GICE Community Padlet by Ben Precourt

Ben Precourt

benprecourt — 2021-08-31 18:42:37 UTC

Hello! My name is Ben Precourt, and I am the new Coordinator for the GICE and Higher Education Concentrations. I am new to Harvard/Cambridge and excited to be working with forward-thinking, brilliant students and colleagues. I am a Midwesterner at heart and spent the last four years in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I graduated from Marquette University in May with a Masters in Education Policy.

I'm passionate about rural education issues, equitable college admissions and financial aid, and counteracting toxic masculinity. With equal passion, I love lemonade and public libraries.

Sarah Dryden-Peterson

sarahdrydenpeterson — 2021-09-02 11:33:32 UTC

Hello! My name is Sarah Dryden-Peterson and I am delighted to be co-leading the GICE Concentration with Fernando Reimers. I teach classes on comparative and international education, with a focus on conflict and peace building, and I also teach qualitative research methods. My research work is collaborative and field-based in settings of conflict and with children and their families. I'm very much looking forward to learning more about each of your passions and work!

I live in Jamaica Plain with my family, where we love to walk around and boat on Jamaica Pond and learn about hundreds of kinds of trees in the Arnold Arboretum - come and visit, it is a beautiful part of the city!

I'm delighted to be with you all today. When not teaching at HGSE, or writing about how to improve education, I enjoy gardening, talking long walks with my wife Eleonora, also a Professor of Education, and writing children's books. My research at the moment is focused in understanding how COVID_19 is impacting educational opportunity and how we can seize the moment to transform education for the better.

2021-09-02 12:13:19 UTC

Fernando M. Reimers

Ruoxuan Lei

2021-09-02 12:14:08 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Ruoxuan Lei and I studied Psychology + public health at Brandeis. I am excited to move to Cambridge and meet you all! I am interested in mental health education and how I could promote awareness of mental health. I love to cook and play video games in my spare time.

Sofía Bosch

2021-09-02 12:14:43 UTC

Hello! So thrilled to meet everyone.

My name is Sofía and I have lived in five different countries, but call Spain, Mexico and the U.S. home. I have experience in nonprofits, research, startups, journalism, and community organizing, and will be a part of the ELOE program.

My work focuses on more impactful and creative ways to address equity in and access to high-quality K-12 education — supporting students by cultivating curiosity, critical thinking, and community.

During my free time, you can find me outdoors (hiking, surfing, camping), reading, playing my guitar, cooking/eating, or partaking in a CrossFit workout.

Can’t wait to learn from and with you this year!

Cecilia Liang

2021-09-02 12:14:48 UTC

Hi y'all! My name is Cecilia Liang and I am from Houston, Texas. I left China at 4 years old and lived in Stockholm for 3 years before settling in the Lone Star State. I come from 6 years of classroom teaching (middle and high school STEM) in a Title I school. I am passionate about making education accessible to the most marginalized, family engagement, and good pedagogical practices. I want to learn more about poverty alleviation and how education can be a factor in this initiative.

Ryan S. Herman

2021-09-02 12:14:56 UTC

Hi all! My name is Ryan, a native of New Hampshire / Vermont, USA. I studied biochemistry / sociology in university, initially interested in the neurobiological processes of grief. That interest landed me in a school setting in India and I never left the education sector since! I'm currently interested in the overlap of community development / education in rural settings. Personally, I love podcasts, reading, and being outdoors!

Molly Reardon

2021-09-02 12:14:58 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Molly Reardon and I am really excited to join the GICE concentration. I'm part of the EPA program. I am coming from 6 years of teaching in Washington D.C. and the Greater Boston area. I am particularly interested in teacher preparation in the global context.

I just moved to Somerville with my wonderful dog (he's a border collie mix). In my free time, I like to hike with my dog, travel, and bake!

Cathryn Moodley

2021-09-02 12:14:59 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Cathryn Moodley and I'm really excited to join this community. I'm from South Africa and am passionate about the role that education can play in cultivating the creativity, imagination, and agency of all children.

I also love music and food and walks :)

2021-09-02 12:15:02 UTC

Hi all! I’m Sara Lahey (HDE) from California. Here as a part time student. I am passionate about advocating for happy children, families and communities. Hoping to build an exciting venture with support of the I-lab. Excited to be inspired by all of you!

