Rhoda Bangerter is an MK, a CCK, a global nomad, a wife, a mother of TCKs, and a certified life coach. Rhoda's mission is to raise awareness of how culture impacts our multicultural lives, to provide tools to thrive in it and a safe space for storytelling and discussion around cultural differences. Rhoda's experience of multi-culturalism is very close to home with her husband of fourteen-years who is a veteran traveler, including to war-torn countries. He is currently working abroad for two years on a bachelor posting (2019-2021) while she lives in Switzerland as solo parent to their two sons. You can contact Rhoda through her website at www.amulticulturallife.com.
Jane Barron (MEd) is a youth intercultural transition specialist, educator, researcher, speaker and author. Her work is informed by 28 years of experience in both international and local schools, parenting two cross-cultural children, a domestically mobile childhood and repatriation to Australia. Founder of Globally Grounded, Jane consults to international and local schools, families and students crossing cultures - developing their understanding of the impact of cross-cultural mobility, creating programs and implementing support mechanisms to enhance learning and life. A Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN) Board Member and 2017 Parfitt Pascoe Writing Residency Scholar, Jane is co-author of Insights and Interviews from the 2017 Families in Global Transition Conference-Building on The Basics: Creating Your Tribe on the Move.
Valérie Besanceney (BA, MA, MEd) is an international education and transition consultant and author, passionate about helping families thrive through transitions. She is Dutch by birth, Swiss by nationality, and well-versed in cross cultural awareness. Having moved several times before the age of 18, Valérie understands the challenges and impact of early transitions on your sense of identity and belonging as an adult. She has over 15 years of teaching experience in international schools across four continents. As the author of two children’s books, B at Home: Emma Moves Again and My Moving Booklet, she hopes to offer children who are moving a story to identify with and an opportunity to write their own story. Currently, Valérie is the COO of Safe Passage Across Networks and the Program Co-Director for Families in Global Transition.
Aleka comes from a multi-generational TCK family, and has worked with international high school students for over 25 years, on four continents. Over the past dozen years in Asia, she has been Head of the High School Counseling departments at two large, diverse international schools. She is now an Educational Transitions Coach based in the United States. Through all of her professional work, Aleka helps adolescents develop their inner strengths to successfully manage cross-cultural transitions and thrive. You can find out more (including her TED talk on cross-cultural childhoods) at www.alekabilanconsulting.com. Aleka identifies as a white Latina (she/her).
Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Sarah Black is the founder of Athrú Communications, a tiny PR and marketing consultancy with a big attitude and a big heart. She has more than 30 years of marketing and communications experience ranging from major global brands to tiny non-profit start-ups in Ireland, the UK, Norway and the US. This experience includes work with a wide range of peace and reconciliation organizations in Northern Ireland. Sarah passionately believes in the power of effective communications to drive change. Learn more about Sarah's work on her website at www.athrucommunications.com.
Lori Boll is an experienced Special Education leader with a personal connection to individuals with disabilities. In 2003, Lori’s son, Braden, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. This milestone event changed her focus from teaching elementary students to advocating for all children and their education. In Shanghai, China Lori co-founded the first inclusive school in the city. Lori also co-created and ran the Intensive Needs Program which opened up at International School Bangkok in 2017 for three years. Currently, she serves as SENIA's (Special Education Network & Inclusion Association) Executive Director and has repatriated back to the US. Lori has over 20 years' teaching internationally and has raised her own TCKs.
Carine Bormans, teacher and mother of two adult sons, is an experienced expat-partner who has lived in Kuwait, Brussels, Vienna, Paris, Geneva, Nairobi, Kinshasa and lives at present with her husband in Bamako, Mali. While in Brussels she worked two successive contracts as Family Officer at the HR-department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, where she specialized in training embassy staff and their spouses about life when abroad and after returning to Belgium. This extensive experience resulted in the development of a practical, easy to use and comprehensive model for expat-partners who find working abroad the obvious choice. By sharing this model, Carine hopes she can help young expat-partners to take up the challenge of living abroad while maintaining a professional activity. Carine is author of the book Expat partner. Staying Active & Finding work.
Cath Brew is an illustrator, educator and changemaker. She runs Drawn to a Story which works to illustrate and educate about marginalised experiences for positive change - with a focus on Identity, Belonging and Expat Life. Cath is the author/illustrator of Living Elsewhere, a book of 100 cartoons about what it's like to live a global life and works as Senior Designer at Summertime Publishing and Springtime Books (publishers of books by expats for expats). Cath also runs Crock-of-shit-free Spiritual Guidance helping people who feel lost and confused find relief and to release emotional wounds, especially bereavement. Clients tell Cath that she gives them a sense of hope, wholeness and inner peace as they process complex thoughts and feelings.
Dr Mark Burdick is a published author and dual licensed US Psychologist (educational and clinical), Chartered UK Psychologist (Associate Fellow designated), and European Psychologist. He is a true ATCK who was schooled in Europe and US, and lived in UAE as well. He is committed to supporting ‘healthy' families worldwide, and finds solutions for companies and organizations. His website is www.americanpsychologist.nl.
