Families in Global Transition International Conference 2010

	Dr. Ann Baker Cottrell is Sociology Professor Emerita, San Diego State University. Her research has focused on people with transnational lives: cross-national marriages (South Asian- Western in India, U.K. and U.S.) and American adult TCKs. The latter is a study of 600+ ATCKs exploring adult life choices, identity and world view. She has also done a comparative study of mature female university students in the U.S. and Italy. She has lived, as an adult, in Scotland, England, India and Italy with summer work experiences in Ivory Coast and Switzerland. Her teaching interests focused on race/ethnic/national identity, global systems, social change and research methods. She has presented her research in articles and at conferences throughout the world. Back to Top
	Tatiana Behrmann, Student Activities Program Supervisor for the Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG), coordinates the social and cultural activities for all summer sessions, facilitates training for Student Activities Deans and oversees 5 SIG residential sessions, including being the director at the University of Texas at Austin, and 1 day program. She also presents workshops at local, state, and national gifted conferences. Tatiana joined the SIG team while in college and has been with SIG for 10 years in various summer and full-time capacities. Back to Top
	Janet Bennett, Ph.D., is executive director of the Intercultural Communication Institute, sponsor of the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication, and director of the Master of Arts Degree in Intercultural Relations jointly sponsored by ICI and the University of the Pacific. She specializes in developing theory and training methods for individuals who teach, train or manage across cultures. As an educator and consultant, she designs and conducts intercultural training for colleges and universities, corporations, social service agencies, and professional associations. She teaches in the training and development program at Portland State University, and publishes on intercultural training and adjustment. Back to Top
	Since 2000, John Benson has been doing research on the mission community he grew up within to be able to tell the story of this community. The bulk of his research included interviews of members of two generations of 15 families that had lived in Tanzania at least twenty years, and then comparing how these generations connected to place, their differing religious developments, and how they made sense of Africa and America in their adult lives. Back to Top
	Joyce Blake has worked, lived and studied internationally since the age of 18. During this time, she has worked with national and international employees and organizational development initiatives in the military, corporate and mission communities. This has included organizing and coordinating various international conferences; arranging and teaching English courses; and developing cross-cultural orientation workshops for groups visiting Moscow, Russia. Joyce holds a BS in Business and Judicial Administration and a MS in Human Resource/Organizational Development with an emphasis in cross-cultural communication. Joyce served as Executive Director of Families in Global Transition from 2004-2009. Back to Top
	Jennifer Bradley first came to the U.S. as an accompanying spouse. She is a certified coach (ICF) and chartered occupational psychologist (U.K.), and has a Masters degree in intercultural relations. She combines her personal and professional experience to help others navigate significant transitions with less stress, and helps them to move forward in ways that are personally and professionally rewarding. She has researched and published in the areas of work life issues, occupational stress, staff support, and inclusion. For more information, visit www.jenniferbradleyphd.com. Back to Top
	Karin Brakel, Global Outpost Services (GOS), Shell, has been an expatriate spouse for 17 years. Along with her husband and two sons she has lived in America, Oman, Norway and Scotland. Karin has an MSc in Molecular Biology. Upon repatriation to the Netherlands, Karin became Director of a primary school (4yrs) and also the Outpost Advisory Council chairperson. In January 2009 Karin was appointed GOS manager (of a team of seven) supporting the 60 Outpost locations around the world. This network offers unique practical support, complementary to Shell terms and conditions to Shell employees and their families. www.globaloutpostservices.com. Back to Top
	Dr. Katrina Burrus founded MKB Conseil & Coaching and Global Nomadic Leadership Institute™ which provides executive coaching to Global Nomadic Leaders and consulting to their organizations worldwide. She holds a PhD in Organization Development from the Fielding Graduate University and was the first Master Certified Coach in Switzerland through the International Coaching Federation. A global nomad herself, growing up in Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Spain, Dr. Burrus currently lives in Switzerland, drawing on experience in over 30 countries in her professional practice. She has written a study on Global Nomadic Leaders (ATCKs) following numerous published articles and presentations at various international forums. Back to Top
	Lois J Bushong, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, an intercultural trainer and founder of Mango Tree Intercultural Services and Quiet Streams Counseling. Lois is an Adult TCK who attended boarding schools beginning at the age of nine and for the remainder of her education. She experienced many moves with her parents in Latin America and the United States. Back to Top
