This academic year, the following educators will have the opportunity to engage with and learn from leading scholars in the field of Science, Health, and Medicine in Eastern Europe and Eurasia.
Nicole Albrecht is a Teacher of History at Georgetown Preparatory School and a Lecturer in Georgetown University’s History Department. A native of Zagreb, Croatia, she holds a BA from the University of Zagreb, an MPhil from Cambridge University, and an MSc and PhD in History (2024) from Birkbeck, University of London.She has received numerous honors, including the Gwynne-Vaughan Prize for best doctoral student at Birkbeck and the Best Doctoral Student Paper Award at the Association for the Study of Nationalities World Convention, and has held fellowships at the Library of Congress and LMU Munich. Her research, published in Nationalities Papers and the European Journal for the History of Medicine and Health, examines the social and economic history of internationalism from an Eastern European, primarily Yugoslav, perspective. Her first monograph, Peasant Internationalism: Globalizing Rural Welfare and the International Foundations of the Yugoslav Third Way, is under review with Cambridge University Press. Nicole is especially committed to developing students’ foundational historical skills and to bridging K–12 and university-level teaching and research.
Remelia Arpino is a veteran science educator with 32 years of experience teaching IB Biology, AP Environmental Science, and Environmental Systems. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Arts in Science Teaching–Biology. She has taught in the Philippines, Los Angeles, Galena Park, and for the past 21 years at Eisenhower High School in Aldine ISD, Houston, Texas. A bilingual educator and lifelong learner, Remelia is committed to inclusive, culturally responsive science instruction that supports student engagement and academic success. She actively pursues professional growth through conferences, collaboration, and professional learning networks, and brings a global perspective to her teaching and presentations.
Dr. Tawanda Carr is joining from Jackson, Tennessee, where she currently teaches 10th grade English language arts at Jackson Central Mary High School. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, she has spent much of her adult life pursuing her goal of teaching literature at the college level. Although she has not yet reached this goal, she remains determined and hopeful. She is excited to collaborate in bringing Eurasian content into the classroom and is passionate about both learning and teaching, confident that there is much she can gain from this experience.
Andrés Cartagena-Troche has taught World History at Benjamin Harrison Vocational High School in Puerto Rico for 19 years. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in History from the University of Puerto Rico – Río Piedras Campus. In addition to teaching, he moderates the Model United Nations Club, serves on the Board of Directors of the United Nations Association USA – Puerto Rico Chapter, and works as a history content creator for several Puerto Rican publishers. He has participated in multiple National Endowment for the Humanities symposia, including programs on Africa in World History (Michigan State University) and World War I in History and Literature (Hood College), and has attended several teacher workshops at Harvard University and Davis Center webinars. In his free time, he enjoys reading history and watching foreign films, with a particular interest in the foreign relations between Africa and Russia.
Bracha Cohen is a dedicated science educator with a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Biology and a master’s degree in Secondary Biology Education. She teaches a range of science and psychology courses, including Advanced Placement classes, where she challenges students to think critically and prepares them for success in their post-secondary studies. Bracha’s excellence in teaching has been recognized through numerous nominations and fellowships, including a nomination for the Jewish Education Project’s Young Pioneers in Education Award, selection as a Wanninkhof Excellence in Teaching Scholar, and participation in the Drawing Conclusions from Experiments Fellowship at Brookhaven National Laboratory. A strong advocate for a holistic approach to education, Bracha values the integration of physical activity with intellectual growth and believes that curiosity, critical thinking, and personal development are essential to meaningful learning. She is passionate about helping students take ownership of their educational journeys and cultivate a lifelong love of learning. In her free time, Bracha enjoys playing and watching a variety of sports, cooking, and learning to play the guitar.
Ryan Hauck is a teacher at Glacier Peak High School in Snohomish, WA and Director of the Global Classroom Program at the World Affairs Council in Seattle. He teaches comparative politics and international studies and has a passion for bringing the world into the classroom. Ryan serves as a Washington State Council for the Social Studies Board Member and has been a Fulbright for Global Classrooms Project Fellow. Receiving his master’s degree from Lehigh University’s Comparative and International Education Department, Ryan has an interest in studying school systems locally and globally. As part of this work, Ryan participated in an NCTA program to China and has worked with teachers in other countries such as Cambodia, Germany, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa. Ryan was recently selected as an Alexander Initiative Fellow at Vanderbilt University for the upcoming school year.
