2026 Excellence in Global Engagement Awards

For the past 12 years, Nick has worked with several dozen faculty program directors and several thousand students in the CHID Department’s faculty-led study abroad programs. As an instructor and program director himself, he brings curricular and pedagogical experience together with the administrative joys of managing program proposals and budgets. In collaboration with colleagues across UW departments, he works to expand the range of destinations and program thematics offered through CHID, centering vital issues around Indigeneity, race, migration, environmental justice, and more.

About Nicolaas P. Barr

As Assistant Director at GIX, Kyle Brown oversees the design and implementation of new outreach strategies, bespoke study abroad programs, and graduate student activities within the MSTI program. He develops data-driven processes which increase graduate student enrollment, student success, and GIX’s visibility. Accessibility and inclusivity are central to the MSTI programs and activities Kyle develops, with technology used a vehicle for global connection between UW students and international peers or industry professionals from Finland to Japan. Through these experimental and innovative programs and experiences, Kyle centers global engagement as a means to shape students’ perspectives, guide career paths, and form lifelong networks, developing practical skills in robotics or virtual reality while building global competency.

Kyle Brown’s Linkedin

Kelsey supports international students and alumni on F‑1 visas through advising, immigration education, and inclusive programming that promotes global engagement and student success. She manages key ISSS initiatives—including orientation, employment authorization workshops, and cultural engagement programs—while intentionally applying equitable hiring and inclusive management practices to build a diverse and representative student staff team. In response to the unique needs of UW Tacoma’s international student population, she developed career‑focused programming, alumni engagement, and access to immigration attorneys during periods of significant federal policy change. Kelsey also supports UW Tacoma’s global partnerships by designing and sustaining exchange student services that strengthen institutional relationships and foster meaningful cross‑cultural connection.

Kelsey Crain’s Linkedin
UW Tacoma Directory Page

Lyda’s University of Washington trajectory as an undergraduate and graduate student, and now employee, have been informed by the gratitude and trust of community mentors and colleagues who have provided opportunities for growth, of which she aspires to reciprocate as a student services leader. As an Academic Advisor, she co-implemented the Global Health Minor program committee in partnership with faculty and staff to lead the revision of the undergraduate program aimed at improving education in global healthcare locally and abroad. She also leads departmental advising for the Master of Public Health Practicum requirement by managing administrative requirements and supporting students with identifying degree projects locally and abroad. Lyda works with students to identify academic and professional goals in these projects to foster global engagement in healthcare.

Lyda Ebadani’s Linkedin

For nearly 20 years, Jan has led global digital health efforts by empowering local ownership and leadership. She co-founded the Digital Initiatives Group (DIGI, https://digi.uw.edu/) as an interdisciplinary center supporting digital transformation in under-resourced health systems through open-source software innovations and community-governed solutions. She co-leads OpenMRS (https://openmrs.org/), a global open-source electronic medical record system with 5,000+ active community members deployed in 80+ countries to support care for over 22 million patients. Through DIGI, she partners with Ministries of Health, Africa CDC, U.S. CDC, WHO, and philanthropic organizations to design and scale digital health solutions across Africa, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Asia, and underserved U.S. settings. Her work has built pipelines of local digital health leaders – including hundreds of Kenyan professionals now steering their country’s national digital health ecosystem. Her impact extends to workforce development globally through developing programs like Africa CDC’s two-year Public Health Informatics Fellowship and mentorship of UW students across nursing, public health, medicine, and engineering.

Jan Flowers’ Linkedin

Since assuming her role, equitable access to international opportunities and incorporating intercultural competence into student services programming have been Kirsten’s priorities. This has included implementing new models for funding graduate student fieldwork abroad, and developing intercultural communication modules for study abroad programming and career development offerings. She also served as a mentor for student leadership initiatives aimed at creating inclusive community-building programming for the department’s global student population. She is passionate about meaningful and inclusive international education programming, both on campus and abroad, and its ability to transform students’ understanding of themselves and of their careers, and their ability to make positive changes in their communities.

Kirsten N Greene’s Linkedin
About Kirsten N Greene

As Associate Director of the Global Business Center at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business, Josie leads and oversees a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate global business programs, including education abroad, international internships, case competitions, and on‑campus global initiatives spanning more than 20 countries. With over a decade of experience, she has advanced inclusive and meaningful global engagement for diverse audiences both on-campus and abroad. Her leadership centers on reducing barriers to participation and ensuring global programs are academically integrated and responsive to student needs. In partnership with many leaders at UW, Josie’s strategic planning has helped shape accessible international opportunities and contributed to a significant increase in underrepresented minority student participation in study abroad at Foster.