	Laura Celis Black, an expatriate and TCK, founded TRIADA International to help individuals, families and multicultural teams build emotional intelligence competencies to successfully adapt to new cultural environments. She holds an MLA in Psychology from University of St. Thomas, and is a certified Master Emotional Intelligence Practitioner, Cross-Cultural Trainer and Marriage and family educator. She provides training and coaching both in English and in Spanish, partnering with local corporations, grass-roots organizations, schools and churches. Parallel to her practice she chairs the Hispanic Healthy Marriage Initiative, a volunteer group of professionals who advocate, promote and provide marriage education to Spanish-speaking immigrants and refugees. Back to Top
	Anne P. Copeland, Ph.D., is founder and Executive Director of The Interchange Institute, a non-profit organization whose mission is to study and support people in intercultural transition. She is a clinical psychologist, a researcher, and a cross-cultural trainer. Through The Interchange Institute, she offers train-the-trainer courses for those wanting to expand their intercultural expertise, and publishes books on moving to new countries. She has written Newcomer's Almanac, a newsletter for those moving to the US, since 1994. She is FIGT 2010's Program Director. Back to Top
	After more than 18 years overseas, Heather Dickmeyer is serving at the Department of State in Washington, DC as Education and Youth Officer in FLO. She advocates for policy changes to meet the educational needs of Foreign Service families in an internationally mobile lifestyle, and develops resources to support that lifestyle. She also offers one-on-one guidance to Foreign Service clients world-wide on educational planning, transition and re-entry to the U.S. She brings to her current work the perspective of a long-term commitment to quality education overseas, having served as President of The Board of Directors of the American School of Asuncion, US Embassy Representative to the Board of Directors of the American School Foundation of Mexico City, and US Ambassador's Representative to the American and International Schools of Bolivia. She is wife of a career Foreign Service Officer, and mother of two TCKs. Back to Top
	Sarah De Hayes is a Project Manager at Crown Relocations and founder of Insights Coaching. She has had proven success in managing global virtual teams, key account management, implementation and operational effectiveness in several capacities in the global mobility arena. Sarah is also a certified Expat Coach helping individuals connect with their passion and purpose and shift deeply-held perceptions. She specializes in helping expatriates/repatriates craft the lives they want. Sarah has lived abroad and travels extensively internationally. She holds an MA in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University, TEFL Certificate, Project Management Certification and is a Six Sigma black belt. Back to Top
	Deniz Demirors, as a trailing spouse, lived in four countries on three continents. In the process she added fluency in the English and Dutch languages to her mother tongue, Turkish. Over these years, Deniz has held positions in project management, consulting, consultative recruiting, residential mortgage broker, private banking and HR roles in England, the Netherlands, and the US. In order to eliminate the risk of losing her job for relocation or corporate job elimination, she established her own consulting businesses focusing on Personal Branding, Career Management and Collaborating Effectively Across Cultures training. With her international work and life experience, Deniz brings a unique, dual perspective to informing trailing spouses in establishing their own "borderless" businesses. Deniz has an MBA in executive management, and a BA in economy & accounting. She is an advanced toastmaster silver, cross cultural trainer and certified Six Sigma Green Belt Leader. Back to Top
	Madeleine Dobson is completing her doctoral research on repatriation at the Department of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK. This research is supported by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council. Drawing on her own experiences as an expatriate and repatriate, she has researched with British return migrant families as well as international students at university in the UK and British temporary migrants in Melbourne, Australia. Madeleine has presented at a number of international conferences and had journal papers and a book chapter accepted for international publication. Back to Top
	Diane Endo has been an accompanying spouse in an intercultural marriage for 30 years. She is very grateful for the creative living skills she developed from this life experience, and is using them to navigate her transition into mid-life and beyond. Back to Top
	Simone T. Costa Eriksson is an Intercultural coach and a psychologist (British Psychological Society Member) and an MBA from Lund University, Sweden. Simone holds workshops for HR professionals, for expatriate families, and for international schools. Simone's interest in the long-term impact of expatriation on family relations started with her own experience of 13 years abroad (USA, Sweden, Poland, and Italy), most of the time as an expatriate mother with two children. Simone is the co-author of The Mission of Detective Mike: Moving Abroad in which she explores the difference between adults' and children's perception of "moving abroad." Back to Top
