OUR BOARD
Julie Lee
President
Julie is the co-owner and Director of Operations of Michigan Language Center (MLC), a private language institution that teaches English as a Second Language to adult students and professionals. At MLC, she oversees operations and online marketing of campus and online programs, and consults F1 visa students on immigration policies. She is a proud alumna of University of Michigan (Go Blue!), and holds a BA in English Language and Literature and an MA in Educational Administration and Policy. She is passionate about investing in the global community in Ann Arbor and facilitating opportunities for intercultural connection.
Judith Pennywell
Vice-President
As the Director of the International Center at the University of Michigan, Dr. Judith Pennywell oversees international student, scholar, and employee services as well as global engagement and education abroad programming. Judith has more than 25 years of experience in the fields of International Education Administration and Student Affairs. Her professional background includes managing immigration services, education abroad, cultural programming, international student recruitment, ESL, partnerships and agreements. Judith earned a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University with research focused on campus internationalization. Judith was the Chair of the 2019 NAFSA: Association of International Educators Annual Conference and Expo.
Devin Streur
Treasurer
Devin is the International Student Advisor at Washtenaw Community College. At WCC he serves as the face and representative of the International Student Center, assisting ESL and visa holding students on their academic and professional goals. Prior to WCC, he worked at Grand Valley State University as a graduate assistant in their admissions office assisting with their international student recruitment. During his undergraduate, he worked in GVSU’s Padnos International Center advising prospective study abroad students and incoming international students during orientation week and received GVSU’s Pineapple award for assisting international students. Working with international students has truly become a passion and has personally helped him grow in many ways.
Laure Bordas-Isner
Secretary
Laure is an International Student and Scholar Advisor at University of Michigan’s International Centerwhere she advises international students concerning immigration regulations and organizes events for the international community. Laure is originally from France and moved to the U.S. as an international student. She holds a Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from the Pennsylvania State University and a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. in French Language and Literature from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo. Before joining Wayne State University. Laure taught English as a Second Language and French at the university level for 10 years. She is passionate about helping international students make the most out of their stay in the U.S.
Neeraja Aravamudan
Neeraja is the Director of the University of Michigan’s Ginsberg Center, a civic and community engagement center dedicated to cultivating and stewarding equitable partnerships between
communities and U-M students, faculty and staff to advance social change for the public good. Before U-M, she led graduate student development efforts at Northwestern’s teaching center, where she first started her career coordinating the International Scholars Program that helped international graduate
Barbara K. Dobson
Barbara Dobson has worked in the field of international education for more than 40 years in a variety of capacities — ESL instructor, co-author of the ESL textbooks Reader’s Choice and Choice Readings, and principally as a language assessment professional. She began her work in language testing as a University of Michigan graduate student. From that grew a life-long career researching and developing standardized ESL tests; managing Michigan’s large-scale international language testing programs; and contributing to language assessment professional organizations in a variety of leadership roles. Recently retired as Director of Professional Partnerships at Michigan Language Assessment, Barbara welcomes the opportunity to continue supporting international education as an IHAA board member.
Marjorie Horton
Marjorie Horton is the former Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at the University of Michigan. Earlier in her career she was a faculty member at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in the Department of Psychology. She has almost 25 years working as an educator and administrator in higher education. As Assistant Dean, among her responsibilities was oversight for the English Language Institute and the College’s residential learning communities, including for the development of the Global Scholars Program, the Health Sciences Scholars Program, and the Michigan Community Scholars Program, and the reinvention of the Lloyd Scholars. She also partnered with the Residential College and College of LSA leadership on the major renovation of East Quad.
Meredith Kahn
Meredith Kahn is the Librarian for Gender & Sexuality Studies at the University of Michigan. Her research interests include new developments in scholarly communication, and comparative analysis of open access publishing in an international context. She is also a co-founder of Ann Arbor Seed Company, which brings sustainable agricultural principles to the business of saving and selling local seeds. Outside of work she enjoys traveling, biking, reading, and live-tweeting Ann Arbor City Council meetings.
Susan King
Susan King is an ordained Interfaith minister from the New Seminary in NYC. She has a BA in Social Justice Theology, an MA in Pastoral Counseling from the Ecumenical Theological Seminary and Marygrove College in Detroit and a doctorate in Spiritual Psychology from Christ Church Oxford University. Currently retired, Susan continues to serve as a workshop leader on interfaith issues, and on how white racism develops and is operating in American culture.
Lily Lee
Lily studied engineering and computer science at the University of Michigan, and corporate finance at Cleary University. She has an extensive background across industries from family-owned restaurants, food service, to public accounting, plus almost twenty years in technology; with her last few roles managing software development teams and projects globally in her career at Thomson Reuters. She is a servant leader with a mindset of gratitude, humility; and is an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion practices in daily life. With a passion for community service and technology, some past roles included Education Chair on Global Volunteer Network, lead on DEI initiatives, speaker on tech panels; volunteer for arts and film with the Michigan Theater Foundation; and in the last decade, partnered with Ann Arbor Public Schools and other districts on STEM activities to help engage students early on about potential careers in technology. Lily welcomes and looks forward to the opportunity of working with students, families and the community on enhancing IHAA programs and outreach as a board member.
Angelo Pitillo
Angelo has thirty years’ experience teaching and administering programs in English as a second language. He currently serves as the Director of the University of Michigan’s English Language Institute (ELI). In this role, he oversees programs providing language and academic instruction to international graduate students and preparing undergraduates to teach ESL. Before coming to Ann Arbor, Angelo worked for more than twenty years as a teacher and administrator in English language programs in the US, Japan, and the Middle East. His professional life is informed by his own experience as an international graduate student in Germany, as a professor of English in Japan, and as a freelance journalist for publications in the US, Ireland, China, and Japan. In his free time, Angelo is a beginner pianist and avid hiker and cyclist. He travels frequently to explore new cultures and maintain connections to friends around the world.
Jim Schaafsma
Jim serves as the housing attorney for the Michigan Poverty Law Program (MPLP), works with the Resident Issues Advisory Committee of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, and the Michigan Court Forms Committee and its Civil Infractions, Other Civil, and Summary Proceedings Work Group.
Mark Simmonds
Mark oversees Beyond The Diag, the University of Michigan’s programs that provide support, resources and engagement opportunities to students living off-campus. Mark is originally from the UK and moved to Michigan in 2016. As well as working in higher education, he has significant experience as a clinical practitioner in mental health and substance use programs. Prior to working for the University of Michigan, Mark was at Avalon Housing, coordinating the Adult Rapid Rehousing program for Washtenaw County. He loves to travel and explore new places, and enjoys watching and playing sports, reading, and spending time with his family. Mark is married to Janelle, and at home they have two daughters, and a lively, energetic and lovable yellow lab, named Bramley.