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October 2023 Meet-Up | Self-Advocacy in the Workplace
October 30, 2023 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Join NCAIE for a panel discussion on self-advocacy in the workplace with Melissa Chambers, Suzanne LaVenture, Nicole Ianieri, and Brooke Buffington. Panelists will be focusing on helping NCAIE members as they make the case for themselves and their units/departments, raising topics like negotiating better/more equitable pay, job titles, and responsibilities as well as advocating for more staffing, more professional development funding, increased flexibility, and more.
About our Panelists:
Brooke Buffington is the Assistant Vice President of the Student Professional Development Center (SPDC) at Elon University. In this role, she leads the nationally recognized SPDC team in providing best in class service to students, alumni, and external partners. Brooke has over 15 years of experience working in professional development, building relationships with corporate partners around the country. Brooke enjoys assisting professionals in defining their purpose and securing positions that align with their professional goals. Outside of her work at Elon, Brooke dives into the creative pursuit of telling impactful stories through screenwriting. Brooke Buffington co-wrote and co-produced the independent feature film Chalk It Up with her writing partner, Maddy Curley. Chalk It Up was licensed to Netflix for both domestic and international release in a two-year deal worth double the film’s budget. The film can now be watched on Amazon Prime. Questions? Contact Brooke Buffington or connect on LinkedIn.
Melissa Chambers serves as Associate Vice President at WorldStrides Higher Education and is grateful to have spent over two decades transforming students’ lives though international education. Her professional areas of expertise include developing strategic partnerships for international education, sexual health and sexual violence prevention, and diversity, equity, and inclusion for education abroad. She is the author of NAFSA’s Sexual Health Abroad: A Guide to Healthy Practices (2009 and 2016). As a thought leader in the field, Melissa has presented at state, regional, and national conferences and sits on the Rainbow SIG of NAFSA Advisory Board. She has undergraduate degrees in Spanish and creative writing and a master’s degree in communication studies. Melissa loves exploring new places with her husband and children or just hanging at home with their crew of dogs and cats (including fosters from time to time), cooking, and devouring a good book. Melissa proudly supports NC and SC agriculture by hosting a farmer’s market pop-up at her home once a month. Melissa is proud to lead from the framework of compassionate leadership and believes in encouraging and mentoring newer professionals to find their voice and be empowered as change makers! Questions? Contact Melissa Chambers.
Nicole Ianieri currently holds a position within the Office of International Programs at UNC Charlotte, where she serves as the Director of the English Language Training Institute and Office of Intercultural and Educational Experiences. She holds over two decades of experience in international higher education, throughout which she has demonstrated her commitment to serving students, faculty, and staff through various roles: instructor, advisor, mentor, and program administrator. A First-Generation leader, Nicole firmly believes in the inherent value of all people whom she serves. She is driven to uphold campus equity and committed to dismantling systems of oppression. She values collaboration as integral to her work and enjoys creating opportunities for partnerships, growth, and understanding in both her personal and professional spheres. Questions? Contact Nicole Ianieri.
Suzanne LaVenture is the former Director of International Education at Davidson-Davie Community College, having recently retired after 29 years of service. Suzanne participated on a 2016 Fulbright International Educators Seminar in Russia and serves as a Fulbright alumni ambassador. She has decades of experience working with international students, Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants and Fulbright Scholars-in-Residence. Suzanne also led and managed short-term study abroad programs for over 20 years. She helped create the NC Scholars of Global Distinction program, which has been replicated in 30 other colleges. Suzanne holds degrees in Spanish from Wake Forest University and the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Questions? Contact Suzanne LaVenture.
Meet new colleagues and socialize with familiar faces in this monthly meet-up hour!
Access this Zoom event online.
Meeting Access Information
Join Zoom Meeting: https://elon.zoom.us/j/95987784476?pwd=VURzbjFWVlM2NmNkeVorRmRabUJsQT09
Meeting ID: 959 8778 4476
Passcode: 446226
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Meeting ID: 959 8778 4476
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NCAIE Monthly Meet-Up Events are free and open to all interested international educators in North Carolina. We aim to foster community, develop ourselves professionally, and advance the scope of international education and it’s many benefits to all.