U.S. Office of Admissions and Alumni Affairs
IAU is committed to delivering the highest quality experience to students from the first point of contact. If you're preparing to study abroad or plan to enroll in one of IAU's degree-granting programs, you'll most likely speak with one of our U.S. team members. We invite you to meet the team below!
ADMINISTRATION
Kurt Schick
Vice President, U.S. Operations
Kurt Schick, IAU's Vice President of U.S. Operations, began his career at IAU in 2001. He previously served as Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Concordia University (River Forest, IL) and initially honed his recruitment skills as an admissions counselor at his alma mater, Augustana College, in Rock Island, IL. He received his B.A. in English/French from Augustana in 1990 and obtained his M.S. in Organization Leadership from Regis University in 2016.
Since he began at IAU, Kurt has overseen IAU's Admissions operations, focusing on developing new institutional partnerships and enhancing existing ones. Under Kurt's leadership, the admissions office has grown from a two-person office to a staff of twelve. With IAU's expansion into Spain, the inclusion of multi-country January term programs, the addition of faculty-led programming, and the options of degree programs, enrollment at IAU has gone from 300 per year to more than 1,000 students.
In 2016, Kurt took on the role of Dean of Alumni Affairs, leveraging the robust network of over 20,000 alumni with the goal of increasing IAU's endowment and scholarship opportunities for future students. Hosting regional alumni receptions and follow-up from IAU's incredibly successful 60th-anniversary celebration and alumni reunion - held in May 2017 at IAU's Aix-en-Provence, France campus - have proven to be successful strategies.
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Emile Lamah
Chief Financial Officer
Emile has over 35 years of experience in business, finance, and accounting. He joined IAU in September 2023 as the Chief Financial Officer. Before joining IAU, Emile worked as a financial consultant for eight years namely outsourced and fractional CFO services where he served many small and medium-sized enterprises in several sectors including higher ed, manufacturing, logistics, video production, engineering, and retail. Emile also served as the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Lebanese American University (LAU) where he oversaw the wellbeing of LAU’s finances, supervised the financial functions at the university including financial planning and budgeting, treasury and endowment management, accounting, grants administration, and financial reporting and controls. He also provided leadership in developing policies and procedures to ensure that all the functions were properly managed to serve LAU’s strategic goals.
Dr. Jessica Calhoun
Dean of Admissions
STUDY ABROAD
Jude Caywood
Associate Director of Admissions
Oversees Spain Programs, January Term Programs
Jude Caywood has been at IAU since 2015 and currently manages IAU's programs in Barcelona and Madrid as well as all January term programs. Before overseeing IAU's January term and Spain programs, Jude managed the development, creation, and logistics of custom and faculty-led programs as Assistant Director and Coordinator of Custom Programs. Jude holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Humanities with minors in French and Women's & Gender Studies from the University of San Diego. She speaks conversational French.
Jennifer Nativo
Associate Director of Admissions
Oversees France & Morocco Programs
Jenn Nativo is a 2016 A
Derek Brendel
Admissions Counselor / Study Abroad Advisor
Advises for Madrid
Derek Brendel joined IAU in 2021. As an Admissions Counselor and Study Abroad Advisor in the San Diego office, Derek manages admissions and enrollment of ACM’s degree programs as well as assists with the management of IAU’s growing offerings in Madrid, Spain. Derek has 10+ years of working in international education including on-site program management, co-curricular planning and execution, and international student support. As a student, Derek studied abroad twice as an undergraduate and completed a graduate program in the United Kingdom. In his free time, Derek enjoys leisure sports, purposeful travel, and specialty coffee. He speaks conversational Spanish.
Christina Tran
Admissions Counselor / Study Abroad Advisor
Advises for Aix-en-Provence
Christina Tran joined IAU in 2022 as the Coordinator of Degree Programs and transitioned into the Admissions Counselor/Study Abroad Advisor role in early January 2022 where she helps advise for IAU's programs in France and beyond. She studied in Lyon, France on the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship and later returned to France to teach English with TAPIF. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.A. in French and received her M.A. in International Education Management from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. From working at her alma mater's Office of Education Abroad to building an alumni ambassador program at Campus France USA, she has always been passionate about international education. She speaks English and conversational Vietnamese and French.
Carmen Ortiz
Admissions Counselor / Study Abroad Advisor
Advises for Aix-en-Provence
Carmen Ortiz (she/her) started working as an Admissions Counselor and Study Abroad Advisor at IAU in 2022 and manages the application and advising processes for IAU’s France-based programs. She holds her Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Global and International Studies from the University of Kansas and has worked in international education throughout her career. She has previously worked at her alma mater in the study abroad office and Office of Multicultural Affairs. She also worked for a study abroad provider creating marketing campaigns and leading programs in Sydney and Cairns, Australia. Carmen studied in France and Czechia while in college and is a huge fan of traveling, cooking, crocheting, and music. Carmen speaks English and French and is currently learning Spanish and Hindi.
Lindsey Ruth
Admissions Counselor / Study Abroad Advisor
Advises for Barcelona
Lindsey Ruth (she/her) began working as an Admissions Counselor and Study Abroad Advisor at IAU in 2022 and manages the application and advising processes for IAU’s Barcelona programs. Lindsey is from Southern California and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business: Leadership & Management and Business: Human Resource Management from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. Her enthusiasm for international education was solidified while studying abroad in London, England. Before starting at IAU, she was an intern with the Fund for Education Abroad and the Foundation for International Education, where she gained an understanding of the industry and realized her passion for making cross-cultural experiences accessible to all students. She has also worked in various positions within higher education, including experience as a Resident Assistant and Housing Ambassador at her alma mater. In her free time, Lindsey loves to read, play the guitar, and go to the beach.
