| Full Staff Listing | CIS Organizational Chart |
- Ismail Elmahdi, Associate Director, African Studies, Instructional Technology
- Zelalem Haile, Coordinator, African Health Initiative
- Joan Kraynanski, Administrative Associate
- Jill McKinney, Administrative Coordinator
- Anthony Medrano, Assistant Director, Southeast Asian Studies
- Ghirmai Negash, Associate Director, African Studies
- Acacia Nikoi, Assistant Director, African Studies
- Laura Schaeffer, Director of Outreach and Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies
- Karla Schneider, Associate Director, Center for International Studies
- Andria Sherrow, Assistant Director, Institute for the African Child
- Glenda Washburn, Accounting Associate
- Lijing (Jean) Zhang, Accounting Associate
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Ismail Elmahdi Associate Director for Instructional Technology and Design for the Center for International studies (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. In July 2009 he was appointed to be Associate Director for Instructional Technology and Design for the Center for International Studies. 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. |
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Zelalem Haile Coordinator, African Health Initiative (740) 597 3254 haile@ohio.edu Zelalem Haile joined the Center for International Studies in August 2009 after completing his Masters of Public Health (MPH) at Ohio University. Zelalem also teaches Introduction to Health (HLTH 202) at the School of Public Health Sciences and Professions. In 2002 he completed his first Masters degree in Anthropology at the University of Florida. Between 2002 and 2006 Zelalem has been working as a lecturer in Anthropology and Archaeology at Asmara University in Eritrea. He also participated in a number of public health projects with the Eritrean Social Marketing Group. His research interests include HIV/AIDS, Condom Use as well as Maternal and Child Health in Africa |
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Joan Kraynanski Administrative Associate (740) 593-1840 kraynans@ohio.edu |
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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 28 years and continues to be an integral part of its success. |
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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. |
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Ghirmai Negash |
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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. |
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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. |
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Karla Schneider Associate 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. She is now Associate Director of the Center. 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. 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. |
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Andria Sherrow Assistant Director, Institute for the African Child (740) 597-1368 sherrowa@ohio.edu Andria has been directing nonprofits and collaborating with NGOs for over 10 years. She is the founder and current director of The Empower Campaign, a grassroots effort to educate Africa's orphans and vulnerable children. She has directed educational programs for marginalized women and children in Africa and the U.S., been a volunteer teacher in Ugandan public schools and currently teaches the Africa's Children course at Ohio University. |
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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. |
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Lijing (Jean) Zhang Accounting Associate (740) 593-1851 zhangl1@ohio.edu Lijing (Jean) Zhang obtained an MBA with concentration on professional accounting from California State University in 1996. After working many years in banks and financial institutions both inside and outside of the U.S., Jean came to OU and worked in accounting office in Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affair, and then she joined the Center for International Studies in 2005. As an accounting associate at the Center, Jean is responsible for grant accounting, reporting and other financial transactions. |