Stephanie King teaches English Language Arts and helps students establish University of Washington transcripts through College in the High School at Granger High School. She coaches middle and high school girls’ soccer and volunteers extensively within the community. Stephanie is a member of the Bridge to College state leadership team and was Washington’s NEA Foundation’s Global Learning Fellow in 2024. Stephanie is a respected educator in her building. She writes and receives grants for various entities within her district, utilizing her talents in composition to do so. She chronicled her learning experience in Morocco as a Fulbright Teacher for Global Classrooms on her website and promotes student writing through partnerships with various news outlets and organizations. Stephanie embeds global competencies in her units, which have been published through her Library of Congress, Pulitzer, and American University Open Educational Resources Fellowships.
Pablo Chignolli, M.Ed., originally from Lima, Peru, is a Spanish teacher at Westerville City Schools in Ohio and a passionate advocate for cultural diversity and global citizenship. He holds a B.A. in Latin American Studies and a M.Ed. in World Language Education from The Ohio State University and is certified as a Superior Spanish Speaker by ACTFL. Known as Señor Pablo, he engages students through social justice–focused projects that integrate language, arts, and cultural awareness. He is the author of The Ones Among Us: Memoirs of Culturally Diverse High School Students in America and leads the Global Engagement Capstone Project in collaboration with OSU. His multilingual, inclusive approach fosters equity and meaningful intercultural learning both inside and outside the classroom.
Monica Ketchum-Cardenas is a Professor of History and Sociology at Arizona Western College in Yuma, AZ and Lecturer in History and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at San Diego State University-Imperial Valley. She earned her EdD in College Teaching and Learning from Walden University, and MAs in Global Affairs (University of Oklahoma), Sociology (Arizona State University), and History (California State University, Long Beach). She is the current Arizona Council for History Education President and serves as the Arizona Historical Society-Rio Colorado Chapter Secretary. She completed a Fulbright-Hays GPA in central Asia (2018), and was a past Engaging Eurasia Teaching Fellow (AY 20-21) with Harvard’s Davis Center, a Global Fellow (AY 23-24; 24-25) with The Ohio State University’ Area Studies Centers, and has served as a delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for Soroptimist International (CSW67 & CSW69/Beijing+30).
Lindsay Johnston teaches Theory of Knowledge and Environmental Systems & Societies at Alcuin School in Dallas, Texas, where she also serves as CAS Coordinator. With almost two decades of experience in International Baccalaureate World Schools, Lindsay has developed a huge passion for student advocacy and incorporating international relations and diplomacy into the classroom. One major highlight of this work was being able to take a small group of students to participate in the U.N. Human Rights Council’s 58th session in February 2025 to attend working meetings on topics related to Afghan women’s rights. Lindsay has participated twice in the Foreign Policy Association Great Decisions teacher training program, as well as the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms 2024-2025. She was the James F. Veninga Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities recipient and the Dallas Fort Worth World Affairs Council International Educator of the year in 2024. Lindsay holds dual B.A.s in History and Political Science from McMurry University, and a M.A. in International Diplomacy with an emphasis on conflict resolution from Norwich University. In her spare time, she loves traveling with her family and watching Red Sox baseball.
Krizia Columna is a dedicated educator, literacy advocate, and lifelong learner based in Florida. Born in New York and raised in the Dominican Republic, she brings a rich multicultural perspective and a deep sense of empathy to her work with diverse and historically underserved student populations. Krizia holds a master’s degree in Reading from Nova Southeastern University and currently teaches 11th grade English Language Arts at Tohopekaliga High School. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Valencia College, where she teaches courses that help students navigate their academic and personal growth.
With a strong foundation in special education, Krizia previously worked as a varying exceptionalities teacher at a Title I elementary school, where she supported English Language Learners (ELLs) and students with exceptional needs across multiple grade levels. Her teaching philosophy centers on respect, inclusion, and cultural relevance, recognizing the value each student brings into the classroom. As a single mother and advocate for equity, Krizia is deeply committed to education as a tool for empowerment and generational change. She creates learning environments that are student-centered, socially conscious, and rooted in academic rigor.
Wendy Harris (she/her) is a multilingual educator with over 20 years of experience teaching all levels of K-12 education. She is currently a bilingual high school social studies teacher and teacher of the blind (for students birth-22) at Metro Deaf School in St. Paul, MN. In May, she expects to complete her third master’s program (MA in History). Wendy is excited to be part of the Eurasia Teaching Fellowship to build on her experience as a Fund for Teachers fellow in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan this summer. She is actively involved in her local and professional communities, currently serving on the Minnesota Alliance for Geography Education (MAGE) steering committee, the National Constitution Center’s Teacher Advisory Council, and also participates in Ohio State’s Area Studies Centers K-14 Global Teacher Fellowship, the Democracy in Dialogue Virtual Exchange Program, and is wrapping up participation in Digital Journeys: Using Place Collections to Teach Central Asia.
Gunel Alasgarova is an international Ph.D. student from Azerbaijan and pre-service educator studying Higher Education and Student Affairs at The Ohio State University. She previously graduated from Kent State University with a degree in Research, Measurement, and Statistics through the Fulbright Fellowship. In her home country, her major was English and World Literature, and she worked as a teacher for more than 10 years. Currently, she also teaches online classes at ADA University.
