Virginia Rowthorn, JD, LLM (Global Health Law), is assistant vice president for global engagement at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and executive director of the Center for Global Engagement (CGE). She also is a Associate Professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore Graduate School, where she directs the Global Health Innovation Certificate program. Previously, Rowthorn was the Managing Director for the Law & Health Care Program at Maryland Carey Law for 10 years; a staff attorney at the Department of Health and Human Services; Associate at the law firm of DLA Piper; and a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Marshall Islands. She is on the Board of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH). 

In her role as AVP, Rowthorn oversees the activities of CGE, a University-wide center that serves as the hub of interprofessional global health and education activities on the UMB campus. CGE provides University-wide leadership to build and sustain global education at UMB; nurtures strategic global partnerships through the center-run President’s Global Impact Fund; creates and manages student, faculty, and staff mobility programs; promotes collaborative international research; develops curricula designed to build global competency through the GLOBALtimore Fellows Program; and delivers educational and professional services that support sustainable global programs. Rowthorn obtained her BA in American Studies from Carleton College, JD from University of Maryland Carey School of Law, and LLM in Global Health Law from Georgetown Law.

Michelle Sullivan is the Global Program Manager for the Center for Global Engagement. Michelle previously worked as the Program Manager and then Program Consultant for Comp-U-Dopt, a national technology and education nonprofit, where she specialized in writing and executing budgets, managing program logistics, creating program curriculum, and developing partnerships.

Before her time at Comp-U-Dopt, Michelle was a member of the Peace Corps in the Republic of Georgia for two years. During her time in Georgia, Michelle worked as an English teacher, an Assistant Translator for the Georgian Bureau of Labor, and the Finance Committee Chair for Girls Leading Out World Inc., a gender equality organization. Michelle attended Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan, and the University of Michigan where she received a Bachelor of Arts in History in 2017. In addition to English, Michelle has varying levels of proficiency in five languages including Georgian, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, and Aanishnabemowin (Ojibwe).

Lauren Taylor is the Senior Communications and Events Specialist in the Center for Global Engagement at UMB. Previously, she worked at Leadership Baltimore County and the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce, where she handled all aspects of communications, marketing, and event planning. She served on the School Board Nominating Commission for Baltimore County Public Schools for three years as a representative of the Chamber and is a 2018 graduate of Leadership Essentials Howard County. She received a bachelor’s degree in history from Hollins University, where she spent a semester in London. She is currently working on a master's degree in communication management at Towson University.

Nick Cortina is the Global Program Specialist for the Center for Global Engagement. Nick previously worked as a Project Associate for Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), an international development company that implements USAID-funded projects around the world. In this role, Nick specialized in budgetary and financial management, organized project logistics and operations, and served as a liaison to teams in the field.

Before his time at DAI, Nick worked as a Legal Assistant for the Baltimore-based immigration law firm Jaskot Law. He also previously served as the Global Recruitment Manager for Atlas Corps, a "reverse Peace Corps" that brings social change leaders from around the world to serve at organizations in the United States. Nick was responsible for the J-1 visa program management and evaluation of applicants.

Nick attended Georgetown University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics in 2016. He is advanced level in Spanish, intermediate in French, and beginner in Portuguese.

Amy Ramirez, MA, was hired in 2011 as Director of the Office of International Services to oversee services to UMB’s international student and scholar community. In 2022, she was promoted to Executive Director, Global Learning and International Services to expand CGE’s global learning portfolio. Amy directs the UMB Costa Rica Faculty Development Institute, an intensive professional development experience for a select cohort of UMB faculty members to develop courses, modules, tracks, clinical electives or learning experiences that incorporate global themes. She will also continue to provide leadership to the Office of International Services.

Amy’s passion for the field of international education was inspired during her undergraduate studies, where she studied abroad in Spain, lived in the International House, and worked as a student worker in the international student office. Before coming to UMB, Amy worked in international student and scholar services at Johns Hopkins University and The George Washington University. She has also served in several volunteer leadership positions in NAFSA: Association of International Educators, most recently as a trainer for NAFSA’s Management Development Program. Amy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Language and Literature from the University of Maryland, College Park, a Master’s degree in International Education from The George Washington University, and is a Ph.D. candidate in Higher Education Administration at the University of Maryland, College Park. In her spare time, Amy loves to read and travel to new places.

Gina M. Dreyer is the Associate Director of the Office of International Services where she oversees the international student and scholar advising team. Gina manages UMB’s compliance with relevant federal regulations governing non-immigrant visa sponsorship for F-1, J-1, H-1B, E-3, and TN visas. Gina is committed to an ethic of continuous improvement and specializes in improving and developing business processes. She also enjoys educating students and scholars on their visa status, and creating training tools for campus departments to navigate OIS procedures for requesting non-immigrant visa sponsorship.

Gina has been with OIS for more than 10 years. Before that she worked for NAFSA: Association of International Educators, where she cultivated her interest in working in international education. She now volunteers for the organization, most recently serving as the Regulatory Ombudsperson for Scholar Issues for Region VIII from 2019-2021. In that volunteer role, she assisted colleagues in navigating regulatory procedures related to USCIS. She holds a master’s degree in Instructional Systems Development from UMBC and bachelor’s degree in International Languages and Cultures (concentrations in Spanish & Latin American Studies) from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She spent a semester in Granada, Spain and has also traveled to Vietnam, Hong Kong, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom.

