Faculty & Staff

Gayle Allard is a professor of Economics at IE Business School in Madrid. She is a native of California, but has lived and worked in Europe for most of her adult life. Her research centers on labor markets in developed countries, and development issues, mainly in Africa and in relation to innovation. She has an NGO that funds projects in water access and women´s education in Ethiopia. Besides her academic publications, she appears regularly in international media as a commentator on economic issues.
Dr. Allard teaches three courses on Coursera and her “MOOCs” have had hundreds of thousands of students. She has authored numerous interactive exercises and games to enhance learning in the classroom, and has written three e-textbooks.

Sona Karentz Andrews is a professor emerita of geography & provost emerita at Portland State University. She has held faculty positions at the Univ of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Univ of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Boise State Univ, Portland State Univ, and taught at Semester at Sea. Her academic area is geography, cartography, and Geographic Information Science. Sona has held administrative positions at several universities, including Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs at Portland State University, Vice Chancellor of the Oregon University System, and Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs at Boise State. Sona is bilingual (she speaks fluent English and Armenian). She grew up in New England and she and her husband, Steve, like to hike, bicycle, travel, read, and attend live performances.

Elizabeth Balkan currently serves as Director of Reloop, a non-profit working to reduce packaging pollution and accelerate the circular economy globally. She is also an adjunct professor in Food Studies at NYU. Her career has encompassed a variety of public policy and program implementation roles, including more than five years spent in New York City government. Previously, she worked as a private consultant with international NGOs and private sector stakeholders and spent several years living and working in China. She is an ardent traveler and has been to over 65 countries. She is joined on Semester at Sea by her husband (Fall ’01) and three children (daughters age 10, son age 5).

Xiao was born and raised in Harbin China. During her senior year at Beijing University, she hosted a group of Semester at Sea students and faculty. She has worked as an academic librarian at Loyola University in New Orleans, Ball State University in Muncie, University of Southern California, Woodbury University and finally Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) in Los Angeles. In addition to working in the library, she also led a team of librarians in California to create an open education resource information literacy textbook, Introduction to College Research. She is passionate about information equity, climate justice, and life-long learning. She is so excited about being a part of Semester at Sea Voyage, a dream that is over 30 years in the making.

Christopher Blocker (Chris) is an Associate Professor in the College of Business at Colorado State University. He has taught business courses at the university level for 20+ years and has a background in high-tech and consulting. Chris expertise is in value creation in services, sales, and society. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee and his MBA at TCU. Chris’ research has been published in premier journals and he enjoys blending research, real-world projects, and students’ perspectives in his courses. Chris is married to his best friend Amanda, and they have four wonderful children, Ryan, Rebekah, Jacob, and Hallelujah. Chris counts it a privilege to work with students and help them develop the skills, knowledge, and passion they need for their careers and life.

Colleen’s interests include community engaged programming, sustainable food systems, global nutrition, public health, and food as medicine. Her passion for these areas stems from curiosity about the global interplay associated with health, human rights, education, gender equity, climate change, food systems, poverty, and social action. In addition, the relationship among food, culture, and society is dynamic and everyone has a voice, opinion, and story to share. The Semester at Sea voyage will provide a unique platform to explore these interacting factors through a global comparative framework. Colleen looks forward to sharing this journey with you and her partner, Jeff!

Professor Ingrid Bianca Byerly directs the Humanitarian Challenges Focus program at Duke University. A South African ethnomusicologist, her early research explored the anti-Apartheid music movement, later expanding to global protest music. Her music lectures introduce students to the history, culture, and politics of musical soundscapes. She has led intercultural communication courses throughout South Africa, currently facilitates the Public Speaking seminars at Duke, and serves as a coach for TEDx talks. This will be Ingrid’s fourth voyage, having taught on Summer ’11, Spring ’14, and Fall ’19. She shared these voyages with her 3 sons, who sailed as ship-kids and then students. She treasures the company of family and friends, and relishes the inspiration of students and fellow travelers.

