Our team

Legacy International commits to working continuously to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We commit to ensuring that principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion infuse everything we do. We understand this is an ongoing process, and we commit to regularly evaluating our progress towards becoming a more inclusive organization through planning, implementation, and assessment to create an inclusive environment.

Leadership Team

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Shanti Thompson

Executive Vice President
Ms. Thompson is involved in the design, funding, and program and financial administration of Legacy’s projects. She has over 35 years’ experience directing initiatives, developing training programs
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Mary Helmig

Vice President
Ms. Helmig has 30 years non-profit experience, including directing U.S. Department of State Exchange programs, professional development initiatives and youth leadership programs.
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Leila Baz

Senior Program Officer
As Program Director for various Legacy adult professional exchange programs, Ms. Baz has designed and delivered numerous projects for citizens from Azerbaijan, Morocco, Egypt, Belarus
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Mitra Nafissian

Senior Program Officer
Mitra holds an MA and ABD in International Relations from New York University. Having previously worked at the United Nations in New York, she serves as Legacy’s ECOSOC
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Marlene Ginsberg

Senior Development Specialist
Ms. Ginsberg has 35 years non-profit experience, including 20 years directing professional development programs for citizens of Azerbaijan, Belarus, the Republic of Georgia, Kazakhstan

The Team

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Nicole “Nix” Bradly

Human Resources Manager
With a background in Non-Profit Human Resources and Cross-Cultural Psychology and Sociology, Nix aims to embody the Legacy's
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Nana Bruce-Amanquah

TechGirls Program Associate
Nana grew up experiencing international education firsthand after attending schools in Ghana, Zimbabwe, Germany, and the US.
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Sarah Cockey

Professional Fellows Program Director
Due to her own experiences as a participant in international exchange in both Panama and Egypt, Sarah is passionate about citizen
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Brittany Corn

TechGirls Program Director
Brittany recently returned stateside after teaching English in Spain for the last five years and obtaining a Master’s degree in
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Chelsea Dresen

Youth Leadership Programs, Program Manager
Chelsea believes that a global and connected world is a sustainable world. This passion has driven her to stay connected with Legacy
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Kat Fitzpatrick

Professional Fellows Program Manager
Throughout her undergraduate career and beyond, Kat has taken every opportunity she can to travel the world and experience other cultures.
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Taylor Hudson

TechGirls Program Manager
Taylor is dedicated to educational equity, cultural responsiveness, and community engagement and has a passion for fostering
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Brook Johnson

Accounting and Audit Specialist
Brook's desire to leave the world a better place than she found it brought her to Legacy International.
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Anaïs March

Youth Leadership Programs, Program Associate
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Anaïs experienced first-hand the positive impact of community engagement for multicultural youth,
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Holden Mershon

Professional Fellows Program Coordinator
Committed to the principles of diversity, respect, and equity, Holden brings his passion for international exchange to the
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Maya Metzger

TechGirls Program Coordinator
Maya believes in the power of education to uplift marginalized voices and change lives. Her experience teaching English in France inspired a
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Venera Gulshan Mingazova

Grants Manager
Venera first developed a strong sense of devotion for the nonprofit sector while assisting international
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Molly Pyle

TechGirls Program Coordinator
Molly is inspired and energized by the ingenuity of young people and believes that global education and youth empowerment are crucial to

Board of Directors

Board Members are alumni and parents, staff, and friends of the organization.

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Carole Armel

Carole Armelis a management consultant specializing in organization development, matrix management systems, and course design including
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Mahavir (Robert) Homsy, Ph.D.

Mahavir (Robert) Homsy, Ph.D. is a retired applied mathematician and electrochemical computational fluid dynamicist.
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Judith Larson

Judith Larson has been a teacher for more than 20 years, teaching in both traditional classrooms and schools using the Montessori Method of
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Phil Louer

Phil Louer studied sociology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. After college he began working in the building trades and has been
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Ed Stern

Edward Stern served the U.S. Department of Labor for 40+ years as a senior policy and program analyst. He developed regulations, analyzed enforcement strategies,
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Anne Elise Thomas, Ph.D. 

Anne Elise Thomas, Ph.D. is a trained ethnomusicologist with expertise in the music and culture of the Middle East.
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Shanti Thompson

Shanti Thompson is an executive staff member of Legacy International (Vice President: Training) with more than 30 years experience in program

Legacy International Programs: