Presenters

Sophia Skaff currently serves as a Program Officer in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. In this role she oversees a number Fulbright programs and contributes to management of the Global UGRAD program. She is a big proponent of international exchange and education. She spent her junior year of university studying Spanish in Spain, spent a year in Brazil teaching English through the Fulbright Program, and two subsequent years teaching English in Chile. 

Last year, she completed her M.A. in International Affairs at American University and has a B.A. in International Relations from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, and playing with her dog, Dino.

Melissa Oppenheimer is the vice president for Global Programs. In that capacity she manages global development and exchange programs, as well as program monitoring, evaluation, and learning. Oppenheimer further provides oversight of the technical quality of international development business acquisition. Through a career of 15 years at World Learning, she has served in various program implementation and management roles for projects funded by the U.S. Department of State and USAID. Oppenheimer has also served as an assistant education advisor at the Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange between the U.S., Belgium, and Luxembourg. 

Earlier in her career, she was a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) at the U.S. Department of Education overseeing grants and acting as a liaison with state education officials. Following the completion of the PMF Program, she remained at the Department of Education, holding various analytical positions in budget policymaking and planning and evaluation in the Office of the Under Secretary. Oppenheimer holds a bachelor's degree in diplomacy and world affairs from Occidental College and a master's degree in Latin American studies from Georgetown University. 

Simon 'Si' Norton is a Global Educator, Facilitator, Trainer, Coach and Guide with 30+ years of experience facilitating empowering workshops, directing programs, and leading effective teams. He has successfully facilitated more than 1,000 experiential programs and workshops with adults and youth from over 175 countries and all 50 U.S. States. He has worked in more than 60 countries. He currently works on many freelance projects for NGO, educational, and corporate clients around the world. Si is an accomplished teacher, trainer, and facilitator with expertise in many areas including: leadership and teambuilding, project design and delivery, global issues and civics, mentoring and coaching, risk management, peacebuilding and dialogue, communication skills, emotional intelligence, positive psychology, wellness and resilience, and adventure and outdoor education.

Si has a master’s degree in global education from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in world issues from the School for International Training. His home base is in Lake Tahoe on the California/Nevada border and his interests include kayaking, paddle-boarding, skiing, snowshoeing, curling, baking, landscaping and stonework, and designing and building Tiny Homes and Cabins.

Sibonisiwe Ngubeni is the Zimbabwe Country Coordinator for the U.S Forest Service (USFS). She is currently supporting all USFS projects in Zimbabwe in collaboration with local relevant partners.  Projects supported include native tree reforestation work to restore natural woodlands in Zimbabwe, community native beekeeping as well as mining monitoring which aims to improve mining practices and natural resource management in Zimbabwe. She has also been involved in the Organizational Capacity Assessment of a local non-governmental organization that is in partnership with USFS and has been active in the planning and implementation of In-person Employee Orientation that takes place twice a year in Washington D.C, USA. Sibonisiwe Ngubeni holds a BSc in Environmental Science and Health obtained at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, May 2020. During her undergraduate studies, she had an opportunity to attend a semester exchange program through the World Learning Global Undergraduate Program at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville (class of 2019, Spring semester). 

Tim Rivera is senior advisor for innovation and strategy at World Learning where he leads the coordination of organizational strategy and the development, incubation, and implementation of innovative programming. He previously served as interim diversity, equity, and inclusion advisor to the CEO. Before joining World Learning, he worked at the European Union's Delegation to the United States for five years, overseeing a portfolio of public-facing initiatives spanning the transatlantic agenda, including trade, security, climate change, the digital economy, gender equality, and educational exchange. Over three years at the British Council, he contributed to programs on religion and international affairs, intercultural dialogue, and common European cultural relations initiatives.

In addition to his work at World Learning, Tim is concurrently an affiliate of the Transatlantic Policy Center at American University, a security fellow at the Truman National Security Project, and a member of the Foreign Policy for America’s NextGen Initiative. He received his master's degree in international relations from King's College London and a bachelor's degree in political science from Yale University.

Cristina Blough, CNP, CPDC (she/her/hers) currently serves as the Director of Corporate and Foundation Philanthropy at World Learning, Inc. In that capacity, she oversees a small and mighty team that manages the existing portfolio of private grant partnerships and cultivates new relationships for the organization. Prior to joining World Learning, she served as the Director of Corporate Partnerships & Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at Volunteers of America (VOA) and has experience in fundraising, special events, corporate engagement, marketing and partner cultivation. 

Outside of her professional role, she serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) through the SCAN of Northern Virginia for abused and neglected youth. She is also an inaugural and current committee member of the DEI Committee for the SCAN of Northern VA. She has an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University and a B.A. in Global Studies from the College of William and Mary. She loves dogs (has one of her own) and plants (has too many to count). In her free time, she enjoys spending time at the beach with her family, learning languages, trying new foods and traveling the world. She is a first-generation Hispanic-American, a proud citizen of both the United States and Uruguay, and is natively fluent in Spanish and English.