Born in Argentina and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Juan teaches philosophy at Kenyon College. He also taught at Brown, Notre Dame, and was a visiting professor at the University of Louvain, Belgium and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Juan’s teaching interests are broad, embracing existentialism and phenomenology, philosophy of art, philosophy of religion, and Zen Buddhist philosophy. Juan is multilingual and has traveled throughout Latin America , Europe, and Asia. He is married to Carola Sanz, a Cuban-American sociologist and textile artist. They have four grown children. Juan has a PhD from Brown University, a L.Phil from Louvain University, Belgium, and a BA from Queens College. Juan is an avid hiker, woodworker and carpenter, and a published poet, mostly of Japanese short-form poetry.

Dr. Lindsay Gary (PhD, MFA, MA, MPA) is a professor-scholar (of History, Dance, and Africology/African American Studies), conceptual diasporArtist, Afrocentric entrepreneur, and cultural curator. She is the author of The New Red Book: A Guide to 50 of Houston’s Black Historical and Cultural Sites, and the director and creator of “Who Yo’ People?”, a documentary film that explores the African heritage of Louisiana. She has traveled to 39 countries, and is a Semester at Sea alumna.

Dan Graham is a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Colorado State University (CSU), and is the Faculty Lead for the Physical Activity and Healthy Lifestyles concentration in the Colorado School of Public Health. He is the director of CSU’s Behavioral Medicine Lab, which promotes better health through modifying social and physical environments to facilitate active living and healthy eating – for example, he has used eye-tracking cameras to see how people actually use nutrition labels and he likes walking on a treadmill desk while working, so he studies how active workstations affect health and performance. He is the author of the picture book How Can I Wait When There’s a Treat on My Plate (Magination Press, 2021).

Peter Harris is Associate Professor of Political Science at Colorado State University, where his teaching and research focus on international security and US foreign policy. He is the author of Why America Can’t Retrench (And How It Might) (Polity Press, forthcoming) and co-author of Deterrence Gap: Avoiding War in the Taiwan Strait (US Army War College Press, 2024). He is a Non-Resident Fellow with Defense Priorities, a Washington-based think tank. Peter is originally from Wigan in the northwest of England, and has also lived in London, Vancouver, and Austin.

Megan Jacobs is an Associate Professor in the Honors College at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Megan’s interdisciplinary honors courses range from evaluating art’s role as a socio-political tool, to a philosophical exploration of the good life, to exploring identity through photography. Jacobs earned a BA in Fine Art from Smith College and an MFA from the University of New Mexico.
Jacobs’ work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and has been part of exhibitions at Aperture Gallery, Saatchi Gallery, the Museum of New Art (MONA), and The FENCE. Her recent work explores the intersection of motherhood and the climate crisis and was recognized as the Society for Photographic Education’s 2024 Lauren Shrensel Zadikow environmental art award.

Krista Johnson is Professor and Director of Center for African Studies at Howard University. She received her Ph.D. in Political Science from Northwestern University and has published on a wide range of topics including health policy, gender and HIV prevention, global health governance in Africa, and race and racism in International Relations. She has lived and traveled extensively throughout Africa and completed a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Botswana.

Born in Chicago, IL, Rachel Lucas-Thompson has lived in Wisconsin, California, Minnesota, and now, Colorado. She has a bachelor’s degree with a double major in Psychology and Theatre Arts (Acting and Directing), a master’s degree in Social Ecology, and a PhD in Developmental Psychology. As a faculty member in Human Development & Family Studies at Colorado State University, Rachel does research on families, mindfulness, stress, and mental health in adolescence and teaches classes on research methods, statistics, family relationships, and adolescent development. She loves living in Fort Collins with her spouse, two kids, and their dog.

Moriah is passionate about venture creation and social entrepreneurship and is excited to be teaching on this voyage! Her research focuses on the role of partnerships in social ventures. She taught Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the University of San Diego and FIU for over a decade. Moriah also worked in finance and microfinance in New York and Florida. She speaks Spanish and Portuguese fluently and has lived in Venezuela, Mexico, Germany and Brazil. Her husband Dany from Argentina and her sons Dante (14), Enzo (11), and Tiago (7) will be on the voyage. She has homeschooled her children the last few years and taken them across the US & Europe in RV and lived in Argentina. Moriah’s mother and uncle went on SAS in the 1960s! She can’t wait to continue the family tradition and meet you!

Nina Namaste is Professor of Spanish in the Department of World Languages and Cultures at Elon University, NC. Her core disciplinary research focuses on food-related imagery as a means to express issues of race, class, and gender identity formation within contemporary Spanish texts. Her Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) research explores transformative learning experiences, interdisciplinary thinking skills, and intercultural development, particularly in study abroad contexts, for both students and faculty. She has led two semester-long experiences abroad (Costa Rica & UK); all of her courses focus on interdisciplinarity and intercultural development, regardless of whether they are on or off-campus.

Salme Neubert, Ph.D. is a passionate scholar whose journey in academia has been shaped by her travel experiences. After earning her Master’s in Tourism Management from CSU in 2016, Salme pursued doctoral studies in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources. Her academic interests have been enriched by a focus on Gender and Power Studies, particularly in exploring social equity and inclusivity within outdoor experiences and tourism.
As an instructor, her mentorship has inspired students to explore the vibrant dimensions of tourism, preparing them to navigate this evolving field. Before shifting to academia, Salme gained valuable professional experience in the tourism industry, working in various leadership roles across Australia and Switzerland.

Agnès Peysson-Zeiss is Senior Lecturer at Bryn Mawr College where she is in charge of the intensive language program. Her research interests focus on comics from the French Speaking world. Her latest works examine the text-image relationship in graphic narratives. In 2019, she published « Dans la marge de la BD : Génocide et résilience » in Nouvelles Etudes Francophones and co-edited the volume Handicap et études francophones : état des lieux, in which her article revisits disability issues. Her current research deals with trauma and disability representations. Her article « Entre enfermement et réinscription visuelle : les enfants albinos sortent des cases dans Dipoula et Pour une couleur de peau » (La revue de l’enfance irrégulière, forthcoming Fall 2024).

My substantive interests and expertise center around research related to the promotion of health among minorities, specifically focusing on populations that have been traditionally marginalized as a result of age, race, sexual orientation, and/or social conditions. In addition, my research focuses on methodological approaches, including the utilization of technologies, to facilitate community-based research with vulnerable populations. I have been fortunate to be involved in multiple health promotion practice, research, and teaching initiatives in academic, corporate, governmental, and community-based settings, providing me with rich insights into community health issues across a broad range of cultures and geographic regions.

Carly earned her PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in 2024. Currently, she’s working at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She’s interested in how organisms and their symbionts are adapting to climate change. For her thesis work, she studied how corals, their associated algae, and their microbiome change over long term time periods (up to 6,000 years!) through ancient DNA, genomics, and mathematical modeling.

When she’s not working in the lab or coding on her computer, you can find her diving, rock climbing, or playing board games.

Allison White is an Assistant Professor at Colorado State University with a PhD in Government, focusing primarily on domestic politics in dictatorships. In particular, she is interested in policymaking, elections, and corruption in one of the world’s most prominent autocracies–Russia. As the former Assistant Director of International Studies at Colorado State University, Allison enjoys engaging with students about all things international politics and policy. She currently directs the International Policy and Management specialization of CSU’s Master of Public Policy and Administration program. Allison also serves on the Executive Board of the Section for Comparative and International Administration of the American Society for Public Administration.

