EXECUTIVE BOARD
President: LesLee Clauson Eicher
LesLee Clauson Eicher is the incoming President of TAICEP – The Association for International Credential Evaluation Professionals.
Some of you may recognize this phenomenon: I stumbled into the profession of foreign credential evaluation. It was a lucky coincidence for me that, as a graduate student in Germanic Philology at the University of Maryland, I was hired for a part-time job at the International Education Services Office. This job eventually turned into a full-time job in international credential evaluation. I wasn’t fully aware of it at the time, but I had found my calling. As an international credential evaluator I was able to parlay my passion for international cultures and travel, my affinity for the higher education environment, my detail-oriented mind, and my interest in educational exchange into a career.
Since that time, I’ve worked in international credential evaluation in a number of settings: at a large state university, at a small private university, at a private credential evaluation agency, and most recently at AACRAO doing international credential evaluation and international admissions training. At various other points in my career I’ve been an instructor of college-level German, a high-school English-teacher in Austria, a teacher-certification officer at a small university in rural Washington State, a coordinator for Japanese student homestays in the US, an ESL tutor, and an adult motivational-speaker.
In my free time…
I am married, have two grown step-daughters, and one elderly cat. My husband I live in Tacoma, Washington. I am a telecommuter and have been for the past 17 years. I love to garden, cook (eat!), and travel. I serve on the board of my local American Association of University Women.
Why I am committed to TAICEP…
I am constantly impressed by the caliber of my colleagues in international credential evaluation. Their knowledge, dedication, and passion for this field is surpassed only by their willingness to share knowledge, and their spirit of collegiality. In this field, we collaborate, we don’t compete.
For many years we worked in a field that had little professional recognition beyond our small groups of colleagues which gathered at large meetings. Now, with TAICEP, we have a place to call our own. It is an honor to be a part of realizing our goals: to professionalize our work, to continue to provide opportunities for all of us to learn and to teach, and to strengthen our commitment to build an association that will grow and thrive long into the future.
Past President: Margit Schatzman
Margit A. Schatzman has been involved in international admissions and credential evaluation for over 30 years and is President of Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). ECE is a non-profit organization that provides academic institutions and other organizations with services in foreign credential evaluation, research and training in international education.
I am looking forward to continuing service to the wonderful members of TAICEP as Past President and Chair of the Committee for Governance and Finance. Our Committee’s work may not be as exciting or visible as some of the others, but we work hard to ensure that the Association has a strong foundation and that it meets its legal and financial responsibilities in an ethical and responsible manner. Are you interested in learning more? We have ideas on how you can get involved.
Vice President of Standards: Cloud Bai-Yun
Dr Cloud Bai-Yun is the Chief Executive of UK NARIC, the UK’s national agency providing information and expert opinion on vocational, academic and professional qualifications worldwide. Dr Bai-Yun joined UK NARIC in 1997 to effect the initial Ministerial brief to create and implement the UK NARIC services on behalf of the UK’s Government. Under Dr Bai-Yun’s dynamic and pioneering leadership, UK NARIC has been transformed from a low profile, loss-making operation to an internationally recognised and respected leading public service provider. Her career history also included designing and developing the National Reference Point for Vocational Qualifications (NRP) since its inception in 2001; the National Europass Centre since 2005; the National Contact Point on Professional Qualifications from 2008, and the European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) Centre for England in more recent years.
Dr Bai-Yun was the driving force and creator of the first ever comprehensive database of its kind, the UK’s Crown copyright databank, International Comparisons. She was also the designer of the UK NARIC Band Framework, a prized intellectual property of the Crown. The unique International Qualifications Convertor for the US and the invaluable Bridge for the Oil and Gas Industry were the brainchild of Dr Bai-Yun,
Over the past few years, Dr Bai-Yun has developed and pursued professional interests in the global market for education, skills and international mobility, having served as an elected Board member of the EU NARIC network and wider international community.
At the personal level, Dr Bai-Yun has a high level of proficiency in a number of languages. Her original research was in Slavonic Studies and Linguistics, having gained a doctorate in 1997 at the University of Leeds. She also holds professional qualifications in IT, Computing and Business Management.
Vice President of Membership: Marshall Houserman
Marshall Houserman is Director of Admissions at UIC Global, a partnership between the University of Illinois at Chicago and Shorelight Education. Prior to his current position Marshall spent over 6 years working as an Evaluator and Senior Evaluator with Educational Perspectives, nfp. Marshall is a member of NAFSA Trainer Corps and has presented at state, regional and international level conferences including NAFSA and TAICEP. He has also contributed to the NAFSA IEM Spotlight Newsletter, the NAFSA Guide to Educational Systems Around the World, and the AACRAO International Guide. He currently serves as the Vice President for Membership and Outreach for TAICEP.