	Andrew Fisher founded Maxim with a goal to serve globally-oriented American families located at home and abroad, as well as non-U.S. families in the United States. Previously, Andrew was a Senior Portfolio Manager with Chinook Capital in Portland, Oregon. He also worked in international equity research in NYC and San Francisco for firms including DLJ (now CSFB) and HSBC Securities. He began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Los Angeles. Andrew graduated Cum Laude from California Polytechnic University - SLO, with a degree in Finance and a minor in Spanish and holds both the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and CPA designations. Back to Top
	Anne Folliet, President of the World Bank Family Network (WBFN), is a "full-time volunteer" in this unique organization. She grew up as an "expat" kid in Africa and Seychelles Islands, went back to France to study (Masters in Marketing & Advertising) then left for the US (MBA in International Marketing). Anne has made a home for her family successively on almost all continents (USA, Venezuela, France, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Cameroon). She observed that for her children "diversity is the norm" (in language, culture…) and she contributed all along in various ways to help others also settle in unknown territories. For the past three years, in Washington, DC, Anne has been proud to participate in WBFN, a support network by and for spouses/partners of staff of the World Bank Group. Since 1972, WBFN's broad array of welcoming, educational and advocacy services and programs has been adapting to the evolution of its membership and their needs. Back to Top
	A writer who has lived in twelve countries while growing up, working and raising a family overseas, Apple Gidley is well able to discuss the challenges, and privileges, of living a global life. With roles as varied as editor of the Cheshire Foundation, Far East Asia magazine to Honorary Consul for the British Government during her time in Equatorial Guinea, Apple has an intrinsic cultural awareness and insight. She firmly believes that with a small dose of cynicism and large amounts of patience and humor, each assignment can be a rich and enlightening experience for the whole family. Back to Top
	Svala Gudmundsdottir is an Adjunct in Human Resource Management at the University of Iceland School of Business. She comes with extensive international experience. She has lived and worked for example in countries like Saudi Arabia, The United States, England, Holland and Belgium. She has a Bs.c in business administration Ms.c. in Human Resources and is hoping to complete her PhD in 2010. Mrs. Gudmundsdottir has an experience of being an expatriate for 7 years, and later being the spouse of an expatriate for another 7 years. Back to Top
	Deniz Gyger Gaspoz, PhD researcher at the Institute of Psychology and Education, University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland). Her research interests include TCK, geographical itinerancy and the process of transition. She investigates Third Culture Kids with a special attention to their use of symbolic resources in their meaning making processes. She has also had professional experience as a teaching assistant at the University and as an officer in programs of applied research and teacher training. Deniz Gyger Gaspoz was herself a TCK; she grew up in: Iran, France, Germany, Switzerland, Senegal, and India. Back to Top
	Alaine Handa is Artistic Director of A.H. Dance Company based in NYC. She has a B.A. in World Arts & Cultures (dance) from UCLA. Ms Handa has grown up in Singapore, Indonesia, and California. Her work has been presented at many prestigious locations such as Merce Cunningham Studio, Abrons Arts Center, Electric Lodge, Movement Research, among others. She has also performed for various choreographers to critical acclaim and regarded highly in the dance community. She uses the arts to build and develop community. For more information please visit: www.alainehanda.com. Back to Top
	Nancy Henderson-James, author of the memoir At Home Abroad: An American Girl in Africa, writes from her experience growing up in Angola until 16. She surveyed 90 missionary kids about their global experiences and used their responses to help understand what she went through. Like most of her responders, the most difficult aspect of growing up abroad was not living abroad, but rather the cultural dislocation upon coming to live in the US. Back to Top
	On July 1, 2004, Dr. Robert Ivany became the eighth president of the University of St. Thomas, a Catholic, Basilian university in the heart of Houston. Ivany came to the university after a thirty-four career in the United States Army, retiring as a Major General. During his various commands as an armored cavalry officer, he led soldiers in the United States, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the Federal Republic of Germany and Vietnam, where he was wounded in action and decorated for valor. In 1990, Ivany was the first senior military officer invited to Hungary to contribute to the democratization of their defense establishment. He lived in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait with his family, advising military and civilian leaders on the modernization of their military forces following Desert Storm. After completing his Army service in October, 2003, he joined the faculty of the Graduate School of Business, Columbia University, as an adjunct professor in Executive Education. He worked with senior executives in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States in leader development and strategic planning. In addition to earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the US Military Academy, he received a PhD in History from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Back to Top
