U.S.-based Staff

Students, parents, faculty, and advisors can rely on the Alliance for Global Education to provide insightful guidance and thorough support services throughout their experience. Before departure, students may contact our Senior Program Managers with any questions or concerns. Once students arrive overseas, our Resident Directors and staff lead orientation programs and are be available to students at all times for academic and personal support and practical advice. They work to enhance students' experience through planned cultural activities, lectures, field study trips, and social events. 

 

Janice Levitt

Executive Director

As Executive Director, Janice is responsible for the leadership and direction of the Alliance, overseeing all aspects of the organization. She has spent 20 years in the field of international education, serving as a Resident Director in Beijing and Harbin and later developing and managing study abroad programs across Asia and Europe. She spent five years studying and working in China and has enjoyed travel to over 20 countries. Fluent in Chinese, with a fascination for exploring other cultures, Janice is committed to providing outstanding linguistic, cultural, and educational opportunities abroad for students. She holds a Master's degree in Leadership from Georgetown University, a graduate certificate in Chinese Studies from the Johns Hopkins University-Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies, and a B.A. in East Asian Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

Shannon Cates

Deputy Director

As Deputy Director, Shannon oversees institutional relations, communications, outreach and students services, as well as the development of policies and procedures that ensure the smooth functioning of Alliance headquarters. Shannon’s international interests are rooted in her childhood travels as part of a military family. An active participant in the field of international education since 1993, she contributed to NAFSA’s Guide to Education Abroad for Advisors and Administrators and has served as an application reader for the National Security Education Program David L. Boren Scholarships and the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Program. She earned her B.A. in literature from Antioch College and was a Research Scholar at the University of Adelaide in South Australia. Her research interests include youth culture and virtual communities.

 

Andrea Custodi, Ph.D.

Director of Academic Affairs

Andrea is responsible for overseeing all Alliance programs, ensuring the highest standards of academic and experiential programming, developing new curricular and programmatic areas, and managing all facets of academic affairs. In addition, Andrea oversees the development and management of customized partner programs and program assessment initiatives, heads the Alliance’s Health and Safety task force, and serves as the Title IX officer for the Alliance. With a background in international education that includes over ten years of program development and management in India, Andrea maintains interdisciplinary academic interests stemming from prior research and publications incorporating contemporary critical and feminist theory. Andrea currently serves on the Council of the Forum on Education Abroad, and is Chair of the Forum Standards Committee.

 

Jonathan Ferguson

Director for India Programs

As Director for India Programs, Jonathan oversees and manages the day-to-day operations and development of all Alliance programs in India. He has a decade of experience in higher education administration and study abroad, including academic programming, operations, program development, and marketing. Jonathan has traveled extensively throughout India and was a 2008 David L. Boren Fellow at the East-West Language Institute in New Delhi. He holds a Master’s degree in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has a particular interest in urban development in emerging markets.

 

Ting Wang, Ph.D.

Associate Director for China Programs

Ting works with the Director for China Programs on developing and managing the Alliance’s China programs. Prior to joining the Alliance, Ting had broad cross-cultural experience in international media exchange and development. She holds a M.A. in American Studies from China Foreign Affairs University and a Ph.D. in Media Studies from Northwestern University. Ting's academic research centers on media institution, globalization and cultural identity from the perspectives of political economy, cultural studies and audience research, particularly where China and the United States intersect. Having studied, taught and worked in both the U.S. and China, Ting has a long-term passion for international education and exchange, and is committed to promoting cross-cultural awareness and understanding between the two countries through study abroad initiatives.

 

Julia Levy

Senior Program Manager, China

Julia has been with the the Alliance for Global Education since its inception. In addition, she has been with the College of Global Studies at Arcadia University since 1988, shortly after receiving her B.A. from Dickinson College. Julia's long-standing relationship with Arcadia began during her undergraduate years, when she participated in a study abroad program to England. Following college graduation, Julia began a career as a program assistant, and since then she has held a number of different positions at Arcadia. In her current role, she manages the admissions and pre-departure process for Alliance China students.

 

Amanda Zimmerman

Senior Program Manager, India

Amanda joined the Alliance team after more than 5 years of student services experience with the College of Global Studies at Arcadia University. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Communication with a specialization in Public Relations from Rowan University.  With a long interest in international travel, Amanda participated in an English exchange program while in junior high school, and later spent a semester abroad at Macquarie University in Australia. In addition, Amanda taught English in the small town of Hidaka, Japan to junior high and elementary school students. While living in Japan she traveled extensively throughout Asia.

 

Julie Hurst

Institutional Relations Manager

With over 20 years’ experience in higher education and student affairs, Julie maintains the Alliance's relationships with a wide variety of colleges and universities throughout the United States. Her various past positions have allowed her to develop expertise in recruiting students, coordinating university relations, and managing teams of outreach staff and volunteers. In addition, she has led study abroad excursions in China and India, as well as other areas of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Julie holds a B.A. in psychology from the University of California, Irvine, and completed graduate coursework in Counseling and Student Development at California State University, Long Beach. She is committed to ensuring increasing numbers of American students, particularly those in traditionally underrepresented populations, have the opportunity to study in Asia.

 

Teresa Bellono

Communications Manager

Teresa joined the Alliance as a graduate student intern in early 2010. Now, as Communications Manager, she oversees Alliance publications, website maintenance, and social media initiatives and also works closely with the recruitment staff. She earned a B.A. in French and International Studies from Indiana University and an M.A. in International Training and Education from American University. Her passion for international student exchange stems from her own year abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France. Teresa has previous experience in supporting program marketing and management as a Peer Counselor in the Office of Overseas Study at Indiana University. She is eager to promote the Alliance's program portfolio, particularly opportunities for intensive language study and non-traditional majors.

 

Danielle Schneider

Operations Manager

Danielle’s passion for international education and exploring other cultures began with her BA in Sociology from the University of Maryland, College Park. She has traveled throughout Europe and Latin America, ultimately spending a year in Viña del Mar, Chile to teach English and work with an international education organization. In addition, she volunteered in both the United States and Latin America for the fight against domestic violence and public health issues. As Operations Manager, Danielle works to ensure the smooth functioning of Alliance headquarters, providing human relations support and managing vendor accounts.

 

Charlotte Ashford

Program Officer

After studying abroad with the Alliance in 2009, Charlotte graduated with a B.A. in International Studies from Rhodes College and quickly made her way back to Shanghai to work as a Student Ambassador during the Shanghai World Expo. Upon returning to the U.S., she was thrilled to officially join the Alliance team as their first alumna staff member. Currently, as Program Officer, Charlotte supports both the China and India programs, liaising with in-country and U.S. staff, current students, and program alumni. A passion for Asia and an understanding of the powerful impact that study abroad experiences have on students, Charlotte is enthusiastic about her role. She hopes that her first hand experience and studies in Asia coupled with her insight into the student perspective will play a valuable role in furthering the Alliance mission.

 

Katie Ryan

Enrollment Counselor

Katie began her work with the Alliance for Global Education in May 2012. As an undergraduate, she studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland through Arcadia’s Contemporary Irish Studies program. She earned her B.A. in English from The Ohio State University, and M.S. in Higher Education with an emphasis in Student Affairs from Florida State University. While working on her Master’s degree, she further pursued her interest in study abroad through a graduate assistantship with Florida State University International Programs and academic coursework in international higher education.

 

Allison Jeffers

Summer Marketing Intern

Allison is a senior at Denison University majoring in Communication, with a focus in interpersonal and intercultural communication. Allison developed an interest in Chinese culture and language after enrolling in Mandarin language courses her freshman year at Denison, and spent a semester studying the language at Fudan University in Shanghai, China through the Alliance. For the past two years, she has functioned as a research assistant at her university. Recently she accepted a position as a Senior Fellow for the Communication Department for the upcoming academic year. After graduation, she hopes to return to China to live and work.

 

Meera Kallupura

Summer Marketing Intern

Meera joins the Alliance after having worked with American University’s Office of Campus Life and as an intern on Capitol Hill. A rising senior at American University, she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in International Studies with a minor in Marketing. Her international experience includes studying abroad as a U.S. State Department Critical Language Scholar in Punjab, India and traveling to Kerala, India with her family. She has studied Punjabi, Malayalam, Spanish, and English, and is looking to learn as many more languages as possible. During the summer, Meera hopes to learn many valuable hands-on skills from this internship, and apply them to development or advocacy work in her future.