With over 20 years of experience in educational nonprofit management, Christina has a proven track record of designing, leading, and managing impactful programs for youth and adults in the U.S. and internationally. Her expertise includes business development, training, capacity building, operational oversight, and financial management, with a focus on delivering results in fast-paced environments.
Before joining World Learning in 2003, Christina taught English to junior and senior high school students and designed teacher training programs for Japanese English teachers as part of the Japan Teaching and Exchange Program (JET) for three years. She holds a master’s degree in International Communications from the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC, with an emphasis on international education and management.
Christina previously served as Board President of Federation EIL, the Worldwide Network of the Experiment in International Living. In this role, she provided strategic planning, capacity building, and quality assurance support to the network's 14 global member organizations, which offer programs in volunteerism, group travel, language training, and study abroad. Since 1954, the U.S. Experiment in International Living has been a founding member of this global federation.
Heather has studied abroad throughout Europe and traveled to Costa Rica and Argentina. She enjoys spending time with her family and supporting her community in southern Vermont, as well as photography, running, and hiking.
Education
• MFA, Maine College of Art
• BA, Emerson College
A strong advocate for equitable learning opportunities, Jenn is passionate about leveraging technology to equip learners with essential skills for the future. Before joining World Learning, she worked at Meta, where she developed and implemented the vision and strategy for the company’s global education initiatives. She also designed mobile learning games at PBS KIDS and is a former high school history teacher.
Jenn holds a B.S. in International Politics from Georgetown University and an M.Ed. in Technology, Innovation, and Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Anna Gail holds a BS in psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an MA in intercultural service, leadership, and management from SIT Graduate Institute. In 2024, she completed her EdD in Global Education at SIT Graduate Institute.
At World Learning, Christina focuses on long-term program strategy, stakeholder engagement, and ensuring that the organization's digital programs are accessible and effective for participants worldwide. Her work combines strategic program design with a deep commitment to fostering meaningful connections among young people worldwide.
Christina holds a bachelor's and a master's degree in English from Cleveland State University. She has completed project management training through the Project Management Institute, inclusive teaching training at Ohio State University, and earned a Quality Matters (QM) certificate in Improving Your Online Course.
Prior to joining World Learning in July 2024, Alisa worked extensively in higher education administration at institutions such as Harvard and Duke, where she implemented staff training programs, managed operations for academic departments, and proctored exams and simulated patient encounters with medical students.
Alisa has a creative background as a theater artist, Shakespeare actor, improvisational comedy performer, and as an arts educator specializing in integrating performance and theater skills into content-area lessons for school age students. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Theater from Case Western Reserve University, and a Master of Education degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She also recently completed a graduate certificate in Instructional Design and Technology from the University of Maryland Global Campus. Alisa lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her spouse and their dog Edith.
Kate has experience developing learning communities for first-generation college students, teaching experiential learning courses that focused on global education and career readiness, and co-managing NIH grant-funded research training programs for high school and college students. Kate is thrilled to bring key learning & skills from all these experiences to her role at World Learning!
Kate holds a B.A. in gender studies from Saint Michael's College and an M.Ed. in Higher Education Student Affairs from Merrimack College.
Vanessa holds B.A.s in Spanish language and studio art from Baylor University, a DELE B2 advanced Spanish certificate, and an M.S. from the University of Kent in ethnobotany: an interdisciplinary study that focuses on the preservation and appreciation of biocultural diversity.
In her role as a Program Officer, Vanessa gets to braid together various of her interests and experiences, designing curriculum about climate change / the environment and Spanish and English language, while also leading recruitment in Latin America, training digital facilitators, and overseeing grant awards.
Olivia holds a B.A. in history from the University of Puget Sound where she focused on South Africa’s transition to democracy and restorative peace efforts. She was first introduced to World Learning when she studied social and political transformation with SIT in Durban, South Africa. Since then, she has served as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Zambia, where she taught English, writing skills, and implemented training for future teachers. Olivia is an avid traveler, and between her time in Sub-Saharan Africa she has been a group leader for the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program for three summers.
Group Leaders
Our group leaders and digital facilitators are Experimenters’ number one resource. We seek educators who represent our diverse student body and who are skilled in creating inclusive group environments for their participants.
Our group leaders are dedicated to youth development and are passionate about working directly with young people. The Experiment’s group leaders:
- Are professional, flexible, resilient, resourceful, pro-active, caring, warm, friendly, and love to laugh
- Genuinely enjoy spending time with high school students
- Have strong organizational and logistical skills, and are able to manage a budget
- Are willing to put their participants’ learning and development ahead of their own experience.
- Are ready for an intense, challenging, and rewarding summer.
- Demonstrate skills and experience in cross-cultural sensitivity and communication.
- Bring a wide variety of backgrounds and social identities.
- Are aware of and committed to addressing bias, systemic inequalities, power, privilege, and oppression.
- Are, above all, educators and facilitators.
Programs Abroad—Ongoing Support from Start to Finish
Experiment groups abroad are accompanied by two carefully selected and trained adult leaders who work collaboratively with in-country partners and The Experiment’s offices in the United States. Throughout the program, leaders work with Experimenters to increase their knowledge of the country and culture, develop communication skills, and cultivate new attitudes and awareness.
Group leaders keep in close contact with Experimenters and their homestay families, conduct group excursions, and guide Experimenters through the learning process via discussions, activities, and reflections. At the end of the program, leaders help Experimenters evaluate their experiences and consider how they can integrate what they learned about themselves, their identities, and the world into their lives at home.
Leaders have extensive experience with youth education, travel logistics and management know-how, health, safety, and risk management and are ready to spend a month living and learning with their participants. They are responsible professionals who have local expertise in the country or region of their program, language abilities, and knowledge of their program theme. Experiment co-leaders and staff complement one another and provide comprehensive support to all members of their groups.