	Tonya Kay King is a professional educator. She is passionate about educational opportunities in leadership for youth. She has been working with the Girl Scout organization for 26 years and People to People for 10 years. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Secondary Education from Brigham Young University in 1985. She has additional training with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program and the Steven Covey Institute. She was awarded an Excellence in Education Grant Recipient for grade school literacy and was a delegate to the Middle Level Educators Conference in Minnesota for three years. Tonya has lived in Mexico City for one year thus far with her husband and youngest daughter after living in Hong Kong for five and a half years. Back to Top
	Andrew Kittell holds degrees in education and educational administration from Springfield College and the Johns Hopkins University, respectively. His additional postgraduate study was at Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business and Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy. Andrew Kittell is also a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts (FRSA). His global mobility industry honors and volunteer commitments include having served on the Families in Global Transition (FIGT) Board of Directors 2006-2008 and Worldwide ERC's 2008 Global Workforce Symposium Planning Committee. Back to Top
	Charisee Kosova, Manager of Intercultural Training at IOR Global Services, designs materials, develops intercultural curricula, trains trainers, and delivers programs for multi-national corporations encouraging employees and teams to develop intercultural awareness, communication skills and strategies for success in the global workplace. Charisse has worked in non-profit and corporate training positions in the US, Morocco, Japan and UK, and lived in Ethiopia as a child. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology & Journalism from UW-Madison and Master's degree in Adult Education & Training from NLU, Chicago. Charisse is conversant in French, and has studied Hebrew, Arabic, Japanese and Russian. Back to Top
	Anne-Claude Lambelet has extensive experience of Outsourced Relocation Management gained in complementary environments: DSP, Global Relocation Provider & Professional Association. With strong training and coaching skills, Anne-Claude has delivered training and presentations for professional associations and within EMEA Universities providing International Mobility HR cursus. She has delivering CCT since the late 1990s and has lived and worked in APAC, EMEA and the USA. A regular contributor to HR Swiss, EuRA, ERC and ERC's Mobility magazine, Anne-Claude received a Distinguished Service Award from ERC in 2008. She is the Founding and current President of SARA, The Swiss Association of Relocation Professionals. Back to Top
	Linda Maguire is CEO of Centered Life Transitions (GlobalCLT). A consultant, speaker and trainer, she designs programs and solutions to address life-changing events; and seminars for corporate, military and private clients. These include educational institutions, major oil and gas companies, Families in Global Transition and Military Child Education Coalition. Professional interests include researching transition trends, developing models to demonstrate the impact of continuous changes on children's lives, family balance and stability. She and her husband Dennis have relocated their family numerous times with global corporate and military communities. Linda holds an MSW Social Work degree (Policy /Organizational Development) from Columbia University, NY. Back to Top
	Catherine Mathieu is the Coordinator of the World Bank Family Network (WBFN). She has a PhD in Economics and is originally from France. Upon graduation for La Sorbonne in Paris she moved to Brazil. She has lived abroad for over 25 years, mainly in South America where she worked as a researcher and professor at both undergraduate and graduate schools. Life took a dramatic turn when she moved to Washington, DC, with her husband and children in 2005. This relocation had a profound impact on Catherine so much so that she decided on a career change. Having gone through the various challenges of moving career, family and home, Catherine decided to now use her experience and knowledge to support other relocating families. She was the Welcoming Chair of WBFN for 3 years; in this capacity she built a robust welcoming program that both helped newcomers settle into life in Washington DC as well as strengthened the volunteer base of WBFN. She also worked for School Choice International as an education consultant. In addition, she has published many academic books and research papers in Economics/Econometrics and continues to write articles for the WBFN monthly newsletter, Mosaic on relocation issues. Catherine speaks French, English, Spanish and Portuguese. In her spare time she plays in an all-woman Brazilian Band, Batalan. Back to Top
	Kendra Mirasol, Senior Vice President of IOR Global Services, is responsible for the company's strategic vision and financial health. Kendra joined IOR in 2006 after spending four years in Tokyo, Japan, directing efforts with various not-for-profit groups. Her previous experience includes serving as Financial Director of RR Donnelley and Sons, Marketing Manager at Siemens AG, Berlin, Germany and Sales Representative for The McGraw-Hill Companies. Kendra earned her MBA from The University of Chicago and her BA in German Literature and Linguistics from UC Irvine. She is proficient in German and Japanese, and has studied multiple other languages. Back to Top
