2025 Global Impact Conference | DA Global - Where Global Education & Success Meet

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About Global Impact

Since 2013 the Global Impact Conference, DA Global’s annual conference, has constituted the most comprehensive forum for connecting global education, inclusive excellence, and student success.

Why Global Impact?

Global Impact is a unique learning experience that unites international education, student success, diversity & inclusion, and student affairs professionals to leverage global education to advance student achievement, workforce readiness, and institutional impact. 

Global education can be a high impact practice that contributes to academic success,  interpersonal growth and career readiness. As such, all students and young people deserve access to the benefits that global education affords.

It is imperative that educators and administrators continue to strengthen their skills, knowledge and competencies to ensure that global education is not only accessible, but designed to support the success of all students.

Each year the DA Global community gathers for Global Impact to network, grow, and tackle the challenges and opportunities to ensuring the field of international education have a positive impact on all students, institutions, and communities we serve.

What Impact Means to Us

The heart of the Global Impact Conference, formally the Global Inclusion Conference, lies in DA Global’s broad IMPACT framework, which guides the entire event experiences, from session content to networking.

I – Inclusion & Innovation

Advance innovative solutions to achieve inclusive access to global education’s benefits.

M – Mentorship & Support

Provide exceptional guidance and advocacy for international and domestic students.

P – Personal & Professional Growth

Cultivate  resilience, leadership, and lifelong learning.

A – Academic & Career Success

Power academic and career success through access to global education opportunities.

C – Collaboration

Strengthen home campus and international networks for student and institutional success.

T – Transformational Leadership

Develop and empower professionals  to drive meaningful impact in a dynamic international education sector.

Why Attend?

Global education can be a high impact practice that contributes to student academic success, interpersonal growth, and career readiness. As such, all students and young people deserve access to the benefits that global education can afford. The Global Impact Conference is the only conference solely dedicated to achieving inclusive student success through access to global education.

Whether you’re interested in best practices on advising international students through an inclusive lens, seeking to attract and retain top talent in office, or examining the role of global education in student academic achievement and workforce readiness, Global Impact 2025 is not to be missed!

Who Attends?

The professionals who present at and attend Global Impact come from around the world and range from Senior International and AVPs for Student Affairs to employers and representatives from government agencies. Most often, attendees come from the following types of offices/organizations:

  • Higher Education Administrators such as senior leaders, directors and officers, who oversee institutional policies, strategic planning, and resource allocation to enhance student experiences across departments that include, but not limited to, student affairs, international education, career services, accessibility services, and diversity and inclusion.
  • Higher Education Staff working directly with students to provide guidance on academic, personal, and career development opportunities.
  • Employers committed to recruiting, retaining, and developing students and early-career professionals who bring global competencies, diverse perspectives, and essential skills to their organizations.
  • Policy Makers shaping educational frameworks and policies that influence how institutions support student success and engagement on both a domestic and global level.
  • Faculty responsible for teaching, mentoring, and conducting research that advances the academic success and growth of students.
  • Graduate Students engaged in advanced academic study and research that is related to the advancement of international education practices.

2025 Global Impact Planning Committee

EC
Eduardo Contreras, Jr.
Committee Chair | Baylor University

Dr. Eduardo “Eddie” Contreras is an educator with over 20 years of experience as a successful teacher, facilitator, curriculum developer, advisor, mentor, and collaborative administrator. Throughout his career, he has been committed to upholding internationalization and inclusive excellence in U.S. public and private higher education. Dr. Contreras joined Baylor in 2023, coming from the University of Portland (UP), a private Catholic university in Portland, Oregon, where he initially served as director of the Office of Studies Abroad before becoming assistant provost in 2018. He served as UP’s first associate provost for international education, diversity, and inclusion, where he led Study Abroad, International Student Services, the Collaborative on International Studies and Global Outreach, diversity and inclusion, and the Diversity Center.

A female with dark brown shoulder length hair. She is smiling and wearing a black shirt with a design of little colorful flowers.
Daniella Lubey
Northwestern University

Daniella Lubey, MSOD is the Senior Program Coordinator at Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism based in San Francisco, CA. With a Master of Science in organization development, she uses her experiences as a local San Franciscan to improve the cohort dynamics of students studying in San Francisco and internationally. Daniella is also the San Francisco Launch Coordinator for the SIT IHP Climate Change program. She provides a robust experience, teaching students about climate NGOs, local San Francisco tourism and culture, and developing a great cohort experience before travel.

a latino male facing the camera forward but at a slight angle. He has short close cropped dark hair and is smiling. He is wearing a dark gray suit jacket that has a small dark colored hankerchief in the pocket. Underneath the jacket he is wearing a pink button up shirt that has the very top button undone. Only his torso and up is visible in the photo.
Harold Ortiz
Arizona State University

Harold is an experienced bilingual educator with over 20 years of higher education experience in academic advising, admissions, student mentoring, instructional design and teaching. Harold is committed to student academic success and fostering a cohesive learning atmosphere between students, advising, faculty and enrollment management. In his current role as Program Manager, Harold is the first point of contact for domestic and international graduate students enrolled in the MS in Information Systems Management and MS in Business Analytics programs at W.P. Carey School of Business. Harold serves in a pivotal role for faculty and student success and his oversight is integral to the smooth programming within his department.