Trisha Carter, is an Organisational Psychologist, specialising in Intercultural Psychology. She is a Certified Facilitator in Cultural Intelligence and for the past 20 years has been helping clients to grow their cultural intelligence, face their fears of the unknown, and make their work and lives better wherever they live. Throughout 2020 she has been working with people to improve their wellbeing, manage anxiety and uncertainty and stay connected to families and work teams around the world. Trisha is the founder of Trans Cultural Careers and the designer and founder of the online learning portal CICollective. www.transculturalcareers.com, www.cicollective.com, www.expatjournals.com.
Vivian is the founder of Expat Nest which promotes the emotional well-being of expats by offering online counselling services. She is a psychologist with Masters degrees in both Child and Adolescent Psychology and in Health Psychology. A multilingual bicultural and expat with family all over the world, Vivian herself feels most at home in the international community and is inspired by its diversity. She was a counsellor at a top international school in the Netherlands, a taskforce member of the International School Counsellor Association and an online facilitator with the Council of Europe’s Pestalozzi Programme. Vivian is the FIGT Affiliates Director and also the co-chair for the FIGT Affiliates in The Netherlands and Greece.
Jason Coates is an international education consultant based in Singapore. He provides families and students with strategies and custom action plans in order to take full advantage of life's opportunities and help students realize their personal interests for their educational journey. With more than 20 years experience in education, marketing, public relations and communications, Jason uses storytelling techniques to help students create and develop a themed personal narrative that is authentic and compelling, which broadens opportunities in line with personal interests and professional goals. Visit his website at www.fycc.biz.
Sara Coggiola is a Life CoActive coach focusing on expats, families in transition, trailing spouses, and Third Culture Kids. She facilitates cross-cultural workshops and training for both the corporate and private sector. Sara has built her portable career after realizing that moving countries is challenging if both spouses are to grow their respective career paths. She has co-designed and co-lead a serie of workshops about personal and professional reinvention, aiming to give new perspectives to people to work on and turn into opportunities. Her website is between-cultures.com.
Edward is a UK-based cross border financial adviser at Cross Border Financial Planning who specializes in helping globally mobile individuals with their financial planning. His clients come from all around the world and he has built up a trusted global network of tax and legal specialists to help them. Edward is a keen sportsperson and takes every opportunity of his spare time to be outdoors and active.
Now based in London, Polly has lived for varying lengths of time in Mexico, Ireland, Italy, Costa Rica and the US. After graduating from Manchester University with a BA (Hons) in Spanish and Italian, she spent 15 years in international book publishing, running the foreign rights department of the independent publisher Canongate Books. A three year stint in California as an accompanying spouse with two young children in tow was a formative experience and led her to complete a Masters in Cross-Cultural Psychology and to train as an intercultural trainer with Anne Copeland. She now works for Parental Choice, an agency that supports employee wellbeing, including orientation services for relocating and repatriating families.
Anne P Copeland, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and the founder and Director of The Interchange Institute, a non-profit organization focused on the understanding and support of people in intercultural transition. Anne was Associate Professor at Boston University for 19 years before choosing to take her work outside academic life. She has completed extensive research on expatriate adjustment and has authored over 100 research articles, chapters, and professional presentations. Anne developed the training-of-trainers course, Crossing Cultures with Competence, for experienced professionals wanting to bolster their cross-cultural training toolkits. She was FIGT’s Program Director from 2007-2012. Learn more about her work at www.interchangeinstitute.org.
Ann Baker Cottrell, PhD, is sociology professor emerita at San Diego State University where her teaching and research were comparative and/or focused on people whose lives are cross-national in some way. She made a large study of Adult American TCKs who lived abroad between the end of WWII and end of Cold War with Ruth Hill Useem and continues to write and present on TCK research. A founder of the TCK Research Network, Ann actively encourages TCK and expat research, and mentors new researchers. As an adult, Ann has lived in India, Italy, England, Scotland, and had summer work experience in Switzerland and Ivory Coast.
Scott Cowcher is an Australian who has lived in his home country for only one year out of the last 20 years. He has qualifications in Education, Mental Health, Public Health and Health Management. He has lived in Bangkok twice, but 20 years apart as well as in Cambodia and in Washington, DC. He currently lives in Bangkok with his husband and two children. His journey to FIGT commenced with his recent role as Regional Champion of South East Asia and the Pacific for the World Bank Family Network. Scott's role is to develop support networks for WBFN members and their families as well as support their dedicated country based Connectors and Champions.
Matilda Criel is an adult TCK and is currently working toward her doctorate in clinical psychology. Her dissertation research focuses on what aspects of the TCK experience might predict healthy and/or unhealthy coping. She was awarded the David C Pollock Scholarship and presented her research at the FIGT 2019 Bangkok Conference, which inspired her to contribute further to the FIGT community. Matilda has been exposed to numerous types of psychological treatment settings and quickly noticed the lack of awareness around the global nomad lifestyle and its effects. Her goal is to empower the FIGT community by bringing new, valuable voices to the conversation.
