Staff

Full Staff Listing

• Ismail Elmahdi, Associate Director, African Studies, Instructional Technology
• C. Michael Gray, Associate Director, African Studies
• Joan Kraynanski, Administrative Associate
• Jill McKinney, Administrative Coordinator
• Anthony Medrano, Assistant Director, Southeast Asian Studies
• Acacia Nikoi, Assistant Director, African Studies
• Laura Schaeffer, Director of Outreach and Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies
• Karla Schneider, Assistant Director, Center for International Studies
• Glenda Washburn, Accounting Associate
• Lijing (Jean) Zhang, Accounting Associate

 

Ismail Elmahdi Associate Director, African Studies, Instructional Technology (740) 593-0351 elmahdi@ohio.edu Ismail Elmahdi returned to Ohio University in August 2007 as the Associate Director of African Studies for Instructional Technology. A graduate of the African Studies Program (1994), Ismail also earned his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Ohio University in 2003 with a focus on Instructional Technology. His return to Athens follows three years working as Communication Consultant and Host Nation Liaison with AllWorld Language Consultants in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and three years with Wagner College in New York serving as Director for Academic Computing.

C. Michael Gray Associate Director African Studies (740) 593-1853 gray@ohio.edu C. Michael Gray, who previously served on the business law faculty of the College of Business at Ohio University and as the College’s director of diversity, was appointed associate director of African Studies. Gray’s professional experience includes work as a banker, government attorney, educational consultant and motivational speaker. He has lectured at the University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa, and has also traveled to and worked in Senegal, Gabon, and Botswana. Gray is the founder and director of American-African Professional Education Connection (APEC), a global network for American and African colleges and universities

	Joan Kraynanski Administrative Associate (740) 593-1840 kraynans@ohio.edu

Jill McKinney Administrative Coordinator (740) 593-1836 mckinney@ohio.edu Jill McKinney began working at the Center for International Studies in 1983 as a temporary secretary. Since then she has served the Center in a full-time secretarial position and is now the Administrative Coordinator. She has served on the Classified Employee's Senate as a member and an officer for two terms and has served on a number of committees across campus. Jill has worked at the Center for over 21 years and continues to be an integral part of its success.

Anthony Medrano Assistant Director, Southeast Asian Studies (740) 593-1841 medrano@ohio.edu Anthony Medrano earned an MA in Southeast Asian Studies in 2007 and an MA in Political Science in 2003, both from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. From 2001-2003, he was an affiliate in the East West Center's student program. Anthony joined the Center for International Studies as the Assistant Director of the Southeast Asian Studies Program in September of 2007. Anthony worked in the Philippines from 2003-2005 as a Development Officer with the Synergia Foundation and has traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia.

Acacia Nikoi Assistant Director, African Studies (740) 597-1511 nikoi@ohio.edu Acacia Nikoi joined the staff at the Center for International Studies in September 2002 as conference coordinator for the Institute for the African Child. After completing her Master's degree in International Affairs (African Studies) at Ohio University, Acacia spent time in West Africa and Atlanta where she facilitated cross-cultural educational opportunities for students from the United States and West Africa. Her experience in Africa includes living in Kenya and Ghana and visiting numerous countries in East, West and Southern Africa. On her return to Ohio University in 2001, she worked with the Institute and the African Studies Program as a consultant. Acacia's academic interests are in cross-cultural and inter-cultural education and she actively promotes Africa as a source of knowledge.

Laura Schaeffer Director of Outreach Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies (740) 597-2756 schaeffe@ohio.edu Laura Schaeffer has directed the bachelor of arts program and coordinated outreach efforts for the Center for International Studies since October, 2005. She came to Athens in 1994 to earn a master's degree in International Development Studies after serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali and earning a bachelor's degree in family and consumer education from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Schaeffer worked with a non-profit organization in rural Athens County for two years and coordinated the Supplemental Instruction Program at Ohio University for eight years.

Karla Schneider Assistant Director, Center for International Studies (740) 593-1842 schneidk@ohio.edu A graduate of the Southeast Asian Studies Program, Karla Schneider assumed the role of Assistant Director of the Center for International Studies in April 2007 following five years as Assistant Director of the Southeast Asia Program. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Karla came to Ohio University as a graduate student in 1999 after completing her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at Miami University. Several years spent in an international high school in Penang, Malaysia sparked Karla’s interest in the study of Southeast Asia as a region. Her academic interests include human rights, immigrant and refugee cultural identity, and refugee repatriation in post-conflict areas, especially pertaining to Africa and Southeast Asia.

Glenda Washburn Accounting Associate (740) 593-1838 washburn@ohio.edu Glenda Washburn joined the Center for International Studies in December 1991. She has worked for Ohio University for 18 years and was first hired in 1985 as a part-time secretary in the College of Education. She has more than 35 years of clerical and secretarial experience and as Accounting Associate, she is responsible for many of the Center's financial transactions.

Lijing (Jean) Zhang Accounting Associate (740) 593-1851 zhangl1@ohio.edu Lijing (Jean) Zhang obtained an MBA with a concentration in accounting from California State University. Prior to working at Ohio University, Jean was employed in several banking and financial institutions both inside and outside the United States and gained substantial working experience. Jean worked at the Voinovich Center after moving to Athens in 2004 and then joined the Center for International Studies in 2005 as an accounting associate for grant accounting.