SPEAKERS

Don't miss your chance to learn from the leading experts and innovators in international education at the TDU Global Conference 2024! We've assembled a powerful lineup of speakers who will inspire you with their insights, ideas and vision for the future of education abroad. With sessions covering the most pressing issues, emerging trends and best practices across the field, you'll gain actionable insights to elevate your international education programs.

Rachel Benjamin is the Assistant Director of Immigration Technology Systems in the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, where she has been working since August 2018. She has been working with Terra Dotta since 2019, and has been an ISSS-Student user since early 2021. Rachel holds a B.A. from Cornell University where she majored in Spanish, participated in a six-month study abroad program in Seville, Spain, and completed minors in international relations and feminist, gender and sexuality studies. She is currently pursuing a joint M.A. in sociology and women's, gender and sexuality studies at Brandeis. 

Meredith Fant Wilson is currently the Director of Education Abroad and Interim Executive Director of Global Engagement at Clemson University. Meredith has been utilizing Terra Dotta for more than 10 years and has served a key role within Clemson's high-risk travel advisory group in recent years. A tiger through and through, Meredith completed her undergraduate, Master's, and Ph.D. degrees at Clemson and now enjoys working for the school she loves so much! 

Victoria has worked in the Placements and International Programmes Office at The University of Manchester for 6 years and is currently the Systems & Data Coordinator, with responsibility for the day-to-day running of Manchester’s Terra Dotta site. This includes the training of academic and administrative staff, data quality, content design, and the production of reports for governmental bodies. She is also an advisor for students wishing to study in Europe, with an interest in making international experiences accessible to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

She completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology at The University of Manchester, UK. During her studies, she studied abroad in China and the USA. In her free time, Victoria enjoys strength training, hiking in the beautiful Peak District, and reading.

Dave Barber joined Terra Dotta as VP of Product in January of 2024, where he and his team are responsible for planning and delivering solutions that help make heroes of our users. He has spent the majority of his professional career in the SaaS software space, ranging from ERP/MRP solutions to business process management & workflow automation to the FinTech space. An engineer by education (BSME, BSNE from The Georgia Institute of Technology), he is passionate about engaging with customers to understand their challenges and help solve them in creative and delightful ways. Outside of Terra Dotta, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife and teenage children, cooking, and attending pretty much any competitive sporting event that exists.

Kendall Frye is the Director of Customer Support at Terra Dotta where she leads a team of professionals who serve as the front-lines of product support inquiries. With over 10 years of experience at Terra Dotta, Kendall has worn many hats and uses her myriad experiences to contribute to the ongoing growth of the Terra Dotta Support team. Outside of work, Kendall enjoys reading and staying busy with her three young children. 

Scott Carter is the Director of Integrations at Terra Dotta where he, along with the integrations team, oversee integrated services such as SIS, Authentications, Payment Gateways, TD Connect, and Export/Import processes for all Terra Dotta products. Scott has been with Terra Dotta for 10 years. Before coming to Terra Dotta, Scott worked in higher education for over 15 years. In his free time, Scott serves on the board of his synagogue and likes to spend time woodworking or walking in nature.

Randy Mason joined Terra Dotta in early 2022 and is currently a Senior Implementation Engineer for ISSS. Before joining Terra Dotta, Randy spent several years working as an implementation engineer for a company that developed software for use by universities and local/federal government entities. Randy resides in Vermont and enjoys outdoor activities in his free time.

Cathi Berberich is the T2 Technical Support Lead at Terra Dotta where she leads a team of diverse technical professionals who serve as the advanced support. As part of her previous international education background, Cathi advised international students and scholars at the University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Davis, and National Institutes of Health. Additionally, she studied abroad in Greece and has also lived in Malaysia. Cathi holds a M.A. from Lesley University in Intercultural Relations and a B.S. from the University of North Dakota in Psychology. In her free time, Cathi enjoys traveling and learning how to garden.

Judy Moore is the Associate Director for Study Abroad at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Judy grew up primarily in a small rural town in the state of Indiana. She then went to college and graduate school in Ohio where, as part of her undergraduate experience, she spent 3 weeks during the summer studying at the University of Limerick in Ireland. Judy has worked in international education at colleges and universities in Ohio, Georgia, and Indiana before coming to Texas. She has led the implementation of Terra Dotta software for study abroad application management at two institutions (including UTEP) and has worked closely with the implementation and management of Travel Registry at UTEP.