Tanya Crossman is an Australian who has lived most of her adult life in China. Over the past 14 years, Tanya uses her passion about multiculturalism to mentor, write about, research and consult to support TCKs, CCKs, and multicultural families. Tanya regularly works with international schools, providing consulting on cross cultural competency and supporting CCKs, presenting to students, educators, and parents. Tanya is also the author of Misunderstood: The Impact of Growing Up Overseas in the 21st Century (2016) and is currently researching toward a new book for young adult TCKs. She blogs regularly on her website and has appeared on numerous expat and TCK related blogs and podcasts.
Monika is a specialist in organizational development, change and strategic management with a long-term commitment to the effective intercultural interaction. She lived part of her youth in Pakistan, was educated at the Vrije University in Amsterdam and at Henley Management College (UK) and now lives in the Netherlands. Monika holds two Masters of Science and one Master of Business Administration degree and has started her thesis at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam on Third Culture Kids and leadership. She speaks fluent Dutch, English and German, as well as reasonable French.
Steven DeMille is the Executive Director for RedCliff Ascent, an Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare program. He specializes in working with struggling adolescents, young adults, and families. Steven has a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision and is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in the state of Utah. Steven has been involved in research on treatment for adolescent teens for many years. His research interests include adolescent treatment interventions, Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare, ethics, and effectiveness research. Steven has presented on adolescent interventions as various national and international conferences and his current focus is on the impact of nature and the outdoors on adolescent and family therapy.
Camille Deniau is a TCK, French by birth, who has grown up and lived in Singapore, France, London and Ireland. She is the Founder of Project Roots, an artwork brand that she has created in the last 4 years to bring stability, strength and roots to the lives of all those who like her, feel rootless and in search of “home”. She does this through a graphic exploration of trees and sells her art directly online and through private commissions. Camille has spent the last 20 years following art classes at studios and established institutions like University of the Arts London. She is based in London and after working at Google for 6 years, most recently in the Education sector, she is now pursuing Project Roots full time. Camille holds a BSc in Geography and Economics from the London School of Economics and an MSc in Management from HEC Paris.
Helen Ellis (MA) and her husband live in Auckland, New Zealand, while three of her four children and five of her six grandchildren live overseas. Helen’s years of transnational familial journeying sparked a fascination with the experiences of inter-generational distance families. In 2021 Helen will publish the first of a three-book series, Being a Distance Grandparent – a Book for ALL Generations. This will be followed by complementary editions focusing on Distance Sons & Daughters and Distance Grandchildren. Helen maintains generations who understand ‘how it is’ for the ‘other’, enjoy increased empathy and that is a good thing for scattered families. Her website is www.distancefamilies.com.
Lisa Finn-Powell is an author, speaker, journalist, humour columnist, singer, voice coach and co-host of Stories Around the World radio show/podcast. She holds a BA in Communications, English Literature and Art History from the University of Missouri and an MA from the University of East London, where her social policy research on US/UK family-friendly employment policies was published. In Sydney, she founded Inspire Harmony and created the Notes to Self personal development and leadership training workshops. She is a dynamic speaker on migration, grief, resilience, authenticity and vulnerability. Her books include The Thin Time - a travel memoir of grief and loss as an expat widow and mother of four, and the upcoming series Accidental Expat. Her website is lisafinnpowell.com.
Karla Fraser has worked for 20 years in higher education administration in the US, Middle East, Caribbean, Central, and Southeast Asia. In 2019, Karla became an expat career coach and entrepreneur and launched Roseapple Global, LLC. The accumulated experiences over the nine years internationally have equipped her with the in-depth knowledge needed to guide and prepare aspiring, new and sequential expats in student affairs of higher education abroad. Thanks to the digital age, Karla effectively uses technology to provide invaluable coaching and preparation services for people from varying backgrounds globally. Based on her life experiences as a TCK and travels, she wants to help others achieve their goals of expat living.
Sarah Gonzales is Director of Graduate Programs at the Williams S Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. In addition to her work in higher education, Gonzales serves the NAFSA: Association for International Educators on their Trainer Corp team teaching Intercultural Communication in Practice, Admissions and Placement of International Students, and Assessment and Evaluation for International Educators. She has also taught Cross Cultural Negotiation and Conflict Management at Pepperdine Law for five years prior to joining UNLV, and is co-coordinator of the Research Network Affiliate for Families in Global Transition.
