Home Office Staff

Sanjay started his professional life as a scientist, studying ecology in the framework of global change. After seeing what a mess professional scientists were making of their data, he shifted focus to data systems management. Through a career in consulting, the federal government, and now Semester at Sea, Sanjay has tried to to connect the data within an organization to the story the users are trying to tell. In his spare time, Sanjay is often just trying to keep up with the comings and goings of his two sons and wife, fitting in some biking, soccer and being outside in any way shape or form along the way.

JonEll Ashbrook started working at ISE in December 2019 and moved to Fort Collins from the Denver area in the summer of 2020. She has worked in finance for over sixteen years with experience that spans for-profit, government, and non-profit accounting. She leads ISE’s exceptional finance team in a fun, challenging environment to ensure accuracy and timeliness of financial information. JonEll loves to read, write, listen to music, and travel in her spare time when she’s not enjoying Fort Collins’ various breweries and restaurants while spending time with her family. She has two daughters that currently go to Colorado State University and three cats and a husband at home that keep her happily busy and inspired!

Danielle joined the ISE team in November of 2020. She is a dedicated Financial Aid Professional with 18 plus years of experience delivering outstanding service to students. Thrives in fast-paced and ever-changing business environments. She has extensive experience working with and technical knowledge of student financial aid programs. Danielle is a current member of NASFAA and continues to keep up on all federal regulation. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her children, gardening and coaching baseball.

Melissa Bingler began her career at ISE in February 2013. She never sailed a full voyage, but has been on numerous partial voyages. Her daughter, Annie, sailed as a student in Fall 2014 and is trying to figure out how to get on another! Melissa truly enjoys meeting alumni of SAS and hearing their stories. It is the best part of her job. She lives on a small farm in Virginia with horses, chickens, dogs and cats. Her day starts early!

Brooke Buchan (she/her) manages the multimedia content and strategy behind Semester at Sea’s branding and video storytelling. She sailed as the shipboard videographer in Spring 2022, and previously worked in multimedia strategy and videography roles for different departments at Colorado State University. She is passionate about the experience Semester at Sea offers and crafting content to drive global brand awareness. You can most often find her traveling, cooking with friends, or photographing and filming creative projects in her free time.

Lisa has been with ISE for almost five years. Prior to working here she had not heard of Semester at Sea before. She sailed on the Fall 2016 voyage and was excited to join the team after sailing. Being part of a team that creates these life changing voyages is inspiring. Lisa works with students to help them prepare for a journey of a lifetime. She knows what it takes to prepare for one of these voyages. There are always a lot of questions that come up and that’s where she can help. When not working with students she spends her time daydreaming about her next travel adventure.

Admissions Region: International Students + Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Whitney Cohen joined ISE in Fall 2021 after working in international student admissions for 7 years. Originally from California, she studied abroad in the UK and Tanzania during college and loves helping students achieve their own study abroad goals. While she’s no stranger to living out of a suitcase (or backpack!) she loves coming home to the Midwest and the fur-filled house she shares with her dog and 2 cats.

Lianne Dauplaise has been with ISE since November 2021. She moved to Colorado from Massachusetts after falling in love with the Front Range during a summer road trip. Prior to joining the ISE team, she spent her summers working at the Colorado State University Mountain Campus. Between the Mountain Campus and ISE she has found a love and passion for supporting hands-on and experiential learning opportunities. Lianne is so happy to work with ISE and to support its mission! While in her free time she will take any opportunity to head into the mountains, whether it’s snowboarding, hiking, climbing or just putting up a hammock by the river, her favorite activity is spending time with the dogs in her life.

Phillip DuVentre (he/him/his) began his career at ISE last year, 2021. He sailed as Assistant Dean of Students on Spring ’22 voyage after having sailed as a Resident Director on Spring ’17 and Spring ’20 voyages respectively. He has worked in Student Life in a variety of roles including residential life, traditional study abroad, international education, and served as a Posse Mentor. He does diversity consulting and presented at several conferences including Diversity Abroad, ACPA(American College Personnel Association), and ACSD(Association of Christians in Student Development). Phillip enjoys watching and playing athletic competitions, riding his vintage tandem bike, driving, and pranking incoming telemarketing cold calls.

Koty Erdmann started at ISE in late 2015. After serving three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mongolia and attending graduate school in Vermont, Koty merged a love of geography, cultures, and spreadsheets(!) into a position with the Field Programs department. When not making arrangements with tour operators, building out Field Programs in the registration portal, or chatting with prospective voyagers to help them decide what to see and do in country, Koty bounces between a variety of different hobbies. These have included experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, volunteering doing trail work or eco restoration activities, authentic relating, archery, ‘trying’ to read for pleasure, and learning to play the mandolin.