Morgan Johnson is a 2nd year world geography teacher in Arlington Virginia. She graduated with a secondary social studies degree and minors in history and political science. She has been teaching world geography to 8th graders and loves how geography connects history, culture, and land. She is a mentor to the student government and is passionate about creating an engaging space to study world geography. Morgan has volunteered with the DC Cherry Blossoms on many different occasions and was even able to go on a cultural exchange trip to Japan because of the beautiful flowers. She has recently finished her experience being in the Trans-Atlantic Educator Dialogue, in which teachers from North America connect with teachers from Europe. She loves trying new things and crafting in her free time. She is inspired by travel to continue to teach about the world, including the land and its people. She is excited to have the opportunity to participate and learn as a young educator.
Dr. Kara Kaufman is a tenured professor of history at North Shore Community College in Massachusetts, where she teaches courses in history and gender and women’s studies. Her scholarship focuses on the history of gender and sexual identities, with particular attention to masculinities. She also serves as a faculty fellow in North Shore’s Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation, where she works as an instructional designer. Outside of her academic work, she sings bass in a competitive barbershop chorus.
Glenis Kent is a certified high school teacher in rural southeast Louisiana, currently teaching U.S. History and Spanish I. She previously taught World Geography (including AP Human Geography) for ten years, as well as multiple levels of French. She earned a B.A. in Political Science, with concentrations in International Politics and Law and Comparative Governments and a minor in French, from Louisiana State University, and later completed a 30-credit postbaccalaureate Alternate Teacher Education Program for Louisiana certification in French and social studies. During her U.S. military service, she also graduated from the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Monterey, California, with a nationally accredited diploma in French. Before becoming a teacher, she lived and traveled for several months throughout Eurasia. She is particularly interested in integrating Eurasia’s scientific developments, geopolitics, and recent events into her teaching on the Cold War and modern history.
Jason Lindstrom is an instructor of history and political science at Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kansas. He earned his MA in history from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. He also holds degrees in Secondary Education from the University of Ohio and Psychology from the University of Kansas. Mr. Lindstrom has taught history at the middle school, high school, and community college levels for over fifteen years. He is passionate about lifelong learning and adult education. He plans to use the knowledge gained from this experience to create engaging and impactful lessons in his world history classrooms.
Brian Lundgren teaches history at the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut. In addition to teaching 9th-grade Modern World History, he has developed Junior and Senior electives in the history of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. His interest in the region began in lecture halls and libraries, but his passion is driven by extensive travel throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Among these experiences, he completed immersive Russian-language courses in Tbilisi, Georgia, and, this past summer, spent six weeks exploring history and culture in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. In the classroom, Brian works with his students to draw on their personal experiences to help them better process and relate to the grand overarching themes present in survey history courses. Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of New Hampshire, where he graduated summa cum laude.
Yesenia Muñoz is an educator and registered nurse currently teaching science in Santa Barbara, California. Before transitioning into education, Yesenia worked as a registered nurse in a Neurology/Urology Step-Down Unit and in Home Health. In 2024, she participated in the Teacher in Spain program through CSU San Marcos, where she studied the Spanish language alongside fellow educators from across the United States. That same year, she was selected as a California Global Education Fellow. Yesenia is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Education degree. In her free time, she enjoys traveling to Mexico to visit her family, spending time at the beach, and hiking.