Jerald is a proud son of immigrant parents from the Philippines with over 15 years of Higher Education experience in DEI initiatives/multicultural education, first-generation/low-income student success, and leadership development. He recently served as the Assistant Dean of Students and Associate Director of the Asian American Activities Center at Stanford University where he developed opportunities, programs, and resources for students to expand their leadership skills, identity, and values to navigate a complex world. Jerald is a California native and is passionate about travel, culture, and education as these experiences help him understand how to build better connections and respect for all people. Growing up with a humble beginning, Jerald is excited to set sail for his first time.

Hawk is an experienced professional in Student Affairs and Residential Life with a strong focus on intercultural leadership and LGBTQIA+ advocacy. They hold a Master of Education in Human Relations from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, Riverside. Hawk is passionate about fostering inclusive communities, promoting diversity, and supporting marginalized voices. They are also dedicated to storytelling, aiming to amplify the narratives of underrepresented communities through their work.

Jalysa is an ENFJ-Leo sun from the east coast. After studying biology at Spelman College, she lived 2+ years in West Africa as a Peace Corps health development volunteer. She has spent most of her career in the healthcare field. More recently, she has been working in business operations and product management in the biotech-pharma space. She really enjoys ceramics and hopes to pursue it professionally. Jalysa has lived in many places and worn multiple hats in her career, but the main thread that connects these experiences is her passion for exploration, connection, and adventure.

Michelle has been the office manager for the family rentalreal estate business and construction company for the last 28 years. She will be joining her husband, Dwight, who will be the Care Team Director. She volunteered within the public school system for 13 years and volunteered numerous years with her church. She is currently volunteering with several organizations, including HABIC (Human Animal Bond in Colorado) and Caring Canines. Michelle, along with her dog, Zeb, work within various settings, including reading with the youth at their local library, joining with foster children during summer camps, visiting with the residents of long-term care facilities, and partaking in “de-stress” events at the local college campus.

Jenai Copeland, LCSW, is passionate about supporting students and families through their trials and triumphs. She has an eclectic therapeutic style that is trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and relational. Prior to joining this voyage, Jenai provided therapy for individuals, couples, and groups through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Towson University, and Oaks Integrated Care. Her career in higher education has also included serving as a Residence Director at Montclair State University, Wesley College, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and Rutgers University Newark. She values creativity and enjoys engaging folks through innovative groups including improv therapy, laughing yoga, and dancing mindfulness.

Melia has led teams and facilitated change for nonprofits for more than 20 years, grounded with the intention to do good. Yet brave voices called her out for practices inconsistent with that intention – doing more harm than good. So, “shift happened”. Her commitment to un-learning dominant culture, shedding white saviorism and demonstrating effective allyship took priority. Melia is a monthly host of Constructive white Conversations and member of “Kick Ass Consultants,” who serve as equity and justice accountability and thought partners. Prior to consulting, Melia’s career history includes Peace Corps service, anti-bias education programs and non-profit fund development with arts, human services and civil rights organizations. She is an unapologetic cat person who will love your dog.

Maria began her career in the insurance industry. She is now retired after spending the last nineteen years working for Poudre School District in Fort Collins, Colorado, primarily in Registrar roles. Maria, her spouse Mike, and their youngest son traveled on the Spring, 2018 voyage, and she shared her experiences with staff and students at the school she was working at. She truly enjoys working with students of all ages, families and her staff team.
Maria travels twice a year to Mexico, visiting her daughter and her wife, and two grandchildren. She also loves to visit the mountains of Steamboat Springs, where skiing, hiking and the river are fun to enjoy with their oldest son and his wife, who live there.

Joe is a high school science teacher/department chair at Mountain View High School in Loveland, Colorado, where he has been teaching Earth/Space Science, Physics and Astronomy/Meteorology for five years. He began his career in education as a high school soccer coach and continues to mentor high school students outside of the classroom as the boys/girls head golf coach at MVHS. In addition, Joe is very proud to be the coach of the U12 Bauder Elementary School boys soccer team, otherwise known as the Sweaty Socks Soccer Club.