Whitney (she/her) is a two-time alumna of Semester at Sea, having sailed on the Spring 2006 Voyage as a student & the Spring 2015 Voyage in a staff role as the Advancement Coordinator. Following the Spring 2015 Voyage, Whitney began working for the organization as the Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement and then transitioned in 2018 to be the Director of Lifelong Learning. Whitney is passionate about the mission of the program and believes that Lifelong Learners are a critical part of the inter-generational shipboard community. Originally from Santa Barbara, California, she now resides in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband, son, and two dogs.

Tracey Hammond has been with ISE since September 2021. She enjoys chatting with students, parents, and anyone who needs a live advisor through the SAS Chat on our website as well as helping out wherever needed. Tracey has a passion for creating and editing training documents and loves to help others navigate through new systems. Outside of the office, Tracey enjoys reading, playing games on her phone and has read and watched “Lord of the Rings” multiple times. She has two kids in college and a “Covid” puppy, Kaya, who was adopted through a rescue organization in Colorado. Kaya helped her family by keeping them entertained with her puppy antics during the pandemic and they can’t imagine their lives life without her.

Brenda Legard has been with ISE since March 2007 fulfilling various roles in the finance department through her 15 year ISE career. Brenda is a nerdy accountant that loves to dive deep into data research to solve a difficult reconciliation. Brenda enjoys the great outdoors and her hobbies include hiking, gardening, home improvement projects, spending time with her grown children and of course traveling!

Admissions Region: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

Amy embarked on her journey with SAS in 2018, sailing on the Spring and Fall 2019 voyages as the Assistant Director of Field Programs. Having had the best experience on the ship, she returned to ISE in 2021 to join the Enrollment team. Amy’s love for international adventures and experiential learning has taken her around the world, from facilitating service-learning programs in Tanzania, England, the Galapagos, and Alaska; working at international events like the World’s Fair and U.S. Open; leading wine tours on the California Central Coast; and making magic at the Walt Disney World resort. While not working, Amy enjoys hiking, singing, tennis, line dancing, spending time in nature, and snuggling cats. And traveling of course!

Kate Lilly has been a part of the Semester at Sea team since 2019. Her connection and love for the program started back on the Spring 2007 voyage. Her experience as a student sparked her career in international education and she returned as a staff member in the Field Office on the Spring 2018 voyage. Kate is passionate about helping students access transformative experiences through travel, and enjoys photography, and hiking with her dog Dax in Colorado!

Pronouns: She/Her

Gretta Mincer (she/her) recently joined the ISE team after working in higher education student engagement and teaching Leadership & Social Change courses for nearly two decades. She enjoys working with students and colleagues to advance and support learning happening inside, alongside, and outside the classroom and is looking forward to expanding this knowledge to consider a global and floating campus. In her free time, she enjoys spending time on the water–on a raft, on a river, with family, friends, and often, her dog Molly.

Jennie Lee Montgomery joined the ISE in October 2022. With a background in marketing for colleges and student living communities, she is excited to continue working in higher education with a one-of-a-kind experience like Semester at Sea! Professionally, Jennie has a passion for capturing meaningful experiences and sharing these stories through creative content on social media. When she’s not creating behind the screen, she’s cheering on the Clemson Tigers, traveling to NYC to catch a Broadway musical, or finding the best matcha latte in a new city. She also enjoys playing competitive tennis, slowly learning new instruments, and spending time with her mini-golden doodle named Bear!

Candace Patrick (she/her) began her career at ISE in summer 2010. After having sailed as a student on the Spring 2007 Voyage, coming to work for Semester at Sea has been a full-circle experience! She has presented at several conferences including NAFSA regional conferences and Diversity Abroad. Candace also founded and served as 4-year chair for ISE’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She is HubSpot certified in Email Marketing, Marketing Software, and Sales Software. Outside of the office, Candace enjoys binging her favorite TV shows, writing, producing indie films, and fighting with her cat for the most comfortable seat in her apartment. The cat usually wins.

