Global Engineering Trek. She currently has plans to travel with the Buffett Institute to the 29th UN Framework Convention on Climate Change this November in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she will conduct research on international climate change governance.

She is grateful to Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ for getting her around the globe and back, and can’t wait to spend the next year as a Global Learning Office Fellow. She is ready to bring her passion about the transformative and educational power of international studies to the office. In the future, she wants to work on green infrastructure development and education. In her free time, she likes to listen to bluegrass music, spend time with friends, and revel in the great outdoors.

Ana Souza is a senior majoring in Industrial Engineering with a minor in Machine Learning & Data Science. She is an international student from Sao Paulo, Brazil, so she is currently studying abroad at Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ. Ana looks forward to connecting with FGLI, international, or exchange students to help them make the most of their time at Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ!