Christine Trinidad

February 15, 2023

Christine Trinidad

Senior Director for Programs and Advising
christjt@unc.edu

Bio:

Christine J. Trinidad is a strong proponent of education abroad with over fifteen years of experience in higher education and the profession of international education. She has served in multiple capacities on the student services side of education abroad and has held multiple positions, first at UC San Diego as peer advisor, office manager, and study abroad advisor, then to provider education abroad advisor at St. Edwards University, and finally at Michigan State University as Assistant Director for Education Abroad Support services. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego in Political Science and Ethnic Studies and received her Master’s degree in Education with a focus on Postsecondary Leadership from San Diego State University. She spent a year at the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies in the United Kingdom that inspired her to enter the profession of international education.Since 2006, Christine has made it her professional goal to improve the student experience (from first point of contact to return) and has made it her personal mission to reach out to diverse and underrepresented populations.

Robert Noffsinger

December 7, 2022

Robert Noffsinger

Program Director
rpnoff@email.unc.edu

Bio:

Robert serves as the Program Director for Latin America, Portugal, Spain, France, and the Caribbean. After spending a semester abroad in Spain as an undergraduate at the University of Virginia, he went on to pursue graduate degrees from Virginia Tech and UNC-Chapel Hill, working as a Graduate Teaching Fellow of Spanish here in the United States and as a Visiting Lecturer at the Universidad de Sevilla. Before joining the Study Abroad Office he worked in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at Carolina, collaborating as part of the global evaluation team and helping to coordinate first-year abroad programs. In his free time, you can find him bouldering, reading speculative fiction, playing embarrassingly old video games, and exploring mountains with his wife and their dog.

N. Nicole Cobb

November 16, 2022

N. Nicole Cobb

Exchange Student Advisor
nncobb@unc.edu

Bio:

Nicole is the Exchange Student Advisor for both the Study Abroad and International Student & Scholar Offices. In this position, she serves all incoming exchange students from all over the world. She has been at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since 2010 as a lecturer in the English Department and School of Education. Prior to serving in this role, she was an Academic Advisor in the College of Arts & Sciences working with STEM and pre-health students. Nicole holds an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language and a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resource Management. In her free time, you will find Nicole on the tennis courts or being active somewhere in the world.

Ken Nesbett

October 28, 2022

Ken Nesbett

Program Director for Africa, Asia, Canada, and domestic programs
knesbett@unc.edu

Bio:

Ken Nesbett serves as the Program Director for Africa, Asia, Canada, and domestic programs. He has a strong track record in study abroad project management and building partnerships focused on internationalizing the campus. Originally from Northeast Ohio, Ken obtained his B.A. in History and Integrated Social Studies Education from the University of Toledo. During his time at UT, he completed several global experiences in Asia, Europe, and North America. These opportunities remain some of most transformative experiences in his life. Ken went on to obtain an M.A.E. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Northern Iowa. Prior to joining the team at UNC, Ken served as the Study Abroad Advisor at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for 12 years. Under his guidance, Kirkwood Study Abroad was nationally recognized as a Top Ten Provider of education abroad programming by Open Doors for Associates Degree institutions every year of his tenure, and was also recognized as a Top Producer for the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship. Ken is excited to join the Study Abroad Office at UNC where he hopes to continue to expand access and equity to global opportunities for all. In his spare time, he enjoys biking, hiking, traveling, and getting out into nature.

Nina Fisher

September 27, 2022

Nina Fisher

President of Study Abroad Peer Ambassadors & Peer Advisor
abroad@unc.edu

Bio:

Nina Fisher is a Peer Advisor and the President of the Study Abroad Peer Ambassadors, a student organization that facilitates connections between past and upcoming study abroad students, while encouraging more UNC students to study abroad. After spending a semester studying French in Paris, Nina is passionate about making the study abroad experience one that every student considers. She is excited about connecting students with their peers before program departure and hopes this will enhance their experience abroad. Nina is in her fourth year at UNC, majoring in Psychology and Management with a minor in the Shuford Program in Entrepreneurship, where she also serves as an ambassador. Nina is an avid traveler and backpacker, visiting over 30 countries, and is happy to talk about what your time abroad might look like. She would love to incorporate travel into her future career and is interested in becoming an Industrial/ Organizational Psychologist. In her free time, Nina loves going for hikes and running with her friends!