Shreya Shreeraman

2021-09-02 12:15:06 UTC

Hello everyone! I'm Shreya, and I'm interested in the GICE concentration because of my particular interest in working with refugee and migration students. Most of my experience so far has been from the Indian/South Asian context so I'm looking forward to broadening my perspectives by learning from you all! <3 I am also a dedicated foodie, classically trained singer, and writer! Very excited to officially meet you all.

Morgan Tobin

tobinms — 2021-09-02 12:15:07 UTC

Hi! My name is Morgan Tobin, and I am an incoming student in the LDIT program. I recently graduated from Boston College where I studied Elementary Education. I am eager to learn more about the policy side of the field of education after a research assistantship during undergrad.

Originally from New Jersey, I recently moved to Cambridge and have loved walking around and exploring the neighborhoods and restaurants around.

2021-09-02 12:15:12 UTC

Hello! I am Juan Pablo, and I am a former middle school teacher from inner city Los Angeles and most recently transitioned in higher education. I am very interested in educational technologies and modernizing education, specifically what learning environments and learning structures look like. I like in Cambridge Port and love riding motorcycles and camping!

Cristian Espinoza

2021-09-02 12:15:14 UTC

Hi! I'm Cristian Espinoza, I'm Chilean, and an engineer changing paths toward education for the last 9 years. I currently work at Laspau, an organization affiliated with Harvard University that supports Latin American and the Caribbean Higher Education space. I also co-founded a company, uPlanner, that combines data science with education to improve the capacity of universities, improving their academic planning, retention prediction, curriculum design, and other areas. I'm really excited to begin this new adventure and looking forward to work with you all!

Heyya! My name is Sapna. I have been working in education for over 7 years now starting as a Teach for India fellow. I have worked for orgs in India and Kenya as a school leader coach and School transformation program designer serving low-income communities. I am in the ELOE program and still deciding about my concentration.

sapnafathimasaleem — 2021-09-02 12:15:15 UTC

Here's an old picture I love! My kids and I visit comic con!

Brianna Hogan

2021-09-02 12:15:15 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Brianna, and I’m from the Washington, DC area and now live in Cambridge. Before coming to HGSE, I worked for over 5 years as a cybersecurity engineer and have always had a passion for education. My interests lie in quantitative methods, psychometrics, and global/comparative education. I really look forward to working with everyone!

Victoria Klimova

2021-09-02 12:15:16 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Victoria. I was born in Russia and have been working in Singapore for the last 10 years. I am an LDIT student. I have a business background in product marketing in tech companies. I am also an entrepreneur and a co-founder of ezVenture (helping founders fundraise better).

I selected the GICE Concentration because I want to explore the intersection of Social Entrepreneurship and Technology and learn how I can support global social changemakers in education at a systems level. I am also passionate about educational equity for low SES students.

In my free time, I like to figure skate, do yoga, and travel.

Mara Eala

2021-09-02 12:15:18 UTC

Hi all! My name is Mara. I'm with the ELOE program, and coming into GICE very nervous-excited--Global education models have always been an interest (and critical to what I want to do in the future), but International education is an area I have never had the opportunity to think systematically or deeply about. I can't wait to deep dive into this with you all this year!

Lindsey Pockl

2021-09-02 12:15:24 UTC

Hello all! I am an elementary school teacher who is passionate about bringing the Sustainable Development Goals and Global Citizenship Education into more readily elementary classrooms. I also work for a non-profit called SubjectToClimate which writes Climate Justice units and lessons for schools.

When I'm not working or learning more about these topics, I love to hang out with friends and challenge everyone to a game of Catan!

Uyanga Ayurzana

2021-09-02 12:15:30 UTC

Hi Everyone, so excited to meet you all!! I am from Mongolia and I run my own NGO, a creativity and development center, and a theatre for children and families. I love to do meditation and hiking 🤍

Hi everyone! I'm Tom Nachtigal, super excited to join this community, and share some great experiences together this year. I've moved from Israel recently, and my main interests are education and conflict resolution and human rights. I can't wait to enjoy the great ice cream shops here in the area!!

