Rev. Dr. David Birner
Assistant Vice President of International Affairs
Rev. Dr. David Birner
| Title | Assistant Vice President of International Affairs |
|---|---|
| Qualifications | BA Theology/Philosophy- Concordia Senior College; Master of Divinity- Christ Seminary; Doctor of Ministry- Bakke Graduate University |
| Global Experience | 14 years of missionary service in Papua New Guinea, 9 years as Asia Secretary supervising Lutheran programs in 12 Asian countries, 3 years residence in Hong Kong and 9 years overseeing the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod’s international operations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eurasia. |
| Languages | English and Papua New Guinean trade and tribal languages |
| Fun Fact | Instead of riding a traditional bicycle, Dr. Birner ‘stands out’ on his ElliptiGo bike (google it!) |
Amanda Reitz
Director of International Recruitment and Retention
Amanda Reitz
| Title | Director of International Recruitment and Retention |
|---|---|
| Qualifications | BA International Studies- University of Wisconsin Oshkosh; MA European Studies- University of Flensburg (Germany) |
| Global Experience | Amanda lived in Germany on three separate occasions: one year through Rotary exchange in high school, a semester during her undergraduate and two years pursuing her post-graduate degree. Amanda has traveled to over 35 different countries across Europe, the Middle East/Arabian Gulf, Asia and Latin America. |
| Languages | English and German |
| Fun Fact | Amanda’s ultimate retirement goal is to one day open an internationally themed bakery where she can feature all of the recipes she’s received from students. |
Damian Jacob Wyman
Director of International Program Development and Evaluation
Damian Jacob Wyman
| Title | Director of International Program Development and Evaluation |
|---|---|
| Qualifications | PhD in Comparative and International Education (in progress) with Lehigh University; M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from California State University, Los Angeles; B.A. in History from the University of Washington |
| Global Experience | Damian first lived and taught in China - in Lanzhou, Gansu Province - from 1996-1998. He has lived and worked in Shanghai, China, from 2008 to present. In that time, he led the International Education emphasis of the M.A. in International Studies program, while serving as assistant professor - instructing in areas such as TESOL, teaching methodologies, Chinese education, and the teaching practicum. He interfaced with Chinese universities, colleges, and private educational institutions during that time to provide positive placement opportunities for these masters students. Since 2017, Damian has been engaged in developing new programs with Chinese partner institutions, as well as evaluating those programs to assure high quality. |
| Languages | English, Spanish, Chinese |
| Fun Fact | Damian's 3 boys all attend Concordia International School Shanghai and love it! |
Charlotte Shih
Coordinator of Student Programs in the Asia Pacific
Charlotte Shih
| Title | Coordinator of Student Programs in the Asia Pacific |
|---|---|
| Qualifications | BA French Studies- National Central University of Taiwan; MA- Marquette University |
| Global Experience | Extensive experience in Asia/South East Asia, as well as in Europe. Charlotte also lived in Copenhagen, Denmark for a while. |
| Languages | Mandarin, English and French |
| Fun Fact | Charlotte has a passion for food, travel and God’s word! |
Robin Kuzu
International Student Advisor
Robin Kuzu
| Title | International Student Advisor |
|---|---|
| Qualifications | BA English & Spanish Literature & Language- University of Maryland College Park; MA Comparative Literature- Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain; MA Spanish Literature & Language- Pennsylvania State University |
| Global Experience | Robin has lived, worked and studied in Mexico City, Mexico, Santiago, Chile and Barcelona, Spain over the duration of several years. She also routinely visits her in-laws in Turkey. |
| Languages | English and Spanish |
| Fun Fact | Robin has visited the House of the Virgin Mary near Ephesus, Turkey! |
Margaret Leimkuehler
Study Abroad Program Coordinator
Margaret Leimkuehler
| Title | Study Abroad Program Coordinator |
|---|---|
| Qualifications | BA in Spanish and German from Bowling Green State University |
| Global Experience | Maggie studied abroad three times: 1 summer in Buskerud, Norway; 1 semester in Alcala de Henares, Spain; and 1 semester in Salzburg, Austria. She has also volunteered on multiple mission trips to Nejapa, Nicaragua. |
| Languages | English, Spanish, German, and some Norwegian |
| Fun Fact | Maggie researched her family's genealogy and met German relatives during her time abroad! |
Kelsey Marquardt
International Admissions and Retention Coordinator
Kelsey Marquardt
| Title | International Admissions and Retention Coordinator |
|---|---|
| Qualifications | Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities |
| Global Experience | Kelsey previously coordinated middle and high school partnerships for Central Boarding Academy, where international students lived and studied to prepare for ongoing study at universities and colleges in the US. Kelsey also created monthly reports for parents, and weekly newsletters for the partner schools, parents, and agents among many other responsibilities. Kelsey has also participated in four mission trips, including one to Mexico where the focus was on benefiting the local community. |
| Languages | English, Italian |
| Fun Fact | Kelsey plays piano recreationally, and minored in Italian at UMN! |