Liz Nussbaum is an Upper School history teacher at Detroit Country Day School, where she teaches Ancient and Non-Western World History, Modern World History, and AP Seminar: Global Studies. Her academic work focuses on the historical foundations of modern international relations, especially the geopolitical landscape of post–WWII East Asia. Her research background includes an international internship at the Pudong Institute for the US Economy in Shanghai, analyzing U.S. policy and US–China relations, as well as Fund for Teachers–supported field research in Turkey on empire legacies, Sufism, and the modern Turkish state. After participating in the Phillips Exeter Harkness Summer Institute, Liz has centered her teaching on student-led discussion and inquiry-based learning. She holds a B.A. in Global Studies and International Relations from Lehigh University and an M.A. in Secondary Education from the University of Michigan. Beyond the classroom, she is the head varsity women’s lacrosse coach and faculty advisor for the Youth in Government club and the DCDS Honor Council.
Jared "Dusk" Paul serves as a paraeducator at Gerlach K-12 School in rural Northern Nevada. He is currently completing his bachelor's degree and teaching credential through NV Forward's Undergraduate Pre-Apprenticeship Program at UNLV. A passionate advocate for rural students and the communities that shape them, Dusk believes his seventeen students in Gerlach deserve the same quality of education as any student anywhere — and he is determined to deliver it. He joins the Engaging Eurasia Teacher Fellowship eager to bring the history, science, and culture of Eastern Europe and Eurasia back to the Black Rock Desert — and to transform what he learns into richer, more connected social studies instruction for students across all seven of his grade levels.
Wendi Pillars is an educator, author, visual thinker, and mom based in North Carolina. With 3 decades in education, she has taught a wide range of learners and subjects, with a particular passion for science, storytelling, and place-based learning. A National Board Certified Teacher, Army veteran, and former firefighter, Wendi believes curiosity is one of the most powerful tools students can carry into the world. She is the author of books on visual thinking and education, along with Echoes From the Ice, a middle-grade novel inspired by Antarctica and polar exploration. Her work is influenced by experiences in polar regions, field research, environmental education, and community science projects that connect When she is not teaching or writing, Wendi enjoys immersing herself in forests, sketching ideas in notebooks, and exploring the intersection of science, story, and resilience.
Alla Rada was born and educated in Russia and holds an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Omsk State University. She is certified as both a middle/high school mathematics teacher and a K–12 special education teacher. She has taught in Russia, Costa Rica, Oregon, and Maryland, bringing a rich multicultural perspective and deep empathy to her work with diverse and historically underserved student populations in rural Maryland communities. A member of The Joshua Chamberlain League and a participant in the LiftOff Summer Institute 2026: Moon to Mars, she is passionate about expanding access to STEM education and creating inclusive, student-centered learning environments. Drawing on both her international teaching experience and engineering background, she encourages curiosity, resilience, and critical thinking while supporting students of varied learning needs and cultural backgrounds.
Melanie Sabtchev is a secondary history educator and academic leader with experience in both independent and public schools. She teaches European history with an emphasis on inquiry-based learning, primary source analysis, and connecting regional histories to global movements. Her classes center discussion, interdisciplinary thinking, and voices often underrepresented in traditional curricula. Melanie also directs a Leadership and Social Justice Institute, where she guides students in exploring ethics, civic responsibility, and identity through experiential and community-centered learning. She is passionate about helping students think critically about the relationship between past and present and fostering meaningful cross-cultural engagement. Her academic interests include Eurasian studies, historical memory, labor and industrial history, migration, and the political and cultural transformations that shape societies over time.
Candace Slobodnik is dedicated to driving systemic instructional innovation at Crossland High School in Maryland. With over 20 years of experience in educational leadership, she serves on the district’s Innovative Incubator cohort, leading Crossland’s shift toward transdisciplinary learning models. Now in her second year as an Engaging Eurasia Teacher Fellow, Candace draws on her background in Social Studies and her passion for teaching about Asia to integrate primary sources and historical to create immersive, globally focused learning environments. She holds a B.A. in History from the University of Maryland; an M.A. in Leadership in Teaching, Administration, and Supervision from Notre Dame of Maryland University; and post-graduate certificates in Teaching American History, Secondary Literacy Coaching, and Strategic Human Resources Management. A former IB Theory of Knowledge and IB Psychology teacher and Global Teacher Fellow alumna with Ohio State University, she currently serves as Instructional Lead Teacher, School Improvement Liaison, and lead for the New Faculty Support group.