Elizabeth Greninger, PhD, is an educational consultant and parent of two bilingual school-age children living in Hermosillo, Mexico since 2015. She began her career as a public-school teacher in New York and Texas, and then went on to lead a teacher preparation program and serve as a Managing Associate at edCount, LLC, leading a range of projects in support of K-12. Most recently, she has been working with Proyecto Vimenti, Puerto Rico’s first charter school, to support curriculum and instructional planning. Elizabeth is a seasoned educational leader with a keen understanding of the distinct academic, developmental, linguistic, and cultural needs of students in diverse settings. She holds a doctorate in Educational Administration (K-12; public policy) from Texas A&M University and a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
Claudine Hakim is Head of Advancement, Transitions and Student Support at the International School of London (ISL). She was one of the founding Head Teachers at ISL Surrey and is the leader of the award winning ISL Crossroads Transitions programme. Having lived in three continents, Claudine is passionate about fostering well-balanced and inclusive international communities. Claudine is a member of the ECIS Admissions Special Interest Committee and is a Board member of Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN) as Director of Certification. Claudine holds a Masters degree from the University College of London, Institute of Education in Educational Leadership and Management and a BA in Psychology and Counselling from Richmond International University.
Kevin is a Canadian whose heart for expatriate care developed while living in Thailand and providing a support role for Third Culture Kids in the late 1990s. After completing his MA in Counseling Ministries in 2007, Kevin continued with further studies and served in private practice. He then had the opportunity to specialize in expatriate mental health care over a five-year period at International Health Management in Toronto, Ontario. He is married with two young kids. As a family they delight in adventure and new discoveries and, since relocating to Thailand in 2015, there have been plenty of opportunities for that. In addition to his role as a psychotherapist, Kevin also serves as Professional Development Coordinator for Cornerstone Counseling Foundation.
A German-French psychologist, psychotherapist and PhD, Sonia has lived a location independent life as a digital nomad for the past four years while working as an online therapist, providing counselling to expats and other globally mobile clients in German, French and English. Growing up with two languages and cultures herself, Sonia experienced the challenges and advantages of the mobile and international life from an early age. After finishing her PhD in clinical psychology she decided to take a break and travel the world. However, instead of returning home afterwards she started an online private counselling practice and has been travelling the world ever since. In 2018 she traveled to and worked from 12 different countries across three continents including Australia, Europe and Latin America. Her website is www.sonia-jaeger.com.
Joyce is an intercultural coach, lecturer and researcher with a Masters in Intercultural Communication. She is Past President of SIETAR Europa (Society for Intercultural Education Training and Research) and founder and board member of SIETAR Southeast Asia. Her passion for helping people work and interact effectively across cultures was inspired by her experience as a TCK, including High School at the International School Bangkok (ISB), where she was President of the Thai History and Culture Club, recipient of the foreign languages award and the Scarlet Elephant Award for her work with Cambodian refugees. Attending FIGT’s 2019 conference at the former ISB campus, these memories came flooding back! Joyce has lived in Singapore for over 10 years as well as in France, China, Japan, Pakistan and the UK.
Jerry is a cross-cultural trainer, coach, writer, speaker, as well as an expat parent. He is the author of The Day Grandma Got Us Kicked Out of Mexico as well as 99 Questions for Global Families and 99 Questions for Global Friends. He lives with his family in Qingdao, China and his work can be found at www.thecultureblend.com.
Ekta is an Intercultural Program Specialist at BGRS in Singapore and is responsible for managing Intercultural and Language Training services. Prior to BGRS, she worked with Sterling Lexicon as a Client Engagement Manager on the Business Development Team and at Cartus, where she was an Intercultural Program Consultant on the Intercultural Team. Her passion in learning about different cultures sparked her interest in intercultural communication. Born and raised in multi-cultural Singapore, Ekta understands the importance of style switching when interacting with people of different cultures. She is fluent in English and Hindi.
Originally from the US, Debbie has lived more than half her life abroad, including in Peru, Sweden, Germany and now Thailand. She is an educational consultant for TCKs, families, and schools and is currently a postdoc research associate at Payap University and an English teacher in Chiang Mai. She has an MA is in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and Intercultural Studies and has taught English across a wide array of settings. Her PhD dissertation examined the role of the teacher in fostering and facilitating transformative learning. She speaks English, German, and Swedish.
Anastasia Aldelina Lijadi, PhD won the 2015 Atlas TI Award for the best dissertation using qualitative methods at PhD level from the International Institute of Qualitative Method, University of Alberta, with a dissertation on proposing a theory of place identity construction of Third Culture Kids. Dr. Lijadi works in International Institute of Applied System Analysis (IIASA), in Austria. She serves as an editorial member for the Journal of Psychological Research and International Journal of School and Education Psychology. Dr Lijadi also serves as the Research and Education Director for FIGT.
Diana is a nonprofit professional, blogger, activist, podcaster and Latina mom from NYC. On her blog Ladydeelg.com she writes about motherhood, life in NYC and raising bilingual and multicultural kids. Her podcast, Parenting and Politics, seeks to inform, inspire and empower parents to take action and make a difference. As a nonprofit professional and activist, Diana works with organizations that help mothers, children and families. She has worked with the Aspen Institute, MomsRising and was a UN Shot@Life Champion. Diana sits on the Board of Multicultural Kid Blogs, an online community for raising world citizens and Serious Fun Afterschool Program. She has an MA in Migration Studies and an MPA in Nonprofit Management. Diana is fluent in Spanish and French.