Cynthia Cantu is a bilingual/ESL (English as a Second Language) educator. Teaching is her passion, and she has advocated for a multicultural pedagogy for over 23 years. Cynthia earned her doctoral degree specializing in curriculum and instruction and has been published in several journals. She is also an editor for The Qualitative Report (TQR) Journal. Cynthia is a member of the Kappa Delta Pi Educational Honor Society, the Arizona Geographic Alliance, the Texas Alliance for Geographic Education, Literacy Texas, and the Texas Association for Literacy Education. She is a proud member of the Texas Council for the Social Studies and the National Council for the Social Studies.
As a professor at Texas A&M University, Cynthia teaches master's and doctoral-level courses focusing on history, literacy, reading, and bilingual education. Cynthia believes an authentic curriculum can shape how educators relate the information to students to form connections. All students are unique and should be acknowledged, celebrated, and valued. She is an active member of her school community and continues to seek opportunities to perfect her teaching craft and support all learners. She has worked to develop initiatives that ensure students have access to quality education in spaces where they are empowered, heard, and reflected in the curriculum. Cynthia also enjoys reading and traveling. She loves learning about the world and its various cultures. Her favorite pastime is spending time at the beach with her family and poodle.
Brett Vance Brett Vance holds a Master of Education and is a professional educator with twenty-eight years of experience. Brett specializes in Russian and Eurasian studies having developed curriculum on US and Russian\Soviet diplomatic history while serving as a National Endowment for the Humanities’ scholar in 2016. In his role as an executive council member for state social studies in New Hampshire, he has extensive experience organizing professional development opportunities for educators. Brett’s Russian and Eurasian academic interests began while an undergraduate at Belgorod State University.
Candace Slobodnik is dedicated to fostering instructional excellence at Crossland High School, CTE Hub, in Prince George's County Public Schools, Maryland. She hsa over 20 years of experience in educational leadership. Candace specializes in integrating primary sources, historical thinking, and cross-curricular project-based learning, particularly around climate change, while collaborating with STEM educators to create real-world, hands-on lessons.
Candace holds a B.A. in History from the University of Maryland, a Master of Arts 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 from the University of Maryland. She has taught IB Theory of Knowledge and IB Psychology and received the Global Teacher Fellowship (2022-2023) from Ohio State University. In addition to her role as Instructional Lead Teacher, Candace serves as School Improvement Liaison, Equity Lead, Professional Development Lead Teacher, and Chair of the New Teacher Academy. She is passionate about educator growth and fostering dynamic learning environments.
Dr. Ciminy St. Clair earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Penn State University. She began her career teaching first grade in Virginia before joining the Norwin School District, where she served in the gifted department for more than 20 years. During her tenure, she has held positions as both the K–4 and secondary gifted coordinator and has taught 5th Grade Social Studies and 6th Grade Global Studies.
She holds a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, a K–12 Gifted Endorsement, a graduate certificate/licensure in School Administration and Supervision, principal certifications in both Virginia and Pennsylvania, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership. Dr. St. Clair is a lifetime member and immediate past president of the Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education. She is also an active member of the National Association for Gifted Children, a Director for Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted, and a Senior Fellow with Teach Plus. She has presented locally, nationally, and internationally on a wide range of educational topics, with a particular focus on gifted education. She is also an avid participant in NCTA and has traveled with the University of Pittsburgh and The Ohio State University to Brussels to learn about the EU and to Japan to learn about Temples, Shrines, Origami, and the Tokaido Road. Lastly, Ciminy is a current Climate Change Teacher Fellow and a Global Fellow with Ohio State University.
Mikki Maddox is in her 26th year of teaching at Necedah Area High School, which is a small, rural high school in one PK-12 district building near central Wisconsin. She has taught a variety of English and social studies classes. This year she is teaching English 12, American Foundations (a civics+ class), AP Human Geography, Sociology and Wisconsinology-a course that looks at Wisconsin’s history, geography, and a local-global connection. She often uses summer school for experiential learning classes, where most of the time is spent going to places of historical and cultural interest and significance that relate to the content and connect local spaces to global places. This opportunity comes at the perfect time for her as she has been researching and developing plans for her classes and community that will build environmental awareness and create sustainable solutions to local environmental issues. She hopes that exploring global issues and options will give her not only global examples to share with her classes but also potentially provide ideas for developing projects for her classes to work on.
Larissa Sturm received her bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh where she majored in history. She then received her teaching certification from Saint Vincent University and shortly thereafter, began at Norwin School District as a paraprofessional and long-term substitute at the middle school in 2009. She moved to high school in 2012 and has taught World History and AP World History since. She started the Model United Nations club and has taken students to a variety of colleges and universities to debate real world events with others from across the country. She is a National Consortium for Teaching Asia alumni and in summer of 2022, she traveled to Brussels with a cohort of teachers to learn about how the European Union functions. In July of 2024, she completed her master's degree from Liberty University and received her degree in curriculum and instruction with a focus on gifted education.