	Andrew L. Miser, Ph.D., launched his international coaching and consulting business, Elysian Enterprises, while he and his family lived in The Netherlands from 2002 to 2006. He is a Certified Professional Coach through the Coaches Training Institute and has a professional background in psychology and marriage and family therapy. He has designed a couples coaching curriculum, called Partners in International Living. He is committed to supporting expatriate families in being successful in their international assignments and to expanding the role of professional coaching in the global mobility industry. He is a member of the International Coaches Federation. Back to Top
	Colleen Mizuki, Founder of Avenir Coaching & Cross-Cultural Training, has worked with people from over 20 countries. She has a BA in French, Economics, and Chinese, an M.A. in Counseling Psychology, and is a Certified Coach. Colleen is a Certified Distributor of the CernySmith Assessments and has developed a coaching and training model that is effective in the educational, corporate, diplomatic, and non-profit sectors. She is a member of the ICF; The Society for Intercultural Education, Training, and Research; The International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology; and The Neuroleadership Institute. Back to Top
	Caitlin Morse is the Director of Communications and Recruitment for YouthCompass International. She has worked with educational, business and non-profit institutions encouraging collaboration and joint initiatives and producing replicable workshops and materials. She is a multilingual adult TCK who has worked and lived in both national and international communities on three continents. Back to Top
	In 1991, Marilyn Mosley Gordanier founded Laurel Springs School and it has become the premier provider of online education for students in grades Pre-K through grade 12. Under her directorship, Laurel Springs High School received the United Nations Global 500 Award and the President's Youth Environmental Award. Ms. Mosley was nominated for a Nobel Earth Prize and is a keynote speaker at educational conferences in the U.S., Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Australia, England, Beirut, and Kenya. She is currently the President of the United Nations Global 500 Environmental Forum. Back to Top
	Susan Musich is the managing director of an international job search support system to support spouses' and partners' career transitions as well as to support students seeking global opportunities, found at www.PassportCareer.com. She is also a Global HR & Mobility Consultant. She has worked with Accenture, The World Bank, the UN, the U.S. State Dept, the Peace Corps, and other international organizations. She co-developed the World Bank's first Global Mobility program and advises organizations on dual career and mobility programs, with a specialization in family issues and spouse career support. Susan has written 13 books, including her most recent book Africa Job Search. She has lived in Mexico, the Philippines, Costa Rica, and the U.S. and has made presentations in more than 20 countries. Back to Top
	Darci Nealeigh and Candy Hart both grew up as missionary kids, Darci in Curitiba, Brazil and Candy in South Africa. They currently attend Oklahoma Christian University and are part of the leadership of the TCK group on campus who also provide a TCK camp during the summer. The TCK group serves as a support group and a home away from home for the students at the University and the surrounding area. Back to Top
	Jo Parfitt has published 26 non-fiction books, worked as a journalist and editor and mentors others to write and publish their books. She has lived in Dubai, Oman, Norway and now The Netherlands. She specializes in inspiring and empowering people to write about what they know. Jo travels extensively, keynoting and running workshops at international conferences and is perhaps best known for her books: Career in Your Suitcase, Expat Entrepreneurs, Release the Book Within and Find Your Passion. She runs Summertime Publishing and her motto is "sharing what I know to help others to grow." Find out more at www.joparfitt.com. Back to Top
	Elizabeth Perelstein, is President of School Choice International. She founded School Choice in London over a decade ago. School Choice now has 90 consultants in 50 global locations. In 2006, Liz co-founded the first British curriculum school in New York. She writes and speaks on topics related to education, relocation, and women owned businesses. Previously she worked at all educational levels from nursery school through university, as a teacher, an educational administrator and on a school board. Liz is a former board member of FIGT and was a semi-finalist in the 2009 International Women of Influence Awards by Global Executive Women Magazine. Back to Top
	Laila Plamondon was born to an American father and Bangladeshi mother and has lived in Colombia, Cote D'Ivoire and Thailand, however she spent most of her developmental years in Bangladesh, after her father retired from the State Department. In 2004, she moved to the United States to attend Smith College, where she graduated with a minor in music and a major in psychology. She completed an Honors Thesis called Third Culture Kids: Factors that Predict Psychological Health after Repatriation, which she presented at the 2009 FIGT conference. The thesis led to an article published in the Journal of Research in Personality. Continuing her interest in multicultural identities, she just spent a year in Toronto as a Fulbright Scholar studying second-generation South Asian immigrants. Laila now works as a consultant for School Choice International. Back to Top