Madalina Lungu is a self-initiated expat from Romania, currently living in Munich, Germany. She has personal and work experience in the fields of cross border recruitment and relocation and holds academic degrees in Psychology and Organisational Management. As a student, Madalina has created with her local AIESEC chapter internship opportunities for foreign students, handling also their immigration and cultural exchange needs. Now she dedicates what she started as a student, as a full-time profession. Her business covers the relocation and successful integration of incoming expats and their families in Germany.
Ellen Mahoney, M.Ed., is an alumna of international schools, the CEO of Sea Change Mentoring, and a Council of International Schools Affiliated Consultant. She is the only professional working with international schools who is certified in mentoring program supervision. In 2013, Ms Mahoney was named a David Pollock Scholar and an Echoing Green Semifinalist for founding Sea Change Mentoring, which provides consulting, program design, and professional development for international schools developing Social and Emotional Learning, mentoring, advisory, wellbeing, and transitions programs. In 2019, she launched The Circulus Institute, which provides blended learning opportunities for school staff with a focus on wellbeing and adult social and emotional learning. She is the author of Ten Strategies for Educators' Wellbeing: A Handbook for Schools During the COVID-19 Outbreak and is the host of the Sea Change Podcast, a podcast that discusses wellbeing, social emotional learning, and the power of relationships in international schools. She is currently based in New York City and San Francisco.
Amy McConnell Franklin, PhD, Med, MPH is a globally recognized trainer, author, speaker, changemaker, and leader in emotional intelligence and social and emotional learning. Now based in Chiang Mai, Thailand she is an independent consultant working with international schools and human service agencies who are educating migrants and other marginalized populations. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Amy sees emotional health and social connectivity as preventative capacities to build emotional resilience, strong and healthy social connections,clarity of values and identity to counterbalance our increasingly digitalized, confusing, fast-paced and globalized world. She has worked extensively on five UWC campuses worldwide as well as with diverse school communities in the US. Her website is www.amymcconnellfranklin.com.
With over 15 years of living, studying and working internationally, in Rome, Milan, Manchester, and London, Dominika Miernik is an award-winning international career coach and business idea generator for women. She specializes in helping expat women seeking to make an international career change to navigate the challenges and opportunities associated with discovering their dream career and then adapting to a new country. For self-employment-minded women, she expertly guides them to connect the dots between what they love to do and how they can design a business that matches their desired lifestyle. Her website is DM Coaching.
Isabelle Min is a former radio host and television broadcaster for KBS, as well as a diplomat kid and one of the first generation of Koreans who grew up overseas in the 1970s and 80s. After growing up in several countries and speaking five languages, Isabelle repatriated at the end of high school and has since lived in Seoul, Korea. Her desire to reconcile who she is as someone who grew up among worlds while physically living in Korea led Isabelle to her current work as an international coach. Isabelle has spent the last decade as founder and CEO of the TCK Institute where she offers programs to develop facilitators, organizes community retreats, support cross-cultural transitions and improve communication skills.
Aiko Minematsu is an adult TCK residing in Tokyo, Japan. Growing up, she was enrolled in seven elementary schools in Japan and the USA because of her father’s job. As a result her childhood was a constant move between different cultures. She holds an MA in TESOL from the Teachers College Columbia University as well as a Secondary School teaching license for teaching English in Japan. She has taught English to returnee students in Japan for over ten years and is currently a university lecturer in Tokyo, teaching English for academic purposes. Her research interests are identity trajectories of TCKs, language education and multilingualism as well as teacher education. Her life goal is to empower TCKs in Japan through education.
Saeko is an ATCK who founded TCK Workshop while attending Harvard Business School as a Japanese Fulbright scholar. Since then, she has been providing online English/Japanese bilingual tutoring to over 700 TCK/CCKs around the world. She gave a TEDxFulbright talk on TCKs in 2017.
Nikki is a serial expat with an Australian passport. Over the last 17 years she and her family have lived in Sydney, Hong Kong, Durban, Atlanta, Hamburg and Copenhagen. She is a project manager, podcaster, partner and parent. The podcast Two Fat Expats which she co-hosts with Kirsty Rice (4 kids 20 suitcases and a beagle), is listened to in over 160 countries and explores all facets of expat life, sharing the good, the bad and sometimes ugly through conversations with the global community. Since discovering her family was neurodiverse Nikki has become a passionate advocate for this community and the additional challenges they face as expats, which led to the creation of the Expat Kids Learning Differently community.