Kelsey is a Senior Enablement Specialist at Terra Dotta, where she spends most of her time coaching Terra Dotta customers in how to optimize their use of Terra Dotta's Outgoing and Travel/Risk products. Kelsey has been with Terra Dotta since 2015, and has a passion for helping offices gain proficiency in the functionality they use every day. She obtained her B.A. in English from Lenoir-Rhyne University, where she also extensively studied Theatre Arts. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, hiking, gaming, and spending time with her son and husband.

Brock has worked at Terra Dotta for 2 years, is currently serving as a Senior Solutions Engineer, and bring 15+ years of experience working in global education, specifically in education abroad. Brock’s global education experience been varied including study abroad and exchange student advising, health and safety emergency response, faculty-led program development, marketing and branding campaign management, curriculum integration and course mapping projects, national scholarship advising, and governmental language program grant coordination.

Brock completed his B.A. in International Studies at the University of Nebraska. As an undergraduate, Brock studied abroad in Costa Rica, The Netherlands, and India. He also completed his M.Sc. in International Business Management in Lille, France. Brock enjoys working with international education newcomers, supporting local public schools, and spending time outdoors being active (or eating!) with his wife and children.

I work with faculty-led programming abroad and am the Terra Dotta "Power User" at The Ohio State University. With 15 years in the international education field, my responsibilities entail collaborating with faculty to build, promote, and implement programs. This includes writing competitive bid specifications, building program budgets, envisioning logistics, creating effective outreach, securing visas, and creating long-term plans for each program. I also enjoy co-leading group programs to ensure things run smoothly and maintain a positive group dynamic.

Jennifer King joined International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) in January 2011. She is currently responsible for Graduate students in the School of Engineering and monitors and maintains data within both the SEVIS and Student Admin systems for our students, scholars, and exchange visitors. She graduated cum laude in 2001 from the University of Maine at Orono while earning her B.S. in Secondary Education with a concentration in Spanish. Her love for international education began during her study abroad experience in Madrid, Spain where she studied in the native language and was able to experience the cultures of France, Italy, Greece, Mexico, Dominican Republic, England and Scotland during her travels abroad. Jennifer went on to teach High School Spanish in her native Cape Cod, Massachusetts and later entered the corporate arena at American Power Conversion in Rhode Island where she was the Project Coordinator of the Latin American Division for Order Fulfillment. Before coming to UConn, Jennifer worked in Performance Improvement and Regulatory Compliance within a community hospital in Wakefield, Rhode Island. Finally, Jennifer has made it back to where she always knew she wanted to be…in the field of international education!

With 20+ years of customer-centric leadership and a unique blend of digital transformation, globalization and regulation expertise, Terra Dotta CEO Ben Psillas is driving Terra Dotta’s mission to be a valued global engagement partner. Psillas has a proven track record of successfully guiding PE / VC backed mission-driven companies to unlock new opportunities for customers and driving shareholder value. He previously served in leadership roles at First Performance, Allpoint Network / Cardtronics, and others. Ben earned his bachelor's degree in Finance from West Virginia University.

Olivia is an experienced Service Advisor with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. She is a creative thinker, always working toward efficient and effective organization of the work needing to be completed.

Sonya Brauchle is a Customer Success Manager at Terra Dotta, working with customers throughout their user journey to ensure they have what they need to achieve their goals and support their students, faculty, and staff. Sonya got her first taste of international educaton when she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, then spent a year teaching in Guilin, China. She returned to the U.S. excited to work somewhere (anywhere!) in the field of international education and began her career as a credential evaluator. After six years as an evaluator, then university partnership management, she pivoted to international admissions and recruitment at a small liberal arts college in New York, where she stayed for four years, traveling the world for recruitment, co-managing a two-person admissions office, overseeing international pathway and dual degree programs, and working closely with the ISSS and study abroad offices on campus. When not pondering why students don't follow through with the I-20's they requested, Sonya likes to travel on her own, and has been to over 50 countries, specifically to try all the foods—she also has run four marathons to work off all the pasta and dumplings.

Kelsey is a Senior Enablement Specialist at Terra Dotta, where she spends most of her time coaching Terra Dotta customers in how to optimize their use of Terra Dotta's Outgoing and Travel/Risk products. Kelsey has been with Terra Dotta since 2015, and has a passion for helping offices gain proficiency in the functionality they use every day. She obtained her B.A. in English from Lenoir-Rhyne University, where she also extensively studied Theatre Arts. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, hiking, gaming, and spending time with her son and husband.

Nate has been working with the Terra Dotta software for about nine years (five years as a full-time position). Over the past year, Natehas been a part of implementing each of Terra Dotta’s modules across the four campuses of the University of Missouri System.