2021-09-02 12:15:42 UTC

Yashila Singh

2021-09-02 12:15:43 UTC

Hi everyone!
My name is Yashila Singh and I am a Life Skills educator from India. I have been working in this field from 4 years and am interested in working towards psychosocial well-being of learners while engaging with their parents, teachers and community members. I am excited to be here and learn together!

Elyssa Skeirik

2021-09-02 12:15:48 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Elyssa Skeirik and I am an education in emergencies specialist in the EPA program, with experience working in contexts including the Middle East, SE Asia, and Africa. I am passionate about the power of education to support individual and community wellbeing and resilience! My hobbies are long runs and trying new beers. Really looking forward to being a part of this community!

Shambhavi Singh

shambhavisingh121 — 2021-09-02 12:16:11 UTC

Hello! My name is Shambhavi. I've been living in Delhi for <6 years, working at the nexus of policy, politics and education. Thrilled to be learning from you and with you. Believe in the power of policies to bring large-scale impact.

Julia Pichler

2021-09-02 12:16:33 UTC

Hi everyone, thrilled to meet you here and spend the year together. My name is Julia Pichler and I am from Austria. I grew up in a small town but moved to Vienna 8 years ago for college. I have a major in International Business but decided to join Teach For Austria, where I taught in a middle school in Vienna for 4 years. I am now a part of the EPA program.

Besides educational equity, I am passionate about dancing, traveling with scuba diving, playing my Ukulele and I love to explore and try new things.

Wonderly Peralta

2021-09-02 12:16:37 UTC

Hello! My name is Wonderly Peralta. I am from the small town of Orosi, California, in the Central Valley. I am an 8th grade middle school math and student leadership teacher and I love being here in Cambridge and at Harvard. I am an adventurer and excited for this next adventure!

Nicah Santos

2021-09-02 12:16:50 UTC

Hello! Kumusta! I'm Nicah Santos, a high school English teacher from the Philippines. I was teaching for 4 years before I decided it was time to take the next step in my journey to become a change leader for quality basic education for all in my home country. Now, miraculously, I'm here at HGSE!

Before I started teaching, I was a Secondary Education undergraduate student at the University of the Philippines. I love cooking, doing yoga, brewing coffee, and watching k-drama. So excited to collaborate with you all!

Kanan Dubal, EPA

2021-09-02 12:17:02 UTC

Hello! My name is Kanan Dubal! My undergraduate degrees are in Sociology and Law. I am originally from Mumbai, India and I came to Cambridge from Accra, Ghana where I was working as the legal and policy officer. I am passionate about working with the government or in organizations working with the Government - I believe the impact is bigger! I am excited about GICE concentration because my focus areas is developing countries (as are my previous experiences).

Hello,

2021-09-02 12:17:31 UTC

My name is Monica, I was born in Mexico, but raised in Iowa. I’ve taught Special Education and Kindergarten in Colorado for the last 5 years.

Not sure if the concentration will end up working out for me to commit to but I’m sure hoping it does!

Random note: I love rock climbing, snowboarding and also cooking and baking!

Fatima Aizaz

2021-09-02 12:18:20 UTC

Hello! I am Fatima, and I am in the EPA program. I come from Pakistan, and I have worked as a curriculum and program designer for non-profits serving low income communities in Pakistan. I am still deciding on the concentrations.

Farhan Karim

2021-09-02 12:19:34 UTC

Hello Everyone!

My name is Farhan Karim, and I am from Vancouver Canada. I am new to Boston, and come to the EPA program with a background as a teacher and in education having worked abroad in the field of education and international development. I've spent parts of my life in Europe, Central Asia, and East Africa and am interested in looking at issues of pluralism and education policy with regard to countries in conflict, my other interests sit at the intersection of curriculum development, education, and Islamic studies. Am excited to meet everyone and am looking forward to starting albeit with a bit of nervous excitement!

2021-09-02 12:20:13 UTC

Hello! My name is Yu-Ping Mao. I am excited to be here. I was a special education teacher before, and I am very passionate about special education. I originally from Taiwan, and have been living in Cambridge for 3 years.

When I have free time, I enjoy going long walks, trying new food, and watching Bollywood movies.