Janneke Muyselaar-Jellema is a medical doctor and has worked in the children and adolescent mental health field, in a child rehabilitation centre in and in an asylum seekers centre in the Netherlands, her passport country. Born and bred in Africa (Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe) she knows what it is like to grow up as a Third Culture Kid. Her parents worked in Africa for 35 years. She has travelled to more than 25 countries, loves diversity and writes for her blog DrieCulturen. Janneke currently works in medical education at the Leiden University Medical Centre and is a Youth Health Physician in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Chibesa is a mother of three, a spouse and a business owner with an academic background in HR Management and certifications in Individual Directions Inventory™ (IDI) and Career Coaching (CPCC). She has worked in Africa at the World Bank and with the US Department of State as a contractor, supporting international clients with global mobility and career development. She has a strong affinity for career enhancement, training and international relocation for expats, expat spouses and professionals in the international development space. Her motto in service delivery is 'One Size Does Not Fit All'.
Aya is an adult TCK and occupational therapist for children living with developmental delays or psychosocial concerns and their families. Her work revolves around her clients identify and achieve meaningful goals. These have included traveling abroad as a family with a child with sensory processing difficulties or returning back to school life after several years of withdrawal. She practices online and loves connecting with families she couldn't otherwise meet in person. One of her goals in the upcoming year is to offer group programs. If you're interested to learn more, please visit: ayaninomiya.com
Asako Noda is currently involved in setting up a new international school in Tokyo. Inspired by her childhood education in the UK, she is also implementing children’s creative writing programs in educational institutions. Asako was born in Singapore, grew up in the UK but did not have the opportunity to be fully identified as a returnee in Japanese schools due to the definition of “returnee” in Japan. After many years of living in Japan, she discovered that she may not have been a returnee but perhaps a TCK, and that was when her journey of “identity searching” began. Her passion and interest is to help create an environment for better understanding of ourselves and others for a more diverse Japanese society. She is currently a trainer at an international NGO which organises children’s cross-cultural camps.
Chris is a passionate and diverse author and speaker who uses a unique blend of storytelling, humor, and provocative insight to engage and challenge a wide variety of audiences. Addressing topics ranging from transition and repatriation to globalization and cultivating community and increasing empathy, Chris communicates with energy and personality. Chris’s book, Arrivals, Departures, and the Adventures In-Between, is written specifically to empower TCKs and help them make the most of their cross-cultural experience. It has also been used to teach cross-cultural skills and instill global awareness in a variety of disciplines at the college level and in business. His website is chris-o.com.
Doug is a psychologist, author, coach, presenter, consultant and PhD candidate. Author of Safe Passage: How mobility affects people & what international schools should do about it, Doug’s passion is to challenge the educational community to address transitions effectively. He provides training to support, refresh, equip, and connect transition-care providers around the globe who are committed to healthy student, family and staff mobility within and between schools. As the Chair of Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN), Doug seeks to support and connect school-based programs addressing international mobility and partner with schools to transform transition-care within the school community. His PhD research, The Safe Passage Attachment Study at International Schools (SPASIS), examines the relationship between turnover and attachment security. His website is www.dougota.nl.
In her own way, Tracy is giving new meaning to communication by helping people and businesses become more visible in what they do. As a specialist with proven experience in Marketing Communications, Public Relations, and Strategy for the past ten years, as an executive it exposed her to managing cross-functional relationships with different teams across different time-zones. She says "I gained a deeper interest in how other forms of communication affect our lives; particularly the workplace because we spend 60% of our adult life working with people." Now, through her podcast, Visible At Work, she teaches foreign professionals how to unlock executive opportunities using communications in their new country. Tracy has recently completed a Strategic Communications Graduate program in Philadelphia, USA, while living with her family in Vancouver, Canada. Learn more about her work at visibleatwork.com.
Carolyn Parse Rizzo is an ICF-Certified Coach and yoga facilitator. She is the founder of Interval Coaching and Consulting, The Energetic Expat Learning Community, and the Global Women in Transition Facebook group where she hosts the weekly ‘Space Between Breaths’ interview series exploring living abroad in limbo. Carolyn also facilitates the Vibrant Women’s Circle, a monthly gathering that invites women of all ages and international experience together for meaningful discussion. She’s spent more than 30 years learning and teaching about how to transform stress. From performance anxiety to pediatric pain and anger management in schools and hospitals, to abuse prevention programming in overseas military settings, to guiding others in yoga, breath work has been an integral thread throughout Carolyn’s journey, both personally and professionally.
Pascale is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist, Supervisor, Researcher and Clinic Manager at a Melbourne University, Australia, and also works in private practice with children, families, schools and trainee psychologists from a range of cultural heritage. Pascale has also developed a range of online courses for practitioners working with children, adolescents, families, and in schools. From Quebec, Canada, she lived in the UK for 18 years where she worked in varied settings and as an Educational Psychologist, including with army families. Pascale is a co-founder of the Melbourne Affiliate for FIGT. She has three children and her husband works in the international maritime signalisation industry. Visit her website at 3ppsychologies.com.