Hello! My name is Kyler, I’m 23-years-old and from Rapid City, South Dakota. I graduated college back in May of 2023 from the University of South Dakota. My degree is in Strategic Communications where I’ve been working in social media and influencer marketing for three years. I love to mountain bike, play pickle ball, ski (even though I’m not very good), and spend time at the lake. I also love to shop, travel, go to concerts, and try new food places. If I’m not doing one of those things, I’m probably making my next plan to! 😉 I’m really looking forward to the Spring 2025 voyage and I can’t WAIT to meet you!

Kriss Hayward is SAS alumni who served as a Resident Director and Social Events Coordinator (F87). Most recently, she was the Director of Marketing & Communications at a large private school in the San Francisco Bay Area. Working at six universities, in the U.S. and abroad, and two private schools, Kriss has over 30 years of experience in education, including admissions, business and alumni relations, event planning, student advising and counseling, crisis response, project management, and staff development. Kriss is a skilled communicator, facilitator, program coordinator, and leader. Her goal is to combine excellent organizational skills, a “can do” enthusiasm, and attention to detail with fresh thinking to serve others and create impact and memorable moments.

Amy is a creative, enthusiastic, and values-driven collaborator with 16+ years of higher education experience focused on community building, event planning, program design, student engagement, and leadership development. She is known for innovative problem-solving, adaptability, and authenticity. Her top 5 Clifton strengths are responsibility, intellection, input, learner, and relator (which sometimes swaps out with deliberative). She was an exchange student in high school through the Rotary Youth Exchange program and values global perspectives deeply. In her daily life, she strives to help co-create deep, supportive, diverse, and inclusive communities; you can frequently find her volunteering in her local community (Colorado Springs) with organizations addressing food insecurity.

Aki has worked as a licensed psychologist in the counseling center at the Colorado State University Health Network since 2011 and has been the Training Director there since 2012. She loves training master’s and doctoral-level graduate students who are learning to do therapy, while also providing individual and group counseling to CSU students. She identifies as multiracial and particularly enjoys providing support to students who are working to understand their own identities, including working with historical and identity-based trauma. Aki also has worked within the VA Medical Center, at a rape crisis center, and at an intensive outpatient program for eating disorders.

Aki is accompanied on this voyage by her partner and two young children.

Alex is a 31-year-old writer, social media manager, and entrepreneur based in Georgia.

His professional life has primarily taken place in the arenas of storytelling, teaching, communications, finance, and international relations.

In the past, Alex has worked for organizations like the the United Nations, the United Way, the Texas Democratic Party, and Morgan Stanley.

Currently, Alex runs a company with a fellow Dartmouth alum, which focuses on coaching diverse creative professionals as they launch the next phase of their artistic careers.

When Alex is not working, he loves reading & writing. Recently, his love of writing brought him to North Carolina, where he completed a graduated degree in fiction writing at NCSU.

Alex is excited to meet the voyage community very soon!

Kody Maynard was born in St. Louis, MO, but currently calls Colorado home. Kody has a heart focused on kindness and a creative mind motivated by curiosity. Performing from a young age, and trained as a theater educator, Kody taught in the classroom setting for several years before shifting his focus to experiential learning with a global reach. Kody’s professional experience has charted him a course across the world and has led him to his next chapter as the Field Program Coordinator for the Spring 2025 Voyage!

Mr. Orsborn has over 24 years of experience in emergency medicine. He began his career at an early age, joining Utica Emergency Medical Services during the 10th grade. He later joined the Mount Vernon Life Support Team (LST) and was certified as a Basic (BCLS), Advanced (ACLS) and Pediatric (PALS) Advanced Life Support Instructor, and a Basic Trauma Life Support (BTLS) Instructor.
Mr. Orsborn was selected to join the Grant LifeFlight EMS Helicopter team, where he helped staff our nation’s first remote-based EMS Helicopter program. While at Knox Cardiology Associates, he became one of only four physician assistants in the U.S. to become Board Certified in Lipidology. Mr. Orsborn also helped establish Knox County’s first Urgent Care.