Group leaders go through a rigorous selection process. In 2004, The Experiment offered positions to only 18% of applicants. The process includes a comprehensive application review, several stages of interviews with the People Operations Team, and thorough screening and background check. Many of our leaders are teachers and professionals with bachelor’s and often a master’s degree, former Peace Corps volunteers, and distinguished scholars (Fulbright, Rhodes, Truman, etc.).
Group Leader Training
At The Experiment, we value our group leaders as professionals in their fields. We utilize the skills they bring while making sure to provide development and support in the areas needed to be successful leaders of our programs.
Before our programs, group leaders attend intensive, in-person training on the School for International Training (SIT) campus in Vermont. Leaders get in-depth, interactive training on a range of topics relating to the broad areas of youth, education, logistics, and health and safety. Sessions cover issues including adolescent psychology, mental and physical health, youth development, diversity and inclusion, behavior management, curriculum development and delivery, and experiential education techniques. Learn more about becoming a group leader.
“Not only do I come away feeling prepared, supported, and nourished as a facilitator, but I feel like I want to bring ANYONE in a leadership position (corporate, nonprofit, or even people planning to become parents) to this training. Too often, ‘leader’ is a title that reflects salary but not equity or ability. The Experiment training provides the tools to excel in every aspect of leadership.”
– Jen Fowler, Leader to the United Kingdom, Argentina, Japan, and Italy
Featured Group Leaders
The Experiment Digital—Fostering Connection Across Borders
Throughout the virtual exchange, students will be directly supervised by professional facilitators, including some alumni and former peer mentors, who have experience with cultural exchange and undergo an intensive month-long training on online facilitation. Although The Experiment Digital boasts a huge number of participants, it fosters an intimate feel for learning, which allows small group conversation and meaningful engagement. Participants attend interactive webinars featuring guest speakers, with small breakout sessions led by facilitators or peer mentors. In dialogue groups, there’s one facilitator for every five to eight students, with a safe space to share their hopes and fears and discuss often challenging topics such as gender norms and stereotypes. Facilitators initiate icebreakers, jumpstart conversation, ask debrief questions, and mediate conflict. Facilitators also help guide participants through the process of developing a community service project.
Digital facilitators:
- Create and maintain a positive and inclusive digital learning community.
- Coach participants on behavioral challenges within the program community and mediate disagreements and conflicts.
- Assist participants in troubleshooting technology issues to ensure program engagement.
- Provide encouragement and support to keep participants engaged in the program activities.
- Support participants with plans for their project implementation.
Our digital facilitators monitor all interactions on the online platform. If anything of concern arises, they follow a strict risk management protocol through the proper channels to inform full-time staff at The Experiment Digital, who are reachable 24/7. Learn more about becoming a digital facilitator.
“This whole summer has been an amazing opportunity to get to know teens from all over the world. I feel really inspired by their spirit, and I feel like my mind has been opened by their perspectives and worldviews. I really can’t think of a better way to have spent this summer than meeting and working with these fantastic participants.”
– Caroline, Digital Facilitator
Featured Digital Facilitators
Hana is a lifelong learner. She holds master’s degrees in engineering, training and development, and business administration. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership, with research interests focused on Collaborative Online International Learning Virtual Exchange (COIL VE). Her goal is to expand access to international learning for more students, particularly those from underserved and underrepresented communities, and those with limited finances or physical mobility.
Growing up in Lebanon’s pluralistic society, Hana always believed in the power of cultural exchange to broaden global perspectives. Her internship in Switzerland, graduate studies in the USA, and extensive travels have reinforced her belief that international education can be a force for peace. Hana is determined to bring virtual exchange opportunities to students across the globe, helping them develop the global mindset and intercultural competencies needed to thrive in today’s interconnected world.
Dawn's background in youth programs inspires her advocacy for the next generation of global citizens, change-makers, and innovators. Before joining World Learning, she held leadership and teaching positions at NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Florida Atlantic University, The George Washington University, and Northwestern University. Additionally, she led a service-learning youth group in India.
Thanks to scholarships, Dawn, a first-generation college student, studied abroad twice during college. She earned a bachelor's degree in history from Baldwin Wallace University, a master's degree in history from Cleveland State University, and a master's degree in nonprofit administration from Florida Atlantic University. She completed a diploma in social innovation through the Executive Education program at the University for Peace.
Dawn is the Chair of the Virtual Intercultural Communication Working Group at the World Council on Intercultural and Global Competence.
Lauren became the Program Director of a youth leadership and community engagement organization in Denver, where she empowered high school students to explore their sense of self and discover how they can impact their communities. She believes in the power of international exchange and community-driven action to help young people find their sense of purpose, just as she did during her own exchange experience. As a facilitator, coach, and mentor, Lauren has witnessed the incredible potential of young people when their voices are truly heard, and they are encouraged to be their authentic selves. Her leadership style is rooted in active listening, curiosity, and a deep commitment to building relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Lauren has also contributed to The Experiment Digital and World Learning Youth Ambassadors programs, continuing her work in supporting youth as they learn more about their identity and their role in creating positive change in their communities and the world.
A dedicated advocate for rare diseases, Maryam has represented the Iraqi Hemophilia Society at the World Hemophilia Congress and shared her personal journey through platforms such as TEDx Youth Baghdad. Since 2020, she has been involved in virtual exchange programs, including The Experiment Digital for three cycles. In 2024, she served as an adult mentor for the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP), helping to empower the next generation of leaders across Iraq. As the mother of a son with hemophilia, Maryam is deeply committed to supporting and inspiring youth to reach their full potential.
Zhigger holds bachelor's degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery from the University of Duhok and a Diploma in English Language Studies from the Headway International Educational Institute.