I am so excited to learn from you all!!

Hi! My name is Camellia Liu, and I am from Chengdu, China. We are famous for our giant pandas and spicy food. When I studied abroad, I encountered a nonprofit private school in Nepal that took care of over 100 children from marginalized groups around Nepal. Later, I interned with this organization, and I was illuminated by the fascinating work they do. Thus, I am passionate about quality education opportunities for marginalized children, and I am wondering how to improve education at a larger scale. Looking forward to joining this intellectual community.

2021-09-02 12:29:58 UTC

2021-09-02 17:13:43 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Athena! I’m in the EPA program. Im Grenadian and a big lover of art and artist myself. I’m bi-lingual, having lived in Cuba and I’m so excited to meet you all

Gaurav Dutt

2021-09-02 17:13:47 UTC

Hello!!
My name is Gaurav Dutt and I am from Himachal Pradesh, India. I have always been interested in the role of schools in building societies, especially democracies. I am hoping that this concentration will give me some tools to apply, questions to ponder and answers to build my knowledge!

Kennedy Lewis

2021-09-02 17:13:57 UTC

Hi all!

My name is Kennedy Lewis, and I was born and raised in Monterey, California. I majored in Elementary Education with a concentration in ESL at UNC Wilmington. I am in the LDIT program. I am passionate about education equity for all, but specifically for English Language Learners.

During my free time, I like to sew, cook, read, and create artwork. I am so excited to collaborate with everyone this school year!

Hello, my name is Sia. I am in the LDIT Program. I am a former HR Learning and Development internal consultant. I worked primarily with implement learning technology tools in the HR department. I am looking forward to this course and working collaborating with all of you.

2021-09-02 17:14:45 UTC

Komal Gandhi

2021-09-02 17:14:52 UTC

Hello! My name is Komal Gandhi, I'm from Lucknow, India and I just finished my undergrad at the University of Denver studying International Business and Economics. I enjoy playing the guitar, singing and doing embroidery work. Professionally, I hope to work to make education more accessible in low-income areas and ensuring that it is an education focused on applied learning and not rote memorization :)

Ishani Parekh

2021-09-02 17:15:15 UTC

Hello everyone, such a pleasure to meet you all! My name is Ishani, and I am from London, UK. I am most passionate about educational reform that provides young people with an education for "real life" and nurtures the development of the whole child. I started as middle/high school English teacher through Teach for UK, and then co-founded a social enterprise (Revolution Hive) where we run workshops on exactly these "real life education" topics (mental health, racism, sexism, financial literacy etc). I also work as a consultant on a Life Skills programme in the Middle East for the last 3 years and absolutely love it. Can't wait to meet you all!

Mirielle Eaton

2021-09-02 17:15:17 UTC

Hi everyone!
I have a masters degree in International Affairs and when I was studying and working in that world I kept falling towards Education. Now that I'm in Education, I keep falling towards International Affairs-y things so that is why I'm in GICE. I consider myself "third culture" and look forward to sharing with others who have a global perspective :)

Annie Lewis

2021-09-02 17:15:23 UTC

Hello! My name is Annie and I'm originally from Stanwood, WA, a small farm town located about an hour north of Seattle. My interest in the field of international education began while working in the field of higher education as an academic advisor, writing tutor, and mentor. After finishing university, I spent eight months traveling through Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through the Bonderman Fellowship to explore educational accessibility. Most recently, I spent two years working at an international education nonprofit in Seattle. I look forward to meeting you all through this concentration!

Yunshu (Tony) Zhang

yunshuzhang1 — 2021-09-02 17:15:45 UTC

Hi Everyone,

My name is Yunshu Zhang, preferred as Tony. I am an international student from China. Went to high school on Cape Cod, undergraduate at University of Wisconsin - Madison. So my background for being educated in both China and the US got me so interested in the international, global, and comparative aspects of education.

Pawan Gupta

2021-09-02 17:16:30 UTC

Hey everyone!
So, I am India, lived in different cities like Pune, Delhi, Ahmedabad. I have been a Teach for India fellow for 3 years where I worked with a bunch of secondary students, trying to teach them what I could. Later on, I have worked as teacher educator, and school transformation partner with schools in 3 states of India (Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra & Gujarat). Well! Now I want to gain more global experience in education by understanding and contributing to issues at that level. Thus, considering my choice to be in GICE.