While important to our work, I am of the firm belief that international credential evaluation is so much more than calculating GPAs and converting credits. International credential evaluators help the right individuals further their educational and professional goals with every assessment they make. Our profession also helps provide insight on intercultural competence, through the lens of an individual’s past educational experience, which can help educational administrators better their practices with future students, help licensing professionals understand those that are seeking new credentials, and assist employers with even more background of their future team members. Our work is vital not just to determining benchmarks and grades, but to being an integral, professional part of any team working in the field of international education. I am so thrilled to help TAICEP and serve in my capacity as the Vice President for Membership and Outreach, and encourage each member to reach out to me, talk about new initiatives for expanding our base, and continuing our work in advocating for the international credential evaluation profession.
Treasurer: David Haynes
I am the President of International Education Evaluations, Inc. I spent 10 years in public and private accounting as a CPA prior to entering the foreign academic evaluation industry.
I have owned and operated International Education Evaluations, Inc. since 2007. I continue to look forward to serving TAICEP in the treasurer’s position for the next two years and look forward to working with the new TAICEP leadership as we bring on a new team.
Secretary: Diana Hense
Hi everyone, my name is Diana Hense MA. I am from The Netherlands, Europa. And the new secretary of the board for 2018.
A bit more of me: I have been working in the international credential evaluating environment for over 15 years. I started my international credential evaluation career at around 2002, when we began implementing English taught programmes in the Netherlands, and as a result the recruiting in foreign countries and the credential evaluating.
At the moment I manage two credential evaluate teams at the University of Amsterdam; one at the Business & Economics department and I am in the process of setting up one at central level. This last one also to connect the knowledge of the different admissions offices the University has. Connecting is my main goal here. I am convinced that there is a global need for more professionalization regarding international credential evaluation. That’s why I joined Taicep, to help building up an important international and professional association. I am looking forward to the coming year!
Executive Director: Robert Prather
Robert has worked in higher education in a variety of positions in international admissions, marketing, immigration, and study abroad. He has worked at several large state universities and for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Robert has held a variety of volunteer roles in NAFSA and AACRAO. In addition to his current role as TAICEP Executive Director, he acts as primary caregiver for his mother, who has Alzheimer’s. Robert has his master’s degree from the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce in economics and diplomatic history. He is devoted to the international education profession and very much values his association with TAICEP.
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Committee Chair, Governance and Finance Committee: Margit Schatzman
Margit is also the TAICEP Past President, and her biography appears earlier in this article.
Committee Chair, Standards Committee: Rolf Lofstad
Rolf has been working internationally in the field of recognition of foreign qualifications for almost 25 years, being active in organizations like ENIC-NARIC, EAIE, NAFSA and TAICEP to name a few. He has been involved / is involved in working groups in Council of Europe and Nordic Council of Ministers. His favorite themes include complex themes in recognition, recognition of qualifications held by refugees and the connection between recognition, qualifications frameworks and quality assurance. He works with recognition policy at the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education – NOKUT.
Committee Chair, Membership Outreach Committee: Jeremy Mixell
Jeremy Mixell is currently serving as the Director of Integrated Enrollment Operations at the University of San Francisco. While providing primary operational support for both domestic and international undergraduate admission, Jeremy also supports the needs of our graduate and branch campus colleagues, and is currently serving a captain for the undergraduate implementation of Slate. In addition to his role with TAICEP as the Membership Outreach chair, Jeremy has recently assumed the International Enrollment Management Knowledge Community chair position with NASFA Region XII. Jeremy worked previously as Associate Director of International Admissions with Indiana University-Bloomington where he served as the institution-wide international admission operations manager. Jeremy graduated from Loyola University-Chicago with a Masters degree in Comparative Education and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Gender Studies from Indiana University-Bloomington.
Having worked in the field of international education for over ten years, Jeremy is dedicated to the students, the institutions, and the communities TAICEP, and the many individuals who make up its membership work to serve on a daily basis. At approximately one million students, international students currently represent over five percent of the 20 million students currently enrolled in U.S. higher education (Open Doors 2017, IIE). The work of TAICEP and its many partner institutions in the broader field of international/global education has never been more important. Jeremy looks forward to working with you in support of the students, institutions, and communities we serve.
Committee Chair, Professional Development+Training Committee: Denise Benz
Denise is the Director of the Global Transcript Evaluation Team with Laureate Education Inc.
She has worked in the international credentials evaluation field for 9.5 years and in for-profit higher education for the last 13. Denise holds a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language and Literature (Spanish concentration), and a Master of Education in Student Affairs (Higher Education). Denise joined TAICEP in 2015 and became a member of the Professional Development and Training Committee in January 2016, taking on the role of organizing and hosting the organization’s webinars.