	Dr. Becky Powell leads the TCK Research Network. Her family has transformed a traumatic unplanned relocation for a new life. She has presented at 3 FIGT conferences. After the 2007 FIGT, her family experienced an unplanned relocation/expatriation due to a terroristic threat. FIGT's support was a critical element of the support that sustained her family through this time. Passionate about the needs of globally transitioning families, Dr. Powell is thrilled to lead this innovative workshop. She expects that participants will develop their research abilities while introducing significant findings that will benefit all FIGT participants. Back to Top
	Yvonne Quahe, GMS, GCDF, is the relocation team lead at the Global Mobility Unit of the World Bank Group. She was born and raised in Singapore but went to University in the UK. This was her first and most traumatic experience of leaving a closeted, conservative culture for the big wide world. She has a degree in Sociology, is a certified Myer Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) practitioner and is a certified Global Career Development Facilitator. She has lived abroad as an accompanying spouse for 22 years in Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines and the UK. In Manila, Philippines she ran her own relocation/ cross cultural training company, Transitions Asia. In the UK she worked as an educational search consultant and subsequently as an account manager for a relocation company. She is also an author of two books, We Remember - Cameos of Pioneer Life and Culture Smart, Philippines and the co-author of the website Tools to Move. She moved to Washington DC in August 2005. Back to Top
	Tina Quick is the founder of International Family Transitions, a consultancy whose mission is to empower families to negotiate international transitions and turn them into successful adventures. She specializes in working with TCKs who are returning to their passport countries or going on to a second host country for college/university. She is launching her newest book, The Global Nomad's Guide to University Transition at the 2010 FIGT conference. Back to Top
	Mary Rabbitt has worked in all parts of the world – first as a teacher, then as an education consultant. Her consulting has included education site assessments, school planning and placement, and facility planning; her clients have included companies in the energy, mining, finance, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries. Mary holds a BS from the University of Kentucky and a Masters degree in Public Administration from New York University. Beginning her international work as a TCK in Panama; she subsequently taught in Guinea, Israel, and The Netherlands. Back to Top
	Born and raised in France, educated in the United States, Canada, and Russia, Virginie Raguenaud now lives in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. During the family's relocations, her mother – born and raised in Belgium - and her father – born and raised in Madagascar - helped her develop a strong sense of self. Mrs. Raguenaud is now raising her own bilingual twin preschoolers. She is married to a Canadian pilot and continues crossing cultures as a family. With her MA in Intercultural Relations, Mrs. Raguenaud hopes to write and publish her research on the identity development of bicultural and multicultural children and teenagers. Back to Top
	Michelle Sandlin provides unsurpassed leadership and direction to John Daugherty, Realtors' Global Relocation Services Division, which provides real estate/relocation services to many international corporations and relocation management companies. Throughout her career, Michelle has successfully combined her extensive experience in real estate, relocation, marketing, business development and technology. Michelle holds her CRP (Certified Relocation Professional) designation, is a real estate Broker, writes a blog: www.HoustonReloBlog.com, is a contributing writer for Worldwide ERC's Mobility magazine, and member of the following organizations: Worldwide ERC, Relocation Directors Council, Houston Relocation Professionals (Board Member), Texas Relocation Network, Houston Association of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, Nancy Owens Memorial Foundation (Board Member). Back to Top
	Elizabeth Sawyer attended both Irish and English schools until the age of 12. After graduating from Williams, including a junior year at the Sorbonne, Elizabeth earned an M.A. in English at Villanova. As a teacher of English, French and Spanish, she taught at the William Penn Charter School and the Baldwin School in greater Philadelphia. Subsequent to studies in Burgos, Spain, she worked as a teacher in Bangladesh and in Nicaragua. Her school consultancies have largely focused on the education needs of British, French, and Spanish-speaking families moving internationally as well as site assessments, most recently in Saudi Arabia. Back to Top
	Laura Sicola, Ph.D., provides cross-cultural communication and English or foreign language coaching programs to individuals and corporations, both American and international. She is also faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, where she trains language teachers in the MA-TESOL program. A certified teacher, she previously taught public high school in Nagoya, Japan, as well as elementary school in a bilingual program in Los Angeles. Back to Top
