Meet Our Leadership

Our dedicated Board of Directors and leadership team bring experience, passion, and expertise to foster global education and cultural exchange, keeping our community informed and connected. Meet the individuals who guide our mission and drive our initiatives:

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Dr. Joyce M. Davis

President & CEO

PennLive Outreach & Opinion Editor

Dr. Mehdi Noorbaksh

Vice President

Professor, Harrisburg University

Eliz Nestorov

Treasurer

Founder and CEO of AKAEVA Consulting, LLC.

Lindsay Bowman

Secretary

Head of Middle & Upper Schools, Harrisburg Academy

Mary Gabriele

Program Manager

Dr. Oralia Dominic

Public Health Ambassador

Samuel Pimental

Youth Council Leader

Cole Goodman

Community Outreach Ambassador

Meet our Board.

Romeo Azondekon

Vice President of Student Services, Central Penn College

Dr. Najiba Benabess

Associate Provost and Dean, Neumann University

Kalpana Doppalapudi

Founder, Powerwomen Inc.

Dr. Oralia Garcia Dominic

President & Founder of the National Institute of Rural & Minority Health (NIRMH)

Hagir Elsheikh

HSE Staffing Agency & Tomorrow’s Smile Inc.

Nathaniel Gadsden

UPMC Chaplain

Pat Gadsden

President, Life Esteem Inc.

Russell M. Goodman

New Branches Ministry

Dr. William Harner

Former acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, Former Superintendent Cumberland Valley & Quakertown Schools

Dr. Renu Joshi

Endocrinologist, Joshi Foundation

Guerline L. Laurore

Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer, Pennie

Link Martin

Director, Temple University Harrisburg (Retired)

Frank Rapisarda

Principal of FKR Design Solutions LLC

Jesse Waters

Elizabethtown College, Bowers Writers House

Dr. Kathleen White

Director, Governor’s Schools (Retired)

Holly Leggett -- President/CEO Team PA Foundation

Board of Directors Emeriti

Dr. Gaylen Bradley

Hershey Medical School (Retired)

Harry White

Attorney (Retired)

President's Advisory Council

Ambassador John Craig

Senior Fellow Mediterranean Basin, Middle East, and Gulf Initiative

2025 Ambassador Level Members

  • Dr. Najiba Benabess
  • Lindsay Bowman
  • Joyce M. Davis
  • Russell Goodman
  • Dr. Renu Joshi
  • Link Martin
  • Eliz Nestorov
  • Frank Rapisarda
  • Dr. Shirley Warshaw
  • Dr. Kathleen White

Diplomat Level Members

  • Gbemi Bakare

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Become a member today to support global initiatives in your own backyard.

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