Jo is the author of 32 books, has lived in seven countries during the last 33 years and repatriated to the UK, to London, during the pandemic. Her motto is 'sharing what I know to help others to grow' and she has spent the last 20 years guiding new writers to write and publish books and articles. She has run Summertime Publishing since 1997 and, together with Springtime Books and a team of freelancers, helps expatriate authors to get into print. Their website www.expatbookshop.com includes not only their books but hundreds of others of interest to global nomads. Jo offers all her services online and has a range of online events, writers' circles and seminars available, many of which are free. Her Life Story Jar programme was devised for FIGT 2019 and inspires others to write and preserve family stories as legacy.
Peter is an American (by passport), born in Kenya, and has lived abroad for 27 years, in Kenya, Nepal, Louisiana, South Africa, China, and Thailand. He currently lives in Provo, Utah, USA with his wife, Chrizelle, and ten-year-old son, Joel. Peter is the author of Escape the Drowning Machine: The Counterintuitive Guide to Leading Yourself and founder of Third Level Leadership, an organization dedicated to helping grow individuals into self-leaders. Peter is passionate about pushing personal boundaries and venturing beyond the comfort zone. He is thrilled when he can help someone see things differently and consider possibilities that they weren’t aware of before. www.thirdlevelleadership.com
Emily is an Australian and has lived abroad for 20 years. Both her daughters were born in India and have lived their whole lives in Asia. As a result Emily understands how challenging parenting in a foreign land can be and is passionate about providing support, community and resources to expats via support groups and coaching. With a background in HR and certified as a coach with WIAL, she draws on her skills and experience developed in a professional context to support parents living abroad. Her website is expatparentingabroad.com.
Dr Romano is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at the University of Siena. She earned a PhD in Adult learning both at the University of Naples "Federico II " and at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she spent two years. In both teaching and research, her focus is on generating conditions for adults, groups, and teams to learn, grow, and develop the skillful means for collaborative inquiry and organizational change. She has a particular strand of research on diversity management and inclusive leadership approach. Dr. Romano is the Coordinator of the Certification Program for teachers for special education at the University of Siena and a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal "Educational Reflective Practices". She is also a member of the Board of the Transformative Listening Project and part of the Directive Board of the Forward Project, studying strategies for preventing radicalization and promoting inclusive communities in multicultural contexts.
Sundae is a solution-oriented coach and intercultural strategist who specializes in minimizing time to adapt and maximizing satisfaction and success abroad. Sundae helps individuals adapt as quickly (and painlessly!) as possible to the ever-changing circumstances of international life. Her expertise is sought out by clients ranging from European multi-national organizations to international NGOs, from West and East African country directors to seasoned accompanying partners. Sundae helps individuals and organizations expedite success, create meaningful connections (abroad and at home), and cherish the experience. Her podcast Expat Happy Hour has been rated Nr 1 episode in Places and Travel on iTunes. Sundae is the founder of Trailblazing Spouseⓒ and Expats on Purpose © and her work can be found on www.sundaebean.com.
Monica has a degree in Adult Education Science and has been an HR Consultant for 25 years working in international corporations, teaching communication and negotiation skills within MBA programs. She's a mother of three Third Culture Kids and her family has been living overseas for the past 13 years, in London, Delhi, San Francisco, and Pittsburgh, Chennai and now Pune; true globetrotters! Monica's goal for the past 13 years has been supporting executives and their families as they connect with new cultures, enabling them to become happy and successful in their new homes. She also works with Third Culture Kids and recently she helped a brilliant 13-year-old become selected as a TEDX speaker. The 13-year-old's topic was the meaning of being a TCK. Monica's professional mission is supporting clients so they can get in touch with the higher versions of themselves wherever they are. She is an ICF Certified Executive Coach with a Certification in Neuroscience. Learn more on her website at www.expatminded.com.
Grace is a Korean-American born and raised in the US. After completing her MA in Counseling Psychology, she and her family have served abroad since 2003 in Kyrgyzstan and Thailand in the areas of medical/community development and counseling. She is the former Executive Director of Cornerstone Counseling in Chiang Mai, Thailand and recently transitioned to the Middle East and now serves as the Director of Global Advancement. Grace is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and specializes in Emotionally Focused Therapy working primarily with couples. One of her passions is to increase global partnerships to advance the vital role of mental health care and its impact of individuals, families, and communities.
Christian Shull is a TCK who was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, before moving to Cairo, Egypt, at the age of eight. He has been living abroad for 27 years. Christian's first extended encounter living in the US culture was attending St. Olaf College, Minnesota for his Bachelors degree in History, in which he also received the opportunity to study abroad throughout Asia. For the past two years he has been living in Spain while receiving his Masters degree in International Education at the University of Alcala de Henares. Currently Christian is working on publishing his thesis "On the Career and Educational Choices of TCKs". His previous jobs have included working in international, public, and private language schools in Taiwan, Thailand and Spain and working as a University Counselor in Shanghai, China.
Yui was born and raised in Lampang. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English (Literature) from Chiang Mai University and completed her MA in Educational Administration with Naresuan University. Yui worked with Compassion Thailand for 12 years connecting sponsors and donors from various countries with the local churches and the children in the program. She joined Cornerstone Counseling Foundation in September 2017 as Director of Community Services. Her desire is to participate in helping Thai people and their communities be equipped and empowered in addressing mental health issues to better serve and care for others.