Sirak Kurban

2021-09-02 17:16:58 UTC

My name is Sirak and I have spent the last 4 years as a 7th grade ELA teacher in Denver, CO. I grew up in Michigan where I did my undergraduate at the Univ. of Michigan with a degree in Philosophy, Politics, & Economics (PPE). I had spent some time before teaching doing some community organizing in Detroit, as well as recruiting Black/Brown teachers in West Michigan.

I was born in Eritrea (East Africa) and as an immigrant in the US, I have an interest in the international side of education, especially with education relating to African nations & model systems like Scandinavian nations

Olivia Iles

2021-09-02 17:18:41 UTC

Hi everyone! I'm Olivia, in the HDE program. I'm interested in the function of schools as a delivery point for psychological and positive developmental initiatives. I grew up between New York and New Zealand and have a bachelor's degree in statistics. After undergrad, I spent two years teaching English in Spain, and am now a research assistant at the public health school for a project investigating a school-based child mindfulness initiative in South America. I'm hoping to make the GICE concentration work with my coursework and am excited to meet like-minded people!

Nath Bustamante

2021-09-02 17:18:49 UTC

Oi, hi, everyone!

My name is Nathalia (Nath), I come from Brazil and my background is in journalism, but I’ve worked with program development at a Brazilian Foundation for the past ~6yrs. I’m interested in tertiary education and I hope the GICE concentration enables me to see my countries’ issues and opportunities through an international comparative lens.

(the pic is in front of the beautiful Banespa building in São Paulo)

Safa Babikir

2021-09-02 17:19:46 UTC

Hello everyone! I'm originally from Sudan but have lived most of my life between Qatar and USA. In my undergrad I majored in Culture and Politics (Georgetown SFS-Q) and I've found as a third-culture kid education can really create a sense of belonging or a sense of alienation. I've been a Teach for Qatar Fellow the past couple of years. I hope to translate my experience to launch a similar NGO in Sudan as a form of social/intellectual sustainable remittance.

Hola, I'm Alma!

2021-09-02 17:20:23 UTC

Hi! I'm Alma, originally from Colombia and living in Boston for the past few years! I've had the opportunity to work with international cooperation agencies to support educational projects and programs. I'm excited to explore the different ways in which policy can contribute to the use of technology to increase the access to education.

Shalom! I’m Erica

2021-09-02 17:32:00 UTC

Write something beautiful…there’s so much! Very thankful to be here with all of you. I am an elementary arts educator, music maker, dancer, and avid outdoors woman. I have an education background in International Affairs with a concentration in sub-Saharan Africa and Educational Psychology.

All of my pursuits are founded in a liberatory and transformational worldview, and the potential for cross-sector relationships to confront the world’s most complex challenges in education is what brings me to GICE! Looking forward to collaborating and growing in this community ✌️

Yoly Liu

2021-09-02 17:40:15 UTC

Hi everyone! I'm Yoly Liu from the EPA program. I grew up and studied in the public K-12 system in Beijing, China. I came to the U.S. for my undergrad study and recently graduated with Philosophy and Education double degrees from Boston College. I had experience working for the UN South-south cooperation and conducting several research projects in five countries (East and South Asia, North and South America) on international education. Last summer, I worked for an NGO in Ghana as an education development assistant. I hope to learn about international and comparative education in the developing world and build up sustainable education systems for the marginalized. Looking forward to our year ahead!

Julia Buchholz

2021-09-02 17:51:36 UTC

Hi all! My name is Julia Buchholz and I am moving here from Chicago IL. I am in the Human Development and Education program and so excited to blend it with this concentration. I did my undergrad in International Business with a minor in German. After graduation, I worked in consulting for 2 years, then decided to leave and teach English in Spain and Austria. I fell in love with the world of education and made plans to pursue it further. This year I hope to push myself to see the humanity beyond the statistics that I am so comfortable with and can't wait to begin this process with you all. In my free time I love to dance, explore the city, and try any new restaurant or cocktail bar. Looking forward to meeting everyone ☺️

Bibek Basnet

2021-09-04 18:53:39 UTC

Hi all! My name is Bibek and I am in the EPA program. I am from Kathmandu, Nepal, where I had been working for the last two years in the education/learning sector, most recently as a consultant on a USAID education project while also working as an Instructional Designer at and ed-tech startup. I previously worked in DC to support the Fulbright Teacher Exchange programs after graduating from Bennington College in 2018.