Josie Kraft’s Linkedin

Over the past 14 years, Ray has worked in partnership with colleagues, alumni, donors, and campus leaders to build and strengthen UW’s global engagement infrastructure, including the development of international alumni chapters and the launch of UW Converge, the university’s signature global gathering. This work has focused on reconnecting alumni communities (made up of donors, friends and family), creating inclusive opportunities for engagement, and aligning global relationships with UW’s academic and strategic priorities. These efforts have expanded opportunities for collaboration among alumni, faculty, and partners while helping to foster a culture of connection and philanthropy across regions. Together, these initiatives have contributed to stronger global networks, increased donor support, increased participation in university programs, and deeper, more sustained relationships between UW and its international communities.

Ray Li’s Linkedin

Kim served the University of Washington and international students on the Seattle campus for over 26 years. From her early work recruiting top global talent in undergraduate international admissions to her current role as Director of ISS where they support current international students in achieving their academic goals, her work has been driven by advocacy and creating supportive structures that allow F-1 and J-1 students to learn, contribute, and graduate as globally minded leaders. She educates international students about the immigration regulations they must follow but also helps to educate staff, faculty, and the UW community to break down barriers and open opportunities for the UW international student community. Kim’s goal is to create a welcoming educational home for international students, where her team will handle federal compliance so students can learn, live, and grow from their UW experience. Kim strives to be open and to listen, stay curious, and be willing to learn from different perspectives. Global education and the importance of cross-cultural education have never been more critical. She believes the work that she and her team do positively impacts the lives of not only the students, but their families, communities, and the larger UW community as well.

Kim Lovaas’ Linkedin

For over two decades, Jenn’s work has focused on sexual and reproductive health. Throughout her time at UW, her work has centered on understanding and testing key products and strategies that help individuals prevent getting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, including optimizing access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV in public and private settings. She works closely with clinicians, public health experts, and communities in sub-Saharan Africa to collaboratively design solutions to barriers that communities face in accessing these lifesaving prevention modalities. In her role as Deputy Managing Director, her dedication to capacity building with international partners and mentoring junior staff on decolonizing global health is helping to create meaningful change in how public health research is conducted in a global context.

Jennifer Morton’s Linkedin

Since joining the GBC in 2016, Angela has managed undergraduate international case competitions and supported the GBC’s Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) grant, a Department of Education program focused on expanding global business expertise through faculty engagement, regional partnerships, and community-centered events. In her current role, she manages all MBA study abroad programming and multiple exchange partnerships, working closely with international universities, vendors, and faculty to design inclusive, high-impact experiences. She has led efforts to improve equity on global programs, including advocating for more accessible study abroad options and co-developing an Identity Abroad module that addresses cultural humility, privilege, and power dynamics. Through CSR, sustainability, and social impact focused programs across Europe, Latin America, and Asia, she has helped students develop the skills and perspectives needed to become inclusive, globally minded business leaders.

Angela Shelley’s Linkedin

Chris has spent more than a decade advancing the University of Washington’s global engagement through leadership of UW International & English Language Programs, building pathways that connect international students, scholars, and partners to the university. He has expanded access to international education by developing flexible program models and partnerships that make study abroad and English training opportunities more attainable for underserved learners. His work has strengthened UW’s international presence by cultivating relationships with more than 200 study abroad agencies and establishing over 60 university partnerships worldwide, while representing the institution at global fairs, government meetings, and alumni events. Chris has also led high-impact initiatives that embed internationalization into campus culture, while guiding IELP through major institutional and external challenges such as the pandemic and visa policy disruptions. Through both campus leadership and professional service, including roles with NAFSA: Association of International Educators, his work reflects a sustained commitment to global access, intercultural learning, and strengthening the University’s worldwide community.

Over the past two decades, Cheryl developed and led more than 50 international and customized programs serving learners from Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and beyond. Her work emphasizes reciprocal, place-based global engagement by building partnerships with universities, government agencies, and community organizations to create meaningful, mission-aligned programs. She has expanded access to global education by designing inclusive systems that support first-generation students, women in STEM, and learners from underrepresented regions. She created programs that integrate sustainability, digital innovation, and cross-cultural learning. Cheryl also designs evaluation and support systems that ensure these programs are impactful, adaptable, and grounded in equity.

What Cheryl is most proud of is the persistence and discipline it has taken to sustain and evolve this work over time, even in the face of institutional, structural, and political challenges. Continuing to adapt, expand access, and deepen impact across a wide range of programs and partnerships remains both professionally and personally rewarding.

Cheryl Wheeler’s Linkedin