Trisha Smith-Pierce is a teacher who works with schools and governments. She teaches English, writes curriculum and trains instructors. She believes that learning languages can open doors for students and that by helping teachers through training and curriculum support allows them to facilitate student opportunities. A US citizen with a love for languages and global cultures, Trisha has lived and worked in Asia, South America, North America, Africa, and Europe. She recently worked with the US Embassy to write outreach curriculum for the Great and Good Friends exhibit and is currently developing a webinar series for English teachers' professional development. Trisha holds a master’s degree from George Mason University in Curriculum and Instruction, with a specialization in teaching English to speakers of other languages.
Freda Sue was born in Taipei in Taiwan, and currently lives in South Carolina, USA. She earned an MFA Degree in Printmaking from the SCAD Atlanta. She is an Assistant Professor and the Foundation Coordinator at USC Upstate. Freda Sue has recently and concurrently been showing works across cities over the world, including;Tavernes de la Valldigna in Spain, Taipei inTaiwan, Atlanta Georgia, Brooklyn and New York in the USA, among other cities. Freda Sue is a member of an SC Upstate based organization, Contemporary Print Collective, a member of the Southern Graphic Council International as well as a member of the Taiwan Society of Printmaking. Learn more on her website at www.fredasue.com.
Esther has been in the education and training field for the past 20 years. She enjoys piloting new initiatives and recently worked on the Singapore national SkillsFuture initiative which integrates services for education and career guidance across schools, tertiary institutions and the workforce. A licensed counselor, Esther combines her background in chemistry teaching and career counseling to engage students and adults in meaningful learning. She finds joy in connecting with people and encouraging deep self-exploration to support cross-cultural thriving. Esther also enjoys integrating theory-practice-research to inform strategic decisions. Esther has trained in the United States, South Korea, China, and Singapore in mental well-being, career development, and multicultural counseling. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Psychology.
Danau is a Visiting Research Fellow at Waseda University, Japan, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia. She is the author of Growing Up in Transit: The Politics of Belonging at an International School, the first book on structural racism in international schools and written based on her doctoral research. As someone who was born in Canada with Chinese, Indonesian, and Japanese heritage and grew up in several countries, Danau is passionate about uncovering the hidden voices among Third Culture Kids. Danau is also the Co-Chair of the FIGT Research Network and Co-Founder of TCKs of Asia and Third Culture Stories podcast. www.danautanu.com.
Daniela Tomer is an Israeli licensed Clinical Psychologist who has lived in Latin America, Israel, Europe and Boston, USA. She has worked professionally as a Clinical Psychologist, specifically within the field of Psychotherapy and Psychological Evaluation. She has worked with many new immigrants crossing cultures. She is also the co-founder of GNW-Global Nomad’s World, past Program Chair of FIGT as well as a mom of four TCKs. Please learn more at: www.globalnomadsworld.com.
Born and raised in Australia, Stephen has just begun his 25th year in the classroom teaching social studies. He started his teaching career in Australia and left ‘home’ at the age of 27 to live and work in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, GA. He has worked in international schools in China, Germany and he is in his 5th year at ASB in Mumbai, India. He is married to an ATCK and is raising three TCKs (aged seven, five, and two). He is a member of the program committee for FIGT and has presented at the conference in 2018 and 2019. He is currently studying to gain his counseling degree at Lehigh University.
Ruth Van Reken is a US citizen who grew up in Nigeria as a second generation Third Culture Kid (TCK) and raised her three daughters in Liberia For over thirty years Ruth has traveled extensively speaking about issues related to global family lifestyles. Currently, she is seeking to understand how lessons learned from the TCK experience can transfer to others raised among many cultural worlds for various reasons. Ruth is co-author of Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds, 3rd edition, multiple other writings and co-founder and past chairperson of Families in Global Transition. Learn more at: www.crossculturalkid.org.
Jessi grew up in Central Asia, graduated from Hope International University (Fullerton, CA in 2013) with a specialized degree in Third Culture Kid Care and is uniquely equipped to connect with and advocate for a growing, culturally confused population. In 2013, Jessi founded Kaleidoscope, a non-profit committed to seeing third culture kids not just surviving but also thriving. She is currently based out of New York and survives on a steady diet of airplane food and coffee.
Jane W Wang is a coach and course creator empowering multiculturalites to integrate their identities and find home within, so that they can live their full power and purpose. Born in Taipei, she grew up moving schools every 1-3 years across the US (with a stint in Taiwan in 9th grade), got her master’s degree plus worked in Tokyo, Paris, Taipei, Boston, and NYC, then embarked on a "roots journey" back in Taiwan. Jane’s career spans global marketing & business development, intercultural training & coaching, and socially innovative community-building. Now she leverages her experience holistically to develop multicultural leaders in a complex world through her signature “Homecoming Calls” and “Multicultural Hero’s Journey” course.
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