	Julia Simens is the Counseling Coordinator at NIST (New International School of Thailand) in Bangkok. Julia's career as a school counselor has included working with students from age three through college placement. She has 20+ years of international experience in American Samoa, Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Thailand. Julia received degrees in Elementary Education and Psychology from Chaminade University of Hawaii. She earned her MA in Clinical Psychology from JFK University, California. Julia has two teenage children who are growing up overseas. Her daughter just repatriated to attend college and her son is a sophomore at an international school in Thailand. Back to Top
	Oshikan Sjodin-Bunse is a Positive Psychology Family Coach who works with the expatriate community. She is licensed as a Heilpraktiker fuer Psychotherapie in Germany and has studied Positive Psychology with Martin Seligman Ph.D, of Pennsylvania University through his Authentic Happiness Coaching Program, with Christopher Peterson Ph.D and Todd Kashdan Ph.D. She is a US Citizen, married to a German National, currently living in New York. They have 3 adult children, all living in Europe. She was an expat living in Germany and Japan for 27 of the last 30 years. Oshikan is dedicated to helping her clients gain self-efficacy and optimism and to flourish in their lives. Please visit Oshikan's website at www.OshikanCoaching.com. Back to Top
	Leslie Sjurseth has worked in the relocation industry for the past 13 years and has over 27 years of hands-on international professional and personal experiences in many countries and cultures. While running her own relocation consulting company, Leslie has assisted International expatriates in Houston, Texas and Cairo, Egypt by providing destination services. She has dealt with a broad base of customers from every continent, with an emphasis on Africa and the Middle East. Leslie has the inherent gift for making people feel welcome and appreciated. She loves working in the international relocation industry, helping foreign nationals, integrate into their new location and culture. Back to Top
	Thomas Speckhardt is the Executive Director of YouthCompass International, an international organization that supports youth and families. He has lived and worked in an expatriate environment for the last 16 years and is an adult TCK. Together with his wife he is raising four TCK's, two of them teens. Thomas has worked with the corporate, diplomatic, and educational communities to raise the level of support for expatriate families on assignment. By creating opportunities for service for adults and youth in Eastern Europe, he has helped to expand the worldview of global nomads. Back to Top
	Laura Stephens, MBACP Psychotherapist (UK) with a background in HR, has published articles about expatriate life and its emotional challenges. She has lived in North and South England, Singapore and the USA. Through her working experience and life as an accompanying partner she has gained a unique perspective on expat matters as employer, spouse, mother and therapist. She has reinvented her career to fit with her changing circumstances; the common thread in her working/personal life being a desire to connect with others. Back to Top
	As Director of USA Girl Scouts Overseas, Sandy Thomas is responsible for serving American girls and their classmates attending American or International Schools outside the US. They are presently serving girls in 92 countries. She has worked for Girl Scouts of the USA for 37 years and has been at the National Organization for 16 years. She has been a trainer for the National organization as well as for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts for over 20 years. Her responsibilities included providing a sound quality learning experience for staff and volunteers that serve in different capacities in the organization from top management to volunteers working with girls Back to Top
	Marian Valia began her career working as an engineer in the United States and Canada, but chose a different path after moving to Mumbai, India in 2002. While on a four-year expatriate assignment, Ms. Valia worked as a cross-cultural trainer for companies such as Cartus, Dow Corning, Owens Corning and Indian Orientation Services. While in India, she and her husband welcomed the birth of their first child. Cultures Connected was founded when Ms. Valia repatriated to Canada. She consults for companies such as Prudential Relocation, Shepell-fgi and Houston Murphy Associates. She is a member of SIETAR USA and FIGT. Back to Top
	Ruth E. Van Reken, adult TCK, consultant, co-author Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds (revised edition). Born and bred in Kano, Nigeria, to an American father born and raised in Iran, Ruth raised her own three TCKs in Liberia. Her first book, Letters Never Sent, was one of the initial books to examine the effects of a global childhood. Ruth works nationally and internationally with globally mobile families, their organizations, international and local schools as they all seek to help children maximize the many gifts of being raised among cultural worlds. Back to Top
	Mary Wertsch, a former investigative journalist, grew up in a career U.S. Army family in three different countries. Her ground-breaking book, Military Brats: Legacies of Childhood Inside the Fortress (1991), is widely credited with identifying the military as a distinct, shaping, root culture for children raised within it. Active in the movement to explore and strengthen military brat cultural identity, she gives lectures and workshops around the country and abroad. Her work-in-progress is on the subject of belonging/not belonging, based on research among individuals whose childhoods were mobile or multicultural: TCKs of all types. Back to Top