Heidi Doyle has been at the University of Michigan since 2007. For the past 12 years she has been the primary technical contact and system administrator for U-M’s study abroad and travel registry Terra Dotta solutions. Her favorite Terra Dotta features are Process Admin, Deployment Rules and Program Parameters. Heid’s background is in software development and is a Project Management Professional (PMP). 

Audrey Faulkner is a Customer Enablement Specialist at Terra Dotta, based in Colorado. Audrey has a diverse background in global education, including education abroad, institutional partnerships and exchanges, and campus internationalization programming. She has also served in ISSS advising and PDSO responsibilities. She holds a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration and a B.S. in Communication and Media Studies with a minor in Linguistics. Outside of the global education realm, Audrey enjoys hiking, karaoke, spending time with her crazy dogs, and being a committed lifelong learner.

Rosie Flowers is a Senior Implementation Engineer at Terra Dotta where she co-manages the implementation pipleine and facilitates onboarding for customers with Terra Dotta's Outgoing and Travel/Risk products. Rosie has almost 9 years of experience working with Terra Dotta and its many platforms. Before joining Terra Dotta, Rosie worked in other sectors of education and software. In her free time, Rosie enjoys traveling, watching football, and spending quality time with her family.

Madi worked a variety of roles in higher education before becoming the Systems Analyst and User Experience Analyst for the Office of Education Abroad at Case Western Reserve University. Madi's introduction to Terra Dotta occurred in 2022 when they joined a very experienced team in maintaining two Terra Dotta systems (ISSS and Study Abroad) for CWRU's Center for International Affairs, which has used Terra Dotta for over a decade. Madibenefited greatly from joining a super user group when they first began using the software, and wants to empower others to benefit from the shared community and knowledge that independent, cross-institutional groups provide. 

Noah Kriger started his career in international education as a college freshman work-study student in the Office of International Services at NC State University. In his 20+ year career, he has been in many roles in the international office setting. He has also worn many hats since joining Terra Dotta in 2015, where he most enjoys interacting with customers and learning about their unique business processes in order to help them achieve their goals through the use of the software. As a dad of three, he has no free time, but enjoys all the time he gets in the various and ever changing family activities.

Emily Marlton is a Senior Implementation Engineer at Terra Dotta where her current focus is onboarding new customers to Terra Dotta's Outgoing and Travel/Risk products. Prior to joining Terra Dotta, Emily worked in the study abroad offices at UNC Chapel Hill and NC State. Building on her 15 years of experience in international education, Emily now helps clients optimize their use of Terra Dotta software by offering best practice-based solutions tailored to meet the institution-specific needs. Emily holds a B.S. in Business Administration, a B.A. in French, and a M.A. in International Education. When she’s not at work, she enjoys being active outdoors with her family!

Anna Marter is a Customer Enablement Specialist at Terra Dotta, dedicated to helping organizations optimize their use of Terra Dotta software. With a M.A. from the SIT Graduate Institute in International Education and a BFA from NYU in Video Production, Anna combines a unique blend of educational and creative expertise to deliver comprehensive training and support. Over her 9-year career in study abroad, Anna has streamlined application processes to make international programs more accessible for students. Bringing a global perspective to her role, Anna has lived in Australia and New Zealand and studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland.

Christina Meredith is the Director of Product Training, where she leads a team dedicated to providing high quality training to fellow Dottans and product documentation for all. With over 20 years in international education, and almost 10 at Terra Dotta, she uses her experience from her variety of roles (from Admin Services to Integrations to Product Owner) to provide universally-empowering trainings. Christina spends her free time as a baseball mom and wife, weightlifting, reading, and taking as many cruises as she can.

Tanner Perfect is a Solutions Engineer at Terra Dotta where he serves as an advisor to institutions by assessing their business needs and encouraging them to adhere to best practices from the field. Prior to joining the Terra Dotta team, Tanner worked as an international student advisor at a mid-sized institution in the southeast U.S., leveraging the ISSS solution every day to enhance the student experience and better serve international students. By leaning on his own experience, combined with the knowledge and learning from working with many of Terra Dotta's customer institutions, Tanner works to push the boundaries of what is capable within the solution and continues to advocate customers to think outside of the box. In his free time, you can find him outdoors, either hiking or enjoying quality time in the sun.

Madelyn Petrovich is the Technical Documentation Manager at Terra Dotta, where she works to strengthen Terra Dotta's expansive knowledgebase. Her journey with Terra Dotta began as a study abroad applicant and later as a Terra Dotta client, granting her powerful insights into enhancing the user experience. Madelyn joined Terra Dotta as an employee in early 2021. Prior to her current role, Madelyn served as a member of the Travel Risk product team, where she developed particular expertise in AlertTraveler and Travel Registry. Inspired by her own international education experiences, Madelyn holds deep respect and admiration for the higher education community, and sharing her knowledge with Terra Dotta's client community is the part of her role she loves most. Madelyn earned her M.L.A.S. in 2019, where her focus in international studies and creative writing fueled her passion for global education and storytelling.