She is a caucasian female with blond shoulder length hair that is slightly wavy. She is smiling and is only visible to the camera from torso and up. She is wearing a white top.
Blair Thomson
University of Mississippi

Blair Thomson is the Senior International Officer and Director of Study Abroad at the University of Mississippi, leading strategic initiatives to expand global engagement and foster international collaboration. An attorney and Fulbright awardee, Blair has presented worldwide on comparative legal systems and international education. She is involved in organizations such as AIEA, NAFSA, and EAIE, and holds expertise in intercultural competence as a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory. Her work supports international students and scholars, global partnerships, global and intercultural competence, education abroad, and professional development across campus and beyond.

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Andrea Campbell Drake
University of Massachusetts Amherst

As the Executive Director of Global Safety and Security, Andrea is responsible for developing systems to support students, staff, and faculty traveling abroad as well as the implementation of comprehensive international travel safety policies and strategies for campus. Andrea also serves as a Deputy Title IX Coordinator for incidents abroad. Andrea earned a dual B.A. degree from Northeastern University in International Affairs and Languages, Literature, and Cultures with a minor in Middle East Studies. She previously served as the President of the Massachusetts Council for International Education (MaCIE), on the Board of Directors for Pulse, International Safety and Security Professionals in Higher Education, and as Coordinator for Health and Safety in the Education Abroad Knowledge Community and Chair of the Health and Safety Subcommittee for NAFSA.

She is a male of South Asian descent with short curly dark hair. He is wearing a white collared shirt. He is looking directly at the camera. He can only be seen from the neck and up.
Uttiyo Raychaudhuri
University of Denver

Dr. Uttiyo Raychaudhuri joined DU as the Vice Provost in January 2020 and will be the primary advocate for the University’s internationalization efforts. He is charged with leading the University on internationalization programs, partnerships and services, as well as developing and implementing DU’s comprehensive internationalization agenda. Dr. Raychaudhuri is to lead the continued development of DU’s global strategies and to preside over an Office of Internationalization that highlights DU’s strength in research, community engagement and teaching worldwide. Dr. Raychaudhuri has worked in the capacity of both faculty and administrator roles and been actively engaged in the field of international education for over 18 years. His leadership in education abroad programming has been recognized twice (2012 & 2014) with the IIE Andrew Heiskell Award for Best Practices and Innovation in International Education.

A black male who is bald and wearing glasses. He has a graying goatee. He is looking at the camera, but his body is at a slight angle. He is not smiling. He is wearinf a dark gray suite jacket and underneath a white collared shirt with the first button undone. He has a small white hankerchief in the pocket of the suit jacket. He is only seen from the torso and up in the photo.
Phil Agbeko
Hilltop Global Group, LLC

Introducing Phil S. Agbeko, a dynamic visionary leader, Co-founder, and CEO of Hilltop Global Group. Born and raised in Ghana and enriched by extensive experiences in Namibia, South Africa, and the USA, Mr. Agbeko's global perspective is deeply rooted in his multicultural background. He is committed to increasing the visibility and accessibility of study abroad programs that illuminate Africa's unique experiential learning opportunities. The recent distinction of being selected as a Fulbright Specialist by the US State Department is a testament to Mr. Agbeko's dedication to educational excellence and global collaboration. Phil S. Agbeko stands as a pivotal figure in educational transformation, with his leadership at Hilltop Global Group exemplifying a future of unparalleled success and global impact.

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Kathleen Rodriguez Dietzel
Harvard University

With extensive experience in international education, Kathleen is passionate about study abroad programming and creating pathways to opportunities for today’s global student. Her work within Harvard University’s Division of Continuing Education (DCE) has helped to grow DCE Global’s international partnership program, expanding the reach of Harvard’s summer experience to new universities and new countries. Kathleen holds a Dual Master's Degree in International Relations and International Communication from Boston University. While she currently resides with her family in Boston, Kathleen has lived abroad in Europe and South America, and she is proficient in Spanish, Norwegian, French, and Portuguese.

A black female with lon dark colored hair. She is smiling the photo. She is wearing a white shirt that has a colorful pattern on it. She is only seen in the photo from her shoulders and up. While her face is facing directly in the photo, her body is at an angle with her shoulder leading first.
Courtney Temple
Institute of International Education

Courtney Temple is IIE’s Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. She has oversight of multiple departments including Human Resources, Administrative Services, Communications and Higher Education Initiatives. Ms. Temple also provides strategic direction and oversight for IIE’s diversity, equity and access programming for staff and IIE-administered programs. Ms. Temple attended Florida A&M University where she earned a B.S. in Business Administration and M.B.A with a Human Resources focus. She is currently a doctoral candidate (EdD, Education Policy, Organization and Leadership) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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Marisa Gray
Toronto Metropolitan University

Marisa A. Gray is a seasoned professional within higher education, specializing in international education. Her commitment to the field is deeply rooted in her belief in the transformative power of global learning. With that, Marisa brings a wealth of experience in strategic planning, developing strategic partnerships abroad, and supporting both students and faculty in education abroad. She continues to make an impact in international education by establishing positive, diverse, and inclusive systems/spaces to support students. Her work in the field has been recognized by Diversity Abroad, who awarded her as a Trailblazer, displaying excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion in international education.

Contact

Please contact us with any conference-related questions or comments at [email protected] or 510-982-0635 ext. 707.