Semhar is Assistant Director of the Office of International Services and is the point person for employment visa sponsorship for international faculty and staff, including H-1B, TN, and E-3. She advises hiring units at UMB and international scholars on these visas, and serves as the backup F-1 student and J-1 scholar advisor. Semhar also maintains Sunapsis, the case management solution of OIS, to ensure compliance with relevant federal regulations. In addition, Semhar directs the Henriatta Selle Tiri scholarship, a scholarship program of the UMB Graduate School established in 2019 to create staff development opportunities for UMB affiliates internationally. Semhar manages the program in collaboration with the Graduate School and serves as the main point person for all Tiri scholars and applicants.

Previously, Semhar worked at Johns Hopkins University and American University in Washington, D.C. in similar roles and with boutique immigration law firms in the D.C. metropolitan area. Semhar obtained two LL.M. degrees from American University, one specializing in U.S. Immigration Law, and an LL.B. degree (equivalent to a U.S. JD) from the University of Asmara, where she worked as a lecturer for three years. In her spare time, Semhar helps refugees and displaced students to locate global study and postdoctoral opportunities.

Emily Markes is Assistant Director of International Services and works with visa sponsorship for international faculty and staff, including J-1, H-1B, TN, and E-3. She advises hiring units at UMB and international scholars on these visas and serves as the backup F-1 student advisor. Emily provides support to international scholars and students before and during their visa sponsorship at UMB.

Emily previously worked in similar roles at the University of Maryland, College Park and at Cornell University. Before working in higher education, Emily taught Spanish in Maryland, New York, California, and the West Indies, and was an English language instructor in Japan. She has studied in Argentina and Spain and worked at a nonprofit organization in Peru. Emily obtained a Master’s in Education from the University of Maryland, College Park and a B.A. degree in Spanish from Wellesley College.

Mio Kamijo is the International Student Advisor in the Office of International Services, where she assists new and continuing international students by advising them on federal immigration regulations and supporting them personally, academically and culturally. She also plans, coordinates and executes international student programs.

Before starting at UMB, she worked at AFS Japan and British Council planning and managing international youth exchanges, providing English learning courses and teacher training programs. She also worked as an education advisor at the Japanese Student Service Organization, providing support and advice to people looking for scholarships to go abroad.

Mio has always been interested in the research about Language and International Education. She received a master's degree in Learning, Learning Environment and Educational System at the University of Turku in Finland and a bachelor’s degree in English Linguistic at Shinshu University in Japan. She had the opportunity to study abroad in the UK, Hong Kong and Finland. In 2017, she completed her graduate certificate in Program Evaluation at Florida State University.

Carlos A. Faerron Guzmán, MD, MSc, is an Associate Professor of Global Health at the UMB Graduate School. He is also the Director of the Centro Interamericano para la Salud Global (CISG) in Costa Rica and acts as the Associate Director of the Planetary Health Alliance at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Dr. Faerron began his career as a primary care doctor in a rural area of Costa Rica, where he worked closely with migrant and indigenous populations. His work seeks to redefine the meaning of leadership in global health through innovative educational approaches.

Dr. Faerron follows a framework of equity in health and human rights as guiding principles and firmly believes in progress in health through community empowerment, action/research, and participatory education. He obtained his medical degree at the University of Costa Rica and his MSc. in International Health at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh and Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. Additional studies include Social Justice at the International Institute for Health and Development in Scotland and Social Innovation for Health from INCAE Business School. He is a Fellow of the Central American Healthcare Initiative.

Dr. Josephine (Jody) Olsen, PhD, MSW served as the 20th Director of the Peace Corps from March 2018 to January 2021. With the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Olsen made the unprecedented decision to evacuate all 7,000 Peace Corps Volunteers and brought them back safely to the United States within nine days. Dr. Olsen then led the comprehensive re-entry plan for volunteers to return to service. She also championed global women's economic empowerment, global health, and established Peace Corps in four new countries.

Dr. Olsen began her career as a Peace Corps Volunteer, serving in Tunisia from 1966-1968. She also served the agency as Acting Director (2009), Deputy Director (2002-2009), Chief of Staff (1989-1992), Regional Director (1981-1984), and Country Director (1979-1981).

Before to returning to the Peace Corps in 2018, Dr. Olsen was a Visiting Professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work and Director of the University’s Center for Global Education. She helped develop and direct inter-professional global health projects for health graduate students and taught international social work, global social policy, and global health.

Dr. Olsen received a BS from the University of Utah, and a Master’s in Social Work and a PhD in Human Development from the University of Maryland.

Leslie B. Glickman, PT, PhD, is a Visiting Adjunct Assistant Professor at the UM School of Medicine's Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science and a Senior Fellow in the UMB Center for Global Engagement. Over a seven-year period, she held full-time teaching, administrative, and leadership roles at the University, and now provides educational and research consultation on select community and international projects.

Dr. Glickman conducted internationally-funded research and teaching consultation in Suriname and Malawi; created and edited the first textbook on Malawi, "Malawi: Its History, Culture, Environment, Education, and Healthcare;" helped create a transitional physical therapy curriculum at the College of Medicine in Malawi; and collaborated on a publication on global health education: Felter CE, Glickman LB, Westlake K, Shipper AG, Marchese V. International global health education for Doctor of Physical Therapy students: A scoping review. Phys Ther Rev. 2021. DOI:10.1080/10833196.2021.1892282; Available: https://doi.org/10.1080/10833196.2021.1892282. She is a former U.S. Fulbright Program Scholar and continues to provide programmatic consultation to Health Volunteers Overseas.

Dr. Glickman continues to mentor students and colleagues in the U.S. and abroad and actively participates in local cultural, community, and philanthropic projects.