Dominique Speer, Ph.D., is an Associate Product Manager, driving the development of data and insights at Terra Dotta. Previously, she spent 14 years as a study abroad professional, advising students and overseeing academic enhancement. Dominique's passion for international education stems from her own experiences studying abroad and teaching English in Japan, and later co-leading a winter break program in Tokyo to explore the intersection of self-identity and social context. In her leisure time, she enjoys reading, photography, drawing, and writing fiction.

Steve Sweitzer is the Study Abroad Product Owner at Terra Dotta where he leads the development team and oversees the planning, development, and deployment of the Study Abroad solution. Steve has worked at Terra Dotta for twenty years in a variety of roles. Initially, Steve worked as a QA tester and technical writer for the study abroad product known in the early years as StudioAbroad. Later, Steve became the head of support and QA while also travelling to more than 50 offices across the country as a trainer and implementation specialist. As the study abroad product evolved, Steve moved to the development team and took on the role of Product Owner. He lives in Chapel Hill where he spends his time hiking, gaming, and taking care of a very fussy cat.

Jordan is a Senior Enablement Specialist at Terra Dotta, where he spends most of his time coaching people on Terra Dotta's Outgoing and Travel/Risk products. He is also involved with scoping and coordinating new projects for the customer enablement team. Jordan has been with Terra Dotta since 2019, and has worked in international education for about 11 years — not only with Terra Dotta, but also for university international offices and with education abroad program providers. Jordan holds a M.S. in College Student Personnel Administration and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Central Missouri. Outside of work, Jordan enjoys spending time with his family, giving back to his community, playing music, and being a freelance graphic designer.

Chris Tomlinson is the Associate Product Owner for the Travel/Risk suite, comprised of the Travel Registry, AlertTraveler, Engage, and Agreements products. Before starting this role, he worked on these products for one year as a Technical Supported Engineer. Chris's background in software also includes six years at IBM and two years at IQVIA. Outside of work, Chris enjoys playing pickleball and is an avid traveler who has visited more than 40 countries.

Rohit Varanasi is the Product Owner for the Travel/Risk suite, comprised of the Travel Registry, AlertTraveler, Engage, and Agreements products. Prior to joining Terra Dotta in early 2024, he graduated with a Master of Engineering Management (MEM) degree from Duke University. He brings experience in product management across different sectors, such as health and media. Rohit hails from Hyderabad, India and is a passionate photographer, always looking for his next frame.

Abby Ward is the Director of Customer Onboarding and Curriculum at Terra Dotta, where she leads a dynamic and highly professional team dedicated to delivering best-in-class customer onboarding and educational initiatives. With over two decades of experience in international education and EdTech, Abby approaches each customer interaction and project from a perspective of partnership and deep understanding. Additionally, she is passionate about mentoring her team and fostering a culture of authentic self-expression. Abby holds a M.Ed. in Educational Policy, Planning & Leadership, and a B.A. in Political Science and German Studies, underscoring her academic background in her areas of professional interest. Outside of work, Abby enjoys the Soccer Mom life, yoga, and watching historical documentaries.

Chelsea Weaver is a Customer Enablement Specialist with a concentration in all things ISSS. With over 9 years of experience at Terra Dotta, she is dedicated to enhancing user experiences through one-on-one coaching, guiding clients through the ISSS student adoption process, and aiding offices through technical support. When not collaborating with ISSS offices, you can find her diving into medieval history, attending jam sessions, or hyper-focusing on her latest art project. Chelsea believes in the power of continuous learning and is excited to connect with fellow professionals to share insights and inspire one another.

Kendra Zysk is an Implementation Engineer at Terra Dotta and holds a wealth of knowledge in the field of International Student & Scholar Services. After graduating from NYU with a Master's in International Education, she spent 12 years working for ISSS offices at several colleges/universities in the northeastern U.S., along the way gaining experience in each aspect of ISSS: initial student processing, continuing student advising, scholar advising, and SEVIS data management. She was also a member of the NAFSA Trainer Corps from 2017-2020 and has delivered several Core NAFSA Regulatory Trainings during NAFSA Region XI conferences and spring Immigration Workshops. At Terra Dotta, she uses her subject matter expertise to assist newly implementing clients in configuring and optimizing their Terra Dotta sites and data integrations with home student information systems. In her spare time, Kendra loves playing cards, watching and quoting The Simpsons, and going to the beach.