I am passionate about influencing policy to support education systems in developing countries deliver holistic and 21st century relevant education to all children. I think the GICE concentration combined with the EPA program will enable me to do that.

I am very excited to be a part of this community and look forward to getting to know you all!

Arpita Tiwari

2021-09-21 18:22:09 UTC

Hi Everyone,

I am Arpita, from EPA program. For last five years I have worked as a teacher in and managed teaching fellows at Teach For India in the public schools in Delhi. This gave me the first hand experience of what challenges and opportunities are present or missing at the last mile delivery. I key aspect of my work was creating experiences for teaching fellows and understanding how their professional and personal growth can result in better classroom outputs.

I am passionate about working with the community who is interested in solving for the complex challenges that the developing world is facing today.

Looking forward to hearing more about the challenges and solutions from different parts of the world.

Cuau

ccruzherrera — 2021-09-21 18:38:38 UTC

Hi everyone!

My name is Cuauhtémoc Cruz Herrera and I am from Guadalajara, Mexico and I am in the EPA program. I have a degree in economics and math for my undergrad at Macalester College in Minnesota where in my first year I started an NGO in 2016 that supported public school students with free advanced math classes and after that I got a position in the State Department of Education in Jalisco, México where I have been working for the last 3 years and continue to do so remotely at my time at HGSE. I am passionate about peer teaching and learning among public school students at the primary and secondary level.

In my free time, I like to play soccer and table tennis. I also enjoy traveling a lot. Looking forward to collaborate with you all!

uyanga_ayurzana — 2021-09-21 18:40:04 UTC

Hello All! My name is Uyanga Ayurzana, from Mongolia. I have experience in founding and leading non-profits in education and arts sectors with my academic backgrounds of engineering and entrepreneurship. I am excited to be in GICE community to learn more about global education policies and eventually, in the long run, I am looking forward to putting my knowledge into practice in Mongolia, a place where education reform and real implementation are needed. I like to do mountain hiking, be in nature, dancing and meditate.

2021-09-21 19:31:07 UTC

Hi everyone, my name is Ruben Cruz and I am from Honduras, but was also raised in Germany and Italy. I just completed my undergraduate studies where I studied development economics and sociology.
My academic interests are in education and community development. I have done development projects in India, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua and have worked with the UNHCR and NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs on topics of forced displacement and migration. I am also interested in exploring topics of instilling student agency to children and promoting civic engagement.

Outside of school, I like to play soccer, practice martial arts, go for walks, and visit different cafes.

Katherine Montero (LDIT/ Global Deeds)

kmontero10 — 2021-09-21 19:44:02 UTC

Hola!

I am an educator/social entrepreneur, with a background in genomics, and with over 20 years of professional experience. When people ask me "where is your happy place?", as in "what do you prefer doing?", the first answer is "the classroom"; however, I love management, and business is part of how both sides of my family operate, although there is a long list of educators on my father's side of the family. Originally from Quisqueya La Bella (Dominican Republic), I grew up loving 80s and 90s music, Salsa and Merengue are in my blood, and I make the best sofrito and pastelitos in the world... :-) I love the outdoors, altitudes, concerts, good movies, cooking, painting, reading, meditating, exercising, and traveling. I am a life enthusiast who is deeply grateful to be alive and living with purpose. The force that wakes me up early in the morning is my love for serving disadvantaged students. I've done that since a very early age, and it led to forming a corporation called Global Deeds and being in this program at Harvard. I have received support from Harvard for the last 23 years of my life, and I am deeply grateful for this university. especially the students and faculty. This place feels more like a "church" to me. On that note, I would love to chat with you about putting together an event... Please connect with me via LinkedIn.com/in/katherinemontero Thank you!