Denise’s thoughts on TAICEP
After attending the first annual TAICEP conference in Toronto, I knew right away that I wanted to get more involved with the organization. Joining the Professional Development and Training Committee has been a wonderful learning experience. It has impacted me on a professional, and even personal level, which is why I believe so much in the work we’re doing. Being a member on this Committee has only further strengthened my commitment to the organization and its members. I am excited to serve as Committee Chair. I look forward to working with all of you and making the impact I know we can make in our industry!
Committee Chair, Resources for Members Committee: Christopher Adams
I began my professional career in teaching secondary school for two years. After this, I decided to change career and focus on higher education administration. My first role in the field was as a data processor for Indiana University’s Office of International Services. Within three months, I had been promoted to an evaluator role within the same office and would continue in this role for the following two years. It was during this time that I found my passion for working with international education systems and directly with our international students. I currently serve as Assistant Director for International Admissions Operations at Indiana University. My responsibilities include supervising our international data processing and credential evaluation teams as well as serving as point of contact for international application workflow, credential evaluation, and international transfer credit.
My first experience with TAICEP was through the annual conference in Chicago at the recommendation of Jeremy Mixell—then my supervisor. We have since spread involvement of TAICEP within our office, allowing for 5 memberships among our evaluation and administration staff as well as continued attendance at the annual conferences. TAICEP has grown significantly since we became first involved and I look forward to the organization continuing to fulfill its goals and remain the preeminent organization for international credential evaluation professionals.
Committee Chair, Conference Committee: Timothy Kell
Working at ECE for many years, I have had the wonderful opportunity to travel around the world, attending and presenting at a wide variety of international education conferences. It was at the first TAICEP Conference though when I knew I had found my home. People from around the world(!) knew and understood what I do each day. They had the same job I did. They were like me!
At that first conference in Toronto, I volunteered to join the Professional Development and Training Committee. Then, only a few weeks later, I was asked to help plan the second TAICEP Conference in Chicago. I have been busy the past two years coordinating all of the conference programming, those individual sessions where TAICEP members, each with their own incredible background, share their work and experience with others. After the 2017 Conference in Rome, I was approached by TAICEP leadership, inviting me to take over as the Chair of the Conference Planning Committee. Knowing the incredible foundation I would be building on- how successful each of the past conferences had been, and knowing the dedication of passion of TAICEP members I would work with, I accepted.
This year, you will notice that submitting a session proposal and registering to attend the 2018 Conference in Philadelphia will look a bit different. We have been busy over the past two months implementing new conference planning software. This software will help TAICEP improve the user experience, reduce financial costs, and streamline the work done by all the volunteers who help make the conference happen. I am always happy to hear people’s thoughts and feedback. Does the new system work well? What can we do better? How can TAICEP plan our conference each year to meet your professional needs?
Committee Chair, Certification Committee: Kate Freeman
I’ve been in the field of international education for nearly 30 years. It all started with studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain followed by teaching ESL in Morocco with the U.S. Peace Corps and at Feng Chia University in Taiwan. I’ve worked at several colleges and universities as an international admission officer and foreign student adviser where I learned the art and science of credentials evaluation. I currently work at SpanTran: The Evaluation Company as a senior credentials analyst.
The Certification Committee is proud of its work in developing and implementing the Foundation Certificate, and is working diligently on developing new certificates to be introduced in the next two years. We need Committee members from outside North America, so please consider joining us!
Committee Chair, Marketing+Communications Committee: Shereen Mir-Jabbar
Shereen Mir-Jabbar is a Credentialling Officer at the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR), and has been conducting evaluations for internationally-educated physiotherapists for over 6 years. Prior to her experience at CAPR, Shereen worked as an Outreach Liaison Specialist at Job Skills supporting newcomers and immigrants in York Region. She has been a contributor for publications such as the TAICEP Talk Newsletter, WES Advisor, and Humans of Pakistan’s Words in Action blog, and has presented at two TAICEP conferences on the topics of increasing pre-arrival support for internationally-educated professionals and fraud and degree mills. Shereen is currently the Chair of TAICEP’s Marketing and Communications Committee. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Communication, Culture, and Information Technology from the University of Toronto and a post-graduate certificate in Corporate Communications from Seneca College.
After completing my first year as the Chair of TAICEP’s Marketing and Communications Committee, I would like to express my gratitude to the other TAICEP leaders and members for providing me with such a warm welcome, especially at this year’s conference in Rome.
TAICEP is a truly amazing organization to be a part of. It not only acts as an advocate for our profession, but it also advances it through innovative partnerships and professional development opportunities. In 2017, TAICEP participated in the Groningen Declaration Network (GDN) symposium in Melbourne, held its first conference in Europe, ran over 4 webinars, and launched a Foundation Certificate program – the first of its kind in our field.