Erin Villeneuve

August 24, 2022

Erin Villeneuve

Program Director
ekeeler@email.unc.edu

Bio:

Erin Villeneuve is the Program Director for Scandinavia, Continental Europe (except France, Spain and Portugal) and the Middle East. She has over a decade of experience working in international and U.S. higher education. Prior to joining UNC, Erin worked in the Cultural Missions in the Embassies of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in Washington, DC. She earned her Master’s degree in Global Affairs from George Mason University and her international experiences abroad range from a semester abroad in Prague and a graduate seminar in Tbilisi, Georgia, to a student ambassador in Australia and a service project in Cote d’Ivoire. In addition to being a travel enthusiast, Erin is an avid horseback rider, baker, wife and mother of a baby boy and two rescue dogs.

Sofia Mouritsen

August 23, 2022

Sofia Mouritsen

Study Abroad Advisor
sofiae@unc.edu

Bio:

Sofia Mouritsen serves as the study abroad advisor for programs in Continental Europe (except France, Portugal, and Spain), Scandinavia, and the Middle East. During her time studying Political Science and International Relations at Gettysburg College, Sofia studied abroad in the fall of her Junior year in Geneva, Switzerland and in the spring in Amman, Jordan. Some of her favorite travels were across Europe and the Middle East, and she is excited to work with students of all backgrounds to figure out which experiences abroad might be right for them. As an advisor, Sofia is committed to helping make study abroad accessible for all students, particularly first-generation students and those from low-income or non-traditional family backgrounds. When she is not in the office, Sofia enjoys reading historical mysteries, biking around town, playing the trumpet, and trying to keep her dog from chewing up her frisbees in disc golf.

Lindsey Anderegg

June 7, 2022

Lindsey Anderegg

Terra Dotta and Credit Transfer Specialist
lindsey.anderegg@unc.edu

Bio:

Lindsey Anderegg serves as the Terra Dotta and Credit Transfer Specialist for the Study Abroad Office at UNC Chapel Hill. Lindsey earned her B.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences Education from Iowa State University. She spent five years teaching courses in Child Development, Fashion, and Interior Design for high school students. Lindsey was also a basketball coach for five years. During Lindsey’s undergraduate experience, she was able to study abroad twice: completing a summer in Germany and student teaching in Norway. She also spent a summer in South Korea visiting family. Lindsey is very passionate about education and the opportunities that studying abroad can offer. Currently, she is working towards her master’s degree in International and Comparative Education through Indiana University. Lindsey is really looking forward to working in study abroad, supporting students and to see the impact of these experiences for students at UNC. In her free time, you can find Lindsey taking her mini goldendoodle Frankie on walks and to dog parks, traveling, spending time with family, and checking out local restaurants and breweries!

Jade Hibshman

May 26, 2022

Jade Hibshman

Enrollment & Credit Transfer Specialist
jhibshman@unc.edu

Bio:

Jade Ruddy Hibshman serves as the Enrollment & Credit Transfer Specialist in the UNC Study Abroad Office. Prior to joining the Study Abroad team, Jade held positions in the UNC Registrar’s Office working with student records, registration, and curriculum. Jade realized her passion for exploring the world during her undergraduate degree at East Carolina University after a backpacking trip through Spain, Italy, Croatia, Austria, and Switzerland. Post-undergraduate studies Jade became an English teacher in Thailand and embarked on another 8-week backpacking journey through Southeast Asia. Her time abroad influenced her to create similar experiences for others and encourage global citizenship. Jade also holds a Master’s in International Studies from North Carolina State University and aims to continue supporting students studying abroad by facilitating a seamless academic credit transfer process. In her free time Jade enjoys Italian dinners with family, going to the beach, journaling, live music, and scoping out new breweries with her husband.

Meredith Brown

May 12, 2022

Meredith Brown

Credit Team Assistant
meredb@unc.edu

Bio:

Meredith serves on the Study Abroad Credit Team. She earned her B.A. in Public Relations from Meredith College, where she also had the chance to study abroad in Italy, the U.K., and Australia. Her study abroad advisors played a big role in helping her find her passion for a career in study abroad. She recently graduated with her Master’s in International Studies at NC State University. Meredith enjoys traveling with friends and family, reading, going to Target, and lots of cuddles with her 13-year-old cat, Kitty.

SAO Staff entries