Staff Biographies

Michelle Bolourchi joined the Global UGRAD team in April 2022. She grew up in a bicultural household where her interest in international education and languages blossomed. Her first time living abroad was during her junior year in college when she had the opportunity to study in Germany. In her own words: "I am originally from Long Beach, California, so you can imagine what a difference it was for me to live in northern Germany where it rained for most of the year. Nevertheless, aside from improving my German, I was able to learn how to ride a bicycle while holding an umbrella! That came in handy when I returned as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant to Germany after I graduated."

Since then, Michelle has studied in South Africa and India and traveled extensively for work and fun. While she lived in India, she recruited students for New York University Abu Dhabi. She worked for the Fulbright Program when she moved to Washington, DC. In addition to her bachelor’s degree in international studies and German, she completed a master’s degree in global studies in Germany and an MPhil in sociology of education in India. She is excited to continue supporting talented students from around the world through her role with Global UGRAD.

Jessica Mead is a technical expert for the Global UGRAD program and supports the team with event management, health, safety, and security issues, and strategic planning. From 2015 - 2024, she was the program manager of the Alumni Thematic International Exchange Seminars (Alumni TIES). Prior to Alumni TIES, from 2008-2015, Jessica worked on academic and professional exchange programs funded by the U.S. Department of State and USAID, most notably the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (UGRAD) for East Asia and the Pacific. In addition to her work in global exchanges, Jessica developed the Advancing Leaders Fellowship program for alumni of World Learning programs. 

Prior to World Learning, Jessica was an English professor in Santiago, Chile at DuocUC, an account executive in the international division of Powell Tate|Weber Shandwick, and a major gifts officer at the New England Regional Anti-Defamation League. She has a M.Sc. degree in the history of international relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a B.A. degree from Sarah Lawrence College.

Amy Broome joined World Learning and the Global UGRAD team in March 2021 and currently serves as a Senior Program Officer, advising students from the Middle East, North Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. She currently lives in Austin, Texas but grew up in Vermont. Amy has a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied Arabic and Hebrew. Her bachelor's degree is in international relations from Wheaton College in Massachusetts. 

She is very much inspired to work with World Learning because of her study abroad experiences in Beijing and Cairo and her Fulbright scholarship to Muscat, Oman. Amy’s background is in managing international exchange programs in the United States, both for high school students and J-1 work programs.

Since February 2022, Jordan Ferrick (she/her) has served as the Global UGRAD Program Officer overseeing the Europe and Eurasia regions, leveraging a wealth of international experience gained through roles in advocacy, student engagement, and restorative justice, both within the United States and abroad. Her academic journey includes a master's degree in sustainable development from the School of International Training in Vermont where she focused on conflict transformation and peacebuilding, complementing her bachelor’s degree in international studies acquired at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Jordan's passion for fostering positive change and her educational background position her as a dynamic team member in advancing global education and development initiatives for World Learning and Global UGRAD.

Sarah Halligan started at World Learning in March 2021 and currently works with students from East Asia and the Pacific as the region’s Program Officer. She is currently based in Arlington, Virginia, and is originally from Salt Lake City, Utah. Sarah’s background is in a combination of higher education and immigration law. She completed her master’s degree in security policy from The George Washington University.

Melanie Winters is the Global UGRAD Program Officer for Sub-Saharan Africa, the South and Central Asia regions, as well as the Fulbright Commissions in Asia. She joined the World Learning team in March 2023. Originally from a small town outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, her passion for travel started at a young age as she watched her grandparents travel the world. Melanie was an exchange student in Germany in high school and at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland during her undergraduate program. 

She has a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs and has spent most of her educational and professional career focused in the international education field. She is passionate about cultural exchange and looks forward to supporting and encouraging students coming to the U.S. as well as learning from their diverse perspectives. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, camping, kayaking, playing board games, going to concerts, and spending time outdoors with her husband and dogs, Liebe and Chip.

Cameron Teaney joined World Learning in March 2022. After receiving a bachelor's degree in international relations from Samford University, Cameron worked as a teacher at an international school in Turkey. Her time and experiences there cultivated a desire to work in an international setting. Upon moving back to the United States, she wanted to explore opportunities in such a setting outside of teaching, which ultimately led her to World Learning!

Mason Doyle is the Global UGRAD Senior Program Associate for the regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and South and Central Asia, as well as the Fulbright Commissions in Southeast Asia. He joined World Learning in April 2022. Originally from Asheville, North Carolina, Mason graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and global studies. 

Mason always looks forward to engaging with inspirational Global UGRAD students from around the world. Outside of work, he enjoys writing, hiking, trivia, playing the trombone, and trying new foods. 

Natalie Pearl Jordan is a program associate on the Global UGRAD team, working with students from East Asia and the Pacific. Based in Sunny Washington DC, she completed her undergraduate studies at The George Washington University, where she grew her curiosity for international development, anthropology, and geography. Natalie's professional interests revolve around advocating and empowering under-represented communities and causes, and promoting education as a tool for international development. Outside the office, she is a competitive Mah Jongg player, an amateur interior designer, and big into true crime/mystery podcasts.

Viaxaly Ayon Heredia recently joined the Global UGRAD team in July 2023 as the Program Associate for the Europe and Eurasia regions. She graduated from American University’s School of International Service where she focused her studies on migration and peace and conflict resolution. Her experiences growing up in a bi-national environment and being an exchange student in South Africa, Germany, and Italy sparked Viaxaly’s desire to promote cultural understanding and provide students with an opportunity to build relationships across the globe.

As a Program Associate with the Academic Exchange team, Amalia Laksmiputri supports three programs in the Global Exchange Unit – Global UGRAD, IDEAS Program, and Fulbright Specialist. She joined World Learning in January 2023. 

Originally from Indonesia, Amalia earned her undergraduate degree from Universitas Gadjah Mada, where she studied abroad in Hong Kong and Singapore and completed an internship in Thailand. Her global experiences, combined with her work assisting international students in Yogyakarta, ignited her passion for international education. Amalia moved to the United States in 2019 and later earned her master’s degree in Intercultural and International Communication from American University. Outside of work, she enjoys her dance classes and exploring world cuisines for her food page.