Marcia is a retired educator with 35+ years in public education. She is traveling on the voyage with her husband, Randy Orsborn, who will be the Physician Assistant. Marcia and Randy have three adult children and three young granddaughters. Their sons participated in Semester at Sea on two different voyages.

Daniel Parks is an Enrollment and Partners Coordinator for Austin Community College in Austin, Texas. He has a degree in philosophy from the University of North Texas and has worked in the field of higher education for the past year. For most of his career, he actually worked in the sports industry coaching swimming. Daniel’s hobbies include cycling, swimming, playing board games, and spending time with his dog Einstein. Daniel has traveled around most of the United States, and to some countries in Europe. He is looking forward to traveling with his fiance, Carly Scott, on this voyage and experiencing new places and cultures around the world.

Marlene was born and raised in Soledad, a small agricultural town on the Central Coast of California. Her experience navigating higher education as a first-generation college student of immigrant parents influenced her decision to pursue a career in Student Affairs. She has experience in orientation programs and residence life. Marlene is an impassioned mental health advocate and most recently spent over six years as a non-clinical case manager for college students experiencing various forms of distress. In her spare time, Marlene enjoys traveling, baking, hiking, bike rides along Manhattan Beach, and exploring new coffee shops with her partner and friends.

Eddie has worked in a variety of student services areas within higher education (residential education, admissions, int’l education, disability services, financial aid), and has taught at the junior high, high school and college levels; he most recently served as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Southern California. He lived in Japan for nearly five years, has led int’l student service learning trips around the world (India, Guatemala, Belize, Thailand, Peru), and has spent significant time working with orphanages in Uganda and Kenya.

Dr. Smith is a Board Certified Emergency Medicine Physician. She has over 12 years of experience working in emergency departments treating patients of all ages and backgrounds. Following medical school and residency at the University of Virginia, she worked in the Boston area for one year, then returned to Central Virginia. Dr. Smith has also spent time working with medical teams in Guatemala and Honduras. She counts it a privilege to care for patients, and learns from every patient encounter.

Dr. Smith is married to Justin, a psychiatrist, and they have four children, a pandemic pup, and two gerbils. The whole family is eager to learn from the Semester at Sea community and the people and cultures they are fortunate to visit on the Spring 2025 Voyage.

Shelby (she/they) is passionate about the movement of people, stories, and ideas across borders. She completed her BA in International Studies at the University of Oklahoma, where she also worked as an assistant in the Education Abroad office. After sailing on the Spring 2014 Semester at Sea voyage, Shelby knew they were not done exploring, and they spent the next 3 years travelling, volunteering, and working to save up money to travel again. Standout experiences of this time included working with an NGO on the Thai-Burma border and befriending asylum-seeking youth in Puglia. Shelby completed her MA in Digital Media, Culture, and Education at University College London and has spent the past 7 years living in England working in customer operations management at a sustainability startup.

Derrick lives in northern Colorado with his significant other and their 2 dogs. Initially a high school dropout, he earned his GED in 2004, AAS in 2010, BS in 2013 and DPT in 2017. He served in the Air Force as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician from 2006 to 2010 and became a licensed Physical Therapist in 2017. He has since treated patients of all ages in outpatient clinics focusing on orthopedic and neurologic rehab.

Thomas Trzepkowski is the Associate Director of Orientation, Transition, and Family Programs at Buffalo State University. He plays a crucial role in guiding the planning and implementation of orientation programs for new students, including first-year and transfer students, as well as their families. His responsibilities also extend to assisting in the coordination of Homecoming and Family Weekend, Weeks of Welcome, and various leadership development initiatives.

Thomas earned his Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Stony Brook University and completed his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at Buffalo State University. Beyond his professional life, he has a background as a personal trainer, enjoys running, and is passionate about traveling.