With such wonderful achievements this past year, the Marketing and Communications Committee strives to keep you updated on TAICEP’s accomplishments, activities and upcoming events, including the latest information in the field, and opportunities where you can be involved. In 2017, our newly-formed committee worked on improving communication with you by providing more frequent and relevant messaging and more interaction on our social media channels. Working closely with TAICEP Talk Editor Peggy Bell Hendrickson, we also enhanced the design of the newsletter and increased accessibility to its content on our website. In 2018, we will be strengthening our efforts to spread TAICEP’s reach even further, while also improving our existing operations and procedures. Keep an eye on your inboxes and check our Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter pages to stay up-to-date with TAICEP.
It’s been a great year with you, and I look forward to supporting you in 2018. I wish you all a very happy, prosperous, and successful 2018.
Committee Chair, Fundraising Committee: George Kacenga
George F. Kacenga truly enjoys working with international students and has been an active professional in higher education for over 15 years serving domestic, international, and under-served populations. With strengths including admissions, enrollment management, and student service, George serves as an active member of several professional organizations as a leader and presenter such as NAFSA, AACRAO, NAGAP, AIRC, and TAICEP. George is engaged with the International Enrollment Management (IEM) community having recently authored an article on evolving strategies in global student recruitment for the Institute of International Education (IIE) and a chapter titled ‘Applied Comparative Education through the Analysis of Foreign Academic Credentials’ in the 2016 AACRAO International Guide. Together, George’s personal and professional paths have taken him to five continents, many countries, and into many more lasting relationships. George earned his PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in Social and Comparative Analysis in Education, defending his dissertation titled Globalization of Foreign Academic Credential Placement Recommendations for Graduate Study in the United States, 1932-2015. He is the recipient of an Administrator’s Fulbright award to S. Korea, the IERF Sepmeyer Research Grant, and the AIRC Marjorie Peace Lenn Research Award. He is grateful for the support he receives at home from his Uruguayan husband, cat, and two Old English Sheepdogs. He recently authored The Dim Star, and illustrated children’s book, and is working on a new title to promote the concept of study abroad with young readers. George is eager to collaborate and find solutions that serve students and stakeholders alike and he welcomes your suggestions and feedback to advance the mission of TAICEP.
It is quite an honor to serve the TAICEP community as the Chair for Organizational Advancement. I currently serve as the Director of International Enrollment Management at the University of Colorado Denver. I understand well the risk, importance, and responsibility of this position as well as the high standards and expectations that accompany it. It is my desire to champion the value of international education at all levels within the TAICEP community, and beyond.
The landscape in international education is always changing. To thrive, an increasing number of leaders at U.S. institutions are recognizing the critical role analysis of foreign academic credentials contributes to complement existing strategic recruitment and internationalization strategies. Increasingly, overseas partners, agents, and international higher education practitioners are recognizing the role credential evaluation plays in the U.S where each institutions exerts its own interpretation. UNESCOR recently recognized the need for a global convention on the recognition of academic credentials and the need for TAICEP has never been greater. As a leader within TAICEP, I am positioned to aid professional development within the TAICEP community and create a platform to advance the national conversation regarding international credential evaluation. I have experience in many realms of international education and have aided innovative academic research and enterprise partnerships. I have represented the interests of U.S. higher education at embassy domestic and abroad. My recent experience as the ‘Local Arrangements Team’ Co-Chair for the 2016 NAFSA annual conference in Denver has lent great insight into conference planning and execution that will be of great benefit to TAICEP, as well.
I continually monitor how I can make an impact in important areas of international strategy, planning, and program development for my institution and the students we serve. I am prepared to do the same through TAICEP for U.S. institutions, recruitment agents, and the students who benefit from our important professional work. I share all of this context to demonstrate the passion and commitment I focus into my role securing sponsorship for TAICEP because I believe in the organization, its mission, and its membership. Please feel welcome to reach out to me if you have any questions or leads to help advance our organization. Thank you.
Inside this edition:
President’s Welcome -January 2018 Newsletter
Committee Updates -January 2018 Newsletter
Organizational Structure Updates -January 2018 Newsletter
Indian Diploma Programmes Awarded by State Boards for Technical Education -January 2018 Newsletter
Brief Primer on the American Territories -January 2018 Newsletter
Cambridge Advanced Coursework: An Introduction -January 2018 Newsletter
Secondary Credential Overview- Part I -January 2018 Newsletter
European Union General Data Protection Regulation -January 2018 Newsletter
Building a Resource Library, Part III -January 2018 Newsletter
Memoriam to David Millar -January 2018 Newsletter
TAICEP News -January 2018 Newsletter
Add to your Library -January 2018 Newsletter
Recent TAICEP Events January 2018 Newsletter
Upcoming TAICEP Events -January 2018 Newsletter
From the TAICEP Website -January 2018 Newsletter
Notes from the Field -January 2018 Newsletter