Catey Borden (she/her) ~EPA

cateyborden — 2021-09-21 20:02:06 UTC

Hey y'all! I'm Catey and I'm from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. I went to George Mason University and studied English, History, and Women & Gender Studies. I went on to get a Master's in Curriculum & Development. I've taught for two years as an 8th grade English teacher. I was also a Fulbright ETA in the Czech Republic. I'm interested in curriculum development globally, but specifically in previously colonized nations. I also think American curriculum needs to revolutionized to be more global. In my free time, I'm hiking, reading, or knitting! Glad to be a part of this community!

Tom Nachtigal (she/her)

2021-09-21 20:24:46 UTC

Hi everyone :)

I'm Tom, from Israel. I worked as a legal advisor in my government from 3 years, after completing my undergrad in law and international relations and a master's in law, with a concentration in public international law. I mostly worked and wrote about national security issues, including international humanitarian and criminal law, human rights, with a focus on policy decision-making related to intergroup conflict.
I'm curious to learn and explore the role of education in conflict-affected areas, and in particular how it shapes normative and political perspectives of youth in a comparative perspective.
In GICE, I look forward to connect with all of you as we build an intercultural community where we can exchange our individual/ social/ and cultural perspectives about pedagogical experiencing we share as students at HGSE and in this concentration.
I love the sun (which is a good thing if you're an Israeli) and snow (which does not exist in Israel). So I very much enjoy outdoors activities, from hanging at the beach and wonder about life, to spending an entire week going up and down the mountain skiing. I also love exploring new cities in different parts of the world, so please don't be offended if I ask a lot of questions about where you're from!

Mallika Iyer (she/her) HDE

2021-09-21 21:34:37 UTC

Hello! I'm Mallika Iyer from Windham, NH. I'm in the Human Development and Education Ed.M. program. I did my undergraduate studies in Public Health and History at Johns Hopkins. After graduation I taught English in Mongolia through a Fulbright ETA but I have always liked working with the differently abled community, so when I returned to the U.S I worked as a program coordinator at the BIDMC neurology department and eventually went into special education. I continue to work part-time on the weekends for a special education boarding school. I'm interested in exploring the different cultural contexts that impact human development and how to improve both quality of and access to special education in under-resourced countries.

Abby Reed

2021-09-22 22:19:31 UTC

Hi everyone! I'm Abby, originally from Carlisle, PA, USA. I've been teaching high school English for the past nine years: first at an international school in Singapore, then an all-girls' boarding school in Western Massachusetts, and most recently at an international school in Cape Town, South Africa, where I've lived for the past four years with my husband, his 6-yr old son, and our rescue dog. I wasn't a "third culture kid" but I feel like a "third culture adult" at this point! Lots of interests and questions led me to HGSE and this concentration, but I'm thinking a lot about the roles schools play in enacting the UN Sustainable Development Goals and also how to create more opportunities for students to collaborate across borders to address global issues. While in South Africa, I developed a healthy appreciation for wine and rugby (spectating, definitely not playing!) so let me know if you're interested in either! So excited to join this community and get to know everyone.

Emma Pottinger (they series) EPA

2021-09-26 19:11:24 UTC

Hi team! My name is Emma- my pronouns are the they series. I was born in a small town in rural Vermont, but was homeschooled RVing around the US for a spell, and then lived in Monterrey, Mexico for 3 years, Durban, South Africa for 6 years, Cape Town, South Africa for 5 years, and then Washington DC for three years. Absolutely delighted to be in Cambridge!
I studied economics at the University of Cape Town and then worked on launching the Trevor Noah Foundation, which focuses on education, in Johannesburg. I have been working for Mathematica, a policy research firm, for three years and am continuing to work part-time from their Cambridge office. At Mathematica, I do a lot of monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning work as well as impact and performance evaluations around the world.
I am interested in the GICE concentration because there are so many countries and contexts around the world and so I would like to learn about as many as possible rather than just zoning in on the US. I have some research interests, specifically related to mixed-methods evaluations, but am mostly here to learn about what else is out there.
I have a lot of treasured hobbies such as crocheting, dungeons and dragons, playing guitar, jogging, water colours, candle making, and hiking.
I am so thrilled to be here and am looking forward to learning from and with you all!!!