Antonio Padilla
Enrollment Specialist
Antonio Salvador Padilla joined IAU in 2023, stepping into the role of an Enrollment Specialist. Antonio attended The College of Mount Saint Vincent in New York, where he graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration. Antonio's interests include econometrics, quantitative systems, and information systems. He is an alumnus of IAU Barcelona where he studied International Business and Transportation Logistics. More of Antonio's interests lie in financial analysis and investment strategies to effective communication and problem-solving. He is dedicated to making positive contributions to IAU, the realm of education, and beyond.
CUSTOM & FACULTY-LED PROGRAMS
Rebecca Coyle
Associate Director of Custom & Faculty-Led Programs
Rebecca Coyle, a 2005 Alumna of IAU, has been the Associate Director since August 2012. She helps oversee IAU's customized programs, coordinating their budgets, itineraries, and logistics. Prior to coming to IAU, she served as a Study Abroad Program Coordinator at USD for five years, advising for programs in Latin America, Spain, and France. Rebecca has a B.A. in Spanish and International Relations (Minor in French), and an MBA in International Business and Management from the University of San Diego. She speaks Spanish and French.
Dr. Fiorella Morales
Associate Director of Custom & Faculty-Led Programs
Dr. Morales joined IAU in 2022 and currently helps oversee the management of IAU's custom and faculty-led programs across all locations. Before starting at IAU, Fiorella primarily worked at the University of San Diego (USD) in a variety of roles for the School of Leadership & Education Sciences. She completed her PhD in Leadership Studies at USD in the Fall of 2022 and her dissertation focused on multicultural identity experience in the workplace as it pertains to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Fiorella holds a bachelor's degree in Behavioral Neuroscience from USD, and a master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership with a Specialization in Student Affairs from San Diego State University (SDSU). She has worked as an International Engagement Coordinator at SDSU, where she developed customized faculty-led programs and worked with a diverse student body in study abroad advising and programming. She has also led and facilitated various immersion trips abroad in Europe, Latin America, and virtually, with high school youth from around the world for World Learning since 2017. Fiorella is an Alumna of IAU of Spring 2015, and she also interned with IAU at the San Diego office upon her return from Aix. Fiorella is fluent in English and Spanish, and is advanced in French.
Julie Dugan
Assistant Director of Custom & Faculty-Led Programs
Julie Dugan (she/her) joined IAU in 2023 as Assistant Director of Custom and Faculty-Led Programs where she works closely with partners to create high-impact short-term programs. Prior to IAU, Julie worked at Tufts University in their Global Education Office, and most recently San Diego State University as a Program Development Specialist in International Affairs. She has also worked abroad in both Spain and Colombia. She completed her Masters at Tufts University in Diversity and Inclusion Leadership, focusing on accessibility to international education and the personal abroad experiences of students from historically underrepresented and marginalized populations. Julie earned her bachelor's degree in History from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and completed a semester abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has worked in custom program development and operations for K-12 and university students participating in educational trips domestically and internationally, and was a tour leader on dozens of programs. Julie speaks Spanish, and is learning Italian.
Leslie Martinez
Coordinator of Custom & Faculty-Led Programs
Leslie joined IAU in early 2023 as the Coordinator of Custom Programs. Prior to IAU, Leslie held various positions at her alma mater, the University of San Diego, where she gained experience in admissions, project management and advising. In 2021, Leslie earned her B.A in Sociology (minor in architecture) and will graduate with an M.S. in Health Care Informatics in May 2023 from the University of San Diego. Her passion for international education stemmed from her study abroad participation as an undergraduate student and externship opportunities abroad. Leslie is fluent in Spanish.
ALUMNI AFFAIRS & MARKETING
Greg Grassi
Recruitment and Marketing Specialist
Greg Grassi serves as the Recruitment and Marketing Specialist for ACM's degree-seeking programs. He has a BA in Psychology and Spanish from the University of San Diego (USD) and a Master of Social Work with an emphasis in educational counseling from San Diego State University (SDSU). Prior to joining ACM, Greg worked for over 11 years as the Associate Director for International Students and Scholars at USD where he supervised J-1 exchange programs, led pre-arrival and orientation programs, managed the international student health plan, and advised international student leaders. In this role, he worked closely with Admissions to help recruit and retain students from abroad and developed a reputation as a strong student advocate, mediator, and mentor. Greg’s passion for international education began as an undergraduate student when he interned at the USD Study Abroad Office and then studied and worked at USD’s Guadalajara, Mexico summer program. He later completed a post-graduate semester in Madrid, Spain through New York University. Greg speaks fluent Portuguese, advanced Spanish, and basic Italian. He is currently eating something delicious or planning his next meal.
FINANCE & FINANCIAL AID
Debora Chlad
Assistant Director of Student Financial Services
Debora joined the IAU Finance Team in 2023 to enhance the team’s experience with accounts receivables and invoicing. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of Student Financial Services. She has 16 years of experience in the field of higher education covering numerous areas of student financials and international student payments, serving both graduate and undergraduate as well as V.A. students and families. She has a Bachelor of Science in C.J.S.A, under the Department of Public Administration from San Diego State University (SDSU). Her experience with international travel is both local to Canada and Mexico numerous times and abroad to Egypt, France, The Netherlands, and Israel. Her travel experience enhances her understanding of the student’s point of view in international student finance.
About IAU
The IAU Team
Aix-en-Provence Campus: 27, place de l’Université, BP 30970, 13604 Aix-en-Provence CEDEX 1, France +011 33 4 42 23 02 82
Barcelona Center: Carrer d’Ausiàs Marc, 25, 08010 Barcelona, Spain +011 34 931 54 75 51
U.S. Office of Admissions 409 Camino del Rio South, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92108
Phone: (800) 221-2051 | Email: enroll@iau.edu