Jodi Reesman is a 17-year study abroad professional. She has advised students, managed study programs, developed international relationships, and directed scholarship monies. In 2016, she joined ISE as Director of Academic Administration. Now, she serves colleagues across the organization from within the HR team. Motivated by efficiency and driven by data, Jodi builds systems. Fulfilled by connection, she is people minded. Together, the two comprise her profession and passion. As an undergraduate – inspired by her German exchange experience in high school – Jodi studied abroad at the University of South Australia. She has independently backpacked overseas and served as a volunteer abroad. Jodi remains an avid traveler and continues to be equally terrible at packing and unpacking her bags.

Alex Ryan ( He/Him/His) served as Treasurer for Colorado State University’s chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery his senior year. He also helped his team make it to the national semi-finals in the Winward Artificial Intelligence competition the same year. After graduating from CSU in 2016, Alex dabbled in various tech and alternative energy roles. Alex started his career at ISE in the summer of 2022 and is excited to be working in higher education. He maintains multiple side projects for free Computer Science education and White Hat global security efforts. He is an avid snowboarder, hacky sack enthusiast, and Minecrafter. When he’s not talking to machines he’s trying to keep up with his two little kiddos (also future White Hat Computer Scientists).

Vance came to ISE in spring 2019 after working for Colorado State University for 12 years. CSU is Semester at Sea’s Academic Partner. He has rebranded the visuals of Semester at Sea to the current state and has enjoyed the process and outcomes of that. “I feel thankful to be able to do something creative every day.” You can find Vance in the mountains on his free time, mountain biking, fishing, hiking, trail running, boating, and stand up paddleboarding. He has three kids and an Aussie Collie mix dog who enjoy many outdoor activities together.

Admissions Region: Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia

Holly (she/her) fell in love with the program after sailing in 2010 and she still stays in touch with many of her shipmates to this day! Prior to joining ISE, Holly worked in a variety of university roles including on-campus housing, student conduct, and undergraduate admissions. She enjoys visiting universities to talk about Semester at Sea and is always on the lookout for local restaurants in college towns – suggestions welcome! In addition to working with prospective students and universities, Holly also works with the Diversity Peer Mentor program to connect prospective students with SAS alumni of similar backgrounds, identities, and experiences. In her free time, Holly enjoys flying kites, cycling, and live music.

Carlos sailed with Semester at Sea during the Fall 2019 voyage and current advisor with the Student Support Service department. During his voyage, Carlos was selected as an Inclusive Engagement Scholar and member of the Impact Cohort. It is with this experience and his extensive experience working with undergraduate students, Carlos is passionate to ensure students can receive the opportunity to participate in Semester at Sea. Outside of work, you can find Carlos actively following the NBA, taking a hike, or hanging out with his cat.

Al was a long-time college basketball coach and scout in the NBA. In between stints he served as a major gift officer at Colorado College. Al is super excited to join the SAS team, raise funds for the organization, and gratefully connect with our alumni and friends who support Semester at Sea

Kelly Wilkinson has been working in the field of Education Abroad since 2004. He has worked for ISE previously and has made his triumphant return in 2022 and could not be happier to be back. After sailing as a student in Fall 1999, Kelly was inspired to live abroad. He realized this by spending 2.5 years in Chile, Bolivia, Honduras, and Mexico. Kelly is passionate about building strong relationships with institutional partners. So if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact him. Outside of work, Kelly is enjoying life with his wife and son. He plays the guitar and will often just sing whatever random lyrics come to him. He’s always planning his next adventure, and is currently eyeing the Azores, so once he visits, perhaps he will be updating his bio.

Jessica’s (she/her) love for Semester at Sea began while sailing as a student on the Fall 2013 50th Anniversary Voyage. Following the voyage, she knew she wanted to work for ISE and provide life-changing experiences for voyagers. Jessica started her career with ISE in April 2016 as an Administrative Assistant and transitioned into HR in October 2016. She has been working as the primary contact for faculty and staff in their voyage preparations ever since. Though she is a Southern California native, she loves the mountains and all the outdoor activity options Colorado has to offer. In her free time, Jessica enjoys trying new restaurants, reading, traveling, hiking, watching cooking shows, boxing/kickboxing and relaxing at one of the many breweries in Fort Collins.

Admissions Region: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee

Hannah Zimmerer sailed as a student on the Fall 2017 Semester at Sea Voyage. After graduating college, she started her career in higher education by working in undergraduate admissions and helping students find their path after high school. She joined the ISE team in the summer of 2021, which was a dream come true for her! In Hannah’s role, she works with students from the Southeastern area of the US to help them find their home in the Semester at Sea community. When she is not working, Hannah enjoys exploring new places and trying new foods. She is also always on the lookout for new dog-friendly places to bring her NewfyPoo, Willett.