Sharmeen Maronesy

2021-09-26 23:30:14 UTC

Hi HGSE family! My name is Sharmeen and I'm from San Diego, CA. I am part of the EPA program and joined this concentration because of my interest in education in settings of forced displacement and resettlement, as well as because of the GICE faculty that we will get to work with. I have previously worked in early childhood education and as a program facilitator for children and families living in refugee camps. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone!

Skye Wu

2021-09-27 01:07:03 UTC

Hey guys, it's Skye in EPA program. I am from China, and went to UW-Madison for a B.A in psychology, then to Stanford for a research job, and then to China for an online course designer and product manager. My career experience is really blended with a bit of everything. Finally I went to rural village in China and volunteered there for a year, during which I was also a consultant in a team for another NGO. So far education inequality is my primary focus and would like to talk more about my crazy experience back in that rural village. I would like to hear more of you guys amazing stories tomorrow!

Tania Soerianto - LDIT

2021-09-27 12:25:48 UTC

Hi everyone! My name is Tania, and I'm in the LDIT program. I'm originally from Indonesia, where I'm running a non-profit organization that aims to improve STEM education for women and teachers.

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Biochemistry and Global Health in 2013. Ever since graduation, I've had four significant career shifts until I get to where I am today. Long story short, while working as a Product Manager for over 3 years of my career, I realized that the STEM field is still male-dominated in Indonesia - I had previously managed a team of 15 engineers where all of them are men - and this sparked my interest and my last career pivot to the field of education non-profit.

I'm interested to join this concentration because of my work with marginalized population in rural areas through my non-profit. I'm really interested to learn from other countries specifically in bringing equality to education, and to understand what works for other countries with hope of implementing success stories back to Indonesia.

I love dogs, I'm a mother of four beautiful Frenchies (who are all back home in Indonesia). I love hiking and the great outdoors, met my husband when we hiked one of the tallest mountains in Indonesia.

I'm excited to hear about all your stories and learn from each other!

Brittany Scott (she/her)

2021-09-27 13:31:20 UTC

Hi Everyone! My name is Brittany, and I’m in the EPA program. I’m originally from Nashville, TN, but grew up throughout the South. I graduated from Howard University in 2017 with a degree in Economics and a minor in Human Development.

I’m coming to HGSE from Washington, DC where I worked as a Program Associate with the DC Public Education Fund. Prior to that, I was a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at a secondary school in Rustenburg, South Africa.

I joined the GICE concentration because I believe it’s critical to understand educational systems in other countries/contexts in order to make sustainable and effective change here in the US.

Looking forward to connecting with you all!

manuela_welton — 2021-10-02 21:25:20 UTC

Hi Everyone,

My name is Manuela, and I am in the HDE program.

I was born in Colombia, and have traveled ever since. Last year I made California a home base, after 15 years of consecutive travel. Now making Cambridge home.

I graduated with a Major in Human Rights and a Minor in Photo journalism at a University that travels for four years called, LIU Global College. Learning from experience.

I have been running a consulting company for over five years. I am passionate about embodiment, somatics, and movement therapy and bringing healing, reparation and conflict resolution work to different communities. Currently working with a community of former child soldiers back home, in Colombia.

I am looking to bridge the work I am currently doing and also bringing it to Leadership and Governments.

I am very much looking forward to connecting with all of you and be part of this community. And I look forward to see how we can grow and learn in conversation and experience with eachother.

In my free time I like to dance, learn about people’s stories, passions and what drives the human being. I love to travel, experience new cultures and learn about different ways of being in the world.

Chloe Manuel

chloemanuel1 — 2021-10-18 20:46:13 UTC

Hi all!

I'm Chloe, and I'm in the Education Policy and Analysis programme. I'm British-Filipino, and grew up in England. I graduated with a BA in English Literature from the University of Oxford last year. While there, I worked for a lot of education charities, and the university itself, focusing on increasing access to higher education for students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

After graduating, I spent a year teaching English in a school in the centre of Madrid, Spain, whilst also working remotely for a British non-profit education company, where I ran a leadership summit based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Given my relative lack of experience in international education, I'm really looking forward to gaining a more global perspective with the GICE concentration, and honing in on marginalised communities outside of the global West.