Rebecca Beauregard is foremost a seasoned project manager with an expertise in intercultural relations. She is the most analytical right-brained person you will meet. Rebecca spent 12 years in various management roles in humanitarian and development contexts across Nigeria, Ethiopia, Turkey, Syria, Yemen and Jordan. She journeyed through invaluable lessons in cultural awareness, inter-agency coordination, project management and international development systems while creating deep relationships across that will last a lifetime. Her journey led her to return to the United States where she currently utilizes her skillset as a consultant in collaborative engagement; that is, improving intergroup dynamics by addressing the structures and systems they work within so they may better accomplish their goals. She does this work through a public engagement consulting firm named Kearns & West, and much of her work is centered through the United States Department of Interior’s Office of Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution.  

Nina Oduro is a Ghanaian-American with over 14 years of experience as curriculum designer, trainer, and specialist on leadership and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). She has designed and facilitated curricula within the public and private sectors for governments and organizations such as the U.S. Department of State, Facebook, IREX, the James Beard Foundation, and Microsoft. She has coached trainers and supported design and delivery of trainings for adults and youth globally, including in countries such as Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Bangladesh, South Africa, and Jamaica. Nina is certified in DEI from eCornell. She received a graduate degree from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia.    

Amy is the managing director and lead trainer of Equilibrium Coaching & Consulting. She works with people and organizations around the world to foster their sense of purpose and effectively leverage systems to help them be their best. Before this role, she worked for two decades at the intersection of education, international development, and activism at universities, nonprofits, and in government. She is passionate about organizational management and helping people connect with themselves and lead their teams to holistic success.

In addition to being a certified professional coach, she has a master’s degree in International Education from the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at the George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and International Studies from John Carroll University. She sits on the board of the DC-based non-profit Learning Life and has also served on advisory boards for Story District and Dagaeno School for Girls in Tanzania.

She lives in Washington, DC where she is also a yoga teacher and mother of two small humans. 

Leah Busler is a professional digital creator who builds and manages brands to educate and inspire others in the global nonprofit sector. As a Digital Media Associate for World Learning, she specializes in social media content creation, graphic design, photography, and videography.

Tanisha Smith, a leader in strategic partnerships and fundraising, has 16 years of experience at Volunteers of America (VOA), currently serving as the Vice President of Corporate Partnerships.

Tanisha excels at cultivating high-value relationships with corporate partners.  She has a proven track record of securing sponsorships, exceeding targets, and generating significant funding for VOA initiatives.  For example, she led a campaign that secured a $1.3 million title sponsorship for an LPGA tournament, exceeding the initial goal by $600,000.

Throughout her career, Tanisha has demonstrated a talent for developing and executing strategic partnerships.  She spearheads a 13-year relationship with The Home Depot Foundation to end veteran homelessness and transform veterans housing, showcasing her commitment to social impact and yielding $25 million in grant funding.  Additionally, she revitalized VOA's partnership with the MLB Players Trust, securing $13 million in donations over 10 years.

Tanisha's leadership extends beyond fundraising.  She has a strong background in event management, having launched a successful Avon Walk for Breast Cancer program that raised $43 million.  Her dedication to participant experience and mission alignment resulted in an impressive 73% retention rate.

Tanisha's extensive experience in relationship building, fundraising, and event leadership makes her a valuable asset to Volunteers of America.

Kathi Higgins is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in grant management and program compliance at Volunteers of America (VOA). Currently, as the Senior Director of Program Compliance & Grants Management, she oversees a program guiding the vision and strategy for grants exceeding $38 million annually.

Kathi's expertise encompasses the entire grant lifecycle. She leads the development of grant programs, manages competitive application processes, and negotiates sub-grants that effectively address identified needs. Her focus extends beyond securing funds; she fosters strong affiliate relations by ensuring the sub-granting process strengthens local VOA chapters, promoting their growth and stability.

Prior to her current role, Kathi served as Director of Grants & Affiliate Relations, spearheading grant-management systems and compliance activities. Her experience also includes managing public media grant programs and overseeing international contracts and grants administration for the American Red Cross.

Kathi's extensive background demonstrates her ability to navigate complex grant landscapes, ensuring adherence to regulations while maximizing the impact of awarded funds.

Melaney Monreal Starling is the Regional Alumni Coordinator for Africa at the State Department in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Alumni Affairs. Prior to her current position, Melaney worked in the Bureau of Global Talent Management, where she managed leadership and rotational programs for the Civil Service. Melaney also worked at the Peace Corps as a Country Desk Officer in the Africa Region.  She also held the positions of Overseas Staff Training Coordinator and Program Support Assistant in the Office of Overseas Programming and Training Support.  Before working at the Peace Corps, Melaney worked as Education Program Specialist at the Woodrow Wilson Center, where she coordinated the internship program.  Melaney is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and served as a teacher of English as a foreign language in Benin.  She holds a BA in Political Science from Miami University and MA from American University in International Development.  She is married and has a four-year old son and a ten-year old daughter.